breakfast sausage with fresh thyme + sage

oh, lucinda scala quinn. you do things so right.

so right.

another (yes another) recipe from my new favorite cookbook- mad hungry by lucinda scala quinn.

she has a way of laying the recipes out so simply, without any complicated directions or ingredients. they are straight-forward, easy, delicious recipes that are good to have in your repertoire.

take these simple homemade breakfast patties. they come together quickly, can sit in the fridge overnight to let the flavors get harmonious, and then you just form them and toss them in a skillet in the morning.

 

cook them for 4-5 minutes per side and then you have a tasty breakfast staple that you can also freeze and just pop in the microwave on those blurry weekday mornings.

instead of dried, i used fresh thyme and sage because i had some on hand. i added in a couple pinches of cayenne just to add a tiny bit of heat. the heat doesn't really even register, its just another dimension of spice for the taste buds. i've seen some sausage recipes that add in a touch of brown sugar, so feel free to include 1 tsp of sugar in your sausage, if you wish.

simple homemade sausage patties  mad hungry cookbook (slightly adjusted)

1 pound ground pork ( i love local llano seco rancho pork)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon dried sage, crumbled (or 2 T fresh sage, chopped)
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 1/2 t fresh thyme, chopped)
1/2 teaspoon dried fennel, crushed
pinch of ground nutmeg

1 or 2 pinches cayenne

1 tsp brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

mix together the pork, garlic, sage, thyme, cayenne, sugar, fennel, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. add the egg white and combine thoroughly. cover and chill overnight.

the next day, form the sausage into 8 patties.

heat a skillet over high heat, and then swirl in the oil. fry the sausages on both sides until completely cooked through and golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. drain and serve immediately with pancakes, waffles or eggs. sausage patties can be fully cooled, wrapped, and frozen for microwave reheating.

  want to make biscuits and gravy?

use this flaky buttery biscuit recipe and here's a gravy recipe from martha. use this sausage in the gravy and maybe add a leaf or 2 of fresh sage and just pull the leaves out when the gravy is done.