I always try and provide a good selection of vegetarian breakfast options that aren't just the full English without the meat. However quite a few people still choose the full breakfast but with vegetarian sausage. So I decided to have a go at making my own veggie sausages. I have tried different recipes in the past but without any huge success. I needed a sausage that I could make in bulk, freeze and then be able to cook from frozen without it all falling to mush.
This is a recipe from Delia's Vegetarian Cookbook. Her recipe uses Parmesan in the coating. Parmesan isn't actually suitable for strict vegetarians, so I've replaced it with a strong local cheddar from the Ludlow Food Centre which is suitable for all vegetarians; Oakley Park Cheddar.
Delia's recipe reckons it makes 12 sausages but I've only every managed 7-8.
I freeze them individually on trays and then put into plastic bags.
I use whatever bread is leftover from breakfast. But I find it works well with a mix of my homemade seeded granary bread & white bread.
Sausage Ingredients
100g vegetarian cheddar cheese, grated
125g breadcrumbs ( white, granary or wholemeal or a mix )
1 medium onion, either grated or minced in the food processor
1 tablespoon mixed fresh herbs ( I use parsley, chives & thyme )
3/4 tsp dry mustard powder
1 egg yolk
salt & pepper
Coating
1 egg white, beaten
25g breadcrumbs
25g very finely grated cheese
Mix together all of the dry ingredients for the sausage, then mix in the egg yolk. I find it easier to do this with my hands. Take small amounts of the mix and form into sausages. Roll the sausages in the egg white the mix of breadcrumbs & grated cheese.
If you're eating straight away I would suggest putting them in the fridge for about half an hour to firm up. Otherwise freeze on trays and then bag up when frozen.
To cook fresh, fry them gently in olive oil till golden all over - 5-10 minutes.
To cook from frozen. Brush with some olive oil and bake at about 200 degrees ( or top AGA oven ) for about 20 minutes, turning halfway through.
