AGRODOLCE SAUSAGES WITH SOFT POLENTA
Cooked in the Italian ‘sweet and sour’ style, this dish is a favourite go-to for cooler nights. The agrodolce vegetables are perfect with soft polenta and our moreish Farro Pork Sausages or try them tossed through pasta.
Ingredients
For the vegetables:
2 eggplants
1/3 cup olive oil for frying (you may not need all of it)
2 onions, sliced
2 capsicums, cut into wedges
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp honey
2-3 Tbsp red wine or white wine vinegar
½ cup fresh green grapes, halved
3 Tbsp capers
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
Small handful parsley leaves, chopped
For the Soft Polenta:
1.2 litres chicken, vegetable stock, or water
1 tsp salt
1 cup (200g) instant polenta
75g mascarpone
50g parmesan , finely grated
For the Sausages:
1 Tbsp olive oil
Extra parsley and parmesan for garnishing
Method
For the vegetables:
Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, then into long wedges and again into 5cm lengths. Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and cook the eggplant in batches until soft and golden; around 8-10 minutes. Add more oil for the next batch if needed. Remove from the pan and put into a bowl.
Add another couple of tablespoons of oil to the pan, then add the onion, capsicums, and salt. Fry until soft and lightly caramelised; around 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and honey and fry for another minute, adding a little water if it starts to dry out. Return the eggplant back to the pan, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and toss well. Adjust seasonings to taste - you might need to add another tablespoon of vinegar or honey to sweeten. Toss through the grapes, capers, and pine nuts. Add the parsley leaves just before serving.
For the Soft Polenta:
Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, along with the salt. Make a whirlpool in the stock with a whisk. Use a jug to pour in the polenta in a steady stream, then bring to a boil, whisking constantly to ensure there are no lumps.
Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the polenta is starting to come away from the sides of the pan. Add the mascarpone and parmesan and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
For the Sausages:
In a frying pan, cook the sausages over a medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until well browned and cooked through. Cut into diagonal slices.
To serve, ladle the polenta into warm bowls, then add a good spoonful of the vegetables and top with slices of sausages. Finish with a scattering of extra parsley and parmesan.