SIMMER SAUSAGE RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently cook the sausages over a medium-high heat for 10-12 mins, turning them until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate, then put the butter in the pan and heat until sizzling. Tip in the onions, stirring them into the butter, then sprinkle over the sugar and fry for 8-10 mins until the onions are golden. Scatter over the flour and stir to make a paste, then add the tomato purée. Cook for a minute, then add the vinegar, pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer. Tip in any juices from the sausages, then cut the sausages into thick slices and add to the pan. Simmer everything together for 5 mins until you have a glossy onion gravy. Tip the mixture into a baking dish.
• To make the mash, tip the potatoes into a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 10-12 mins or until just cooked (the tip of a knife should slide in easily). Drain and leave for a minute. Pour the milk into the pan and bring to a simmer, then tip in the drained potatoes and butter, and mash thoroughly. Season to taste.
• Top the sausages and gravy with the mash, starting from the edge of the dish and working your way into the middle. Use a fork to scrape lines in the topping and scatter over the cheese, if using. Can be assembled, covered and chilled for up to two days or frozen for three months. Defrost completely before cooking. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the pie on a tray for 35-40 mins until the top has browned. Leave to cool for 5 mins before scooping straight from the baking dish at the table and serving with peas, if you like.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
  2. Peel the potatoes, chop into even-sized chunks and cook in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender.
  3. Meanwhile, brown the sausages in a large non-stick casserole pan on a medium heat, tossing regularly (if using veggie sausages, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil), while you trim the leeks, halve lengthways, wash and slice 1cm thick.
  4. Peel, core and chop the apples into 1cm chunks. Once golden, remove the sausages to a plate, put the leek and apple into the pan and strip in most of the thyme. Add a splash of water, season with sea salt and black pepper, then cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Drain the potatoes, mash with half the flour, then season to perfection. Lightly rub a 20cm x 28cm baking dish with oil. Once the mash is cool enough to handle, use your fingertips to spread two thirds of it evenly across the base and sides of the dish.
  6. Stir the remaining flour into the leeks, then gradually stir in the milk, then the mustard. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until thick and creamy.
  7. Slice the sausages 1cm thick and stir most of them into the pan, along with any juices, then evenly spoon into the mash-lined dish.
  8. Press the remaining mash on to a sheet of greaseproof paper until just bigger than your dish, then flip over the top of the dish, peel off the paper, trim any excess and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
  9. Poke the reserved sausage slices into the top, then gently brush with 1 tablespoon of oil. Bake at the bottom of the oven for 40 minutes, or until golden, adding the remaining thyme leaves for the last 5 minutes.