You Got Served... dinner

How to change a recipe for the seasons: 

 

I originally dreamed this recipe up to be a summer treat, the kind of thing I would want to eat next to the grill, with a cold beer. Vinegary onions, sliced nectarines, salty feta cheese and spicy sausage- what could be better after a day at the beach? 

With yesterday's high of 22˚, the beach has never seemed further away. So I pulled this recipe, from our upcoming cookbook, to help me think of better, warmer times to come. 

The recipe: 

Italian Sausage Pitas with Watercress, Nectarines and Mint

The problem: 

• I've got merguez, not italian sausage
  
• Nectarines are out of season (and no, I'm not buying the ones from Chile)
  
• There's only half a bunch watercress in the fridge.
  

The solution: 

• The recipe calls for a spicy sausage, it's not written in stone that it must be Italian, the merguez is a great substitute. 
  
• So forget the nectarines, throw in some avocado instead or pomegranate seeds or just leave it out all together.
• Watercress adds a nice peppery/bitter bite, beef it up with a little arugula or spinach.

Top it all off with thinly sliced onions soaked in red vinegar to make them less pungent and lots of feta cheese.