1/2 : c Unsalted butter, softened
1 : c Packed brown sugar
2 : Eggs
2/3 : c Sour cream
1 : /2 ts Vanilla
2 : 1/4 c All-purpose flour
1 : ts Baking powder
1/2 : ts Baking soda
1/2 : ts Salt
6 : oz White chocolate, coarse chop
1 : c Dried cherries,
-or : -or cranberries
1 : c Pecans, chopped
0: Bring milk, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, 3 shallots, garlic clove, bay leaves, salt, cloves, pepper, nutmeg and thyme just to boil in heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat
1: Remove from het, cover and let stand 30 minutes
2: Refrigerate until mixture is well chilled, about 2 hours
3: Meanwhile, melt 1 Tbsp butter in heavy small skillet over low heat
4: Add remaining 4 minced shallots
5: Cover and cook until very soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes
6: Puree with on/off turns in processor with pork, pork fat, eggs, flour, Port and 1/4 tsp garlic until smooth
7: Strain milk into processor, pressing down on solids to extract as much liquid as possible
8: Blend into puree
9: Transfer to large bowl
10: Stir in currants
11: Refrigerate 1 to 8 hours
12: (If processor has small capacity, puree in batches
13: ) Cut sausage casings into 3-foot lengths
14: Tie knot at one end of each
15: Gather 1 piece around tip of pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain tip
16: Spoon pork mixture into pastry bag, pressing down to prevent air pockets
17: Pipe mixture into casing, twisting casing every 6 inches to create individual sausages
18: Tie know at end of casing
19: Repeat with remaining pork and casings
20: Tie twists in sausage with string
21: Bring 8 quarts water to boil in stockpot
22: Remove from heat and add sausages
23: Return pot to heat, adjusting as necessary to maintain water just below simmer (180 F)
24: Cook until sausages are firm to touch, 20 minutes, turning occasionally
25: Cool in cold water to retain plumpness
26: Cut into individual links
27: (Can be prepared ahead to this point
28: Wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months
29: ) Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium heat
30: Lightly brown sausages on all sides, about 8 minutes total
31: Serve hot
32: (Sausage can also be grilled
33: )