Now and then in the wintertime when all is grey and filled with drizzle, in between storm and gale, God sends a golden day, a day filled with skies of blue and warm sunlight, almost too lovely to be real. You want to hang onto the sunshine in hope, but . . . before too long the rain and drizzle return . . . sigh . . . such is winter on these verdant green isles . . .
There is nothing for it but to hunker down and keep warm by the fire. Hearty casseroles, soups and stews are the order of the day. Sustaining comfort foods . . . just like this sausage and mushroom casserole I am showing you today.
It's a simple casserole, using simple things. Most of my recipes are . . . I am a simple woman with simple tastes and I live with a man of the same ilk. He would be happy with meat and potatoes every day of the week, every day of the year. He is very easy to please . . . which is not an entirely bad thing I don't think.
You want to use a well flavoured meaty sausage for this delicious casserole. I had some lovely ones in the freezer which I had been sent a few months back from the Heck Sausage people, if you recall. Lovely sausages. These were the 97% pork ones. Nice. Nice.
Browned in a flame proof casserole along with some bacon, onions and button mushrooms and then baked in a low oven until everything is meltingly tender and the gravy nice and thick . . . a delicious gravy flavoured with cloudy apple juice, thyme and garlic . . . this went down a real treat on this cold and dismal day.
We had celeriac and potato mash with it along with some carrots. It was a lovely meal.
*Sausage and Mushroom Casserole*
Serves 4salt and black pepper to taste