Sausage Casserole

SAUSAGES don’t always have to be cooked on the barbecue.

Check out more bush cooking recipes

The humble snag can be transformed into some very tasty meals, such as this casserole dish. It’s hearty, full of flavour and goodness, is a one-dish meal, and the kids should enjoy it. The sausage casserole can be cooked in a camp oven, over the fire, or on a stove top. Plus, it’s great on a cold night for an evening meal and is pretty quick to put together.

INGREDIENTS

Serves: 4

Oil

8 good-quality beef sausages – or Italian-style pork sausages

4 rashers bacon, diced – rind removed

1 large onion – peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic – crushed (fresh or tube variety)

2 medium potatoes – peeled and diced into 1cm cubes

3 cups (200g) mushrooms – thickly sliced

440g tin of diced or crushed tomatoes

1 cup (250ml) beef stock

½ cup (125ml) dry white wine

½ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp dried basil

Salt and pepper

400g tin of cannellini beans – drained and rinsed

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley – or dried parsley (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Cooking time: 30 mins (approx.)

• Over a medium heat, heat a little oil in a heavy pan or camp oven.

• Sauté the sausages until well-browned.

• Remove and drain on some absorbent paper and set aside.

• Add bacon, onion and garlic to the pan and cook for a few minutes.

• Add potatoes and sauté until lightly brown.

• Add in mushrooms, tinned tomatoes, beef stock, white wine, thyme and basil.

• Stir until all combined.

• Season to taste.

• Bring to the boil and reduce heat to a simmer.

• Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

• While that’s cooking, cut the cooled sausages into bite-sized pieces.

• Once the potatoes are tender, add the sausage and beans to the pot and cook until everything is hot and heated through (about five mins).

• Spoon the meal into bowls and sprinkle with parsley.

• Serve with toasted slices of crusty bread, or with crusty fresh rolls.

VIV’S HINTS

• Add any other vegetables you like.

• Substitute risoni for the beans, if you don’t have any beans on hand.

• Use a more robust-flavoured sausage for more flavour.

• More recipe ideas for the humble sausage: casseroles/stews, curried sausage, sausage bake, sausage rolls, meatballs, devilled sausages, pasta dishes and rice dishes.

WEBSITE OF THE MONTH

Want some tasty recipes direct from the butcher? Then check out ‘Butcherman’ for ideas on cooking all sorts of meat, including sausages: www.butcherman.com.au/blog/category/recipes/