Sausages pick up a national gold award
An Ayr butcher has scooped gold and silver for its sausages in a national competition.
A Picken and Sons who have been in Ayr for over 100 years won the Gold Award for their Piri Piri Pork Links and Silver for the Minty Lamb Link scooped Silver in the Speciality Sausage Evaluation Category. The results were announced at the Craft Butchers regional meeting held at the Garfield House Hotel, Stepps in Glasgow with over 200 butchers entering.
Beaton Lindsay, President of the Scottish Craft Butchers said: “All butchers think they make the best products but it’s not until you pitch them against others that you find out just how good they really are.
“I know how important sausages are to customers and I hope that all recipients of awards attract new and old business.”
Gordon Picken who runs the butchers with his brother Colin was delighted to be recognised at a national level.
“It was lovely to have our new flavours win gold and silver, they certainly are popular with our customers.”
Here is a quick recipe for a sausage casserole: One to two tbsp sunflower oil; 12 pork sausages; six rashers rindless streaky bacon, cut into 2.5cm lengths; two medium onions, thinly sliced;
two garlic cloves, crushed; one tsp hot chilli powder or smoked paprika; one x 400g can chopped tomatoes; 300ml chicken stock; two tbs tomato purée; one tbs Worcestershire Sauce; one tbs dark brown muscovado sugar; one tsp dried mixed herbs; two bay leaves; three sprigs fresh thyme; 100ml red or white wine; one x 400g can butter beans or mixed beans.
Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large non- stick frying pan and fry the sausages gently for 10 minutes, turning every now and then until nicely browned all over. Transfer to a large saucepan or a flameproof casserole dish and set aside. Fry the bacon pieces in the frying pan until they begin to brown and crisp then add to the sausages.
Place the onions in the frying pan and fry over a medium heat for five minutes until they start to soften, stirring often. You should have enough fat in the pan, but if not, add a little more oil. Add the garlic and cook for 2– 3 minutes more until the onions turn pale golden- brown, stirring frequently. Sprinkle over the chilli powder or smoked paprika and cook together for a few seconds longer. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and herbs. Pour over the wine, or some water if you’re not using wine, and bring to a simmer.
Drain the beans and rinse them in a sieve under cold running water. Stir the beans into the casserole, and continue to cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick.