Chicken Sausage w Charred Tomato & Basil

3.5 lb. chicken trim, with as much fat on it as possible
1 lb. chicken skin
1.25 oz. kosher salt
0.7 oz brown sugar
8.5 oz. cherry tomatoes, charred on a grill (use a skewer)
2-3 roasted garlic cloves (you can grill these on the skewer w the tomatoes)
0.5 oz. fresh ground black pepper
1 oz. fresh basil, chopped fine
1/2 C. red wine vinegar
1/2 C. chicken stock

In a bowl, combine the vinegar with the tomatoes, garlic, salt, brown sugar, and pepper, and allow to marinate a couple of hours.

Meanwhile, trim the chicken into pieces suitable for your sausage grinder. Add the basil to the chicken, and open freeze on a sheet pan until the chicken pieces are frozen on the outside but still slightly thawed in the center.

Remove the tomatoes and garlic from the red wine mixture and chop them coarsely. Add them, and the vinegar and spices, to the chicken trim. Send everything through the sausage grinder, using the coarse die. Then, send half of the mixture back through again. Taste test by creating a 2” patty and pan frying. Adjust seasoning as needed.

You can stuff this sausage into hog casings, or use it in bulk. I did the latter, and stuffed the bulk sausage into sweet pepper halves, then baked them with jack cheese smothered over top. We grilled okra and eggplant and tossed it with olives, olive oil, and vinegar to accompany.