Sausage and eggplant ragu with polenta
Ingredients
- 400g spicy sausages
- 25ml olive oil
- 2 large eggplants, cubed
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp ground fennel
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- 1½ tbsp cider vinegar
- 1½ tbsp sugar
- 30g raisins
- 30g pine nuts, toasted
- 500ml vegan chicken stock
- 350ml plant milk
- 75g vegan butter
- 200g quick-cook polenta
- 150g gruyère, grated
- 15g vegan parmesan, grated
Steps
- Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt, set aside for 30 minutes. Rinse, drain and set aside.
- Remove sausages from casings. Heat oil in the wok and fry over medium heat, breaking the sausage into pieces. Remove from the pan.
- Add eggplant to the pan in batches and cook until browned adding more oil if needed. Remove and put them with the sausages.
- Add onion to the pan, cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add the allspice, fennel and nutmeg and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, thyme leaves, vinegar, sugar, water and raisins and season.
- Bring to the boil and return sausages and eggplant to the pan. Turn down the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add toasted pine nuts and season.
- Add stock, milk, water and ½ of the butter to a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and slowly add the polenta, whisking continuously.
- Whisk for several more minutes then add cheese and remaining butter.