Sausage and Butter bean HotPot

Dominic Franks shares a tasty, warming recipe using everyday store cupboard staples.

With these shorter days and colder nights, I’m craving warming comfort food. I want to be able to make a big stew that will sit on the stove all weekend and just get tastier with every serving but I’m also keen to make a dish that doesn’t break the bank and uses all those vegetables at the back of the fridge and tins that need eating in the cupboard.

It also has the ultimate cheat’s gravy, as I use a cheap ‘n’ cheerful spoonful or two of good old Bisto, which packs this stew with a wonderful rich flavour and fills the house with a warm and comforting aroma.

METHOD
• You’ll need a medium-sized casserole dish with a lid – I’m using a 3.3lt cast-iron pot.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C fan.
• Start by heating the casserole dish on the hob, melting a little butter and olive oil as you do. Add the sausages and mushrooms and let them both gain a little colour, turning them frequently – this should take roughly 8 mins, then carefully remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon, leaving a little fat behind.
• Add the carrots, celery, potato and onion and let them sweat and soften for 10 minutes, adding some fresh herbs and plenty of salt and pepper, then add the sausages and mushrooms back into the pot along with the butter beans. Add the flour and stir well to coat everything.
• Add the wine and stock and let it simmer for a few minutes before adding the chopped green beans. Place the lid on and pop it into the oven for 30 mins, whilst you make the potato top.
• Place the potatoes into a pot of boiling water and boil for 5 mins or until parboiled.  Set aside to cool slightly and then slice thickly. Place the potato slices into a large bowl and drench with olive oil and salt and pepper.
• After 30 mins, carefully remove the pot from the oven, take off the lid and layer the potato slices on top of the stew.
• Place the dish back into the oven for 30 minutes until the top is gloriously golden.

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