Hearty sausage & ale casserole
THIS cracking casserole made with good British bangers and ale was inspired by the stews made with beer that we enjoyed on one of our very early road trips to Belgium. The gravy is to die for and, as British sausages have got better and better over the years, we think this is a recipe that more than deserves classic status. A big pile of buttery mash is a must with this one. SERVES 4-6
● 1 tbsp vegetable oil ● 12 good-quality pork sausages ● 2 medium onions, chopped ● 2 celery sticks, trimmed and thinly sliced ● 3 carrots, thickly sliced ● 500ml India pale ale ● 150ml beef stock ● 2 tbsp tomato purée ● 2 tbsp light muscovado sugar ● 1 bay leaf ● Splash of Worcestershire sauce
● 2 medium leeks, trimmed and cut into 2cm slices ● 1 tbsp cornflour ● 1 tsp flaked sea salt, plus extra to season ● Black pepper ● Chopped parsley, to garnish Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the sausages over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes. turn them regularly until they’re nicely browned all over.
transfer the sausages to a large flameproof casserole dish. add the onions, celery and carrots to the frying pan — there should be enough fat from the sausages but add an extra splash of oil if you need to.
Cook the veg over a mediumhigh heat, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes or until they are beginning to soften and lightly colour. tip the vegetables into the dish with the sausages.
Pour the ale and stock into the casserole dish. Stir in the tomato purée, sugar, bay leaf and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the dish with a lid and leave to simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
add the leeks to the casserole dish and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Mix the cornflour with a tablespoon of cold water until smooth. Stir this mixture into the casserole and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly until the sauce has thickened.
Remove the pan from the heat, season the casserole with salt and pepper and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving with lots of buttery mashed potatoes.