We regularly eat with our friends Sally and Stuart, who also live along the East London line. They get an organic veg box delivered weekly, so our dinners there are always determined by or accompanied with fresh seasonal vegetables. Sally made this chilli, sausage and bean bake, which was adapted from the Ginger Pig Meat Book. They bought the sausages from Broadway Market, which proves that good quality, local meat doesn't have to be expensive.
Dazed from the sun, tired from the gym, and distracted by their eccentric cats; we all caught up as Sally finely chopped two scotch bonnets to add to the mix. As a result, the bake had an extreme kick to it and we would strongly recommend replacing the scotch bonnets with a milder chilli. Although once the heat died down the flavours of the sausages and smoky tomato sauce were delicious and had us all reaching for the bread to mop up the last of the juices. We'll definitely be making this one again.
We paired this dinner with a bottle of Catena Malbec, a bold enough wine to stand up to the spicy sausage dish, cutting through the heat with blackberry and blackcurrant flavours.
Fed 5: 95p per person, per meal.
Ingredients:
1 red onions 20p
2 red chillies 39p
1 tin butterbeans 99p
10 pork sausages: £3.19
Total: £4.77
Store Cupboard:
1tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves crushed and peeled.
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
2 tbs tomato puree
100ml red wine
250 ml beef or chicken stock (+ more if needed)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 handful fresh or 1 tsp dried parsley
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F or gas mark 4.
- Cover the beans with fresh water, bring to the boil and cook rapidly for 5 minutes. Drain.
- Heat the oil in a large casserole or pie dish in the oven. Add the sausages and cook until golden brown.
- Add the onion and cook for five minutes, then add the chilli and garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Stir in the paprika, tomato puree, wine, stock, vinegar and seasoning, mix well, then stir in the cooked beans.
- Place in the oven for 45 minutes. Check it from time to time and add extra stock if the pan is a bit dry.
- Stir in the parsley and serve with crusty bread and lots of butter.
Sally served it with purple sprouting broccoli and a chicory salad. It’s quite an easygoing dish, and you could use any veg you’ve got lying around. We also think it would be perfect with mashed potatoes on a frosty night.
