Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole

Slow cooker sausage casserole is a wonderfully warming dish packed with tomatoes, beans, red wine, garlic and herbs.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 pork and herb sausages
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 2 celery, sliced into 3cm chunks
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp medium chilli powder, , or ½ tbsp for less heat
• ½ tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tbsp dark soft brown sugar
• 2 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp oregano, finely chopped
• 300 g cherry tomatoes
• 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 150 ml red wine
• 200 ml beef stock
• 400 g tin mixed beans, drained
• crusty bread, to serve

METHOD:

• Heat the oil in a medium casserole dish over a medium heat and fry the sausages gently for 10 minutes until browned all over. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate.
• Add the onion and celery to the casserole dish and sauté for 10 minutes until soft. Adding the garlic, chilli powder and smoked paprika for the last minute. Stir in the tomato puree, sugar and ¾ of the herbs and stir until combined. Add the cherry tomatoes, chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, red wine and stock and bring to a simmer.
• Return the sausages to the pan and cover with a tight fitting lid. Simmer for 1 hour over a gentle heat. Remove the casserole lid and stir the beans through. Simmer for 10 minutes until the beans are cooked through and the sauce is thick. Scatter with the remaining herbs and serve with crusty bread.