Cooking sausages with fruit is common in German and other Northern European cuisines, and using flavorful and spicy Italian sausage balances the sweetness of the fruit. Serve these on top of buttered egg noodles with a green salad on the side.
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
6 ripe purple plums
1 large egg
2 tablespoons chicken stock or water
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
11/4 pounds bulk sweet Italian sausage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Vegetable oil spray
1. Combine sugar, vinegar, wine, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a non-reactive saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer 5 minutes, then add plums, cover the pan, and simmer plums for 10 minutes over low heat. Remove plums from the pan with a slotted spoon, reserving poaching liquid. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard stones and slice fruit. Set aside.
2. While plums poach, preheat the oven broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and spray the foil with vegetable oil spray.
3. Combine egg, stock, breadcrumbs, and parsley in a mixing bowl, and mix well. Add sausage, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well again. Make mixture into 11/2-inch meatballs, and arrange meatballs on the prepared pan. Spray tops of meatballs with vegetable oil spray.
4. Broil meatballs 6 inches from the broiler element, turning them with tongs to brown all sides.
5. Remove meatballs from the baking pan with a slotted spoon, and add meatballs to reserved poaching liquid. Bring to a boil, and simmer meatballs, covered, over low heat, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, for 15 minutes. Remove meatballs from the pan with a slotted spoon, and add to plum slices.
6. Cook poaching liquid over medium-high heat until reduced by 1/2. Mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl, and add to sauce. Cook for 1 minute, or until slightly thickened. Return meatballs and plums to sauce to reheat, and serve immediately.
Note: The pork mixture can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Also, the dish can be cooked up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat it in a 350°F oven, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot.