Chicken Apple Breakfast Sausage

This was not my favorite dish of the class, but it was a very close second. The best breakfast sausage I have ever tried! Eating raw meat is a HUGE NO NO - so to make sure you have added enough salt and/or seasoning, fry up a small piece of the sausage mixture to taste before you make the whole batch. This recipe will make 8 good sized patties or 16 small patties. These patties can be seared in a skillet, placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and popped into a 400ºF oven for 10 min or so to finish the cooking.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4-8

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup apple, grated (Fuji or McIntosh)
• 1  teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 1⁄2 lbs ground chicken
• 1⁄2 lb ground pork
• 1  tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1  tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 3⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1⁄4 cup  vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a large, heavy skillet heat 2 Tbs of olive oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onions and apples.
3. Cook, stirring for 3-4 min or until onions have softened.
4. Add the garlic and cook for 30 sec to 1 minute.
5. Remove from the heat and cool.
6. In a large bowl combine the chicken, pork, thyme, sage, salt and pepper.
7. Add the cooled onion mixture and mix well.
8. At this point take a small piece of the mixture and cook in a skillet with a little vegetable oil, taste to test the salt and seasoning - add more is necessary.
9. On a plastic-covered surface, form the mixture into 8 good sized patties or 16 smaller patties.
10. Heat 2 Tbs of vegetabel oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat.
11. Add 4 patties (or more if smaller) to the pan and cook until golden brown, about 3-4 min per side.
12. Place cooked patties in a warm oven while you cook the rest of the patties.
13. Add more oil if necessary and continue cooking patties in the same manner.