Sausage Cassoulet with Bacon

I’ve always been into making casseroles, but I wanted to make a French inspired dish, with sausages and bacon. I thought that I would be in for slaving all day in the kitchen, but what I found was quite the opposite! It was such a simple dinner to throw together. I personally made my own cannellini beans in some stock with onions and carrots, but I would recommend anyone in a hurry to go for tinned beans, which is what I’m writing up the recipe for. This serves 4 people. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
6 traditional plain sausages
4 large tomatoes
2 tins of cannellini beans (you can use any white beans)
1 glass of white wine
2 large carrots
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
2 slices of smoked bacon
1 tsp. pepper
1 beef stock pot/cube
1 c. water (if needed)
1 tbsp. oil

To start:
Heat oven to 190C or 375F
Chop up the onions, carrot, bacon.
Cut up tomatoes and garlic set aside.

To Cook:
In a large skillet (an ovenproof one is ideal), heat the oil and add the onions carrots and bacon. Sauté a few minutes until the bacon gets a little crispy.
Next add the sausages, stirring constantly for a few minutes.
Next add the glass of wine and simmer until that reduces down by half.
Then add the rest of your ingredients, the tomatoes, garlic, pepper, stock pot, beans (undrained). Bring up to a boil, and then remove from heat. You want a thick stew consistency, so if it's not juicy enough add a little water.

To Finish:
If you’re using an ovenproof dish, stick it in the oven for 30 minutes.
If not, transfer to an oven safe dish, and bake for 30 minutes. Be careful the mixture is nuclear hot!

Perfect Pesto Quiche

I had never made a quiche worth eating, but I was determined to throw one together with the leftovers I had in the house. I even made the crust! It was so much easier than I thought and even more delicious than I could have ever imagined! I suggest everyone try it, because of its simplicity. It’s so much better to eat a homemade quiche than a processed store bought one. Remember that this recipe was made on what I had available at the time, use what you have, even a pre-made crust, but I’d make sure to pick up the pesto! Serves 4!

What you’ll need (as a guide):
1 small chard (or 250g of leafy greens like spinach)
1 courgette (zucchini)
1 small head broccoli
½ red onion
3 cloves garlic
½ c. pesto
3 eggs
1 ½ c. milk
Salt
Garlic powder
Parmesan shavings for the top
1 tomato sliced
1 tbsp. olive oil

For the crust:
1 c. + 2 tbsp. flour (125g)
½ tsp. salt
¼ c. butter about 50g
2-3 tbsp. milk

Start the crust:
Get the crust started by mixing the cold butter into 1 c. flour and salt until forms small pebble sizes.
Slowly add milk until dough comes together. (You might not need all the milk).
When the dough turns stiff roll out on a very floury surface and lay in a 9inch pie tin. Set this aside and star the filling.

For the filling:
Dice chard, courgette, broccoli, onion and garlic.
Heat in a pan olive oil, and stir-fry all the diced vegetables until soft.
Turn off the heat and add the pesto and stir to combine.

To Finish:
Mix together eggs and milk and whip until well combined.
Add the cooled cooked vegetables to the milk and egg mixture.
Pour the mixture into the pie dish.
Top with parmesan shavings and tomato slices.
Bake at 190C or 375F for about 40-50 minutes or when it looks golden.
*To test that done stick a spoon in the middle and look for firmness.