“You two have just volunteered to cook dinner. Pears and sausage in oil, and a double portion for your new little brother…”
-The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch
Thoughts:
The Lies of Locke Lamora bursts with lavish settings, appealing to the senses with descriptions of the sights and smells of bustling Camorr. Set in a fantastic world of alchemy and clockwork, it also contains accounts of glorious, glorious food. This dish is one of four in a given meal when young Locke is first welcomed into the fold by the Gentlemen Bastards.
This is a tasty, if unexpected, pairing. The pears pick up the spiciness of the sausage, holding a slight crisp bite in their skins. The sausages, on their own, are delicious. However, when taken with a bite of the pear, the textures and flavors complement one another very nicely. The addition of balsamic tones down the oil somewhat, and rounds out all of the flavors brilliantly.
I recommend it as an Autumnal dish, as the spices and roasting will warm both you and your kitchen.
Stay tuned for the other elements of this same meal: black bean salad in mustard-wine sauce, fried chicken dumplings in gingery orange sauce, and red peppers stuffed with almond paste and spinach.
Recipe for Sausages and Pears in Oil
Serves 4
Prep: 15 minutes Cooking: 15 minutes
Cook’s Notes: As I sadly don’t have an alchemical hearthstone, I’ve had to make do. As a result, the sausages and pears are first seared in oil, then roasted in the oven to finish them off.
Ingredients
- 6 spicy pre-cooked sausages (chorizo, linguica, or hot Italian are all good choices), split in half lengthwise
- 4 firm pears, quartered and cored
- 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, plus more for serving