Sausage, Bean and Kale Casserole

Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 8 good quality sausages
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium onions finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and finely diced
  • 2 celery sticks finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves finely sliced
  • Small bunch of thyme leaves picked
  • 1 large jar beans (700-800g) butter beans, cannellini beans, aduki beans etc
  • 300 ml chicken stock
  • 1 tsp soft brown sugar
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 80 g Parmesan grated

Instructions
 

  • Heat a tbsp. of olive oil in a large deep sided frying pan or saucepan over a medium heat. Add the sausages and brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Add 2 tbsp. of oil to the same pan and add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt. Gently cook until softened and starting to turn golden. Add the garlic and thyme and allow to cook for a couple of minutes.
  • Add the jar of beans with their bean stock, the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Season and add the sausages back into the pan and simmer over a medium heat for around 15 minutes until the sausages are cooked through
  • Add the sugar, Worcestershire sauce and kale. Simmer for around 5 minutes until the kale is soft and cooked through. Add a handful of Parmesan, stir to combine.
  • Serve topped with the remaining Parmesan.

Notes

NOTES
To make ahead, make to end of point 3, add the sugar and Worcestershire sauce, cool and refrigerate.  Reheat and add your greens and continue as above.  
You can use any beans you want or even swap the beans out for pre cooked Puy lentils.  I like jars of Bold Beans which I think are high quality and perfect for this recipe.  You can also use two tins of beans with their stock but I do think jars of beans are better.  I have also used Bold Bean Carlin Peas in this recipe and they are delicious. 
Change the veggies and make with cavolo nero or spinach.  Spinach only needs to wilt quickly so don't simmer that for too long. 
To make this veggie cook as above, leave the sausages out, use veggie stock and maybe add more beans or pulses or a combination of both with an extra handful of kale.  You could also use vegetarian sausages. 
You could also substitute the sausages for thick pieces of browned chorizo