Ingredients:
- Olive oil for frying
- 6 good quality pork sausages, skinned and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- Half a tsp fennel seeds
- Pinch of chilli flakes
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into small chunks
- 500ml chicken stock
- 200g (half a tin) chopped tomatoes (or could substitute 2-3 large, ripe fresh tomatoes)
- salt and pepper
- 400g (1 tin) butter beans, drained and rinsed
- Handful of fresh herbs (basil or parsley), chopped
- Parmesan to serve
Method:
Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large casserole pan.
Gently fry the onions until softened – about 5 minutes. Add the sausage pieces and fry until the sausage and the onion have taken on some colour. Add the fennel, chilli flakes and garlic and stir through. Add the potatoes then turn up the heat before adding the stock and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Add the butterbeans and simmer with the lid off for another 5-10 minutes until the beans have warmed through and the potatoes are tender. The sauce should have reduced slightly – it should be like a cross between a soup and a stew.
Check the seasoning, add the fresh herbs and serve in bowls with plenty parmesan grated over and crusty bread to mop up the juices.