The big bang

LENTIL AND SAUSAGE SALAD

Dressing:

5ml fresh thyme leaves

5ml crushed garlic

125ml red wine vinegar

60ml olive oil

15ml honey

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad

250ml brown lentils, cooked

15ml olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

10ml yellow mustard seeds

10ml ground cumin

5ml ground coriander

125ml chicken stock

350g cooked baby beetroot, cut into bite size pieces

500g beef or pork sausage, grilled and thickly sliced

150g baby spinach leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper



Combine all ingredients for dressing in a screw top jar and shake well. Pour half the dressing over the lentils. Set aside.

Heat oil in a saucepan and fry onion, mustard seeds and spices until onion softens. Add stock and bring to the boil. Remove from heat.

Combine beetroot, sausage, spinach, lentils and onion mixture in a bowl and pour over remaining dressing. Mix well and season to taste. Serves 4.


SAUSAGES WITH PEACHES

30ml oil

500g pork sausages

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

400g can peach slices

125ml tomato sauce

125ml chutney

125ml Worcestershire sauce



Heat the oil and gently fry the sausages until browned all over. Remove and set aside. Drain off most of the oil from the pan. Add the onion and garlic and fry until softened. Return the sausages to the pan together with the peaches with their juice, tomato sauce, chutney and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 15 -20 minutes until sauce is thickened and sausages are cooked through. Serve with mashed potato. Serves 4.


EASY PORK PIES

Pastry:

500ml flour

pinch salt

'g cold butter, cut into pieces

1 egg, lightly beaten

little ice cold water

Filling:

500g pork sausages

1 apple, grated

15ml chopped fresh parsley

1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped, white part only

5ml dried sage

salt and freshly ground black pepper



Combine flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add butter and blitz lightly until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add egg and enough cold water to make a stiff but soft pastry. Wrap in cling film and chill in fridge.

Filling: Combine filling ingredients together in a bowl, mix well and set aside.

Roll pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to 5mm thick. Cut out eight 11.5cm circles and line 8 muffin pans. Gather up pastry scraps and knead together lightly. Roll out again and using a 9cm cutter and cut out eight lids. Set aside. Divide the filling equally between the pastry cases. Moisten edges of lids with a little water and place on top of filling. Press edges lightly to secure. Make a small slit on top of pies with a sharp knife and chill 15 minutes. Brush with beaten egg and bake at '176C, 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. Cool in pans before removing. Makes 8.


SAUSAGE AND BEAN CASSEROLE

15ml oil

500g pork sausages

125g back bacon, chopped

1 onion, halved and sliced

2 leeks, trimmed and sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3-4 small courgettes, cut into 2cm pieces

125ml dry white wine

400g can chopped tomatoes

250ml chicken stock

few sprigs of thyme

400g can butter beans, drained

Topping:

500ml fresh white breadcrumbs

80ml chopped parsley

60g butter, melted

Heat the oil and brown the sausages. Remove and set aside to cool. Cut each sausage into 3.

Add bacon to the pan and cook until crisp. Add the onion, leeks and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add courgettes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in wine and bring to the boil. Add tomatoes, stock, thyme and beans. Remove from heat and add the sausages. Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof casserole and bake at '176 C for 20 minutes. Meanwhile combine the breadcrumbs, parsley and melted butter. When casserole comes out of the oven sprinkle with this mixture. Return to oven for another 20 minutes or until breadcrumb topping is golden. Remove and serve. Serves 4.


SAUSAGES WITH APPLE AND CIDER

500g pork sausages

50g butter

3-4 leeks, trimmed and sliced

4 green apples, peeled cored and cut into wedges

15ml honey

30ml flour

1 bottle of cider

60ml cream

45ml chopped fresh sage

salt and pepper



Gently fry the sausages until browned all over. Remove and set aside. Drain off the fat from the pan. Add the butter and fry the leeks until soft. Add the apples and honey and cook until apples are slightly caramelised. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Add cider and stir until mixture comes to the boil. Return the sausages to the pan with the cream and sage and simmer for 15-20 minutes until sausages are cooked. Season and serve. Serves 4.

• This article was originally published on page 18 of The Star on October 17, 2009

Source : Babynet