Vegetarian sausages with gravy and mash

Method

1. Make the sausages. Put all the ingredients except the oil in a large bowl and season well. Using your hands, mix until well combined. Divide the mixture into 12 pieces and mould each into a sausage shape. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

2. Make the gravy. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the onions, garlic and sugar and fry over a low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelised. Sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the ale, stock and gravy browning or Marmite and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until thickened. Keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, make the mash. Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain, tip back into the pan and shake well. Season and mash until smooth, then beat in the butter, followed by the mustard. Keep warm.

4. Half-fill a deep, heavy-based saucepan with oil and place over a medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C (to test if it is ready, use a sugar thermometer or drop in a cube of bread – it should turn brown in 40 seconds). Deep-fry the sausages in batches of 3-4 for 3 minutes or until richly golden. Remove and drain well on kitchen paper.

5. Divide the mash and sausages between plates and pour over some beer gravy to serve.