Succulent beef sausage casserole with sweet potatoes, carrots and herb dumplings.
How is your week going so far folks? I’m so glad it’s almost the weekend! We are currently dog-sitting again and the house has become like a playpen with four crazy but loveable Yorkshire Terriers, rather than just the one. In fact, if you were to step inside from the dreary and cold weather we’re experiencing right now, you would presume our house was a nursery with the amount of toys lying around. I swear these animals have more coats, blankets and treats than any kid I know. I can tell you another thing about these dogs, (which should come as no surprise) they love sausages! The instant I start to cook them, I can hear them crying and see the frantic wagging of their tails from the adjacent room; their eyes clocking my every move. They weren’t the only ones whose eyes were locked on like a missile to its target, and I hardly got a minutes’ peace to make this without a certain someone asking “You cooking those sausages tonight – that smells good – can you stop photographing it, so we can eat it!”.
This sausage casserole with herb dumplings was created with some of the produce I received during my visit to Lynas Food Outlet, including their impressive beef sausages. I heard about these sausages from the moment I stepped into the store, as a friendly staff member described them as being simply the best. Naturally, I felt obligated to test this claim!
Just as the casserole went into the oven, I decided to make the herb dumplings (as you do) and I’m so glad I did. Now grateful that the half empty packet of beef suet was bothering me. (It had been sitting lopsided in the cupboard since before Christmas, falling out at every opportunity and being thrown back in more violently with disgust each time). I must insist you add them too! They only take 5 minutes to make and then you just pop them in with the casserole for the last 15 minutes. Dough can be sticky to work with, so if you’re finding it troublesome, ( like I often do) flour your hands before and don’t be scared of it – if it doesn’t come together, keep adding a little more cold water and it will get there eventually.
As for the sausages, they were juicy with a hint of garlic in every bite and I’m so glad we heeded the advice to try them out. I knew Neil liked them too because he didn’t speak much at the table, instead he gobbled them up in no time. I wiped up the last of the juice with one remaining dumpling, cleared up the plates and that was the evening nearly over. Both of us left very happy in the knowledge that there’s leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Sausage Casserole With Herb Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 large beef sausages
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 2 large sweet potatoes (or 4 small ones) peeled and chopped into chunks
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 large onion (or two small ones) diced
- 1 large tin of plum tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 500 ml beef stock (homemade or from a cube)
- A splash of red wine (optional)
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp flour
- 2 bay leave
For Dumplings
- 100g self raising flour
- 50g beef suet
pinch of rosemary , basil and coriander
- pinch of salt
- 5-8 tbsp approx of cold water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven at 150c
- Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the sausages and sprinkle the garlic granules over each one. Brown the sausages for about 4-5 minutes. Transfer the sausages to your casserole dish.
- In the same pan, fry the onions and peppers until they soften. Add the sweet potato and carrots and fry for a further 5 – 10 minutes then transfer it all to a large saucepan.
- Pour in the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, beef stock and red wine. Season with salt and stir in 1 tbsp flour to thicken it, then add the bay leaves. Bring to the boil and then lower to a simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves and transfer to the casserole dish and place in your preheated oven for around 45 minutes.
For the dumplings
- Mix the flour, beef suet, salt, and herbs together in a mixing bowl, then add the water and mix using your hands until a dough is formed.
- Divide the dough and roll into 4 – 5 round dumplings.
- Place the dumplings into the casserole dish 15 minutes before the end of cooking.
Notes
- This serves 2 people with leftovers. You could easily add a few more sausages and there would be enough for 4 people.
- You could use vegetable suet as well, if you don’t have beef.