A Winter Warmer for Carnivores

Sausage hotpot with beans, for carnivores .

Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes (though the longer the better)

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 to 4 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
500g sausages
55g cubed pancetta, or bacon lardons
4 baby leeks, or 2 average leeks finely sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme 5
55g chorizo sausage, cut into chunky bite-sized pieces
250g butter beans, haricot beans or cannellini beans (drained)
1½ litres vegetable stock
8 mushrooms (medium flat mushrooms), sliced (optional)

1 Gently heat the olive oil in a deep pan. Add the onions and garlic and fry until softened. Add the sausages and gently brown. Add the pancetta/bacon, leeks and thyme. Put in the chorizo and turn the heat up slightly so that it sweats off some of the oil. This gives the leek and onions a lovely orange colour.

2 Add the beans, and stock.. Bring this all to the boil, turn down and leave to simmer for as long as possible, at least 40 minutes. The longer the better. Add mushrooms (optional) and cook gently.

Serve with creamy mash.

If you have time cook the sausages and pancetta first, drain well and add back to the pan with the leeks and thyme.