Guest Post: Spicy Lamb Sausage with Beans

I'm very happy to introduce Bobby Hoffman, guest blogger du jour! I met Bobby and his friend Johnny recently, while having dinner with Johnny's and my friend Ingrid. Bobby's passion and enthusiasm for food shone brightly, and I immediately knew that all of you would want to meet him, too. Read this post enviously, wishing you'd shared in such an amazing dinner. Quite frankly, and with no shame (well, maybe a little bit - 13 years in Catholic school and all that Jewish guilt, after all!), after pining over all of this, I just simply violated every rule of etiquette and practically demanded an invitation to a future meal!

Since moving to Ann Arbor from Chicago this past month, I have been sampling and savoring everything that the city has to offer! I’m a sensualist whose passion for food and drink knows no bounds. As soon as I’m done with a meal, I immediately begin planning what, and where, I’m going to eat next!

I had a few friends over for dinner the other night, and planned a menu which showcased the ingredients that I picked up at the farmers' market and Biercamp. (Mary's note: Biercamp is a fabulous shop that specializes in artisan sausages and jerky. It was recently featured on Frugal Floozie Friday.)

Blackberry Mojitos: I keep homemade simple syrup infused with fresh mint in the fridge all summer long. I’m always prepared to whip up a batch of Mojitos or Mint Juleps in seconds!

Wedge Salads: I love to serve cool, crisp iceberg lettuce on a hot summer day. I updated this classic by using Biercamp’s pea meal bacon.

Spicy Lamb Sausage with Beans: Some recipes are particularly successful, and the star of the menu was definitely this dish. It was fresh, hearty and bursting with flavor! I did all my prep in advance, and assigned the task of grilling the sausages to a friend while I began assembling the dish tableside. I kept the ingredients cool and added the hot sausage at the last minute. The last step before plating was to sprinkle the feta cheese on top.

Peach Almond Cobbler: Not wanting to get stuck in a hot kitchen while my friends enjoyed the sultry summer night, I baked the cobbler in the afternoon. I used firm peaches and grilled them first. I added finely chopped, toasted almonds to the dough, made fresh whipped cream with a couple drops of almond extract, and finished each dish with toasted almonds.

I hope you enjoy!

Spicy Lamb Sausage with Beans

• 6 links of spicy lamb sausage
• 1 can of Garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 can of small white beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 medium Vidalia sweet onion (chopped)
• 2 medium tomatoes (diced)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• black pepper (to taste)
• coarse salt (to taste)
• 1 cup of crumbled Feta

Grill the sausages while preparing the rest of the dish.

Combine the beans, onion, tomatoes, rosemary and thyme. Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, and salt; pour over the other ingredients and toss gently.

Slice the sausages and mix into the other ingredients; place onto a serving platter, then top with feta.