Slow cooker sausage casserole

Ingredients

2 red onions, finely chopped

1 celery stick, finely chopped

1-2 tbsp rapeseed oil

4 carrots, cut into fat pieces

12 chipolatas, each halved

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks

400g tin tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato purée or tomato and veg purée

1 thyme sprig

1 rosemary sprig

1 beef stock cube or stock pot

Method

Fry the onion and celery in the oil over a low heat until it starts to soften and cook, about 5 mins, then spoon it into the slow cooker. Fry the carrots briefly and add them too.

Brown the sausages all over in the same frying pan – make sure they get a really good colour because they won’t get any browner in the slow cooker. Transfer to the slow cooker and add the sweet potato and tomatoes.

Put the purée in the frying pan and add 250ml boiling water, swirl everything around to pick up every last bit of flavour, and tip the lot into the slow cooker. Add the herbs, stock cube and some pepper. Don’t add salt until the casserole is cooked as the stock can be quite salty. Cook on high for 4 hrs or on low for 8 hrs, then serve or leave to cool and freeze.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-sausage-casserole

Note: I put pumpkin instead of sweet potatoes as I make it to go along with pasta. I also put 2tbsp of tomato puree rather than one and it actually enhances the tomato taste even more. You can put any kind of veggies for this recipe. It's very versatile. 

Sweet Cherry Tomatoes and Sausage Bake (Jamie Oliver)

Ingredients

2kg lovely ripe cherry tomatoes (mixed colours if you can get them)

2 sprigs each of fresh thyme, rosemary & bay leaves

1 tablespoon dried oregano

3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped

12 good quality  sausages

Extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Sea salt

Ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Get yourself an appropriately sized roasting tray, large enough to take the tomatoes in one snug-fitting layer.
2. Put in all of your tomatoes, the herb sprigs, oregano, garlic and sausages.
3. Drizzle well with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic olive oil. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper.
4. Toss together, then make sure the sausages are on top. Pop the tray into the oven for half an hour. After this time, give it a shake and turn the sausages over.
5. Put back into the oven for fifteen to thirty minutes depending on how golden and sticky you like your sausages.
6. Once it’s cooked, you’ll have an intense tomatoey sauce. If it’s a little too thin, lift out the sausages and reduce the sauce down to a consistency you like. (note, make sure the roasting tray can go from the oven to the stovetop!).
7. Put the sausages back into the pan. Check the seasoning and serve either with a good quality loaf of bread warmed through in a low oven or with mashed potato, rice or polenta, a green salad, and a nice glass of wine!