Smashing sausages

Celebrate British Sausage Week with these deliciously different recipes

Chilli Sausage and Lentil Casserole

Serves 4

Ingredients
  • 3x15mslp (3tbsp) Oil
  • 400g (14oz) Pork and Chilli Sausages
  • 200g (7oz) Baby shallots, peeled
  • 1 Large carrot, diced
  • 2 Cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1x5mlsp (1tsp) Tomato purée
  • 1 Small can of Cannellini beans
  • 200g (7oz) Puy lentils, cooked
  • 300ml (11floz) Stock
  • Sprig of Thyme
  • 1 Red chilli (freeze to grate over the finished dish)


Method

Pre heat the oven to 180˚C, Gas mark 4

Heat the oil in an oven proof pan. Once hot add the sausages and whole shallots and gently colour all over.
Remove the sausages and shallots from the pan and add the diced carrot. Cook for a couple of minutes then add the garlic and tomato purée. Add the beans, cooked lentils and stock along with the sprig of thyme.

Return the sausages and shallots to the pan bring back to the boil and then place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Some of the stock will be absorbed by the beans and lentils to give a thick consistency.

Once out of the oven take the red chilli from the freezer and grate all over to garnish.

Serve with creamy mash or alternatively with chunky bread and a thick sour cream, cucumber and mint sauce.


Herby Sausage Cakes with Savoy Cabbage

Sausage-Nov07-01-590

Serves 6

Ingredients
  • ½ Savoy cabbage
  • 500g (1.1lb) Potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 400g (14oz) Traditional Pork sausages or Lincolnshire Sausages
  • 1 Small onion, peeled and chopped
  • 150g (5½oz) Butter, reduced fat (you will need 3 x 50g at various stages of the recipe)
  • 2x15mlsp (2tbsp) Parsley, chopped
  • 100g (4oz) Flour
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
  • 125g (4½oz) Breadcrumbs
  • 100ml (3½floz) Oil for shallow frying

Method

Wash the cabbage leaves and place into a pan of boiling salted water for 4-5 minutes until just cooked. Remove from the water and place into ice cold water. Drain, remove the stalk and shred finely. Place onto clean kitchen paper to drain and reserve until required later on.

Peel the potatoes into a pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for 10-12 minutes until tender and slightly breaking up.

While the potatoes are cooking place a non-stick pan on the stove add a little oil and heat. Once the oil is hot squeeze from the skins little balls of sausage meat directly on to the hot oil. When they start to brown add the chopped onion and continue cooking until the onion is cooked through and the sausages are browned all over.

When the potatoes are cooked remove from the heat and drain; place back on the stove for 1 minute to dry out the potato a little more. Add 50g of the butter and break up slightly with the back of a fork.

Now combine the sausage and potato mixtures in one bowl, add ¾ of the shredded cabbage and the chopped parsley.  Whilst still warm form the mixture into 6 equal balls.

On a floured work top flatten off the sides and top of the balls using a palette knife. You should end up with a ‘sausage cake’.

Place the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs in to individual dishes and pass each cake first through the flour to coat, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs.

Once they are through the egg and breadcrumb mixture they are ready to cook. Add the oil to a large non-stick pan and heat. Once hot add 50g of butter and cook the ‘sausage cakes’ 2-3 at a time, turning part way through, until golden brown on both sides.

Warm through the remaining cabbage in the remaining 50g of butter and serve the sausage cakes on top.

Tip: Top with a poached egg for a great brunch dish.


Thai Style Sausage Parcels

Sausage-Nov07-02-590

Makes 8 parcels

Ingredients
  • 3x15mlsp (3tbsp) Oil for frying
  • 400g Spiced pork sausage meat i.e sweet chilli or black pepper
  • 1 Red Onion, chopped
  • 1 Garlic Clove, chopped
  • ½ Red chilli, seeds removed and chopped
  • 1x15mlsp (1tbsp) Thai curry paste
  • 200ml (7floz) Coconut milk, (reduced fat Coconut Milk can be used as an option)
  • Pinch of fresh coriander, chopped
  • 4 Sheets of filo pastry
  • 1 Egg, beaten
  • 1x5mlsp (1tsp) Nigella seeds

Method

Heat a little of the oil in a non- stick pan.  Break the sausage meat into small pieces and cook in the hot oil.  After the meat has coloured add the chopped onion, garlic and chilli and cook for a few more minutes until the onions have softened.

Add the Thai curry paste and the coconut milk and bring to the boil, simmer for approximately 10 minutes until the coconut milk has reduced to almost nothing. Add the chopped coriander, check the seasoning and allow to cool.

Open the filo pastry and cut the sheets in half lengthways with the pastry running lengthways away from your body.

Place 1/8th of the mixture across the corner of the pastry closest to you;  then fold the corner over to seal the filling into a triangular shape. Keep folding the length of the pastry strip to  form a medium sized triangular snack. Before the final fold brush the remaining pastry with the beaten egg.  Make the final turn ensuring that the pastry is well sealed. Brush the pastry once more with beaten egg and sprinkle with the Nigella seeds.

Repeat this to use the remaining Thai filling and filo pastry. Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the filo parcels in the oil until golden brown all over, turning when necessary.

Serve with pickled cucumber, spring onions and a little fresh coriander leaf.

British Sausage Week is running from 3 - 10 November.  For more recipes please visit www.lovepork.co.uk