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Chicken Sausage with Basil and Tomatoes

(recipe, Matthew Amster-Burton)

Introduction

This recipe was adapted from Charcuterie, by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn. Read more about homemade sausage in Matthew Amster-Burton's column "Patty cake."

Ingredients

1. 1½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, not trimmed of fat, cut into cubes
2. ¼ lb. pork fat, cut into cubes (optional)
3. 2 tsp. kosher salt
4. ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
5. ½ tsp. minced garlic
6. 1 generous tablespoon minced fresh basil
7. ¼ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
8. 1 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar, chilled
9. 1 Tbsp. dry red wine, chilled
10. 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Steps

1. Combine all ingredients except the vinegar, wine, and olive oil; stir well.
2. Grind the mixture through the small plate of a meat grinder into a cold bowl. Add the vinegar, wine, and olive oil, and stir well to distribute, until the sausage looks sticky rather than loose.
3. Sauté a small patty and taste for seasonings, and add additional salt, pepper, or basil as needed. If freezing, do so immediately; otherwise, keep in the refrigerator up to 24 hours.