Stewed Shallots, Fried Sausages

It was the end of a great holiday on the East Coast. I had returned home. As if on cue the rain plummeted out of the sky and hammered into the western wall of my home with a vengeance. It was not even light when my dog dragged me from my slumber and we nipped out into the downpour. After that I went back to bed and woke mid-morning.

While I was waiting for the weather to clear I decided to commence preparation of the Bonfire Night dish I was treating my wonderful dining partner to that evening.

This time on the player there was yet more Van Morrison; this time his flawless double live album from 1974 "It's too Late to Stop Now". It is a stellar performance from a rather erratic live performer and as well as great album tracks and hits there are some top drawer blues covers thrown into the set-list.

The dish I made was one that was meant to be a typically savoury Bonfire Night Recipe. When I think of Bonfire Night, I think back to when I was a kid and we had Baked Potatoes filled with lots of beans and for pudding we would have Bonfire Toffee.

Another Bonfire Night staple is sausage sandwiches. However my Dining Partner and I are largely vegetarian and so I decided on a variation on Bonfire Night Sausage Sandwiches. The ingredients were as follows:

Ten Shallots that were peeled and topped and tailed.
A Pint of Cider.
Four Vegetarian Sausages.
A tablespoon of Dried Thyme.
Two tablespoons of Honey.

The first job was to put the Shallots in a greased baking tray with the Cider. I then placed foil over the top of the baking tray. I then cooked the Shallots and the Cider in the oven for three hours on Gas Mark 5. Once they were ready I turned the oven off and left the baking tray containing the Cider and Shallots in the Oven as it cooled down so as to keep them warm.

I then went and picked up my dining partner and we took my dog a walk at the local reservoir in the weak, yet warming, Winter Sun. When we returned it was time for the next stage of the cooking.

I lightly fried, in a frying pan with some Olive Oil, the four vegetarian sausages for ten minutes with a pinch of Mustard and a tablespoon of Dried Thyme.

I then added two tablespoons of Honey to the Cider and Shallots. Next I added them to the frying pan containing the Vegetarian Sausages and warmed the mixture through. This then meant it was ready to serve.

I toasted some slices of Seeded Bread and used them to make sandwiches with the Sausages and Shallots. I served them with a side of Red Cabbage Stewed in Cider and Herbs.

Although it uses a lot of power in stewing the Shallots for such a length of time, the reward is worth it for the rich and lived-in taste that is the end product. They certainly serve to add a depth to a dish that would otherwise be bland. The dish is rich and very sweet and a fun treat for adults and children alike on Bonfire Weekend. The meal also served to warm us before we headed out into the night and watched the fireworks from a local landmark. We were detached from the Bonfire Night celebrations in some way, however in our own way we were part of them.

Centre Sandwich- the Sausage and Shallots are fully glazed and ready to eat on a chilly Bonfire Saturday Night.