Veggie sausage, root vegetable & ale stew

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
• 300g pack PlantLiving: Mushroom & Leek Sausages (or other vegan sausages)
• 1 large onion, cut into bitesized pieces
• 2 clove/s garlic, smashed but left whole, skins removed
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 250ml Waitrose Duchy Organic Amber Ale
• 2 Oxo Meat-Free Beef Flavour Cubes, made up to 700ml stock (or use vegetable stock)
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 4 sprig/s thyme, leaves picked, or 1 tsp dried thyme
• 75g pearl barley
• 500g root vegetables (such as 1 carrot, 1 parsnip and ½ small swede), peeled and roughly chopped into large bitesized pieces

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large casserole or frying pan. Fry the sausages for 8-10 minutes, until brown on all sides, then transfer to a plate.

2. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil and tip in the onion, with a generous pinch of salt. Fry over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic to the pan, sprinkle in the flour then stir to coat and cook for 1 minute.

3. Stir in the ale slowly to avoid lumps, then add the stock, tomato purée, and thyme. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Wash the pearl barley well in cold water, drain and add to the pan.

4. Stir in the root vegetables and bring back to the boil. Lower the heat, then add the sausages. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 40-45 minutes, covered with a lid, until the pearl barley is tender, and the root vegetables are just cooked through. Cut the sausages into bitesized pieces, if liked, then serve.