Smokey Bonfire Sausage and Bean Casserole

Ingredients

Serves: 4

For the casserole

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
450 grams sausages (premium)
250 grams baby carrots (peeled or large ones sliced)
2 sticks celery (trimmed and sliced)
1 leek (sliced)
1 large onion (sliced)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon plain flour
500 millilitres chicken stock
1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g tin)
salt
freshly ground pepper
1 tin cannellini beans (400g tin, drained)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

For the Topping

50 grams butter
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 baguette

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof dish, add the sausages and cook until they are browned all over.
Remove the sausages, reserving the juices in the pan, and set aside. Add the carrots, celery, leek and onion to the pan and cook for 3-4 mins. Add the paprika and flour and cook for a further 3-4 mins- do not allow the vegetables to brown. Gradually add the stock and stir until thoroughly mixed.
Add the tomatoes and the cooked sausages, cover and cook in the oven for 50 mins. Remove from the oven, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the cannellini beans and parsley. Return to the oven for 10 mins.
Mix the butter with the garlic. Cut the baguette into thick slices and spread with the garlic butter. Place on top of the stew and return to the oven until the bread is lightly browned.

Top Tip:

For a vegan or vegetarian option replace the sausages with an additional variety of beans eg butter beans or kidney beans and use vegetable stock (use vegan butter for the garlic bread) – simples!