Sweet Savory Sausage Roll

Sweet Savory Sausage Roll

Pack your picnic basket.  Two easy-to-find supermarket condiments do all of the heavy lifting here. Hoisin, a sweet and vinegary brown sauce full of Chinese five-spice powder, and sriracha, a hot-sweet North American take on a very different Thai sauce by the same name, are both flavor bombs in bottles. A little of each, some garlic, and a touch of honey in the sausage meat result in something you’ll want to eat by the mittful.   Serve with Pineapple Slaw.     Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs (680 g) lean ground pork
1/3 cup (80 mL) hoisin sauce
1/2 cup (125 mL) bread crumbs
1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1 tbsp (15 mL) sriracha
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
Freshly ground black pepper
1 sheet pre-rolled frozen puff pastry, thawed
Flour as needed
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
3 tbsp (45 mL) sesame seeds

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine pork, hoisin, bread crumbs, honey, salt, sriracha and garlic. Add a few grindings of coarsely ground black pepper. Mix with your hands until evenly combined.

Cut a piece of parchment paper roughly the size of a baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle with flour and unroll your puff pastry overtop. Sprinkle pastry with a bit more flour and gently roll out with a rolling pin to lengthen into a 10 x 12-inch (25 x 30-cm) rectangle.

Working lengthwise, leave a 1-inch (2.5-cm) border on one side and arrange the sausage mixture in a log-like roll parallel to the border. Brush border with egg yolk. Using the parchment, lift pastry from the other side and bring into contact with egg-washed border to enclose meat (the ends of the sausage roll will remain open). Use a fork to seal long edge. Carefully transfer parchment and roll to baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).

Score three short slashes on top of roll to vent, brush with remaining egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake on centre rack for 45 to 50 minutes or until top has developed a deep golden colour. Let cool to room temperature, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until ready to pack up.

To serve, cut into 12 equal-sized slices.   Serve with a Pinot Gris wine.

Pork and Fennel Sausage Rolls

Pork And Sausage Rolls

How About Bratwurst Rolls?

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 fat garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, plus more for finishing
3 thyme sprigs, leaves separated chopped
1 small red, yellow or white onion, diced
½ cup diced celery
½ cup diced carrots
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 pound lean ground pork (or chicken, turkey, or plant-based meat)
¼ cup bread crumbs
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (14- to 16-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed but still cold
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees and line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and chopped thyme, and cook for another minute or until fragrant.

Add onion and celery and cook until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and a large pinch of salt and cook until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool.

Once vegetables have cooled, add ground pork, bread crumbs, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using your hands, mix thoroughly until well combined.

Roll the chilled puff pastry dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut pastry into four equal rectangles. In the center of each pastry, dollop a quarter of the pork mixture, then form it into a long sausage running lengthwise on the pastry strip. Lightly brush one long edge of the pastry with egg wash. Starting with the side without the egg wash, firmly fold the pastry over the meat filling to form long rolls, pinching to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet, seam-sides down.

Lightly brush the top of each roll with egg wash and sprinkle with fennel seeds. Bake until sausage rolls are golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.