Sausage Cassoulet

This may not be particularly authentic, but it is delicious none-the-less…

It’s another great ‘set it and forget it’ slow cooker recipe. Just put everything in your slow cooker in the morning, then by dinner time it’s ready to go!

You can of course also cook it ‘conventionally’, just follow the instructions at the end of the recipe.

For 4 servings:

about 150g chorizo sausages, sliced

1 medium onion, quartered and sliced

400g can whole or diced tomatoes in juice

2 x 400g can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained

2 Tbsp tomato paste

½ tsp dried sage

½ tsp dried marjoram

500g pork sausages

1/2 - 1 tsp salt

pepper to taste

Non-stick spray the slow cooker bowl, then tip in the tomatoes. Add the sliced chorizo and onion, then add the tomatoes and juice (break up the whole tomatoes, if using), then add the beans, tomato paste and herbs. Stir gently to mix evenly.

Prick each pork sausage with a fork in several places, then nestle them in to the bean mixture.

Set the cooker to LOW, cover with the lid and cook for 8-9 hours. Shortly before serving, lift the sausages from the beans and cut them into 1-2cm thick slices. Stir the sliced sausages back into the bowl, and season to taste with salt and pepper (start with the smaller measure of salt, as the amount required will depend on the sausages used).

Serve in bowls chunks of crusty French bread and a salad on the side.

To cook conventionally: Heat half the oil in a large (flameproof) casserole dish or pot pan over a medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until golden brown on all sides and firm when pressed in the middle (usually 12-15 minutes). Remove and aside until cool enough to handle.

Add the remaining oil to the casserole or pot, add the sliced chorizo and onion and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft. Stir in the tomatoes and juice, drained beans and the herbs. Bring the mixture to the boil then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

When the sausages have cooled, cut them into 1cm slices. Stir the sliced sausages into the tomato mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper then simmer gently, uncovered, for about 5 minutes adding the extra liquid if the mixture looks dry.

Photography: Lindsay Keats