Sauasages with roasted veg and creamy chipotle sauce

Sometimes dinner evolves. The concept of evolution implies that things change for the better generally. This dinner is an example of that. What started as another ole' sausage casserole ended up as a sort of middle-eastern inspired tagine type thing. I confess I've never cooked a tagine, so I don't know how qualified I am to make that comparison, but I own a tagine cookbook, does that count?

It began simply with some roasted vegetables. My aim; to chop em' and chuck em' in. Anything colourful was game. Some red onions, peppers, cauliflower, mushrooms and tomatoes all found their way to the baking dish. Easy enough. Then I spotted some 'American saffron' aka safflower. Why not throw a handful in? It is by no means a match for saffron, being inferior in flavour, scent and colour giving properties, but it still looks pretty and does have a discernible taste. Now there was no stopping me. I needed more. Open the fridge, peek inside, Aha. Mayonnaise, half a tin of chipotle in adobo sauce and some chili jelly, why wouldn't I think of putting these three items together?

The 'sauce' I had created was poured over the vegetables once cooked. Three thick, chunky sausages had already been split down the middle and baked on top and now were served with the roasted vegetables and the mayonnaise, chipotle and smoked chili jelly sauce. The veg soaked up the sauce and I added a handful of peas too. So, kitchen evolution had produced a meal with meaty sausages, earthy and aromatic cauliflower and mushrooms, sweet and tangy tomatoes and peppers, some safflower to make it look pretty and give a subtle honey aroma and a sauce both creamy from the mayonnaise and complex, spicy and smoky from the chipotle and smoked chili. Isn't evolution supposed to simplify things?

Recipe : sausages with roasted veg in chipotle and smoked chili sauce

1/2 cauliflower, broken into florets

1 orange bell pepper, cut into chunks

1/2 red onion, cut into chunks

1 small green bell pepper, cut into chunks

6 mushrooms, halved

6 cherry tomatoes, left whole

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

A few good pinches of safflower or saffron (optional)

3 sausages, split in half lengthwise

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tsp chipotle sauce

1 tsp smoked chili jelly

(If you don't have or can't find smoked chili jelly or chipotle sauce, just use some chili powder and a little smoked paprika, if you can get that).

Pre heat the oven to 400oF.

Place the vegetables in a baking dish, season well with salt and pepper, sprinkle over the safflower or saffron if using and drizzle over the olive oil. Mix well to ensure everything is coated.

Place in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes.

After 35 mins, remove from the oven and place the sausages on top of the vegetables. Return to the oven and bake for a further 25 - 30 minutes. Remove and check the vegetables are soft and the sausages are cooked.

Mix the mayonnaise, chipotle and chili jelly together and pour all over the vegetables. Stir to mix well and serve with the sausages on top. (I added a handful of cooked peas to this also).