SAUSAGE, TOMATO, CAPER AND LEMON CASSEROLE

‘Here, I have taken influences from Italy – sausages braised in wine and tomatoes, with other salty ingredients such as capers, olives and preserved lemons,’ says Gizzi

With her on-trend recipes and Sixties styling, Gizzi Erskine has carved out a unique niche as a chef, presenter and food writer. Her Season’s Eatings: Feasts & Celebrations From Halloween To Happy New Year is full of fun and fashionable recipes.

Hands-on time 15min. Cooking time 1hr. Serves 4

2tbsp olive oil 8 sausages – Gizzi uses Italian ones with fennel 1 onion, finely chopped 1 celery stick, thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped Pinch dried chilli flakes 200ml (7fl oz) white wine 2 x 400g tins chopped plum tomatoes Few thyme sprigs, leaves picked 1 bay leaf 2 preserved lemons, thinly sliced 2tbsp capers, drained and rinsed 75g (3oz) good olives, pitted and sliced – Gizzi uses large green Castelvetrano olives Handful basil leaves

1 Heat half oil in a large casserole over medium heat. Brown sausages all over, lift out and set aside. 2 Reduce heat, then add remaining oil; fry onion gently for 10min, or until softened. Add celery, garlic and chilli flakes; fry for 1min. Pour in wine and tomatoes, add thyme leaves and bay, then put sausages back into casserole. 3 Cook over low heat for 30min. You are looking for the sausages to be cooked through and the sauce to begin to thicken and become rich. Add preserved lemons, capers, olives and basil for the last 10min of cooking. 4 When it’s ready, the sauce will be full of savoury umami flavour. Check seasoning. Serve with really cheesy polenta or over pasta topped with Parmesan. PER SERVING (without polenta/pasta) 555cals, 19g protein, 38g fat (13g saturates), 23g carbs (13g total sugars), 5g fibre