Food Detective - Annabelle White - taste tests gourmet sausages
little boys - Chicken Thyme and Garlic
$12.99 for 8 sausages : : 4 and 1/2 Stars: : 
"Chef Jeremy Schmid's gourmet sausages are pricey but taste non-commercial and are full of perfectly seasoned meat. Firm but moist. MSG free, no gluten. Per 100g: total fat 12g; sodium 587mg; sugar 0.6g. Chicken breast 30 percent; 60 percent chicken thigh. Will buy again."
The gourmet section of the sausage market is expanding. The reasons are simple - sausages are pure comfort food and, in an uncertain world, the appeal of grilled good quality sausages served with onions, mash and gravy is easy to understand.
Also, we are getting more selective. If you want to eat a sausage, you want to eat a good one. Sourcing a quality sausage becomes a top priority; but they are not cheap. Are all gourmet sausages worth the investment? If a pack of sausages is going to set you back more than $10, what do you expect? In a nutshell: the higher the price, the greater the expectation.
These sausages would be delicious served with mash, salad and a fresh salsa. For the salsa simply combine 1 cup freshly chopped tomatoes, 1 Tbsp finely diced spring onion, 1 Tbsp fresh chopped herbs (coriander, basil, parsley) and drizzle over 1 Tbsp lime juice and a pinch of finely diced fresh chilli. Season with salt and pepper.
For a family favourite sausage casserole, try this variation of a recipe from an old Kiwi cookbook. Fry or grill 500g sausages. Remove from the pan and add 2 Tbsp butter, 1 diced onion and 1/2 capsicum sliced. When onion is softened, add 2 Tbsp flour and cook gently for a minute. Add salt and pepper, 2 cups whole kernel corn (drained) and 2 1/2 cups seasoned tomatoes. Simmer until juices evaporate. Pour over sausages in casserole, top with 1/2 cup bread-crumbs (or leftover Weet-bix crumbs), dot with a little butter and bake at 180oC for 20 minutes.
Today's sausages were heated in a pan and served on their own.
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