The classic sausage roll gets a festive update for the Christmassy buffet table
Serves 6-8
250ml jar cranberry sauce
1 tbsp honey
Zest of ½ lemon
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp Cointreau (optional)
500g sausage meat
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp chopped oregano
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
500g puff pastry
1 large egg, beaten
Handful of bay leaves
Rosemary sprigs, to garnish
1 Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan 170C/Gas 5. Add the cranberry sauce, honey, lemon zest, star anise,
cinnamon stick and Cointreau (if using) to a pan and gently heat until it starts to simmer. Stir for a few mins to thoroughly blend, then set aside.
2 In a bowl, combine the sausage meat, herbs, nutmeg and seasoning.
3 Roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle with the shorter side at the top and spread half the cranberry sauce along the longest length in the middle of the pastry. Place the sausage meat mix on top, along the same central line.
4 Brush the egg along one long side of the pastry to seal it; fold the other side over the meat and cranberry mix before folding the brushed egg side over on top. You’ll finish with a long sausage with the meat sealed inside. Divide the roll into ten, scoring two-thirds of the way through with a sharp knife, taking care not to cut entirely through. Place the pastry roll onto a large lined baking tray.
5 Carefully pull the two ends together to form a circle and seal by brushing with the egg and pressing down. Play around with the final shape so that each segment is uniformly laid out with the filling exposed upwards, and leave space in the centre if you can for your relish bowl once it’s cooked.
6 Bake for 35 mins, or until the pastry turns golden brown and the sausage meat is thoroughly cooked.
7 Transfer to a wire rack to cool, and then on to a serving platter. Place the remaining spiced cranberry sauce into a small bowl that fits into the middle of your sausage ‘wreath’. Garnish with the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs and add to the buffet table for breaking off into segments and dipping into the sauce.
This recipe is just one of the ideas that features in our ‘Boxing Day Buffet’ feature in our December issue, including Mushroom, Chestnut & Stilton Bites, Kir Royale Cocktails, Roasted Cranberry and Mustard Gammon, Winter Salad with Goat’s Cheese & Walnuts, Baked Salmon with Pomegranate & Rosemary and Meringue Nests with Fruit & Boozy Cream. The recipes are by Kay Prestney and photography by Rebecca Lewis.
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