Sausages are one of America’s favorite foods, and if you include hot dogs (which are essentially sausages), they’re as popular as hamburgers and pizza.

When you think of sausages, you’re likely imagining links of Italian, German or Polish sausages on the grill.

Brats, knocks, wursts…

I wouldn’t blame you. I do too.

There is, however, another version of sausages, one that requires neither beef, veal, pork, lamb or chicken, and one that doesn’t even require them to be in casings (although if you wanted to use them, lamb casings work best).

These sausages are SEAFOOD sausages!

The idea may seem like a novelty act, but honestly, once you’ve made them, you may wonder where they’ve been your whole life.

I serve my seafood sausages over a bed of linguini napped with lobster sauce, but there are nearly endless ways you can enjoy these tender, succulent links. My recipe also allows you to use pretty much any seafood garnishment you prefer, from lobster and crab to shrimp, scallops, and even mussels…it’s pretty much up to you.

Before I go on with the recipe and food ingredients, you will need some simple non-food supplies, and they are:

A food processor (with the usual S blade)

Plastic film (12” wide will do, 15- to 18” wide even better)

Some twist-ties or small rubber bands

A skillet, shallow pot or roasting pan that can hold water about 2” deep and that can also accommodate multiple (3 or more) broom-size diameter links of about 10” long as they poach.

The recipe below allows you to add whatever additional seafood garnishes you wish into the general mixture. Follow the recipe and either use my garnish or choose other seafood in its place (using the same total amount).

Seafood Sausages (Makes about 6 cups or 6 – 10” x 1” Diameter Sausages)

Feeds Approximately 6 Persons with Pasta

1 Cup Fresh Scallops (sea are cheaper), Patted Dry

1 Cup Raw Shrimp, Patted Dry

1 Egg White

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Pinch Salt

Pinch Ground White Pepper

½ tsp Granulated or Powdered Garlic

FOR GARNISH:

½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1 TBSP Parsley Flakes

½ Cup Red Bell Pepper, Minced, Patted Dry

½ Cup Green Onion, Finely Chopped

1 Cup Raw Shrimp, Chopped Fine

1 Cup Lobster or Alaskan Crab, Chopped Fine

In a food processor, puree scallops and shrimp to a fine paste.

Add the egg white and blend 1 minute.

Add WELL-CHILLED heavy whipping cream in a slow stream while blending. This should take about 1 minute in total.

Add salt, pepper and garlic. Pulse a moment or two to mix in.

Turn mixture out of the food processor into an appropriately sized mixing bowl, and then stir in all of the garnish ingredients until they are evenly distributed.

Place a piece of 12” wide x 15” long (approximately) plastic film on a clean, flat work surface. At one of the narrow ends, portion the mixture about 1” away from the edge to create a broomstick-like diameter of mixture, leaving about 2” of space on both sides with no filling. On a 12” wide film, this would make the filling about 8” long and about 1” in diameter.

Fold the bottom inch over the filling and roll the broomstick forward (keeping the plastic film taught) until you reach the end of the film.

Repeat this procedure until all of the mixture is used.

Next, you will want to gather the excess film at both ends just before the portioned sausage filling begins. Tighten the sausage link by pinching each end closed and then rolling the link along the counter using the friction of the counter to form each sausage link into a firm tube.

Carefully secure each tightened end with a twist tie or rubber band to keep each link firm.

*TIP: If you see air pockets in your links you can improve the final look of your sausages by taking a small needle and puncturing the air pocket with a small prick of the needle.

After all of your links have been made, poach them together in BARELY simmering water approximately 15 minutes or until they are firm. DO NOT OVERCOOK. If you over-poach your links, you will see them puffing up.

Chill links in a bath of ice water for 15 to 20 minutes to firm them up before cutting. You can even prepare these a day ahead of your intended use.

Before cooking your sausages, I recommend you unwrap then cut them into 2” (maximum 3”) pieces at a slight angle.

Lastly, sauté them in butter (or garlic butter) in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until re-heated through. You can brown them ever so lightly, but I do not recommend browning them.

As mentioned earlier, I enjoy my seafood sausages over linguine, with my Lobster Sauce recipe, my Mediterranean Style Seafood Marinara Sauce recipe or even a white clam sauce.

As an aside, another great use for this recipe is to make your links about 2” in diameter. Then, after chilling, cut into coins and dip into your favorite cocktail sauce or use as a canapé.