Wild Boar Sausage with Onions, Mushrooms, and Homemade Chutney

Ingredients

Homemade Chutney:

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons for roux
• 1 1/2 cups of any of the following dried fruits: prunes, cherries, apricots, raisins, apples*
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence (available in most large supermarkets)
• Salt
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 cups port
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup white wine
• 4 to 5 tablespoons honey

Sausages:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 pieces wild boar sausage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sliced button mushrooms or fresh wild mushrooms, if available
• 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
• Sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups Homemade Chutney
• 1/2 cup port

Directions

For the chutney: Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. The roux should still be light colored; set aside. Chop the fruit medium fine in a food processor. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic and herbs, season with salt and cook until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the fruit, vinegar, half of the port, clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg and simmer 10 to 15 minutes so all the flavors are extracted and mixed. Add the rest of the port and bring to a boil. Add the white wine and half of the honey. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the flavor with more honey if needed. Add the roux, a little at a time, until the chutney is lightly thickened. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand until cool. The chutney will keep in a wide-mouthed glass container in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 weeks.

For the sausages: Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the sausages, onion, mushrooms, and herbs de Provence and season with salt. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes keeping the sausage in contact with the pan. Add the chutney and port and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced. Serve on a hot plate.

*Cook's note: Fresh fruit can be used but dried fruit works best.