Autumnal Sausage Casserole

This was something we threw together last minute after discovering the casserole sauce we planned to use was A. Out of date and B. Tasted awful! So after a raid of the cupboard we came up with this, it looks like a lot of ingredients but really isn't when you're doing it. Plus, it was lush!

6 pork & leek sausages
6 Cumberland sausages
1 large white onion
1 large leek
1/2 small pumpkin
3 or 4 large carrots
500g sieved passata
500g chicken stock
3 medium cloves garlic (whole)
1 stir in chicken stockpot
2 tbsp onion gravy granules
25g (1 packet) lemon thyme.
1 tbsp paprika
1 small squirt HP sauce (or worcester sauce)

Wash & largely chop all veg.
Saute in a little butter & olive oil.
Brown off sausages separately but do not cook fully.
Add everything else in to the veg, leaving a bit of thyme to stir in at the end.
Simmer until veg is tender & sausages are cooked.
Remove cooked thyme stalks and add the remaining destalked thyme and some frozen peas if you have the inclination (we did) & simmer till the peas are cooked.
Season if necessary but to be honest it shouldn't need it - the stock pot is generally salty enough.
Serve with mashed potato or champ

Technically this a quick stew rather than a casserole as it's done on the hob & takes about an hour from start to finish. Great if you want a hearty stew but don't have hours of time!

Also you'll notice that you may have half a pumpkin left, if you roast it in the oven with a couple of carrots and some garlic then purée it with some oil & a little salt & about a tbsp of water you'll have a great purée to start off a risotto or if you skip the salt and garlic some nice pumpkin cupcakes! It is Halloween season after all!