Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest - SIDNEY POITIER

Zelda was very sad to hear of the recent death of Sidney Poitier, one of her favourite actors. 

Poitier was a mesmerising presence on screen. 

He excelled at playing characters who succeeded against all the odds and eventually gained respect, in films such as To Sir With Love and the wonderful In the Heat of the Night.

So, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

VEGGIE SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

Serves 2-3

6 vegetarian sausages (robust meat-substitute ones rather than vegetable ones)
2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped

1 red pepper, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 tin borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
1 tin tomatoes
1tbsp olive oil
300ml tomato pasta sauce
1tbsp tomato puree
2tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1tsp chopped, mixed herbs
splash of red wine vinegar
pinch of caster sugar
2 bay leaves
handful fresh parsley

Place an ovenproof dish (which has a lid) on the hob and heat the oil.Add the sausages, onion and red pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes until the onion and pepper have softened and the sausages have started to brown.

Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes more.
Pour in the tin of tomatoes, then re-fill the tin with water and add that, too.
Add all the beans, mixed herbs, tomato sauce, tomato puree, caster sugar, red wine vinegar and bay leaves. 

Season and bring to the boil. Turn to a simmer and put the lid on.

Place in the middle of the oven at Gas 7/ 220˚C/ 430˚F. Cook, covered, for about 40 minutes.
Remove the lid and cook for 20 minutes more.

Serve with the parsley on top and a nice glass of wine.