WINE WITH…Sausage with Potatoes and Cornichons

Sausage is a traditional staple of rural French cuisine. One of the most popular dishes consists of spicy sausages served with potatoes and minced cornichons, the whole ensemble drizzled with olive oil spiked with cornichon brine.

Cornichons, of course, are the French cousins of gherkin pickles, but they are generally drier and less sweet than their American relatives. Cornichons and gherkins are not quite cucumbers, though they are cultivars of the cucumber family.

For this dish we generally use hot Italian sausages for their fennel seed and red pepper flavors, but almost any sausage will be fine as long as it isn’t too sweet. Keep side dishes simple: a little buttered spinach or broccoli make harmonious and colorful options. The sausage and potatoes can each be cooked in advance then reheated and assembled at the last minute.

Sausage With Potatoes and Cornichons

Serves 4

1 or 2 sausages per person depending on size (about 2-1/2 pounds total)
3 tablespoons plus ½ cup olive oil
6-8 potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold
½ cup cornichon brine
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup coarsely chopped cornichons
1/3 cup minced parsley

Drizzle a couple of teaspoons of the olive oil in a large, sturdy skillet (we use a cast-iron pan). When the oil is warm, add the sausages in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Cook over medium-low heat, turning the sausages occasionally, until they are browned and just cooked through. (You can cover the skillet to finish cooking once the sausages have browned on all sides). Meanwhile, scrub the potatoes and cook them, unpeeled, until they are tender. Drain and reserve until ready to use.

When you’re ready to serve the dish, slice the sausages and reheat them, then remove them to a serving dish. (Do not wash the skillet). Peel the potatoes, cut them in chunks and heat them in the same skillet along with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, pressing down on them with a potato masher or heavy spoon to mash them slightly. Meanwhile, whisk the half cup of oil together with the cornichon brine and mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary. When the potatoes are warm, add them to the sausage slices and sprinkle the chopped cornichons over the top. Drizzle the oil and brine mixture over everything and garnish with minced parsley.