Grilled Sausage with Burst Campari Tomatoes and Polenta
Grilled Sausage with Burst Campari Tomatoes and Polenta
Grilled hot and sweet Italian sausage served with burst Campari tomatoes, smoky grilled eggplant, and creamy polenta. A simple Italian-inspired comfort food dinner packed with flavor.
Grilled Sausage with Burst Campari Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Polenta
A week before my colonoscopy, I found myself standing over a bowl of tomatoes squeezing out seeds.
Not exactly the romantic vision of Italian cooking.
The goal was simple: reduce some of the fiber before the procedure. What I didn't expect was how much I liked the result.
The tomatoes became sweeter. Richer. More concentrated.
Paired with smoky grilled eggplant, Italian sausage, and creamy polenta, it turned into one of those dinners where everyone gets quiet for a few minutes because they're busy eating.
The best recipes are often accidental discoveries.
Ingredients
For the Polenta
4 cups water
1 cup polenta
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano
For the Tomato and Eggplant Mixture
1 container Campari tomatoes
1 large eggplant
4 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Grill
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 pound hot Italian sausage
Salt the Eggplant
Thick cut eggplant doesn’t break down on the grill.
Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 4 large planks.
Generously salt both sides and place them in a colander. Set a bowl on top to gently press the eggplant and let it sit while you prepare everything else.
An old Italian grandma trick. Water weighs down the salted eggplant, removing bitterness.
This removes excess moisture and helps the eggplant develop beautiful grill marks later.
Start the Polenta
Bring 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to a boil.
While the water heats, cut the Campari tomatoes in half and gently squeeze out the seeds and gel.
Once the water reaches a boil, slowly whisk in the polenta.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 25 minutes, whisking occasionally.
At first it will look thin and watery. That's exactly what you want.
Begin the Tomatoes
Add the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to a large skillet.
Cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
The steam trapped under the lid helps the tomatoes release their juices and begin collapsing.
Remove the lid and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
Start the Grill
Pat the eggplant dry and lightly brush both sides with olive oil.
Place the eggplant planks and both varieties of sausage on a cold grill.
Bring the grill up to medium heat and cook covered.
Starting on a cold grill allows the sausage fat to slowly render instead of immediately scorching over high heat.
Keep the heat moderate. Italian sausage releases a fair amount of fat, and excessive heat can quickly create flare-ups.
Cook until the sausages are browned and cooked through and the eggplant is tender with good grill marks.
Finish the Tomato Mixture
Chop the grilled eggplant into rustic pieces.
Fold it gently into the tomatoes.
The eggplant doesn't need more cooking. You're simply bringing together the smoky flavor of the grill with the sweetness of the tomatoes.
You don't want a smooth sauce.
You want chunks of fresh tomato swimming in olive oil, garlic, oregano, and their own juices.
The tomatoes don't disappear. They become more of themselves.
Finish the Polenta
When the polenta is creamy and tender, stir in the butter and Pecorino Romano.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
The finished polenta should be soft enough to spread gently across the bottom of a bowl.
Assemble the Bowls
Spoon the creamy polenta into shallow bowls.
Top generously with the tomato and eggplant mixture.
Add the grilled hot and sweet Italian sausages.
Make sure some of that tomato broth finds its way into every bowl.
That's where the magic lives.
How to Grill Italian Sausage Without Flare-Ups
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Most people throw sausage onto a hot grill.
I do the opposite.
Starting sausage on a cold grill gives the fat time to slowly render as the grill heats up. The result is juicier sausage, fewer flare-ups, and more even cooking.
The eggplant benefits too. It softens gradually and develops deeper flavor before the exterior gets too dark.
It's a simple trick, but it's one I've come to prefer whenever I'm grilling Italian sausage.
Sometimes the Best Techniques Are Accidents
I seeded these tomatoes because I was preparing for a colonoscopy.
I'd do it again because the tomatoes were better.
The flavors concentrated. The juices thickened slightly. The finished dish felt brighter and more balanced.
Every cook has little discoveries like this.
Most aren't found in cookbooks.
They're found on random Tuesday nights when you're simply trying to make dinner.
And sometimes those accidental discoveries become part of the recipe forever.
The tomatoes don't disappear. They become more of themselves.
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