Sausage Casserole

Walking in from two hours standing at a rather cold and rainy rugby match I feel the need for something rich, warming and appropriately autumnal. We may have been barbecuing in September, but normal service has now been resumed.

I have tried the packet mixes for sausage casserole and there’s always something a bit gloopy about them. It make take 10 mins more to do it from scratch but it’s certainly worth it.

I’m using Toulouse sausages because that’s what looked good at the market this week. In the past we’ve used Lincolnshire and Cumberland – any good, meaty, well-flavoured sausage will work. Without going on a rant about sausages, I do think that you get what you pay for. I dread to think what goes into the ‘economy’ version and will always check the % meat content on the packet. Even better if you can eyeball the people who actually make them which is why I like market shopping so much.

Anyway, if you use a ceramic or glass casserole you’ll have to start this in a frying pan then transfer it, if you’re using a stove-friendly dish you can do it all in one.

First brown the sausages in a little oil. While they’re cooking you can chop and onion and some veg. I used peppers, carrots and what I thought was a round courgette but turned out to be some sort of squash. Mushrooms would have gone in too if I’d remembered to buy them.

Once the sausages have sealed, remove to a clean dish. Into the pan go the veggies and a clove of chopped garlic which you fry for a few minutes then put a lid on the pan, turn down the heat and let them sweat for about 10 mins. This concentrates the flavour of the veg and starts to form the sauce.

Next pour in a glug of booze. I had a bottle of red wine open so that was it. Alternatives would have been white wine or little slug of port or brandy. It needs to cook out for about 5 mins to drive off any bitter alcohol taste. Stir in a squirt of tomato puree and some herbs – a bay leaf and some chopped sage and rosemary.

Add a tin of tomatoes (chop them up a bit) and enough stock to cover the veg and sausages. I used a chicken bouillon cube, but beef or veg would both work.

Once it gets back to the boil, pop a lid on and into the oven it goes for about an hour at 150C.

We ate it with mash and runner beans. Cockles duly warmed.