Spicy Hot Sausage with Red Cabbage and Fennel

By Bob Lipinski

I had this dish in Trento, Italy many years ago, and although I don’t have the exact recipe, this is a close version.

Ingredients:

6 links spicy hot Italian sausage
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 medium head red cabbage cut into 1-inch strips
¾ cup dry white wine (or dry white vermouth)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 bulb of fennel, cut into 1-inch strips
¼ cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Grill or broil sausages until they are cooked (about 15 minutes) and browned. Set it aside and keep warm.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions and garlic until translucent, then add the red cabbage and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, pepper, and salt; reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the fennel and cook for 10 more minutes, or until the cabbage and fennel are tender but still slightly crisp. In the meantime, cut the sausage into 1-inch wheels and mix into the cabbage-fennel mixture. Adjust seasonings and garnish with parsley.

Bob’s Wine Recommendations:

Whites: Riesling (Alsace, France), Gavi (Italy), Sylvaner (Italy)

Reds: Barbera (Italy), Malbec (Argentina), Pinot Noir (U.S.A.)

Bob Lipinski is the author of 10 books, including 101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey and Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple, available on Amazon. He consults and conducts training seminars on Wine, Spirits, and Food and is available for speaking engagements. Contact him at www.boblipinski.com OR bkjm@hotmail.com