Spicy Garlic Sausage Vindaloo with Dried Plum Chutney

From Sausage: Recipes for Making and Cooking with Homemade Sausage

Reprinted with permission from Sausage, Recipes for Making and Cooking with Homemade Sausage by Victoria Wise, copyright © 2010. Published by Ten Speed Press.

• Servings: 6 to 8.

From Sausage: Recipes for Making and Cooking with Homemade Sausage by Victoria Wise ($23.00, paperback with color photographs, Ten Speed Press).

Ingredients

• For The Chutney:
• 1 cup dried plums, cut lengthwise into quarters
• 1/4 red onion, cut in half lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped orange peel (not just the zest)
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar
• Small pinch of cardamom seeds
• Small pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 cup cold water
• For The Vindaloo:
• 3 yellow or white onions, 1 coarsely chopped, 2 quartered and thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons peeled and coarsely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 pounds Spicy Garlic Sausage (see link to recipe) , formed into 1-inch balls
• 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
• 6 small dried red chiles, such as cayenne or japones, broken into pieces
• 1 1/2-inch piece tamarind pulp
• 2 cups warm water
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure chile powder, preferably ancho or New Mexico
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 waxy potatoes, such as Yukon gold, red, or white, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 cups plain yogurt, whisked smooth

Directions

1. To make the chutney, combine the first nine ingredients -- plums, red onion, orange peel, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, cardamom, cayenne, and water -- in a small saucepan and toss to mix. Place over medium heat, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is almost gone, 8 to 10 minutes. Or, combine the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 8 to 10 minutes. Set the chutney aside, or cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
2. To make the vindaloo, combine the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and cider vinegar in a food processor and process until as smooth as possible. Transfer to a large bowl, add the sausage balls, and turn gently to coat evenly. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate while preparing the rest of the ingredients, or for up to overnight.
3. When ready to cook, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a small, heavy saucepan. Add the mustard seeds and chiles and sauté until the mustard seeds begin to pop, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. In a small bowl, soften the tamarind pulp in the warm water for about 30 minutes. Pour into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl to capture the liquid, pressing down on the pulp to extract as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
5. When ready to cook the dish, melt the butter in a large enameled pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, stir to coat with the butter, and cook gently until soft and beginning to turn golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Add the meatballs and their paste, the turmeric, chile powder, salt, and tamarind liquid and bring to a boil over medium heat, turning the sausage balls as needed to coat evenly. Cover partially, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until the sausage balls are almost cooked but are still pink in the center, about 20 minutes.
7. Gently stir the potatoes into the pot and continue cooking, partially covered, until the potatoes are easily pierced all the way through, 15 to 20 minutes longer.
8. Transfer the vindaloo to a serving dish. Serve right away with the yogurt and dried plum chutney on the side.