Quick and Easy: Sausage with Black Grapes

Washington Post

One skillet, three ingredients and less time than it takes to order takeout.

Here the trick is to cook the ingredients in the same skillet. Seared sausage takes on a rosy hue as the grapes reduce to a slightly sweet, jammy consistency. You can use different kinds of sausage here: those chicken and mango ones they have at Costco, or a more conventional pork sausage with fennel and Italian herbs.

Serve alone, alongside a spinach salad and bread or with wilted spinach and oven-roasted new potatoes.

This recipe is from "Umbria: Regional Recipes From the Heartland of Italy" by Julia Della Croce (Chronicle, 2002).

• 4 sweet Italian sausages
• About 1/2 cup water
• About 1 1/4 pounds seedless black or red grapes, stripped from their stems

Using a sharp knife or the tines of a fork, prick each sausage in several places. Place the sausages in a large skillet, add the water and place over medium heat. Cook, turning the sausages occasionally, until the water has evaporated and the sausages have begun to turn golden, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the grapes, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, turning the sausages occasionally, until the grapes have softened and released much of their juice and the sausages are browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the sausages and the grapes to plates with whatever side dishes you plan. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 to 4 servings, 416 calories each.