A very simple and pleasing combination – one that you can serve straight from the roasting tray.
Serves 4
4–6 parsnips
3 medium onions (red, white or a mixture)
1 tablespoon olive or rapeseed oil
1 tablespoon garam masala
8–12 pork sausages
50g unsalted butter
12 sage leaves (optional)
1 teaspoon thyme leaves (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200oC/Gas 6. Peel the parsnips and quarter them from root to tip. If they have very coarse, woody cores, cut them out. Peel the onions, but leave the root end intact. Cut each onion from root to tip into quarters or eighths, depending on size.
Place the parsnips and onions in a roasting tin, trickle over the oil, sprinkle with the garam masala and season well with salt and pepper. Cover the tin tightly with foil and cook in the oven for 30 minutes or until the onions are tender.
Lightly brown the sausages in a frying pan over a fairly high heat for 3–4 minutes.
Take the roasting tin from the oven and remove the foil. Add the sausages to the tin, dot the butter around and scatter over the sage leaves and thyme, if using. Return to the oven and roast, uncovered, for about 20 minutes until the sausages are cooked and everything is golden and starting to caramelise.
Allow to rest in a warm place for 5–10 minutes before serving, with a green salad.
SWAPS This works pretty well with potatoes instead of the parsnips – particularly a waxy, salady variety, like Charlotte or Pink Fir Apple, that can be roasted whole in their skins.