Why It Works

• The best dishes are those that have a balance of all taste sensations, salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami, or savoriness. With sausages and grapes, everything comes into play -- the sausages themselves are salty and savory, and the grapes add hints of sweetness and sourness. Bitterness comes into play with herbs, such as bay leaf, rosemary or oregano, with other ingredients, such as garlic and onion, and with the braising liquid itself.

Braising Techniques

• Braising begins with browning the sausages to develop flavor and then cooking them in a small amount of liquid, which will pick up the browned bits of sausage still clinging to the bottom of the pot. For the liquid, choose vegetable or chicken stock, water or, for hints of bitterness, beer such as stout or porter. Cover the pot and cook the sausages on low heat until they register 160 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read meat thermometer.

Adding Depths of Flavor

• To add depths of flavor to the dish, saute onions and garlic, either chopped or sliced to add the the braising liquid. If you have time to cook sliced onions until they have browned and caramelized slightly, you'll gain even more flavor. Just before the sausages have finished cooking, add a tablespoon of balsamic or red wine vinegar to brighten the flavor of the dish.

Rounding Out the Meal

• To round out a sausage and grape entree, serve something starchy on the side, such as sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes, serve the sausages over a bed of polenta or simply serve crusty bread to sop up all the juices in the braising liquid. A green vegetable, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts or sauteed cabbage would also add welcome notes of bitterness to the rich sausage.