Ingredients

Stew

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 6 Italian pork and fennel sausages
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 2cm pieces
• Leaves from 3 thyme stems
• 1 tbsp roughly chopped oregano
• 1 can cannelloni beans, drained
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 200ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 200ml white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch of Maldon salt or similar flake salt
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Cobbler

• 150g self raising flour
• 75g fine cornmeal or quick cook polenta
• 125g soft blue cheese ie. gorgonzola or stilton
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (substitute with milk with tsp lemon juice mixed in left for 5 minutes)
• 4 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• Pinch of Maldon salt or similar flake salt
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method

1. Stew: Preheat an oven to 160C. Heat the oil in an oven proof casserole pan over a moderate high heat. Add the sausages and lightly brown on all sides. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, stir in the garlic, carrots, thyme and oregano, cook for a further minute. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and bring to a strong simmer. Cover with a lid and place in the preheated oven. Leave to cook for 1 hour.
2. Remove from the oven. Remove the sausages and slice into 2cm rounds, return them to the stew evenly distributing them.
3. Cobbler: Increase the temperature of the oven to 190C. Place all the dry ingredients in bowl, crumble over the cheese and stir in the buttermilk until just combined. (Don't overwork the dough.)
4. Distribute generous spoonfuls of the dough all over the stew, leaving a little space between each one. Place uncovered into the preheated over. Leave to to cook for 20 minutes so that the dough has risen, is firm and lightly browned. Serve.