Karen Wright: My easy one-pan sausage and bean supper
I did promise Christmas cakes, but I realised it was still only early November so instead I wanted to share an easy recipe that celebrates Autumn.
Maybe you are going to a bonfire party this week and if so a big dish of this beans and sausage recipe will be perfect to take along with you.
Sausages and beans are both very everyday ingredients, and most people probably have some beans in a cupboard and sausages in the fridge or freezer. Building on that idea I took inspiration from a French dish called cassoulet which I am very partial to. A cassoulet is a heart casserole very popular in Southwest France and includes Toulouse sausages, belly pork and ham along with a tomato sauce which is packed full of beans.
I decided to use three different types of sausage in my version, but any regular sausage or vegetarian sausage will work very well. I used chipolatas, chorizo and a tin of hot dog sausages! The other ingredients were onions, garlic, red and yellow peppers, tomato puree, tinned tomatoes, butter beans, baked beans, oregano, smoked paprika and a dollop of BBQ sauce. I browned the chipolatas in a frying pan and then added a chopped onion and the peppers. I cooked these for a few minutes before adding all the other ingredients and cooking on a low heat until everything was piping hot. The whole dish only took about fifteen minutes to prepare and then it was ready to eat.
The washing up was minimal as I only used one large frying pan on the hob and then I served it from a lovely earthenware dish which added to the lovely autumn vibe. The colour was spectacular and it was quite healthy due to using butterbeans. If you wanted to pare down the calories using a low-fat sausage would be a perfect choice. Of course, you can make this dish your own by using your choice of seasonings, for example I chose the BBQ sauce for a smoky element, but you could opt for marmite or mustard, ketchup or brown sauce, whatever you like or have in the cupboard!
November is a busy month in the kitchen as its time to think about Christmas and make the cakes, the puddings, the mincemeat and all the pickles, and do as much freezer preparation as possible, it is also a lovely time cozy and nostalgic, I can't wait to get started!