Bonfire night banger casserole

Remember, remember the 5th November with bangers crisping on the bonfire embers.

This is a hearty meal to warm the cockles before heading out to watch the Guy Fawkes fireworks.

Recipe (Serves 4)

• 6 good quality sausages (I used Sainsburys Toulouse style)
• 50g cubed pancetta
• 200g lentils (I used a mix of puy and green)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 pickled onions, sliced
• 1 carrot cubed into 1 cm pieces
• 50g suede or parsnip cubed into 1cm pieces
• 2tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1tsp dark brown sugar
• 1tsp tomato puree
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 good handful of chopped mixed herbs such as parsley, thyme, rosemary and sage
• 1 large glass of red wine
• 1 litre of hot stock, whichever you have to hand
• olive or vegetable oil

Method

1. Heat a glug of oil in a pan and fry the sausages until browned and cooked through, remove and put to one side
2. Add the pancetta and cook until browned and crisp, remove add put with the sausages
3. Add the onions and garlic and soften on a low heat in the juices from the sausages and pancetta for 5-10 minutes
4. Add the carrot, suede or parsnip and sugar, cook for another 5 minutes stirring from time to time
5. Add the lentils, mixed herbs and bayleaf. Stir combine then add the red wine, mustard and tomato puree
6. Simmer rapidly until the wine has been absorbed and the alcohol burnt off
7. Add the stock, bring to the boil and then simmer for 30 minutes
8. Heat some more oil in another pan
9. Slice the cooked sausages diagonally and fry until crisp all over
10. Add to the casserole with the pancetta, stir and serve with a generous dollop of creamy mashed potato.