Sausage and Bean Crumble Casserole
An Easy Winter Recipe Incorporating a Couple of your Five a Day
Nov 5, 2009
This dish is perfect for the cold winter nights and it will fill you up quickly. The sausages, vegetables and beans are cooked slowly in a Worcestershire and tomato sauce before going under the grill with its breadcrumb topping.
Worcestershire Sauce has been around in the UK since the early 1800s and is sold under the brand name of Lea & Perrins, the two Worcester-based chemists who first made the stuff. Apparently inspired by a similar sauce from Bengal, the ingredients for the British version are listed as malt and spirit vinegar, molasses, sugar, salt, anchovies, tamarind extract, onions, garlic, spice and flavouring. It adds a tangy, spicy zing to the dish and is commonly used in barbecue sauces and Bloody Mary cocktail drinks.
The meat can easily be substituted with an additional tin of beans (kidney, black-eyed or baked beans) or obviously vegetarian sausages to make a vegetarian version.
The breadcrumbs for the topping are easy to achieve if the bread is slightly stale and well toasted. You can use cheddar instead of Parmesan cheese but when mixed with the thyme and grilled it creates a lovely Italian aroma in your kitchen.
Sausage and Bean Casserole Ingredients
- 6 x Pork sausages
- Olive oil
- 2 Potatoes
- 3 Carrots
- 1 Can kidney beans
- 1 Can baked beans (if not using sausages)
- 4 Tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp tomato puree
- 2 Slices wholemeal bread, toasted
- 2 Tsp dried thyme
- 3 Tbsp finely grated Parmesan
- 4 Tbsp fresh parsley
- Salt and Pepper
Casserole Preparation
- Chop the onion, carrots and potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are diced quite finely so they cook quickly.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or casserole dish, preferably something that you can put under the grill later.
- Fry the onion, carrots and potatoes for ten minutes.
- Chop each sausage into about four pieces. Add to the vegetables and continue to fry for another 5 minutes.
- Add the kidney beans, Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree and chopped tomatoes.
- Add about 3/4 cup of water to create the sauce and season well.
- Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the dish and cover.
- Cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes and meat are cooked through.
While the Casserole is Cooking
- Break up the toast and blend in a food processor until reduced to fine breadcrumbs.
- Mix in the cheese and thyme.
When the dish is ready, sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top and place under a pre-heated grill for a couple of minutes until the topping is toasted. Serve immediately.
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