Food is an important part of a balanced diet - Fran Lebowits

I understand that Stovies originates from Scotland, however, this recipe has travelled well.  The meat element may change from region to region, or the budget, but the base remains the same.

Sausage Stovies

Serves: 4 - 6

• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 454g beef sausages
• 1.5kg floury potatoes,(Maris Piper), chopped in quarters.
• 1 cube beef stock

Method

Prep:10min  ›  Cook:1hr30min  ›  Ready in:1hr40min 

1. Place onions, sausages in a pan and brown.  Add the potatoes and stock cube into the pan and cover with water.  Bring to the boil.
2. Lower the heat and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until potatoes are starting to break up. Top up with water if the pot starts to look dry.
3. Stovies is ready when the vegetables are soft and the sauce is thick. Stir in a little corn flour if the sauce is too thin. Season before serving.

Tip - Use your favourite sausages but always buy the best quality you can afford.  Add any vegetables you have to hand to liven up the basic stock - leeks, carrots and swede all work well.

Scottish Corn-beef Stovies, also sometimes referred to as Corn-beef Hash

Serves: 4 

• 25g beef dripping (or oil if prefer)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 6 to 7 large potatoes
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 tin corned beef
• pepper and herbs to taste

Method

Prep:10min  ›  Cook:35min  ›  Ready in:45min 

1. Melt beef dripping in a stock pan and add finely chopped onion.
2. While onions are cooking begin to peel and slice the potatoes. Keep occasionally checking the onions but you want to really cook them until they start to brown as this is what makes this recipe so tasty. Even if they burn do not worry, the burnt bits come off the pan as potatoes cook and enhance the overall taste.
3. When you are happy that onions are browned nicely add the sliced potatoes, then slowly add enough water to cover approximately three quarters of the potatoes, usually anything from 500ml to 1 litre. Add the crumbled stock cube and then open the tin of corned beef and add one large chunky slice (about a quarter of a tin) to the potatoes and onion. This really adds flavour to the potatoes as they cook.
4. Simmer until potatoes are softened, around 15 to 25 minutes depending on how thick you have cut potatoes. You want them to be just soft, not mushy. Occasionally prick the centre of a potato with a knife until it starts to go through.
5. When you are happy that potatoes are soft enough add the remaining diced corned beef and warm through. It can be served immediately, but I like to transfer it to an oven dish and put it in the oven at around 200 C / Gas 6 just long enough to add a crusty topping, around 20 minutes. I also create a crusty top by putting it under the grill for 5 minutes with the grill door closed. I add a bit of butter to the top, too.

Tip - Never add salt to Corned-beef Stovies, you really don't need it.  As with the sausage Stovies, there is limit to the vegetables you can use.

Just like Stovies, a basic tomato pasta sauce is extremely versatile.  Sausages or salami sliced into thin rounds turns this vegetarian meal into some uplifting and hearty for carnivores.  Cut the sausages into one inch chunks and the resulting meal resembles spaghetti meatballs, a favourite with children as well as adults.