hard cider sauce | thebrookcook

The hard-cider sauce caught my eye in this dish– it was FABULOUS!! I had received broccoli in my CSA share the day I found this recipe, so I made it right away. This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Jack Riebel. I used a giant Honey Crisp apple, rustic bread, and fresh Italian pork sausages. Hot sausages would be great too.

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 4

1 chipotle chile in adobo, stemmed and seeded
2 Granny Smith or Honey Crisp apples, halved and cored, plus 1/2 apple cut into matchsticks, for garnish (optional)
2 ounces rye or rustic bread, crusts removed and bread torn into bite-size pieces (1 cup)
1/2 cup hard cider
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Kosher salt
Four 4-ounce smoked pork sausages, sweet or hot Italian pork sausages, or cheddar wursts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound (or more) broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

Preheat the oven to 325°. Bake the cored and halved apples cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet for 30 minutes, until tender. Let cool. Scoop the apple pulp into a food processor and discard the skins. Stem, seed and chop the chipotle; add it to the food processor and puree. Add additional adobo sauce to taste.
Meanwhile, spread the bread in a pie plate or baking sheet and bake the pieces for about 10 minutes, until golden.
In a saucepan, boil the hard cider with the vinegar, sugar and apple puree. Simmer, stirring, until reduced to 3/4 cup, 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt.
Light a grill or broiler. Cook the sausages, turning, until lightly charred on both sides and cooked through, 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
In a skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the broccoli and season with salt. Cover and cook until browned, 2 minutes. Stir in the mustard, caraway, cider sauce and 1/2 cup of water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, season with salt. Serve the sausages with the broccoli and sauce, garnishing with the bread crumbs and apple matchsticks, if desired.