Mediterranean Sausage Sandwich with Rucola and Coriander Oil

For this rich sandwich you need strong and tasty, coarse sausages, stuffed with flavours. Maltese sausage is ideal as it is the most aromatic and also the chunkiest sausage I've ever eaten. The meat is enhanced with lots of garlic, coriander seeds, spicy black peppercorns and parsley, while sea salt adds a strong saltiness. These sausages are perfect for a thick wintery vegetable soup, but in summer I like to have them in sandwiches. You could also use an Italian salsiccia which is also rich in flavours.

I like to fry the sausages first, then I deglaze them in the pan with a splash of wine, sweet wine even. I close the pan with a lid and let the meat cook in the juices until it's still a bit pinky on the inside. When you fry them only, they tend to dry out as they need quite a few minutes to be cooked through, and I like them juicy! Some people here in Malta like to eat them raw, a habit I'm a bit suspicious of due to the hot climate, but the taste apparently is amazing, according to my friends!

For this week's sandwich, I cut a crusty sourdough bun in half and brushed both sides with the cooking juices before I covered the bottom side with rucola (arugula or rocket salad) leaves and thick slices of juicy sausage. I sprinkled the meat with a bit of olive oil infused with coriander seeds and squeezed the bun together for it to soak all the nice and aromatic cooking liquids. This sandwich is quite hearty but the rucola and the coriander add a light summery feeling to it!

Mediterranean Sausage Sandwich with Rucola and Coriander Oil

For 2 sandwiches you need

• crusty sourdough buns, cut in half, 2

• thick, coarse sausages, preferably with herbs and spices like salsiccia, 2

• rucola leaves, a handful

• olive oil 3 tablespoons plus more for frying

• coriander seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar, 1/2 teaspoon

• white wine for deglazing

Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan with the coriander seeds for a few minutes to infuse the oil.

Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan and fry the sausages until golden brown on all sides. Deglaze with a splash of wine, close with a lid and cook for a few minutes until the meat is just a little pink on the inside. Cut the sausages into thick slices.

Brush both sides of the bun with the cooking liquid, cover with rucola leaves and spread the sausage slices on top. Sprinkle with the coriander oil and close the bun, pushing it together a bit.