Chilli Sausage and Beer Cassoulet Recipe

A modern Welsh take on a traditional French stew in this recipe. Chilli-spied sausages are stewed with beans in a red ale base until the mixture is thick and delicious.

A true classic of its kind.

Chilli Sausage and Beer Cassoulet

Serves: 4

This is a modern British twist on the traditional French cassoulet, with chilli-spied sausages cooked in a beer base.

Ingredients:

8 pork and chilli sausages
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 rashers of smoked, thick cut, streaky bacon, diced
400g (1 oz) tin of chopped tomatoes
330ml (1 1/3 cups) red ale
400g (14 oz) cooked cannellini beans (tinned is fine), washed and drained
1 dessert spoon muscovado sugar
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Heat the oil in a large, flame-proof casserole. Add the sausages and fry until nicely coloured all over. Remove the sausages at this point and set aside.

Add the onions, garlic and the pork and fry until soft. Return the sausages to the casserole and pour in the chopped tomatoes (along with any juice). Now pour in the beer and add the sugar, thyme and seasonings.

Bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid and transfer to an oven pre-heated to 170ºC (340ºF, Gas Mark 3). Bake for about 40 minutes, then remove from the oven and add the cannellini beans.

Return to the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes (without a lid), or until the beans are beginning to swell.

Remove from the oven, garnish with the chopped parsley and serve immediately with creamed mashed potatoes.