Sausage and parsnip traybake

A cosy winter one tin dinner

Continuing in my quest to cook more seasonally, here's an easy dinner idea that makes the most of parsnips and onions, both of which are great in February. As well as often working out cheaper, there's something about seasonal eating that simply feels right for the weather. My 11 year old summed up this dish when he said "it just makes you feel so warm and cosy, doesn't it?" It's deceptively simple and oh so comforting. And more filling than you might expect - I thought we might want some bread but it wasn't needed. Some steamed cabbage on the side would be just perfect for a hit of green veg, though.

The better the sausages you can get for this, the better it will taste, so it's worth a trip to the butcher's if you can.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4-5 medium onions

3tbsp rapeseed oil

500g parsnips

A few sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped

6-8 fat herby sausages, each cut into 3 pieces

500ml veg or chicken stock

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C.

2. Cut the onions in half, peel them and then cut into wedges. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and soften the onions over a moderate heat.

3. Meanwhile, peel the parsnips, halve lengthways if large and then cut into 3-4cm chunks. If the parsnips are on the large side you might want to cut out the woody stems and/or cut each piece in half lengthways again. Add the parsnips to the onions and cook for a few more minutes until the parsnips are starting to colour. 

3. Stir in the thyme leaves then tip the veg into a sturdy roasting tin.
4. Briskly brown the sausages in the same pan. You might need to add a little more oil.

5. Arrange the sausages on top of the veg and then pour the stock into the tin - you want the sausages to be poking out above the stock. Put the roasting tin on the hob and bring the stock to the boil.

6. Cook in the oven for about 30 minutes until the veg are tender and the sausages cooked through. Serve in large bowls with some steamed greens on the side.