This calls for comfort food: Potato Top Sausage Bake

Comfort food comes second nature to Kiwis – even more so at this time of year.

No, comfort food isn’t usually a healthy, nutritious meal. It’s a treat that collects and contains memories. A bite of baking that transports you back to your grandmother’s kitchen, or a spoonful of crispy potato bake that you couldn’t wait to come home to as a child. It’s food that brings with it nostalgia and warm fuzzies.

Take a metaphorical seat at your childhood dining table – we’re sharing four delicious and comforting recipes to spread some homely happiness.

Serves 4–6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 500g beef sausages
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp plain flour
• 1 Tbsp dried mixed herbs
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 cup boiling water
• Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Cheesy Potato Top

• 2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup grated cheese

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C fan bake.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil to a medium cast-iron dish over a medium heat. Add the sausages and brown on all sides. Remove from the dish and set aside.
3. Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining oil, onions and garlic. Gently sauté for a few minutes, until soft.
4. Add the sugar and vinegar, and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the butter. Once the butter has melted, sprinkle over the flour and mixed herbs and mix to combine.
5. Dissolve the stock cube in the boiling water. Pour into the dish and deglaze the pan. Simmer for 1 minute.
6. Chop the browned sausages and add to the dish, mixing everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat.
7. To make the Cheesy Potato Top, arrange half of the potato slices on top of the sausage mix. Sprinkle over half of the grated cheese. Repeat the layers with the remaining potato slices and cheese.
8. Cover the dish with a lid or tinfoil and bake for 40 minutes.
9. Remove the lid or tinfoil and cook for a further 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and the potatoes are cooked through.
10. Scatter with parsley and serve immediately with steamed vegetables or a salad.

Recipe extracted from Everyday Comfort Food by Vanya Insull, photography Melanie Jenkins (Flash Studios), published by Allen & Unwin NZ, RRP $39.99.