Sausage & squash chilli

Step 1

Squeeze the sausagemeat out of the skin into little balls (if using veggie sausages, roughly slice) and place in a large deep casserole pan over a medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the cinnamon stick and a big pinch of black pepper. Fry for 5 minutes, or until browned, stirring regularly, then strip in the rosemary leaves and stir in the Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika for 1 minute. Go in with the frozen mixed veg and a pinch of sea salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, or until softened and lightly golden, stirring occasionally. Peel, deseed and chop the butternut squash into 1.5cm chunks, then peel and finely chop the garlic. Add everything to the pan along with the balsamic vinegar, stirring for 1 minute, then add the beans (juices and all). Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas

Step 2

Tip in the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of your spoon, then half-fill each tin with water, swirl around and pour into the pan. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and the sauce is slightly thickened, removing the lid for the final 30 minutes and adding splashes of water, if needed. Once the time’s up, gently mash around a third of the chilli, until some of the beans are squashed into the sauce, then give everything a good stir. Taste and season to perfection, tweaking with a little balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, if you like. Pick over the coriander leaves and serve with fluffy rice, dollops of yoghurt and a fresh green salad.