I love these things! Nothing brings out a nice sweet Italian-style flavor in a hot sandwich like using Cajun Andouille pork sausages. Throw a little spicy Dijon mustard on them and you have a great mix of flavors that's fun to stuff into your maw on a summer evening.
Today's Specimen
Ingredients
- 6 hoagie rolls
- 6 Andouille pork sausages
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 14 oz. can/jar artichoke hearts
- 1 12 oz. can/jar roasted red bell peppers
- 2 portabella mushrooms, large dice
- 1 clove (about 2 - 3 tsp.) garlic, crushed with salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Dijon mustard
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- In a large double boiler or pot with a steaming tray steam the sausages for 20 - 25 minutes, covered.
- While steaming the sausages, on medium heat in a large skillet or saucepan cook the onion in the olive oil, stirring, until it separates and becomes slightly translucent.
- Place the hoagie rolls in the oven, sliced in the middle so they're hinged and placed face-down; remove the vegetable mixture and set aside.
- Add the crushed garlic and drained roasted red bell peppers and artichoke hearts and, stirring, cook the vegetable mixture for ten minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and stir into the mixture and continue cooking the vegetables for ten minutes or until the mushrooms start to soften and darken a little.
- By now the sausages should be steamed pretty well so remove them and place them in the frying pan or saucepan and sear on both sides until they're well browned, then remove and set aside.
- By now the rolls should be slightly baked and pleasantly crispy without being dry, so remove and dress with a sausage each — sliced in half — a stripe of Dijon, and a portion of the vegetable mix. You can place the sausage halves parallel or so they come together into a whole when the sandwich is held.
Next Time in the Lab
I'm not so sure there's anything I'd do to change this, other than maybe try a vinaigrette in addition to or as a replacement to the mustard, and maybe add strips of provolone cheese if I felt like clogging my booty. I know these sandwiches could be spiced up, too, but I don't want to ruin the sweetness of the Andouille.
- Try adding a vinaigrette.
- Try adding provolone, perhaps after the sausages are cut in half and melted on top of them in the frying pan or saucepan.
- Sprinkle just a pinch of cayenne into the frying pan or saucepan when browning the sausages to see how they taste.
