Mr B's Sticky Sausage Casserole

Ingredients:

6 sausages, the better the better (or a pack of 12 good quality cocktail sausages)

4-6 shallots, peeled, whole (minimum, use more if you’ve got them). Roughly chopped onion will also do.

1 large carrot, diced 

1 garlic clove, chopped

Lardons/pancetta/ chopped streaky bacon

1 glass red wine

Half pint of stock

Half a tin of chopped tomatoes (I bung the whole tin’s worth in and cook longer to reduce)

Sage, oregano, parsley, pinch of each if available

Method:

Heat oven to 170^o C

Brown sausages in a casserole dish then remove. Use a piece of kitchen towel to remove some of the fat if required, then add the shallots, garlic, diced carrot and pancetta and cook for a bit, scraping up all the tummy bits stuck to the bottom. Replace the sausages, pour in the wine and wait till it bubbles. Add the stock, herbs and seasoning if required, you may find the stock and lardons make if salty enough already, and stir everything up. Put the casserole lid on and place in the oven for 40 mins min. (Check the liquid level from time to time and add more if necessary.)

Focaccia, sausage and tomato bake

This is based on Jamie Oliver's Comforting Sausage Bake recipe. 

Home made rosemary and garlic focaccia was a first. I used the bread maker recipe and used garlic infused oil to drizzle on the top having studded with rosemary. Was eaten as an accompaniment to a soup. JUST managed to have enough left for this recipe. Himself was so so close to being in trouble!

In theory the below is for 4. There are three of us here at the moment. I'll say no more.


Heat the oven to 180C (fan)

Put into a roasting tray 600g halved cherry tomatoes, 4 finely sliced cloves of garlic and 200g rosemary focaccia that has been torn into bite-sized chunks. Pour over a tin of cannellini beans - water/juices and all. Drizzle with 1tbsp olive oil and 1tbsp red wine vinegar. Mix it all together.

Now to the sausages - you need 12 chipolatas. Pinch and twist each one in the middle to make two mini ones. Dot around the bake, pressing lightly into the beans and tomatoes.

Roast for 45 minutes.