Lancashire Cheese Sausages With Onion Gravy

The joy of a good sausage is that fried, fatty quality and a strong mystery seasoning. Veggie sausages are tricky, but after years of trying I think this is a pretty good version. Any crumbly sharp cheese can be used as a sub for the lancashire.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 5 mins
• Yields: 12 sausages

Ingredients

• 21  ounces lancashire cheese, grated (1 lb 5oz)
• 7  ounces  fresh breadcrumbs
• 6  scallions, chopped
• 2  tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 2  tablespoons parsley, freshly chopped
• 3  eggs
• 3  egg yolks
• 2  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1⁄4 cup milk, to bind
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
•  vegetable oil, for frying

• For the onion gravy

• 3  large onions, sliced
• 2  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1  tablespoon brown sugar
• 3  ounces plain flour
• 1⁄3 cup  vegetarian  liquid gravy browner
• 1  pint  vegetable stock

Directions

1. Place all the sausage ingredients except the oil in a large bowl, season well, and mix it all up with your hands. When you taste it, overseason it by about 15 per cent, so it's a bit more salty and peppery than you'd normally have - the mixture loses some of its power as it chills and cooks. Chill the mixture for two hours.
2. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onions, garlic and sugar over a low heat until golden. Sprinkle on the flour and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the gravy browning and stock and bring to the boil. Season, then simmer for at least 20 minutes.
3. Mould the chilled sausage mix into sausage shapes - you should get about twelve decent bangers out of it, depending how big you like your sausage.
4. You can either shallow-fry the sausages in a little oil or deep-fry them in a lot of oil; I think the deep-fry method brings the best out of the flavour and texture. Fry them for about five minutes until golden, then drain well on some kitchen paper and serve with the gravy.
5. This fabulous grub is great with mashed potato (try it with the addition of wholegrain mustard), with a salad or in a bun smothered in ketchup, onions and mustard and served with chips.