This one’s a classic fridge-clearer dressed as a proper dinner. It starts with golden sausages, simmers with leek and thyme, and finishes creamy and comforting - thanks to soft butter beans, lemony crème fraîche, and a mountain of greens. Whether it’s silverbeet, kale or a bit of both, the beauty of this stew is how flexible it is. A true one-pot wonder that turns “what’s left in the bottom of the box” into something worth repeating. Skip the side dishes – everything’s in here already.
INGREDIENTS:
1 leek
3 cloves garlic
½ tsp dried thyme
700ml chicken stock
70g silverbeet, kale, or cabbage
5 sausages
2 x 400g tins butter beans, drained and rinsed
3 Tbsp crème fraîche
Juice of ½ lemon
35g parmesan, plus extra to serve
Olive oil, for cooking
Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Brown the sausages: Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Brown the sausages on both sides – they don’t need to be cooked through. Set aside. You can slice them into pieces or leave them whole, your call.
Sauté the base: Slice and rinse the leek, and finely dice the garlic. In a large heavy-based pot, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek, garlic, and thyme. Sauté until soft and fragrant.
Build the stew: Pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Add the sausages, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently.
Add the beans: Stir in the butter beans and simmer for 10 minutes.
Make it creamy: Add the crème fraîche and parmesan. Stir until everything’s looking luscious and well combined.
Add your greens: Roughly chop the silverbeet (or whatever leafy green you’re using) and stir it through the stew. Simmer for 5–6 minutes, until wilted and warmed through.
Finish and serve: Squeeze in the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and ladle into bowls. Top with extra parmesan if you’re feeling fancy.
