October 23rd, 2009
Sticky Vegetarian Sausages
As I have a rare day off I really should have cooked for the week ahead – but I opted instead to make a batch of wholemeal bread, some ‘everyday’ biscuits and the wonderfully easy but gorgeous Yorkshire Sticky Sausages (or snossidges as I can’t help but call them) for supper.
I came across this recipe, or some variation of it, in a magazine or on a website a couple of years ago – not because I liked it, but more so I had something I make a meal of veggie sausages with. I gave up meat a looooong time ago, but not because I didn’t like the taste of it. Consequently, I have no problems using meat substitutes in my cooking (except Quorn sausages which are repulsive) but I’ve never been that adventurous when it comes to using them as an actual ingredient. The first time I tried the recipe I used Linda McCartney sausages, with the recommended 3 tablespoons of marmalade and half a bottle of white wine. It was inedible but I quite liked the concept so played around with various foodstuffs until I found a combination I (and my meat eating husband) really liked.
I usually try and make enough for four servings, that way we have something to eat for lunch the next day too. I tend to make it from memory so there isn’t a precise recipe to follow but it roughly goes something like this:
Preheat the oven to 180c
2lb new or salad potatoes
8 or 10 Veggie Sausages (I used Cauldron Lincolnshire ones)
Fresh Rosemary and Thyme
Olive Oil
300ml Creme Fraiche
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp Marmalade (I prefer to use good quality finely shredded)
300ml cider (Magners is very good for this I find)
Cut the potatoes in half and the sausages into chunks and throw into a casserole dish with the fresh herbs and enough oil to coat. Cook for 40/50 mins or until potatoes are soft.
Heat a frying pan and melt the marmalade and mustard down before adding the cider slowly. Cook very gently until the sauce becomes sticky. Slowly add the creme fraiche until the sauce becomes rich and creamy. Pour over the sausage and potato mix and serve – on it’s own or with crusty bread. I’ve started to make double quantities of the sauce to save time if we fancy having this midweek.
