Sunday Dinner: Grilled Sausage with Onions and Peppers

Calling all carnivores!

Let me start with a confession: This Sunday, for the first time in many moons, I didn’t cook Sunday dinner…. Instead, thanks, Dad, we got take out Chinese! Did I feel guilty? Honestly? Not this time… Been doing a lot of additional cooking lately (will share photos from last week’s class soon!), and will be cooking a lot this week (kids coming back from school, private cooking class, and more…).

  

Still, I have a Sunday-dinner dish to share.  This classic dish—one of my family’s favorites (well, amongst those that are carnivores!)—is great summertime fare.

What is it about onions and peppers that makes them taste so well together? With just a light tough of oil—and salt and pepper—they’re fabulous. Simple, tasty, and fun, this combo is perfect. Last time I served grilled sausage and peppers, we had it with my Pistachio Pesto and Orzo, Roasted Asparagus and Orange segments, a big green leafy salad, fresh bread (and brownies for dessert!).

  

Serves 8 to 10

6  bell peppers (I like to combine the red, yellow, and orange-colored ones)   

4 red onions, peeled and sliced

Olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

About 8 links (4 ounces each) excellent quality Italian sausage (we get a local version which includes parsley and cheese…)

Flat-leaf parsley or basil leaves for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, combine the peppers and onions. Drizzle with oil, add salt and pepper, and stir well. Place in a baking pan in the preheated oven and cook until roasted, about 20 minutes (you want them caramelized but not totally mushy!). You can also do this on the grill.

Prepare your grill for cooking. Grill the sausage (or, you can bake them in the oven…but the grill flavors are so amazing), until thoroughly cooked.

Plate the sausage with the onions and peppers. Garnish, and serve!

They can be served warm or at room temperature (cover them with foil if not serving immediately).