Herbal bean sausages

12 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
2 cups Cooked pinto beans
½ cup Whole wheat breadcrumbs
½ cup Onion, minced
1 Garlic clove; minced
½ cup Tomato sauce
⅛ teaspoon Fennel seed, crushed
1 Red bell pepper; minced
⅛ cup Vegetable broth or water OR- more as needed
4 larges Mushrooms; minced
¼ cup Onion; minced
Salt; to taste
⅛ teaspoon Dried red pepper
⅛ teaspoon Dried basil; -OR- Fresh basil
1½ teaspoon Chopped fresh parsley
Salt; to taste
⅛ teaspoon Celery seed
½ teaspoon Chopped fresh oregano
1 dash Black pepper
Whole wheat flour (pastry flour works best)

Directions

MUSHROOM-RED PEPPER SAUCE

These plant-based sausages taste great, contain no added fat except the vegetable oil they're fried in, and are easy to make. These ingredients yield fairly mild sausages; after you've tried them, adjust the seasonings to please your palate.

DIRECTIONS: =========== Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly, and shape into 1- to 2-inch sausages. Saute in a small amount of vegetable oil until crisp, or place in a baking pan and broil, turning when edges are slightly crisp. Serve with Mushroom-Red Pepper Sauce (below).

MUSHROOM-RED PEPPER SAUCE: Cook red pepper in vegetable broth for 5 to 7 minutes until tender. Add mushrooms, onion, salt, celery seed, oregano, and black pepper. Cook 5 minutes longer or until onion is transparent. Quickly whisk in enough flour to just thicken the sauce, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Immediately remove from burner. Do not overcook, or flour will cake. If needed, add more vegetable broth or water. Serve over sausages, whole grains, or vegetables.

* Source: Karen Iacobbo, in The Herb Companion, October/November 1993 * Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

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