Faggots with Onion Gravy

I love a bit of proper comfort food. This was definitely that! Faggots are a very old fashioned dish but I found some at my local farmers market and I had to try them. This is a really lovely, the faggots are melt in the mouth and the gravy was just delicious.

 

Faggot with Onion Gravy (adapted from Good Food Magazine October 2012)

(Serves 8)

16 ready made faggots

2 onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp sunflower oil

2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp plain flour

850ml beef stock

handful chopped parsley

Heat oven to 160C. Lightly oil a very large roasting tin and put the faggots into the tin.

 

Fry the onions in the oil until starting to turn golden. Add the sugar and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until caramelised. Tip in the vinegar and allow to sizzle. Mix the flour with a couple of tbsp water. Pour the stock into the onions, then add the flour paste and cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and starting to thicken. 

 

When it is thick, pour into the tin with the faggots, cover with foil and bake for 1 hr until cooked through. Serve with mash and veg.

Braised Faggots and Cabbage

Today is my birthday so I actually wrote this post a couple of days ago as I am probably running around and making scones this morning, getting ready for afternoon tea this afternoon! I thought I'd celebrate with this awesome recipe for faggots.

I found this delicious sausage dish which used up the second half of my carton of apple juice leftover from the meatballs. However, I didn't have any sausages. I did however have faggots, which are not far off sausages. I bought them from a stall at Walthamstow Farmer's Market. I've never tried them before but this seemed like the perfect recipe to give them a go and it was! This was delicious, lovely comforting wholesome food. I still have four faggots left so I'll have to find other tasty things to do with them!

Braised Faggots and Cabbage (adapted from The English Kitchen)
(Serves 4)

1 tbsp oil
8 faggots
300ml of apple juice
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt and black pepper
1 small cabbage, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 160C.

Heat the oil in a large casserole dish. Add the faggots and  brown on both sides. Once they are browned, remove and set aside. Add the sliced cabbage. Cook and stir over a medium heat  until it begins to wilt. Return the faggots to the frying pan, tucking them in amongst the cabbage. Sprinkle with thyme, drizzle with honey and pour over the apple juice. Cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Cook for 45 mins.

 

Return the pan to the stove top and scoop out the cabbage. Cover and keep warm. Turn the heat  up to high and continue to cook the faggots, as the liquid bubbles away, turning them occasionally, until they are nicely glazed and the pan has some nice thick juices in it. Divide the faggots and cabbage amongst 4 plates and drizzle with the pan sauce.