Plenty of Bangers for Your Bucks - Sausages

From 14 generations of Lincolnshire farmers, Rachel really knows about growing your own, using seasonal produce, shooting your own dinner and loves a good banger, particularly Lincoln red beef sausages.

Rachel’s love of cooking was inspired by her mother and grandmothers. “My mother is a stunning cook and a fantastic chef and so were both my grandmothers,” says Rachel. “As we were growing up my parents were great entertainers and we always had lots of people around to eat.

“When I was young, we ate by the seasons. There wasn't a whole range of imported goods in our kitchen and, although it has become pretty trendy to eat seasonally, that was the norm for us. There's nothing better than taking a big basket outside and picking what you need for supper.

“I am passionate about gardening, growing my own food, enjoying cross planting with fruit and flowers and could never be without my seasonal kitchen garden. Growing my own produce makes me more creative with my cooking.

“Shooting was another great pastime on the farm. My brother and I would shoot game and rabbits for our supper. The love of shooting has stayed with me and is now a true passion, not only am I a good shot, but the free food seems to have so much more flavour!

“I have a number of favourite foods including asparagus, curry, spicy food, Asian food, British soft fruit and, of course, the British banger.

My latest book, Sausages, is a family-friendly, accessible cookery book showcasing the amazing versatility of sausages. After all who doesn’t love sausages?”

This handy sized book has six chapters covering: Breakfast and Brunch, Lunch, Barbecues and Picnics, Children, Supper and Entertaining.  There are clear, concise recipes with a handful of sausage facts, quotes and tips thrown into the mix.

Accompaniments, both traditional and modern, are covered and Rachel’s passion for the British sausage gives us some exciting and innovative new recipes alongside tried and trusted favourites.

Dishes range from Sausage, Bacon and Potato Frittata to Sausages with Gnocchi, Pumpkin and Sage Cream, and from Venison Sausages with Sour Cream and Cranberries to classics like Toad in the Hole and The Perfect Sausage Sandwich.

Sausages retails at £7.99 and 25 pence from the sale of each book will go to the charity Help for Heroes.

Here are a couple of delicious recipes to try for yourself:

Smoky Cocktail Sausage Kebabs with Tomato and Sour Cream Dip

3 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp malt vinegar
1 tbsp light brown sugar
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped
Dash Worcestershire sauce
450g (30) cocktail sausages
18 cherry tomatoes
2 green peppers, deseeded and cut into 2cm dice
3 Cox’s apples, cored and cut into dice
Sea salt and black pepper

For the tomato and sour cream dip

1 tomato, finely chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp caster sugar
Dash Worcestershire sauce
4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 small tub sour cream
Sea salt and black pepper

Makes 10 kebabs

You will also need
10 wooden skewers

Method:

Mix the ketchup, vinegar, sugar, paprika and thyme leaves in a small casserole dish and add the sausages, coat well. Season and cover, place in the fridge to marinate for an hour.

Meanwhile prepare the tomato and sour cream dip. Mix together the chopped tomatoes, lemon juice and sugar and season with sea salt and black pepper. Leave to stand for 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, spring onions, and sour cream, mix together, season and refrigerate until required.

Place 3 sausages onto each skewer alternating with the peppers, apple and cherry tomatoes. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes either on a barbecue or under a preheated grill, turning regularly and coat with any remaining marinade.

Serve the kebabs with the tomato and sour cream dip, a mixed salad and pitta breads.

Sausage, Sage and Onion Burgers with Spiced Apples and Sweet Potato Chips

Serves 4

3 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, peeled and very finely chopped
450g good quality sausage meat
3 tbsp fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

For the sweet potato chips

4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
Sea salt and black pepper

For the spiced apples

2 Cox’s apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
30g butter
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp mixed spice
1 tsp soft light brown sugar
½ tsp white wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 5
Preheat barbecue/grill

Method:

First make the burgers, heat 1 tablespoon of the rapeseed oil in a small saucepan, add the onion and stir well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, until the onion has softened, but do not allow to brown. Remove to a mixing bowl and leave to cool. Once cool, mix in the sausage meat, chopped sage and a little freshly ground black pepper. Mix well and form the mixture into 4 burger-shaped patties.

For the sweet potato chips, drizzle rapeseed oil over the sweet potatoes in a large bowl so that they are all well coated. Season with black pepper and place in a roasting tin. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 – 35 minutes until cooked through and golden brown around the edges. Season with sea salt and keep warm.

For the spiced apple wedges, melt the butter in a small frying pan. Add the apple wedges, spices, sugar, white wine vinegar and stir over a low heat until the apples are caramelised and soft, around 5 minutes.

Brush the sausage burgers with the remaining rapeseed oil and cook on a hot barbecue for 5 – 10 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

Serve with the apple wedges and sweet potato chips.

For your chance to win a copy of Rachel’s book sausages just answer the following question:

Name one of Rachel’s events from her website – www.rachel-green.co.uk

Send your answers to competitions@womentalking.co.uk, ensuring you place the words Rachel Green in the subject header and also include your Women Talking username with the submission. Any entry without a valid username will not be accepted.

This competition is now closed.

Poppy Watt

Posted Mon, 08/06/2012 - 20:48 by Poppy Watt