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Writer's pictureJ.R.

Roast Sausage and Fennel with Orange

While many people think of Claire Saffitz as the "Dessert Person" -- it's a pun on her book title -- this sheet-pan meal of hers from a BA in 2018 is a showstopper visually and taste-wise.


The trick is, as always, to get the freshest and highest quality ingredients. For instance, don't get the frozen Italian sausage; splurge. Get the good stuff; go to a small deli and get freshly made sausage. Even better, make your own!

Ingredients:

2 medium fennel bulbs, fronds reserved, bulbs halved through root end, thinly sliced lengthwise

1 small red onion, halved through root end, thinly sliced lengthwise

3 sprigs rosemary

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

6 sweet Italian sausages (about 1 1/2 lb. total)

1 medium navel orange

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Flaky sea salt


FIRST: Place a rack in highest position in oven; preheat to 425°F. Combine fennel bulbs, red onion, and rosemary sprigs on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 Tbsp. oil, season generously with kosher salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Arrange sausages on top, spacing evenly and nestling into vegetables. Prick sausages all over with the tip of a paring knife and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil. Roast until sausages are browned on top and cooked though and fennel is tender and deeply browned in spots, 25–30 minutes.


MEANWHILE: Coarsely chop reserved fennel fronds (you want about 1/4 cup); set aside. Cut the ends off orange to reveal flesh. Rest orange upright on a cut side and cut down around orange to remove peel and white pith, rotating it as you go; discard peel. Working over a small bowl, hold orange in your hand and cut between membranes to release segments into bowl. Squeeze membranes to extract any remaining juice into bowl; discard membranes. Add vinegar to orange segments and juice and toss to combine; season with kosher salt and pepper.


THEN: Remove baking sheet from oven. Using your hand or a spoon to block segments, pour juices from orange over sausage and fennel mixture. Set orange segments aside and let sausages and fennel mixture cool 5 minutes.


FINALLY: Transfer sausages and fennel mixture to a platter. Crumble rosemary leaves over and scatter reserved orange segments and fennel fronds on top. Season with sea salt and a bit more pepper; drizzle with oil.

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