Stuff to Learn

How to tie a bowline.

All of the terminology.

How to read the wind and water.

Theory.

How to read a navigation chart.

A bijillion other things.

Sausage-Stuffed French Loaves

This hearty sandwich doubles as an hors d'oeuvre when thinly sliced. It's great hot or cold. Perfect for picnics. I made this and took it aboard Bella on August 18, 2010. Everyone enjoyed it. I'd like to play around with a variation using ground chicken or turkey and using sage instead of fennel.

2 fat, long loaves French bread

8 ounces bulk pork sausage

8 ounces ground beef chuck

1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced

1 egg

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 tsp. fennel seeds

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tbsp. butter

2 cloves garlic

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Cut off the ends of the loaves and hollow out the loaves with your fingers. Process the soft bread in a food processor fitted with a steel blade to coarse crumbs. Reserve the bread ends.

3. Brown the sausage in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and onion and cook until the beef is lightly browned.

4. Combine the bread crumbs, meat mixture, egg, mustard, parsley, fennel, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spoon the mixture into the bread shells; attach bread ends with small skewers.

5. Melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the garlic. Saute for 30 seconds, then brush the loaves with the garlic butter and wrap in separate pieces of aluminum foil, leaving the foil open slightly at the top.

6. Bake until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

7. Cut into 1-inch slices for hors d'oeuvres or cut each loaf into 4 pieces for main-course servings.

8 main-course portions or 36 appetizer portions.