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