sausages with onion gravy

Preparation time 15 minutes

Cooking temperature low

Cooking time 6–8 hours

Serves 4

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

8 ‘gourmet’ flavoured sausages, such as Sicilian or Toulouse

2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons light muscovado sugar

2 tablespoons plain flour

450 ml (¾ pint) beef stock

1 tablespoons sun-dried or ordinary tomato purée

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

To serve

large Yorkshire puddings

steamed carrots

steamed broccoli

Preheat the slow cooker if necessary; see the manufacturer’s instructions. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the sausages and fry over a high heat for 5 minutes, turning until browned on all sides but not cooked through. Drain and transfer to the slow cooker pot.

Add the onions to the frying pan and fry over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the sugar and fry, stirring, for 5 more minutes or until the onion slices are caramelized around the edges.

Stir in the flour, then gradually mix in the stock. Add the tomato purée, the bay leaf and some salt and pepper and bring to the boil, still stirring. Pour over the sausages. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6–8 hours or until the sausages are tender.

Serve spooned into reheated ready-made large Yorkshire puddings accompanied with steamed carrots and broccoli or mashed potatoes.

For sausages with beery onion gravy, fry 8 large traditional herb sausages instead of the ‘gourmet’ ones until browned. Drain, then fry 2 sliced white onions until softened, and omit the sugar. Stir in plain flour, then mix in 150 ml (¼ pint) stout or brown beer and reduce the beef stock to 300 ml (½ pint). Replace the tomato purée with 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce. Season and bring to the boil. Cook in the slow cooker for 6–8 hours.