While some of the younger brigade may not have heard of this classic comfort dish, it is a great way to use up apples that seem to lurk around in the fruit bowl. New Zealanders throw out 5117 tonnes of apples a year, totalling $14,818,152, so make good use of your strays by including them in this dish. I always add a handful of chopped baby spinach at the end of this recipe – the kids don’t. Sigh.
Ingredients
10 small or 6 large sausages – plain beef works best but any favourite works (non-meat sausages work a treat, too)
2 Tbsp (approx.) high heat oil (I use grapeseed oil)
2 brown onions, roughly chopped
4 large garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely diced or grated
dash of Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar
2 or so cups of chicken stock (low salt is preferable)
2 Tbsp tomato sauce
2 apples, cored and cut into thick segments (green apples are ideal as nice and tart)
lemon juice
1 Tbsp cornflour/potato flour
Method
1. In a large pan that has a lid, add some of the oil and sauté the sausages till browned. Set aside on a plate.
2. If the sausages are really fatty, lightly rinse out the pan. Replace on stove on a low to medium heat, add more oil and sauté the onion, garlic, leek and carrot until soft.
3. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar.
4. Add the partly cooked sausages back into the mixture.
5. Add the chicken stock to cover plus the tomato sauce and bring to a boil; lower heat to simmer gently.
6. Add apples and cook with the lid on till the sausages are cooked through.
7. Add a squeeze of lemon juice.
8. Put a couple of full spoons of the liquid into a cup and quickly stir the cornflour/potato flour in till smooth, then add to the dish, stirring thoroughly to thicken.
9. Let cool with the lid off and serve with mashed potatoes, rice, pasta or a grain.
Fridge Cleaner Cooking: Waste Not Want Not
by Sarah Burtscher,
published by SJKB Ltd, distributed by
Bateman Books, RRP $39.99