Slow cooker sausage and lentil casserole

This is made possible by BBC Foods!

Ingredients

• spray oil
• 375g/13oz pork chipolata sausages (about 12 sausages)
• 1 bulb fennel, finely sliced, leafy fronds reserved for garnish
• 200g/7oz dried green lentils
• 700ml/1¼ pint chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves (optional)
• large pinch fennel seeds, ground
• 2 small onions, thinly sliced
• 1 fat garlic clove, crushed
• 125ml/4fl oz dry white wine

Method

Before starting this, only if you need to do this, preheat your slow cooker as some may take a while to heat up as others won’t need to do this.

1. Heat a little spray oil in a frying pan set over a high heat.

2. Once hot, add the sausages and fry.

3. Meanwhile, add the fennel, lentils, chicken stock, bay leaves and fennel seeds to the slow cooker.

4. Transfer the browned sausages to the slow cooker. Using the same pan.

   1. Add the garlic and fry for a minute.

5. Turn up the heat and add the wine, let it bubble for a minute, then tip the contents of the pan into the slow cooker.

6. Season generously with salt and pepper and give it a stir.

7. Cover with a lid and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.

8. Serve in warmed bowls garnished with the reserved fennel fronds.

Banner and Image Credit: BBC