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Recipe Detail Page
Cider-Braised Sausages
Autumn 2009
Here’s a wonderfully hearty main course that would make a good weeknight supper or a bistro-style casual dinner. With ambrosial Best-Ever Mash (recipe below) on the side, there’s nothing finer on a chilly autumn evening.
Serves 6
4 slices bacon, chopped
6 large good-quality sausages, about 2 lbs (1 kg)
1 large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) all-purpose flour
1½ cups (375 mL) hard cider
2 tsp (10 mL) Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh sage
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Sage sprigs or chopped parsley for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In a shallow flame-proof casserole, cook bacon over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until it starts to crisp and has rendered its fat. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon; set aside on a large plate. Add sausages to casserole; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning often, until browned (sausages won’t be thoroughly cooked at this point). Remove sausages from the casserole; set aside with bacon. Drain off all but 2 tbsp (25 mL) fat from the casserole.
3. Add onion to casserole; cook, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown. Add garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Stir in flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in cider, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the casserole. Return the bacon and sausages to the casserole, add the Worcestershire sauce, sage, bay leaf and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover casserole and transfer to the oven. Cook for about 40 minutes, until sausages are cooked through.
4. Remove the sausages from the casserole; set aside and keep warm. On stovetop, boil the cooking juices in the casserole over medium-high for about 5 minutes or until they are reduced and slightly thickened. Season with salt and more pepper if necessary. Return the sausages to the casserole; garnish with sage when serving.
Serves 6
Best-Ever Mash
Creamy mashed potatoes are given an extra kick of flavour here with the addition of celery root.
1½ lbs (750 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 celery root, 1 lb (500 g), peeled and cut into chunks
Salt
4 unpeeled cloves garlic, loose outer papery skins removed
½ cup (125 mL) whipping cream
2 tbsp (25 mL) unsalted butter
¼ cup (50 mL) snipped chives
Freshly ground black pepper
1. In a large saucepan, combine potatoes and celery root with enough salted water to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Drain well; return the saucepan to low heat for a few seconds, shaking the saucepan to dry the vegetables slightly.
2. While the vegetables are cooking, toast garlic cloves in a small dry skillet over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, turning often, until skins blacken and cloves are soft. Set aside. When cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic cloves from skins; set aside.
3. In a 1 cup (250 mL) microwaveable measure, combine the cream and butter. Microwave on high (100 percent) for about 1 minute or until the cream is steaming and the butter has melted. Add cream mixture and garlic to saucepan; mash vegetables roughly with a fork. With a hand-held electric mixer, beat the vegetable mixture just until it is smooth and fluffy (don’t overmix or the vegetables will become gluey). Stir in chives and pepper and more salt to taste. Spoon into a warm serving bowl; serve at once.
Serves 6
