Vegetarian Holiday Fare: Herbal Bean Sausages
October/November 1993
By David Merrill
Makes about 20 one-inch sausages
RELATED CONTENT
These plant-based sausages taste great, contain no added fat except the vegetable oil they’re fried in, and are easy to make. These ingredients yield fairly mild sausages; after you’ve tried them, adjust the seasonings to please your palate.
• 2 cups cooked pinto beans, mashed
• 1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon dried or 1/2 teaspoon
• Fresh basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly, and shape into 1- or 2-inch sausages. Sauté in a small amount of vegetable oil until crisp, or place in a baking pan and broil, turning when edges are slightly crisp. Serve with Mushroom-Red Pepper Sauce below.
Mushroom-Red Pepper Sauce
Makes about 1 cup
• 1 red bell pepper, minced
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
• 4 large mushrooms, minced (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup onion, minced
• Salt to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• Dash black pepper
• Whole wheat flour (pastry flour works best)
Cook red pepper in vegetable broth for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms, onion, salt, celery seed, oregano, and black pepper. Cook 5 minutes longer or until onion is transparent. Quickly whisk in enough flour to just thicken the sauce, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Immediately remove from burner. Do not overcook, or flour will cake. If needed, add more vegetable broth or water. Serve over sausages, whole grains, or vegetables.
-Karen Iacobbo
For more recipes from Vegetarian Holiday Fare, click here.