Roast sausages with fennel

saucisses

There are days when I just don’t know what to make for lunch or dinner. One thing I know for sure is that whatever it is, I will most likely add red wine and butter to the meal. These two ingredients will turn anything into a special something. It’s the sauce, the gravy, the juices that make everything taste better. For me, this is the essence of French cuisine. And the fresh produce of course. With good quality ingredients and a good sauce, nothing can go wrong.

cycling

Since I have been living in Médoc, it has become a habit of mine to cycle around. I enjoy buying my daily baguette and groceries, taking the scenic route through the forest. It is so rewarding to look at all the peaceful surroundings, saying bonjour to the local sheep, donkeys, horses and cows. It is often during these bicycle trips that I get inspired for a dish. Last Friday, I came back home with a big pack of sausages from my local charcuterie. Their sausages are of exceptional quality, faite maison (home-made). I love a good comforting bangers & mash meal, but I am not always in the mood to fry a dozen sausages, especially around lunch time. That’s why I cook them in the oven. It’s nice and easy, and you get an excellent gravy as a bonus.

sausages

Roast sausages with fennel & red wine gravy

Ingredients: (serves 4)
12 good quality pork sausages (or any good quality meat sausages of your choice)
1 large fennel bulb, coarsely sliced
1 large onion, coarsely sliced
240 ml/ 1 cup red wine
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp mustard
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
Coarse salt & black pepper, for seasoning

sausages & mash

Preheat oven to 180°C/ 350°F
In a small bowl, mix olive oil and mustard. Place sausages in a baking dish, drizzle olive oil and mustard – mix well. Let the sausages cook in the oven for 20 minutes, add fennel, onions, thyme, salt and pepper (salt very lightly as the sausages and mustard are already salty). Cook for a further 25 minutes, stirring the pan halfway.  Add the red wine and butter, and cook for a further 10-12 minutes, until the wine has reduced and the sauce has become slightly thicker. Serve with mashed potatoes.

53 thoughts on “Roast sausages with fennel

    1. Hi Dan, thanks for visiting Manger. It’s just a small Beaujolais wine from the Moulin-à-Vent appelation. Perfect to use for cooking, and very nice slightly chilled to accompany my meal. Mimix

  1. Looks beautiful! I’m from Louisiana, and we’re experiencing a rare chill right now that makes me crave something warm and hearty. This seems to be the answer! Thanks 🙂

  2. I love this recipe! I want to make it tonight! It’s drizzling here and freezing and this recipe looks like it could warm my bones! My essentials are butter, red pepper flakes and garlic! I use these ingredients in almost everything I make!

  3. Your post is very timely. I had been dragging my feet on starting dinner tonight because I was feeling exactly what you described: uninspired. How can I top last night’s amazing oven-roasted ribs!? They were so tender. Their flavor was amazing! Now, bless you, I am busy whipping up a variation of your scrumptious-looking dish! Thank you so much!

  4. Just finished cleaning up dinner. You’re inspiration for our dinner was a raving success! Just had to come back and thank you again! Thank you!

  5. This sounds so hearty and comforting, perfect for winter! I love the photo at the top – I’m not even usually that much of a sausage fan, and I don’t think I’ve ever actually eaten fennel, but your photo makes me crave this dish. 😀

    1. Bonjour Allison! This dish is seriously comforting. It’s the wine gravy that makes everything so delicious, and the fennel goes so well with all teh flavors. You should try! Have a lovely day, Mimix

  6. Hi Mimi, how nice to find your blog, it’s great I love it! Very inspiring. Myself and my husband have wanted to move to France for years, from Ireland. We have no French however and/or skills to make it there I fear! (Aromatherapist and fireman!!!!) however I look at you blog and sigh, I’ve been imagining our life like yours…anyhow I can take a peak in at yours often, I think we may give up the dream! Thank you for sharing some fab recipes xxx

    1. Hi Tanya! My husband and I have such a spot spot for Ireland and dream of spending time there. Ah, what can I say, the grass is always greener on the other side. Thanks for visiting Manger – hopefully it will at least inspire you to visit Médoc! Mimix

  7. The recipe is on my to-do list,, but the platter intrigues me. The designs that are visible look like those on a Porceleine de Parid dish I received for a wedding present, and just love!

  8. I cooked this tonight for the family just as the new snow is starting to fall.

    Instant hit. I don’t think I’ve ever made anything so delicious.

  9. Your blog has become such an inspiration to me and my husband. I have tried a few things, and they have been fantastic,so easy and totally the style of cuisine we love. Hoping to come to Medoc in the fall. By the way… Love the pictures and stories of your dogs! WE have only one Jack Russell and she keeps us on our toes! My husband’s dream is to have a jack russell ranch, I suppose you have one!!! What fun.

  10. just tried this out…..fantastic…..family loved it. thanks for sharing it with us in Limerick, ireland

    1. Dear Fanny,

      So sorry for responding late! I am a bit behind these days! Regarding the mustard, I used Dijon mustard à l’ancienne from the Maille brand. However, I just saw Mary’s comment below (thanks Mary!!), and I totally agree that mixing these two together can produce a good result. I am always well stocked with both mustards, so feel free to try both! Have a lovely day! Mimix

  11. @Fanny, I was low on dijon so I mixed dijon and the grainier L’ancienne (both Maille) and it was absolutely delicious. I’m no Mimi Thorisson in the kitchen, but hope that helps!

  12. Just made this for dinner. It was delicious. So satisfying yet so easy to make. I’ll definitely be making it again!
    Love your blog!! The recipes and the photos are such a treat! Thank you!!

  13. Hi Mimi, I intend to make this for supper tomorrow night – the weather’s freezing and this sounds just perfect. I made your date and almond cake with salted caramel glaze for Mother’s Day and it was delicious. The kids loved it – like a sticky toffee pudding cake. By the way, I am sure I recognise you from Hong Kong (where I lived for 30 years up until 3 years ago when we moved to the Welsh countryside). Were you modelling there? I was a fashion ed in my previous incarnation. Love your blog and the beautiful images your husband makes.

    1. Bonjour Viv! I hope you enjoyed the roast sausages! So you are also a fellow ‘Hong Konger’:) Must be a very different life in Wales! We probably crossed paths back in the days (yes, I was modelling when I lived there when I was much younger, then I worked in TV between Paris & HK). Which magazine did you work for? I love HK – will always cherish those days, especially when I was a child. Lovely to meet you! Let’s keep in touch! Mimix

      1. Hi Mimi,
        Lovely to meet you too and find your blog (via another HK friend)! I worked on various magazines – The Place, Style, the South China Morning Post, Elle Deco. Hong Kong is a great city indeed and still love going back every now and again for work. The sausages were fantastic – so great that I’m making the dish again tonight! Thanks for the recipe. Viv x

  14. Excellent with grain mustard and white wine as well…make sure the sausages are top quality.

    This is a truly great dish, but one impossible to sell in a restaurant. i am a professional cook and I love this dish.

  15. Hi Mimi!
    I am somewhat late to the party, but I did try this recipe out on friends recently who wanted to be my guinea pigs.All of us loved it!! Thanks for a great recipe. Is there a way to print out your recipes without having to print out the entire blog that accompanies the entry? Maybe I am doing something wrong.
    Margaret

  16. I made this for dinner tonight and it is DELISH!!!! Thanks for the recipe, we will definitely make this again really soon….I grew up with Sicilian Grandparents that grew fennel in the backyard and this brings back wonderful memories!!!!
    Thanks again…….

  17. Dear Mimi, I cannot get enough of looking at all this beautiful pictures. The food, the styling, the photography, just everything, I just love it!!!!

  18. Intrigued from the moment I stumbled across your recipes and then the rustic authenticity of where these dishes are created makes everything about Mimi fantastic! Great photography and connection with all of us out here not in beautiful France.

  19. Thanks, This is wonderful and so easy! First time I’ve roasted fennel, really gives it a whole new flavor.
    I wanted a new way to do sausage and now I think this will be my favorite.

  20. I found you by happy accident and Fennel sausages are in the oven right now! Soon I’m going to try Frank Sinatra’s meatballs. Your life looks pretty gorgeous!

  21. We just ate this tonight, and it was delicious! My vegetables weren’t quite as cooked as I’d like, so next time I will put them in with the sausages 10 minutes earlier.

    We’re a Canadian-American family of 6 living in France for a year, and I’ve been making my way through your recipes before we go back to the States…other recent favorites include the beet & red onion tart, pirate chicken, endive tartelettes, and turkey rolls. Mmmmm……

    Unfortunately I can’t make many of your dishes back home because I can’t find the ingredients in my small town. So we’re feasting while we still can 🙂

  22. Just made this after googling sausage & fennel! It was absolutely delicious and we ate it for our 9th wedding anniversary meal in our new kitchen with our kids. Definitely elevated bangers and mash to something beautiful- thanks!

Leave a Reply to Viv Cancel reply