Use up any cans of beans you have in the cupboard for this classic French sausage casserole. Made in a slow cooker, it’s a great batch-cook for the freezer
Prep:15 mins
Serves 6
1 tbsp vegetable oil12 Toulouse-style sausages200g bacon lardons2 onions, finely chopped2 celery sticks, finely chopped2 garlic cloves, crushed1 tbsp smoked paprika½ bunch of thyme, leaves picked and roughly chopped200ml white wine400g can chopped tomatoes200ml chicken or veg stock (fresh or 1/2 a stock cube crumbled in 200ml water)400g can butter beans, drained and rinsed400g can haricot beans, drained and rinsed1 tbsp caster sugar1 tbsp red wine vinegarcrusty bread, to serve (optional)
STEP 1Set the slow cooker to low (ours had a 5-litre capacity). Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat and brown the sausages on each side – you don’t have to cook them all the way through. Set aside on a plate. Put the lardons, onion and celery in the pan and cook over a medium heat for 8-10 mins until the onion is translucent and the lardons crisp. Stir in the garlic, paprika and thyme, and fry for 3 mins.STEP 2Pour in the wine and simmer until reduced by half, around 5-10 mins. Tip in the chopped tomatoes, stock, both lots of beans, the sugar and vinegar. Stir until combined and bring to the boil. Pour into the slow cooker with the sausages. Cover and cook for 6-8 hrs. Serve with crusty bread.
