Tomato Baked Sausages with Rocket

I saw the recipe for this on Not Quite Nigella who in turn had apparently clipped it from a Fergus Henderson recipe feature in a newspaper. The original called for polenta but we’d run out and the local supermarkets were similarly unstocked.

In all honestly, as it turned out I think mash was a good call. More important here than whether to serve with mash or polenta is the you use good sausages. Really good sausages would be best but in a pinch good will do.

To make a mustard vinaigrette I simply started off with about ½ a tbsp of balsamic and mixed that with about ½ a tsp of dijon mustard before adding about 1 ½ tbsp olive oil. I whisked that together and then added more mustard and (this time white wine) vinegar to taste: probably about another ½ tsp mustard and a tsp or 2 of vinegar.

The mustard-slicked rocket goes excellently with the succulent juicy sausages and rich tomato sauce. An inspired pairing indeed.


Tomato Baked Sausages with Rocket
serves 2

4 or 6 good quality sausages
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves smoked garlic (or normal), sliced
pinch of red pepper or chilli flakes
1 tbsp olive oil
425g tin chopped tomatoes
115ml red wine
50g wild rocket
mustard vinaigrette (see note above)
mashed potato

Preheat oven to 180C.

In a cast iron casserole heat the oil over a medium heat and brown the sausages all over. Set aside.

Turn the heat down to low and add the onion and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes until softened.

Add the tomatoes and wine, bring to the boil then reduce and add the sausages back in.

Remove from the heat, put the lid on and pop in the oven. Bake for 1 hour.

About 20-30 minutes from the end of cooking time you can get going on the mash and mustard vinaigrette.

When the mash and sausages are ready, scoop the mash between two plates and arrange the sausages on top with the tomato sauce.

Arrange the rocket on top of the tomato sauce around the sausages and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve immediately.