It’s 2018 and I’ve rather lazily been keeping warm and cosy so far planning things to blog about this year. I’m halfway through a major first post on how to learn to sing. I’m just sorting out filming dates so that i can post them to my YouTube channel very soon. While I stationary and in the UK I will continue to post tasty recipes that are meat-free.
It’s time with the dark days of January and the Veganury push this month to include a tasty winter sausage dish. For this I am using Dee’s Vegan Sausages with Irish Dulse as I adore seaweed. Seeing these sausages I promise to dig out my sausage machine and teach you all how to make some great vegan fauxsages with vegan plant collagen skins. I am making this up as I go along as this is my first try of these sausages and I need a comforting, warming dinner. This is a long recipe if using dried butter beans but for quicker results use two tins of cooked butter beans instead. This mash is like a smooth pease pudding mash and is so very tasty as alternative to potatoes.
I do try to check online if any ingredients are not suitable for vegetarians. But sometimes information can be rather vague especially with beers and wines. I would suggest you substitute choices you are certain fit your diet rather than relying on my research. For this recipe I’m using Howling Hops Ruby Red Ale.
Ingredients
500g dried butter beans
4 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
1 lime
Pinch of chilli flakes
Packet of 6 Sausages
Olive oil
Medium onion
Small butternut squash
Bottle of Ruby Red Ale
Half a tsp of Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Half a tsp of Marmite
1tbs Pomegranite Molasses
Large pinch of caraway seeds
A bay Leaf
Large pinch of dried mixed herbs
Half a tsp of Smoked Paprika
1 tsp of English mustard powder
2 tsp corn flour
Cooking Instructions
Cover the dried butter beans in water and leave to soak overnight. In the morning pour off the water and cover again with fresh water. I like to soak my beans for 18-20 hours. Drain the beans and pop them into a deep heavy bottomed pan and cover with water. Place a lid on the pan and bring to a rapid boil for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat, leave a gap in the lid and simmer for about 40 minutes to an hour.
Meanwhile chop the onion and fry in some olive oil. Chop the butternut squash into cubes. I top and tail the squash and cut the neck off. I then halve the bottom bit and scoop out the seeds with a large spoon.
Chop into slices and cut away the thick skin. Add the squash to the onions and cover the pan with a lid to sweat it down to soften.
Add the Ruby Red Ale, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, Marmite, pomegranate molasses, bay leaf, mixed herbs and smoked paprika. Bring to a simmer and reduce for 20 minutes. Fry the sausages in a small pan while the sauce reduces.
In a small ramekin pop the mustard powder and cornflower and add a little water and stir vigorously into a paste. Then add a little more water and pour into the sauce.
Turn up the heat and stir continuously until it reaches a boil. At this point the liquid should thicken and become rather glossy.
Pop the garlic cloves with half a teaspoon of salt into a stone mortar and pestle and bruise and grind them. Then add the rind of the lime and some black pepper and a few chilli flakes and grind a little more. Add the lime juice to create a paste.
Drain the cooked butter beans and use a hand blender to mash. You might need to add up to 200ml of water. Then stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, chilli flakes and lime mixture.
Serve with the ale sauce over the sausages and a mountainous dollop of bean mash along side.
If you have any left over mash it can be made into an excellent pâté by mashing in a little vegan cream alternative spread on toast. Sprinkle with a dusting of paprika and serve spread on toast or as canapés. It did after all start out as a can of peas if you were making the quicker version.
