Country Sausage With Red-eye Gravy

Total Time: 47 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 22 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 lb coarsely ground lamb
• 1/2 cup crouton, coarsely crushed
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground sage
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup strong black coffee
• prepared biscuit

Recipe

• 1 in a medium bowl combine the lamb, croutons, onion, garlic, the 1 teaspoon brown sugar, sage, salt, thyme, and cayenne. mix thoroughly. gently mix in cherries (for added flavor, soak cherries in 1/4 cup of bourbon for 15 minutes). shape mixture into twelve 3-inch patties, using wet hands. arrange on a tray. cover; refrigerate overnight.
• 2 in a large skillet fry patties, half at a time, in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side or until browned and cooked through. remove from heat:keep warm.
• 3 for the red-eye gravy, stir the 2 tablespoons brown sugar into the drippings in skillet. stir in the coffee. bring to boiling. boil gently, uncovered, for 2 or 3 minutes or until gravy is slightly thickened and has a rich reddish brown, scraping the skillet to loosen any crusty bits.
• 4 split biscuits. serve sausage patties in split biscuits with gravy.