Meat mains
Squash & sausage tray bake with lentils, kale & mushrooms
This is a simple one-tray bake. You just need to add ingredients in the order that they best cook. By the time the squash has softened in the tray, the sausages should be browned and ready to burst. The garlic and herbs get added towards the end to ensure that they don’t burn and become too bitter. You can use root veg too, carrots, parsnips, celeriac and sweet potato would all work, but you’d need to adjust the time accordingly.
Cook's notes
If you are using veggie or vegan sausages, timings might differ so add at an earlier or later stage, depending on cooking time.
Ingredients
- 1 medium squash – e.g. butternut, crown prince etc
- 2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
- 200g mushrooms, roughly sliced
- 6 sausages of your choosing
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tsp freshly chopped rosemary
- 100g kale, roughly torn
- 1 tin cooked dark/puy lentils, drained
- balsamic vinegar, to taste
- mustard, to serve
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
Method
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Step 1
Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
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Step 2
Peel the squash and remove the soft, seedy core with a spoon. Cut the squash into roughly even 3cm chunks. If you have a round squash, you could cut it into wedges instead. If it is a robust squash, like a crown prince, it might be easier to remove the skin with a knife after you have chopped it.
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Step 3
Throw the squash into a roasting tray along with the onions and mushrooms. Add 3 tablespoons of oil, season well with salt and pepper and mix them well to coat. Transfer to the oven for 10 minutes.
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Step 4
Rub the sausages with a little oil. Once the veg has had 10 minutes, arrange the sausages on top and return to the oven for 20-25 minutes or so, or until they are nicely browned and the veg is tender.
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Step 5
Remove from the oven and sit the sausages to one side. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, kale and lentils, along with a dash of vinegar. Pop the sausage back on top and return to the oven for a final 6-8 minutes, until the kale has wilted, and the lentils are heated through. Taste and tweak with a little more salt, pepper and vinegar to your liking.
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Step 6
Divide the squash and lentil mix between plates and top with the sausages. Serve with a generous blob of mustard on the side.