Sausage Caserole

Ingredients

8 – 10 good quality sausages
1 tsp olive oil
1 large red or brown onion, roughly chopped
3 carrots roughly chopped
1 stalk of celery, sliced
1 red pepper, roughly sliced
1 yellow pepper, roughly sliced
2 tins chopped tomatoes
1 tbs tomato puree
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tsp dried mixed herbs or dried thyme
3/4 bottle of cider
Good grind of black pepper
2 tines white beans (cannelloni, haricot or butter beans)
Few springs fresh thyme

Method

1. Brown the sausages for a few minutes on each side in a large casserole or large lidded saucepan. Lift out onto the plate (they don’t need to be completely cooked at this point)
2. Heat the oil in the casserole and add the onions, carrots, celery and leeks and cook for 4 -5 minutes over a medium heat.
3. Add the peppers, tomatoes, tomato puree, stock cube and dried herbs. Fill the tomato tin with cold water and pour into the pan. Pour over the cider, season well with black pepper and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes
4. Add the beans and simmer for another 15 minutes until slightly thickened
5. Place the sausages on top, pop on the lid and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes or until the sausages are completely cooked.
6. Sprinkle over fresh thyme leaves and serve with buttery mashed potatoes and steamed green vegetables