Feel Good Food

Becca Wilson
Sep 22, 2017
3 min read

My mum used to make a hearty casserole for Scott and I when we'd go over to hers for dinner on a cold night. Hers was always full of flavour and tasty veggie sausages - I'd always pinch a bit of the cooked sausage from the pan every time I went past the pan. She never noticed (woops, sorry mum).

I am always noting doing veggie gf dinners that I'd like to try. SO when I mentioned to Scott that I wanted to try a sausage casserole his reaction meant that I just had to make one this week. Last night was the night. It was a pretty 'dreich' day here in Orkney so I was thankful that a warming casserole was on the menu.

I've never really liked the word 'casserole'. It has always felt dated to me and it always makes me think of dry beef, carrots and celery. Mmm (not). However, last night's result definitely felt like a modernised take on a casserole and the ingredients I used seemed far more appealing. It was rich and flavoursome (and gluten free and veggie, of course).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/great_sausage_casserole_73010

I used this recipe from the Hairy Bikers but adapted it slightly. I used veggie sausages but next time I might make the casserole then split it and add veggie sausages to one and meaty ones to the other for my meaty friends and family. Here's what I did:

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

1–2 tbsp oil
12 Linda McCartney's veggie red onion and rosemary sausages
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½–1 tsp smoked paprika
400g can chopped tomatoes
300ml veggie stock
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dark brown muscovado sugar
1 tsp dried thyme
1 or 2 bay leaves
100ml red or white wine (optional)
400g can butter beans or mixed beans
seasoning to taste
optional vegetables - 3 pointed red peppers and 200g mushrooms (both chopped into largish pieces)
optional corn on the cob, mange tout and 1KG albert bartlett potatoes for mashing to serve

Method:

1. Firstly cook or fry the sausages for 20 minutes, turning every now and then until nicely browned all over.

2. Meanwhile, place the onions in a frying pan and fry over a medium heat for five minutes until they start to soften, stirring often.

3. Add the garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes more until the onions turn pale golden-brown, stirring frequently. Add red peppers and mushrooms or any veg you wish. Sprinkle smoked paprika and cook for a little longer.

4. Stir in the tomatoes, veggie stock, tomato purée, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and herbs.

5. Pour over the wine, or some water if you’re not using wine, and bring to a simmer.

6. Once the sausages are cooked and cooled slightly, chop them up into quarters and add to the pan. Return to a simmer, then reduce the heat, cover the pan loosely with a lid and leave to simmer very gently for 20 minutes, stirring from time to time (or you could put the pan in the oven with the lid on - I put the pan into the bottom right aga with the lid on).

7. Add this point I started to boil the potatoes for mashing later and popped some corn on the cob into the oven.

8. After the 20 minutes, drain the beans and stir them into the casserole. Cook for 10 more minutes until the sauce is thick.

9. Meanwhile, mash the potatoes to your liking (I mashed them with some butter and philadelphia then used a wooden spoon to mash in some milk - if you overmash it can become gluey) and cook the mange tout.

10. Season the casserole, if you wish, and serve.

As I am writing this out, I can still taste the yummy flavours in my mouth. It was the perfect meal for a colder evening and it wasn't too time consuming. You can mix up the veg and type of sausages to your liking. Also, I have to say, the Orkney Red wine really

brought all the flavours together. YUM.

Have a lovely weekend and happy cooking! By the way, my lovely cousin Claire sent me a photo of some arancini she had made and it looked tasty. So I might have a go at that tonight and my other plan is to make my own peanut butter this weekend - seeing as we need to buy it so often.

Have a look at the steps for the casserole below. Shout out to Linda for the sausages!

P.s if you have leftovers it's nice to eat the casserole with a mash topping the next day.

x gf v x