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veggie sausage, butternut squash and kale cajun stew – a le creuset giveaway

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… if you’re a cook and have a passion for cooking and a love for food you will no doubt have a small place in your heart for Le Creuset. Their glorious, enamelled cast iron cookware is synonymous with exceptional quality and traditional cooking.  When I see a Le Creuset pot in someone’s home it not only makes me feel that they have an understanding of how good cooking and quality ingredients can be enhanced by something as simple as a pot but I feel it also shows a nod to a design aesthetic that transcends style and class.  many people I know keep their Le Creuset on the hob, almost as a mark of respect but most definitely as a design choice in their kitchen…. this may sound as though I’m being an utter snob as the prices for the cookware do not come cheap but I have deep rooted memories of casseroles and stews coming out of the oven at my mum and grandma’s homes in the infamous orange enamelled pots.  They were the best casseroles and i’m sure both my mum and grandma would admit that not just a little bit of their greatness came down to the Le Creuset.

I have never owned a genuine Le Creuset casserole pot until today.  I have similar enamelled cast-iron pots but not the real thing but I know this beauty will be with me for a very long time.  I feel humbled and privalidged to own one and I have the lovely people at Houseology to thank…

Houseology was set up by CEO Kate who is an interior designer by trade. She identified that many people felt uncertainty when making design decisions in the home and wanted to encourage people to feel more confident about putting their own stamp on their homes. With this in mind, Houseology began! Kate used Houseology as a platform to open up her design studio to everyone, making sourcing beautiful furniture, lighting and accessories simple and inspiring. Now, Houseology stocks a wide range of products which are still carefully curated by their in-house team along with interior design tools, ‘how-to’ guides and much more to give customers a bespoke experience that will fill them with inspiration and real excitement about their design journey.

To celebrate their lovely site Houseology have given me a beautiful Le Creuset 4.7lt oval cast iron casserole pot to giveaway on my blog to one very lucky Belleau Kitchen reader… all you have to do is leave a comment below and complete the rafflecopter gadget thingy…

veggie sausage, butternut squash and kale cajun stew
i’ve decided to go meat-free during the week… I believe the official title is a ‘weekday vegetarian.’  My friend, nutritionist and social media guru extraordinaire, Michelle has been a weekday vegetarian for sometimes and has inspired me to do the same, much to The Viking’s delight.  It’s clearly healthier for me, healthier for the planet and those little animals and makes choosing to eat meat so much more of a treat.  To be honest, if I see one more vile image of a dripping beef burger on instagram I will scream so for me it all makes sense… this stew has all the good stuff in in… the sweet sweet butternut squash has caramelised beautifully in the mild cajun spices and the veggie Cauldron sausages are fit enough to stand their own in the long slow cooking… divine.

olive oil and butter
2 teaspoons authentic cajun spice mix
1 butternut squash – peeled longways (keep the long peelings) and chopped
6 vegetarian sausages – cut into large chunks
6 new potatoes – quartered
half and onion – finely chopped
half a fennel bulb – chopped
a handful of green beans – cut into thirds
100g frozen peas
150g chopped kale
1 litre good veg stock
a splash of white wine

pre-heat the oven to 120C

place your large casserole dish on the hob and drop in a large nob of butter and a glug of olive oil and when it’s hot throw in the butternut squash and cajun spices and let it bubble away until the squash begins to caramelise – roughly 8 minutes – then remove from the pan and set aside

next throw in the sausages and potatoes and let them brown for roughly 5 mins until they have a good colour all over, then throw in the onion and fennel, turn the heat down and place the lid on and let them sweat for a further 5-8 minutes

then throw in the rest of the veg along with the butternut squash, stir, turn up the heat again and pour in a generous splash of white wine and let that reduce for a minute or two

turn the heat down and pour in the stock.  Stir, place the lid on and then place the whole pot in the oven for at least an hour if not two and let it cook slowly until gloriously tender

take the lid off for the last 15 minutes to brown the top of the stew

to make the cajun spiced butternut squash crisps, simply lay the peelings on a roasting tin, sprinkle on some cajun spices and a little olive oil and rub then all over – bake for 10 minutes until crispy

i’m linking this dish up to the brilliant slow cooked challenge hosted by Farmersgirl Kitchen and   Baking Queen 74 

eat and of course, enjoy!

a Rafflecopter giveawayhttps://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

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Comments

  2. Mark Willis says

    Are those Flower Sprouts, aka “Kalettes” I see, Dom? I would be interested to hear your opinion of them. They are very trendy at present, but when I grew them a couple of years ago I wasn't particularly impressed. I would prefer the conventional kale. Actually in a dish like yours I would probably add the kale towards the end of the cooking time, so that it would keep its colour better. One of the things I didn't like about the Flower Sprouts was that when cooked they did go a bit grey!

  6. Jacqui Fenner-Dixon says

    Sorry to be cheeky, but could you tell me what brand of veggie sausages you used. I am a sausage fiend, but have yet to find a veggie version that looks as good as the one in your recipe.

  26. Dadmac says

    My Kenwood handwhisk, it is versatile an convenient. It also brings back good memories of my mums baking as she had a very similar whisk.

  31. Lesley Shackleton says

    My daughter has a set of Le Creuset pans and a Casserole Pot and am so envious whenever I go round. I have never been lucky enough to own one but would certainly love one so giving this a go.

  57. Jane Willis says

    My food processor. It's an old model Braun one with large and small goblets, which make it perfect for both large and small quantities. I use it for mixing, blending, slicing, chopping, grating and making mayo, so it's in use almost every day, sometimes several times a day.
    Jane

  65. Layla Thomas says

    Strangely it's a pair of big scissors. I've just discovered how much easier it is to use scissors for some things instead of a knife. Especially cutting bacon into small bits.

  70. Angie McDonald says

    My favourite has to be my classic mixing bowl! It's not lightweight so can't be tipped over and you can mix with a wooden spoon as vigorously as needed to make the perfect recipe!

  71. CharlieMouse says

    I love my mini chopper. It's great for blitzing breadcrumbs or making pastes for curries. It can chop nuts and herbs, it's very versatile. I use it all the time.

  73. Sian Alcock says

    My slow cooker! Especially during the colder months. It means I can put it on and enjoy the day out and about with family before returning home to enjoy a hearty meal!

  118. sam says

    I love a lot of things in my kitchen, If I've got to pick just one then I say my hand blender is mighty useful.

  126. Sadiyya says

    My hand blender, so convenient and quick. Many thanks for the recipe it's something I think the show family will enjoy.

  134. Susan Clayton says

    My KitchenAid Mixer. Mom bought it for me and it has completely transformed my baking. Everything is so much easier to do, and I make far more complex things than I ever used to, such as a Peanut Butter and Salted Caramel 2 tier wedding cake!!!

  141. Anonymous says

    This looks like such a hearty stew, perfect for these cold nights we are having. My favorite item in my kitchen right now is my Instant Pot pressure cooker – perfect for weekday cooking for the family and busy nights. I still love to slow cook on the stove but some nights I just need quick and the Instant Pot does that perfectly.
    Samantha

  142. AlisonM says

    My slow cooker I use it 2/3 times a week to make chillies, curries, stews and soups. I absolutely love it and would be lost without it 🙂

  150. Romana Richards says

    I love my stick blender. It also comes with a mini blender so I can easily make thick soups, sauces and I also use it to mash my caleriac or make a 3 root mash.

  155. Nicola S says

    My kettle probably. Other than that it would be my food processor – have bad joints and I couldn't bake without it!

  174. HayleyT says

    At the moment my favourite kitchen gadget is my slow cooker. I bought one in the January sales and have found it to be a godsend for creating quick and easy yummy meals that are ready when I get home from work!

  175. A.E. ADKINS says

    My 35 year old orange Le Creuset skillet pan – no longer “goes” with anything in the kitchen but still regularly used & currently being eyed up by my daughter.

  190. ONEPhil Rogers says

    Difficult question, it's a toss up between by George Forman grill, my stick blender and my electric carving knife

  215. Choclette Blogger says

    Haha, was just going to enter this as I don't own a Le Cruiset pot, but I'm too late. That'll teach me!!!! Love the sound of this stew and I'm celebrating with the Viking.