Braised Italian Sausages with Red Wine and Creamy Polenta

Name: Braised Italian Sausages with Red Wine and Creamy Polenta
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 8 unit Italian pork sausages; 375 g quick-cook polenta; 1400 ml milk; 200 g portobellini mushrooms sliced; 80 g Parmesan, finely grated; 80 g Butter; 400 g can plum tomatoes; 200 ml chianti; 25 g dried porcini mushrooms; 50 ml double cream; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 unit onion, finely chopped; 1 unit carrot finely chopped; 2 unit celery sticks, finely chopped; 3 clove garlic, thinly sliced; 2 unit rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped; 2 unit fresh bay leaves; 1 tsp sugar; 1 unit steamed greens, peas and chopped parsley, to serve

A comforting Italian-inspired feast featuring juicy sausages braised in a rich Chianti and porcini mushroom sauce. Served over velvety, buttery polenta, it's the ultimate hearty dinner for a cold evening.

Servings4 Portions

Prep Time20 Mins

Cook Time90 Mins

Difficulty

Intermediate

Ingredients

Italian pork sausages
8 unit
quick-cook polenta
375 g
milk
1400 ml
portobellini mushrooms sliced
200 g
Parmesan, finely grated
80 g
Butter
80 g
can plum tomatoes
400 g
chianti
200 ml
dried porcini mushrooms
25 g
double cream
50 ml
olive oil
2 tbsp
onion, finely chopped
1 unit
carrot finely chopped
1 unit
celery sticks, finely chopped
2 unit
garlic, thinly sliced
3 clove
rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 unit
fresh bay leaves
2 unit
sugar
1 tsp
steamed greens, peas and chopped parsley, to serve
1 unit

Step-by-Step Instructions

Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a small heatproof bowl and cover with 150ml of boiling water. Set aside to rehydrate for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large, shallow flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Fry the sausages for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown, then remove them to a plate.

Add the remaining oil to the same pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the sliced portobellini mushrooms for 5–7 minutes until they have released their liquid and started to brown. Stir in the finely chopped onion, carrot, celery, and sliced garlic, and cook for another 5 minutes until softened.

Add the rehydrated porcini along with their soaking liquid (leaving any grit at the bottom of the bowl), the plum tomatoes, chopped rosemary, bay leaves, Chianti, and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Return the sausages to the pan, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and braise gently for 1 hour.

Near the end of the braising time, cook the quick-cook polenta with the milk following the package instructions. Once thickened and smooth, stir in the grated Parmesan, butter, and double cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.