Sausage and Bean Casserole

Introduction & method

Technically, this casserole is a stew because it's cooked on the stovetop. A true casserole is baked in the oven and is more suited to things that need a very long cooking time. There's no fixed recipe for this dish - people will use whatever sausages they prefer, their own choice of beans and any additional vegetables. But whatever's in it, it's a proper winter warmer and easy to make.

About the Sausages and Beans

The sausage selection is up to you depending on what's available where you live. My preference is for Lincolnshire or Cumberland sausages. I recommend you go to a butcher rather than buying them pre-packaged from a supermarket. The beans, you can use dried ones but they'll need an overnight soak and probably an hour or two of cooking - canned ones are much more convenient. The type of bean, again this is up to you but I like small white beans such as haricot, cannellini or pinto.

Prep the Veggies

Peel and thinly slice the onion. Slice the carrots to about 5mm (a quarter of an inch). Finely chop the parsley. Drain the beans. Cut the bell pepper in half and slice it into strips. Put the frozen peas in a small bowl and add hot water, just enough to cover them.

Cook the Casserole

Some people like to keep their sausages whole, I prefer to cut them in half. Heat some oil in a large frying pan - just enough to coat the bottom. Add your sausages and cook them gently for about 5 minutes, turning frequently to get them browned all over. Add the onions and continue cooking for another 15 minutes until they are soft and browned. When the sausages are browned, put them in a saucepan with the stock, canned tomatoes, tomato puree, drained beans, peas, bay leaves and most of the parsley (save some for garnish). In the frying pan, add the bell pepper and the carrots, stir to get them coated in oil and cook for a minute or two. Transfer the onions, pepper and carrot to the saucepan, add the salt and pepper and then taste it. Add more salt if necessary. It may be that the tomatoes have made it taste acidic, in which case you can add a tiny bit of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) - as little as an eighth of a teaspoon but use more if needed. Let the stew simmer with a lid on for 20 minutes, and then it's done. If it's too runny increase the heat and let it reduce somewhat. Serve with mashed potato and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

The video above is from the Keef Cooks YouTube channel. Click here to see the video recipe of Sausage and Bean Casserole on YouTube.

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Ingredients & Info

450 grams pork sausages

400 grams canned chopped tomatoes

235 grams (drained weight) canned haricot beans or similar

500 ml chicken stock

1 medium onion

2 small carrots

half a red bell pepper

3-4 tbsp frozen peas

small handful flatleaf parsley

2 bay leaves

1 tsp salt

half a tsp ground black pepper

PLUS

Sunflower oil for sautéeing.

Serves 2 -3
Prep time: 10 minutes.
Cooking time: 40 minutes.
Total time: 50 minutes.

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