Zucchini, Fennel and Italian Sausage Gratin

This dish borrows many of the ingredients of the Fennel & Zucchini blossom dish, with the added intensity of Italian Sausage.  The trick to keep this dish on the healthy side is to use only a small amount of pork sausage along with chicken sausage, which balances the flavors and healthiness.  And you won't miss it for a moment with all of the other deep flavors in this dish that will keep your palate happy...

Zucchini, Fennel and Italian Sausage Gratin 

Ingredients

olive oil
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
3 T. tomato paste
1/2 c. dry white wine
4 cloves garlic
4 small-medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in 1/4" half circles
3 cups seeded, peeled tomatoes (ideally unsalted)
1 t. toasted, ground coriander
1 t. ground dry yellow mustard seed
1/4 t. crushed red pepper

3 chicken Italian sausages, sliced lengthwise into quarters and cut into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces.
1 pork Italian sausage, sliced lengthwise into quarters and cut into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces.

3/4 c. freshly-grated parmesan reggiano
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lemon
1/2 c. shaved ricotta salata or crumbled sheep's feta
1-2 T. chopped fennel fronds or additional chopped cilantro for garnish

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat oil in sauté pan at medium heat.
• Add fennel, fennel and 1/4 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper and sauté until fennel softens, about 7-8 minutes
• Reduce with white wine and cook until absorbed.  Add tomato paste, coriander and mustard and cook 3-4 minutes until it begins to carmelize.
• Add zucchini and crushed red pepper and sauté until zucchini begins to soften, 4-5 minutes.  Remove from heat.
• In a separate pan, sauté sausage until lightly browned and cooked through.  Set on plate covered with a two layers of paper towel to drain.
• Add sausage to zucchini mixture, along with 1/2 c. parmesan and cilantro.  Taste for seasonings, add additional salt and crushed red pepper as needed.
• In 9x13 pan, spread zucchini-sausage mixture.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining parmesan and bake additional 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and add lemon juice and additional salt and pepper to taste
• Serve immediately, topped with ricotta salata or feta. Garnish with chopped fennel fronds or cilantro.

Serves: 4 as main dish.
Suggestions: Serve over creamy parmesan polenta for wonderful combination of textures.
Related Posts: Training Healthier Tastebuds

Zucchini, Fennel and Italian Sausage Gratin 

Ingredients

olive oil
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
3 T. tomato paste
1/2 c. dry white wine
4 cloves garlic
4 small-medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in 1/4" half circles
3 cups seeded, peeled tomatoes (ideally unsalted)
1 t. toasted, ground coriander
1 t. ground dry yellow mustard seed
1/4 t. crushed red pepper

3 chicken Italian sausages, sliced lengthwise into quarters and cut into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces.
1 pork Italian sausage, sliced lengthwise into quarters and cut into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces.

3/4 c. freshly-grated parmesan reggiano
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lemon
1/2 c. shaved ricotta salata or crumbled sheep's feta
1-2 T. chopped fennel fronds or additional chopped cilantro for garnish

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat oil in sauté pan at medium heat.
• Add fennel, fennel and 1/4 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper and sauté until fennel softens, about 7-8 minutes
• Reduce with white wine and cook until absorbed.  Add tomato paste, coriander and mustard and cook 3-4 minutes until it begins to carmelize.
• Add zucchini and crushed red pepper and sauté until zucchini begins to soften, 4-5 minutes.  Remove from heat.
• In a separate pan, sauté sausage until lightly browned and cooked through.  Set on plate covered with a two layers of paper towel to drain.
• Add sausage to zucchini mixture, along with 1/2 c. parmesan and cilantro.  Taste for seasonings, add additional salt and crushed red pepper as needed.
• In 9x13 pan, spread zucchini-sausage mixture.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining parmesan and bake additional 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and add lemon juice and additional salt and pepper to taste
• Serve immediately, topped with ricotta salata or feta. Garnish with chopped fennel fronds or cilantro.

Serves: 4 as main dish.
Suggestions: Serve over creamy parmesan polenta for wonderful combination of textures.
Related Posts: Training Healthier Tastebuds