Sausage and Fennel

Some foods are just meant to be eaten together.  Peanut butter and jelly, for instance.  Spaghetti and meatballs.  Tomato and basil.

If you're Alton Brown, avocados and sardines.

If you're Paula Deen, butter and... anything.

If you're Julia Child, red meat and gin.

I could go on forever.

This is one of those dishes that just tastes like it was meant to be.  The sweet, spicy sausage and licorice-y fennel are a match surely made in heaven.  And the greatest thing about this dish is that it needs nothing more than a bit of salt and pepper to complete it.

Eat it over pasta, or, if you're like me and get too excited and impatient, standing over the stove, straight out of the pan.

Sausage and Fennel

1/2 pound Italian sausage (about 3 small sausages)
1 bulb fennel
olive oil
salt
pepper

Prepare the fennel by first trimming the fronds and their stalks.  The fronds can be set aside for garnish.  Clean by rinsing under cool water, then trimming away any unsightly brown spots.  Cut the bulb in half through the root, trim away the root end, and slice.

Heat a large skillet over medium low heat.  When hot, add just a bit of olive oil.  Add whole sausages and let brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.  Remove sausage from pan, slice into thirds, and set aside.  Add fennel to pan and saute until just tender, but still crisp, and lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper.  Add sausage back to pan and toss with fennel; let cook for about 2 minutes more.  Check for seasoning.  Garnish with fennel fronds and serve.

Serves 2.