It takes a master to make a good liver sausage, which is done by mixing good pork and liver. My Liver Sausage And Polenta uses a homemade product from Johnny Prosciutto located in Quebec. Growing up, my nonno was the master of sausage making and I can still see him cutting the liver with two knives. As the knives worked in harmony, they played a sweet rhythm that I am sure was passed on for many generations.
Why Liver In Sausage
Known as the Salsiccia Nera, especially in Calabria, this sausage is part of the Cucina povera. The farmers in Italy all raised a pig and that pig’s meat fed the family for the whole year. Adding liver to some of the pig meat stretched the meat and added more sausage for preserving. Meat was used sparingly at meals. In Calabria my grandparents often served this liver sausage with rapini, but today I am enjoying it with Polenta. I cook it the same way my nonna did using simple ingredients. The big flavour is in the sausage and even if you don’t like liver this has a unique taste and I encourage you to try it.
Ingredients For LIver Sausage and Polenta
- 4 liver sausages
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 cup red or white wine
- 2 cloves of garlic sliced
- 1/4 cup good olive oil
- 2 large onions finely sliced
- fresh thyme for serving
For cooking Polenta see my blog https://recipesatmytable.com/baked-polenta/
Process
Put a skillet on the stove on medium heat and warm it up. Add in the sausage and let it cook a minute on each side. Now add in the water.
Cover the pan for about 5 minutes and let the water cook the sausage. Remove the lid and let the water evaporate. When the water evaporates add in the olive oil and the garlic.
Remove the sausage from the pan and keep it warm. Add the onion to the pan and brown. Return the sausage to the pan and add in the wine. Cover again with a lid and let the sausage soak in the wine. Set on medium/low.
Meanwhile cook your polenta.
Add your wine to the sausages in the pan and cover with a lid for one minute. Now remove the sausages to your serving platter and let the wine reduce.
Place Polenta on a large serving platter or board. Place sausages and sauce on top and let everyone serve themselves. Sprinkle with fresh thyme for serving.
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