Sheet Pan Roasted Sausages and Grapes

If it wasn't for Al making that delish goat cheese and roasted grape appetizer for us I probably wouldn't have looked twice at this recipe I saw at thekitchn.com for sheet pan roasted sausages and grapes, but knowing how great roasted grapes are I decided to make this for dinner. I can't really give it a fair review or criticize anything because I didn't follow the directions exactly, we liked it just fine but not stellar - I'd make it again with a couple additional tweaks and suggestions. 

We didn't think it had a lot of flavor, and the recipes notes say there will be a "bold pan sauce begging for crusty bread on the side to sop all that sauce" but there was no sauce to speak of after roasting. I only used 1/4 the amount of shallots and didn't toss it together with the grapes and seasonings, maybe that's the difference that would add flavor and sauce? Also I felt like the grapes needed to roast longer but the sausages were done at 25 minutes - next time I will start the grapes ahead of adding the sausage. 

Overall it's a good dish, it just needs to be played with a little!

this is what 1 1/2 pounds of grapes looks like

• 1 1/2 pounds seedless red grapes (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 3 medium shallots, thinly sliced (1 heaping cup)
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, strip the leaves and coarsely chop (1 T.)
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 t. fennel seeds
• 1/2 t. kosher salt
• 1/4 t. black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds uncooked hot or sweet Italian sausage links (6-8 links)
• 1 T. balsamic vinegar

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425'

Remove the stems from the grapes and place the grapes on a rimmed baking sheet. 

Add the shallots and rosemary to the grapes, drizzle with the olive oil; sprinkle with the fennel seeds, salt and pepper, toss to coat. Spread out in an even layer.

Prick the sausage links all over with a fork and nestle them among the grape mixture. Roast, flipping the sausages and tossing the grape mixture halfway through, until the sausages are browned and cooked through and the grapes have blistered and burst, 25-28 minutes. 

Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the sausages and grapes, toss to coat. 

serves 4-6

12.11.20: gingerbread cookie hugs by B

12.11.19: cucumber ranch salad dressing

12.11.18: bath salt ornaments

12.11.2017: tinsel wreath

12.11.2016: chicken marsala

12.11.2015: tomato cage Christmas tree