This sausage is a favorite in main course salads. The combination of succulent sun-dried tomatoes, heady Parmesan, and salty olives enlivens the palate.
Medium hog sausage casings (optional)
11/2 pounds pork butt or boneless country ribs
1/2 pound pork fat
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, drained with oil reserved, and finely chopped
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/3 cup chopped pitted oil-cured black olives
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
11/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. If using sausage casings, prepare them as directed.
2. Cut pork and pork fat into 1-inch cubes. Place cubes on a sheet of plastic wrap on a plate and freeze for 30 minutes, or until very firm.
3. While meat chills, heat oil from tomatoes in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until shallots are translucent. Set aside.
3. Grind meat and fat through the coarse disk of a meat grinder, or in small batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade using the on-and-off pulse button. If using a food processor, do not process into a paste, but ingredients should be very finely chopped.
4. Combine ground meat, shallot mixture, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, Parmesan, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl, and knead mixture until well blended. Fry 1 tablespoon of mixture in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
5. Stuff mixture into casings as described, if using, and twist off into 5-inch links; prick air bubbles with a straight pin or skewer. If time permits, arrange links on a wire rack over a baking sheet and air-dry uncovered in the refrigerator for 1 day before cooking. Alternately, if keeping sausage in bulk, refrigerate mixture for at least 30 minutes to blend flavors.
6. Cook sausages as directed to an internal temperature of 160°F when pierced with an instant-read thermometer or as directed in a specific recipe.
Note: Sausages can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 2 months. Once cooked, they can be refrigerated up to 3 days.