Sausage and Lentil Casserole with Blewits
A warming supper for the cold months when the blewits are out – though at other times of the year you can of course use any firm, tasty mushrooms. That said, the rich flavour and dense texture of blewits does combine particularly well with earthy lentils and good old British bangers.
Serves : 4
Prep : 5 minutes
Cook : 40 minutes
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 good quality butcher’s pork sausages
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 stick of celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 225g puy lentils
- 225ml chicken stock
- 250g field or wood blewits
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium, heavy-based saucepan and set over a medium heat. Fry the sausages, turning them to ensure they are browned all over, then lift them out of the pan and set them aside on a plate.
- Add the diced carrot and celery to the oil in the pan, along with half the sliced garlic and the rosemary sprigs. Toss to coat in the oil, then lower the heat and let them cook gently until the carrots and celery are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the lentils and toss them in the oil. Add the chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the sausages to the pan, put on a lid and cook gently for 30–40 minutes until the lentils are tender, adding a little boiling water to the pan if the lentils seem to be getting too dry (there should be a little liquid remaining in the pan when you serve the dish).
- While the lentils are cooking, clean the blewits with a brush and damp kitchen paper and trim the stems. Slice the mushrooms thickly and set aside.
- When you’re ready to serve, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide frying pan. Add the remaining garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the sliced blewits and fry, without stirring, for a few minutes to allow them to brown a little. Then turn them and let them fry undisturbed on the other side. At some point, the mushrooms will yield their juices into the pan, but keep the heat high until the liquid is evaporated. Season the mushrooms generously with salt and pepper and stir them into the lentils.
- Serve a mound of lentils topped with two sausages to each person, with some steamed greens.
Credits
Recipe and photos by Otherwise for Wild Food UK
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