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This is the first dish I made in order to celebrate eating meat again. This dish is so simple that my sister Samantha can make it. Except she does not eat anything green! It is a Lamb Sausage on a bed of Turnip Greens dressed with a Bacon and the greens are Turnip Greens sautéed with Bacon. I felt that the dish needed something to pull it together and cut the bitterness from the greens. So I made a Grape and Marsala Reduction. Boy was delicious. I loved how when you looked this sausage, you can see the juices under the natural casings. When you take the knife and cut into it you get a nice popping sound and it’s just perfect!The Sausage was light in flavor but spicy. The Spice was not like a pepper spice, you know the ones that hit you right away and makes your eyes water? This was I call an after flavor spice. It comes in after you taste all the other flavors in the sausage such as the Garlic and Paprika. Lamb is such an under used meat. Perhaps it is because of the cost or the taste of the meat that puts people off from enjoying the flavor of lamb. But this dish would turn any lamb hater into a lover!
The Grape Reduction was not that difficult to do however it does take time and if you are making this dish for a date or a special dinner you want to give yourself at least 45 minutes for it to reduce. Last night when I made this dinner I didn't allow myself that much time and it was thinner than I would like. The reduction is sweet and has a light grape flavor which pairs well with the bitterness of the turnip greens. My boyfriend really liked this dish and I can’t wait to make it again!
Ingredients
1 bunch of Turnip Greens
3 slices of bacon
2 or More Lamb Sausages
1 cup Red Grapes
1cup Chicken Broth
1 cup Marsala Cooking Wine
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Directions
Sauce
Slice the 1 cup of Red Grapes in half, Add them to the 1 cup of Chicken Broth and Marsala Cooking Wine. Let Boil on the stove until the Grapes break down and begin to thicken the Sauce about 5 minutes. Once this is completed remove pan from heat and transfer the contents to the blender and give it a good blend. Place back on stove and let the contents reduce by 1/2 to 2/3. This should take about 30 to 40 minutes. Add Salt to taste.
~Cooks Tip~ Run your mixture through a strainer to remove all the bits and skins from the grapes before reducing the sauce. Also if you sauce does not appear to thicken as much as you like, place a tablespoon of Grape Jelly into the sauce. The Pectin in the jelly will help thicken the sauce.
Lamb Sausage
Place the sausage in a pot of gentle boiling water and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. This allows the inside of the sausage to cook. Transfer the Sausages to a Grill Pan in order to brown the sausage casing.
~Cooks Note~ By doing this you brown the sausage without the bursting the casing which causes the sausage to become dry.
Turnip Greens & Bacon
Begin to prep the Turnip Greens by washing them in cold water. Remove the stems from the large flat leaves. Roll the leaves together and give it a rough chop. Place the Turnip Greens in a Pot of Boiling Water for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and shock the cooking process by running the leaves under cold water. Set aside.
In a cold pan add your cut up bacon. Render the fat out of your bacon by using a low medium heat setting on your stove. To high and your bacon will cook before the rendering process can be completed.
Once the rendering process has been completed place your Turnip Greens into the pan and warm through. Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
Plating
Plate the Turnip Greens in a way that will allow you to nest the Sausage. Place the Sausage on top of your Turnip Green bed and drizzle the Grape Marsala Reduction.