This Hairy Bikers recipe I make on repeat, especially during the autumn / winter months. It is smoky and delicious, easy to make, and satisfying. I actually hosted last year's bonfire night and made this for about 20 people, and it went down a treat and was so easy to make ahead. You can also use vegan sausages, and add any additional veg you want. I have adapted slightly by adding butternut squash chunks from the freezer as they are easy to chuck in and add a bit more substance and nutrition to the meal. I also add an extra tin of tomatoes to make it a bit more saucy.
I hope you enjoy enough to add to your weekly rotation for the coming months!
Serves 6
Ingredients
1–2 tbsp sunflower oil
12 pork sausages
6 rashers rindless streaky bacon, cut into 2.5cm/1in lengths
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½-1 tsp chilli powder or smoked paprika
2 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
300ml/10fl oz chicken stock
300g fresh or frozen butternut squash chunks
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
2 bay leaves
3–4 fresh thyme sprigs
100ml/3½fl oz red or white wine (optional)
400g tin butter beans or mixed beans, drained and rinsed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
rice or rustic bread slices, to serve
Method
Brown the sausages: Heat the sunflower oil in a large non-stick frying pan or casserole dish and gently fry the 12 good quality pork sausages, turning now and then, until well browned all over. Once browned, set aside.
Crisp the bacon: In the same pan / dish, fry the 6 rindless streaky bacon rashers, cut into 2.5cm lengths until starting to crisp and brown, then set aside with the sausages.
Soften the onions: Add the onions, thinly sliced to the pan and cook over a medium heat until they begin to soften, stirring often. Top up with a splash more oil if the pan looks dry.
Add garlic and spices: Add the garlic cloves (fresh or frozen), and the chilli powder or smoked paprika and cook for a few seconds longer, stirring constantly.
Build the sauce: Pour in the chopped tomatoes, butternut squash chunks, stock, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, dark brown muscovado sugar, dried mixed herbs, then add the bay leaves and fresh thyme sprigs.
Add wine and simmer: Pour in the red or white wine (optional) (or a splash of water if leaving it out) and bring everything to a simmer.
Combine and cook: Add the sausages and bacon back in, and bring to a gentle simmer, cover loosely, and leave to simmer for 20 minutes or so.
Stir in the beans: Drain and rinse the butter beans or mixed beans, then stir through the casserole. Continue cooking gently for a further 10 minutes.
Season and serve: Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve with rice or slices of rustic bread.