Melissa Clark from NYTimes cooking really knocks this one out of the park. March in New England is a tough month for home cooks. Over the soups, stews and cozy winter crock pot meals, and eagerly awaiting grilling season is where most of us are at. So this sheet pan, make ahead (possibly a freezer meal if you make it too far ahead) is the perfect in between during these March, midweek dinner woes. I am craving exotic flavors like pineapple and mango in March and April. I think it’s my body’s way of getting me through the home stretch of the cold weather. So this one really hit the spot. So much that I dusted off this old computer and made it a permanent place on the inter-webs.
Here is the simplified version of Melissa Clark’s recipe, which was pretty easy to begin with except for the fresh grated ginger, garlic and homemade vinaigrette that this calls for at the end. So we won’t bother to fuss with those things because we have hacks and this meal will be marinating in the fridge leaving the potatoes and pineapple full of flavor when it comes to the table.
The kids ate the sausage (I opted for sweet chicken sausage by Dave’s market in Rhode Island), fresh pineapple (I reserved some fresh, not gingery, chunks for the kids). The potatoes were too spicy for them with the cayenne in there, so they got a flour tortilla and some mozzarella cheese instead.
the things:
- 1 gallon storage bag
- two sheet pans
- parchment paper
variations:
- you can use date paste in place of brown sugar to make this Whole 30 compliant.
- looking ahead to grilling season, I see this transforming into grilled sausages with the rest of it going in tin foil grilling bags. Oh, I can’t wait!
Tangy Gingery Pineapple with Sausage and Potatoes
There’s no denying the goodness of caramelized pineapple infused with ginger along side some crispy potatoes and sausages.
Ingredients
- 1 pineapple cut in 1-inch pieces or 1 large can of pineapple chunks (drained) or both!
- 1 small bag of baby potatoes
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (or date paste for Whole30)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons of ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon of minced garlic (from the jar)
- the juice and zest of 1 lime
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- pinch of ground cayenne (omit if you don't like spicy)
- 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons
- 1 pound sweet or spicy Italian or chicken sausage in casing
- 2 portobello mushroom caps, sliced (optional)
- cilantro or basil, chopped for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Step 1 Make ahead: put all ingredients except for sausage and mushrooms (if using them) in a 1 gallon storage bag and store in fridge and store up to 3 days ahead, or freeze.
- Step 2 When ready to bake, set oven to 425 degrees on convection setting, and line two sheet pans with crinkled parchment paper. Drain the liquids from the bag, and discard. Place the contents of the bag evenly on two sheet pans as to not over crowd the pans. Fit the sausages and sliced mushrooms (if using) in between the potatoes and pineapple. Season with salt and bake for 10 minutes on middle racks. Rotate pans and turn sausages and shake to toss. Bake for 10 more minutes. Check for doneness, and bake 3-5 minutes more, if needed.
- Step 3 Garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro or basil (optional).
