Sausage & Lentil Casserole

Ingredients

• 8 pork sausages
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 250 g Puy lentils, rinsed
• 600 ml chicken stock
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• salt and black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 15 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Pat the sausages dry and season them with salt and pepper. Brown them in two batches for 5–6 minutes per batch, turning until each side is deep mahogany. Crowd the pan and they'll boil in their own moisture instead of building colour. Lift them out and slice each into 3 pieces.
2. Add the remaining oil to the same pot. Cook the onion, carrots, celery, and red pepper over medium heat for 8 minutes, until softened and just starting to catch at the edges; those little brown flecks are flavour. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, and dried thyme and cook for 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
3. Tip in the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf and Puy lentils. Stir well, scraping up any sticky bits from the base of the pot, and bring to a brisk boil.
4. Return the sausage pieces to the pot, nudging them down into the liquid. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes; gentle bubbles, not a rolling boil, or the lentils blow out before they're cooked through.
5. Remove the lid and cook for a further 10–15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the Puy lentils hold their shape with a tender bite and the sauce coats the spoon. Fish out the bay leaf.
6. Taste the sauce with a piece of sausage, then add salt or black pepper if needed.