Sausage

At the Farm Shop we don’t treat cooking as a precise science, nor are we trying to give a comprehensive list of recipes. These are some of our favourite dishes and we hope you’ll give some of them a try. They’ve worked for us on countless occasions but that doesn’t mean, with a bit of imagination and a few tweaks, they can’t be improved. Good luck.
SausageCategories
All CategoriesMain IngredientBeefChicken and poultryGameLambMuttonPork  SausageSeafoodVegetableMealDinnerLunchSeasonAutumnSpringSummerWinterSweetDessert
Sausage & borlotti bean risottoBy Ben WatsonA robust and hearty meal ideal for the winter months, this risotto is pure comfort food and is a super simple mid-week dinner. Simply pop all of the ingredients into one pot and let the risotto, butter and beans work their magic.
Cotechino with lentils & salsa verdeBy Ben WatsonHailing from the Modena region, this classic Italian dish is traditionally served on New Year’s Eve. Local custom has it that eating a portion of cotechino before midnight is a good omen for the New Year as lentils and legumes signify longevity, fair winds and good luck. A real traditionalist would serve Zampone (sausage meat in a boned-out pigs trotter) but these days, it’s usually cotechino. The delicious thick sausage is made from what, until recently, were considered to be secondary cuts of meat (shoulder and belly) with a bit of finely minced rind and is meant to be served sliced to resemble coins and therefore prosperity. These days, cotechino is normally cooked, and sold in gold or silver foil bags, so just needs slicing and reheating. In the best BFS tradition, we’ve made our own, cured and cooked, so just needs slicing and lightly frying until it begins to char around the edges. If you’re feeling brave, the lentil/salsa verde combo also works well with ox tongue – but not on New Year’s Eve because you won’t get the good luck. The piquant salsa verde pairs perfectly with the cotechino so definitely isn’t optional here.
Panissa alla VercelleseBy Ben WatsonA classic nose to tail Piedmontese risotto. Harry and I cooked this in preparation for our Piedmont wine evening at the bar, and I thought it was absolutely delicious. Unctuously moreish would be an understatement with lardo, pork rind and bone broth all adding to the ‘cucina rustica’ party.
Montbelliard Sausage and Lentil casseroleBy Ben WatsonThis dish is a welcome addition on a cold day - a classic lentil and smoked sausage casserole. The perfect bowl of braised lentils is a special thing and, for me, this is as close as it gets...
Nduja and honey aranciniBy Ben WatsonNduja (enduya) has been foodies' flavour of the month for some time and definitely isn't for the faint hearted. However if you're chilli tolerant, it's a great tool to have in the draw. The secret to making the perfect nduja is the ridiculously large quantity of fermented chilli, which kicks off the curing process by lowering the acidity overnight. Ours is available as a sausage or blitzed with olive oil in a jar, which is used in this recipe that was created by Ashley in the wine bar.The honey works well with the chilli. Traditionally, the risotto mix should be folded around the filling but in this case, I couldn't see the point so I mixed everything together. I prefer them small, croquette size anyway.Enough for quite a few.
Sausages with fennel, borlotti beans and polentaBy Ben WatsonCognoscenti might recognise this as one of Nigel Slater's midweek suppers from The Observer magazine but the polenta and borlotti beans are my addition. It's equally good with soft/wet or firm polenta - timing is easier with the firm so I've done that.Serves 4.
Boston (in Lincolnshire) Baked BeansBy Ben WatsonWe might not have a rum distilling industry providing dark treacle as a by-product, but we do now have Hodmedod’s Fermented Bean paste. Maybe a little strong to be a like-for-like substitution, but a teaspoon or so will bring that savoury depth in spades. We also have UK grown Fava beans.
Warm lentil and sausage saladBy Ben WatsonSausages and lentils are a great combination - pair them in a salad or a casserole depending on the time of year.
Fabada AsturianaBy Redpost MediaServes:8 Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 3-4 hours
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