Braised potatoes with Maltese sausage

In this recipe rounds of potato are filled with Maltese sausage and gently braised in an aromatic sauce. This is classic comfort food but with such beautiful presentation it makes an impressive entree.

• serves

  2

• prep

  40 minutes

• cook

  1:30 hour

• difficulty

  Ace

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 5 French shallots, sliced
• 1 head garlic, cut in half
• 4 sprigs of thyme 
• 10 white peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf, torn
• 200 ml sherry vinegar
• 100 ml port
• 100 ml white wine
• 1 litre reduced chicken stock
• 2 large washed Sebago potatoes
• 200 g Maltese pork sausage meat (see Note)
• 10 g baby rocket leaves

For the vinaigrette

• 100 ml olive oil
• 10 French shallots, diced
• ½ head garlic
• 1 bay leaf, torn
• 2 sprigs thyme 
• 100 ml port
• 100 ml brandy
• 200 ml sherry vinegar
• 20 ml truffle oil
• 1 tbsp truffle paste

Instructions

Heat a pan over low heat, add a little olive oil, shallots, garlic, thyme, peppercorns and bay leaf and sweat down until the shallot is softened. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar, stirring to combine and reduce until liquid has evaporated.

Add all the alcohol and reduce by half. Add the stock and slowly reduce by half, skimming regularly. Strain and set aside.

Meanwhile, cut the potatoes in half and then level off the outside edge so that it is an even thickness. Cut into small rounds using a 4 cm round cutter. Scoop out a little of the potato using a melon baller. Place in a pot of cold salted water, bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until half cooked. Remove from water and set aside to cool.

To make a vinaigrette, heat a pan over low heat, add a little of the olive oil, half the shallots, garlic, bay leaf and thyme and sweat down until the shallot is softened. Add all the alcohol and reduce by three-quarters. Add the vinegar and reduce by half. Add the remaining shallots, remove the garlic, thyme and bay leaf and allow to cool. Whisk in the remaining oil, truffle oil and truffle paste.

Preheat oven to 180ºC. Press some sausage meat into the hollowed out potato round, then roll a small amount of sausage meat into a ball and place on top of the round. Repeat with remaining meat and potato rounds. Place in a suitable sized oven-proof saucepan and pour the hot braising liquor into the base of the pot, leaving the sausage uncovered. Bake for 15-20 minutes, basting every 5 minutes.

Place potatoes on plates. Dress the baby rocket with a little of the vinaigrette, place a handful on top of the braised potato, spoon some more dressing around the plate and serve.

Note

Available from Maltese butchers but can be substituted with any 'continental' sausage

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.