When entertaining overseas visitors it is a good idea to at least look up cuisine from their homeland. If the said visitor is from Canada then it is even money whether they identify more as Quebec than Canada. If so then a there is not just the French language influence, additionally the cuisine.

Enter “Bouille des Quebec”, a stew with equally large pieces of meat and root vegetables. Very reminiscent of a south Wallian “Cawl”. The only drawback was when I mentioned to a ‘son of Quebec’ this dish, returned a rather blank expression. I pressed on further by describing the dish, and was rewarded with a smile beaming like the dawning sun on a spring morning. The Eureka moment, “yes my grandmother makes that!”

The wonders of the grandmother; the source, the font of all domestic knowledge, whose recipes pass down from generation to generation with more integrity than many a legend or myth.

Enter then the humble sausage casserole. Humble in its simplicity, maligned due to the oversight of using a quality flavoured sausage. If you buy bland then you need to raid the spice rack. Conversely the job of the sausage is to release flavours into the pot as well as providing protein.

My Christmas Sausage Fest

• 8 Cumberland Sausages
• 8 Rosemary & Red Onion meat free sausages
• 1 Can Crème of Tomato soup
• 1 can Red Kidney Beans (including liquid)
• 1 500g frozen casserole mix veg
• 1 Tbsp Sweet Smoked Paprika
• 1 good grind of salt and black pepper.
• Cook the sausages on a lined oven tray until browned & transfer to the pot with all the liquid that came out.

• Add the beans, soup, vegetables, and paprika, stir, and begin to slow cook, or pressure cook (20 minutes, then keep warm 2hours).
• 20 minutes before serving add the salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with roasted diced potatoes. Dice potatoes (skins on) and place in a deep dish. Drizzle over oil, add salt and oregano. Cover with a clean tea towel and shake vigorously until all the potatoes are coated with herbs, spice and oil. 
• Cook in an air fryer at 200C for 20 minutes.

For a real taste of home, serve accompanied by freshly baked bread and cheese.

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Tags: canada, Cawl, family recipes, generations, sausages, Stew, Wales, winter food