Sausage Vegetable & Polenta Bake

• ⅓ c olive oil
• 6 – 8 sausages
• 8 baby carrots, peeled & blanched in boiling water until just beginning to soften
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 3 medium courgettes, chopped into 4
• 250 g mini capsicums, deseeded & halved lengthways
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tbspn tomato paste
• ¼ c Balsamic vinegar
• 3 tsp caster  sugar
• ½ c water
• ⅓ c parmesan, finely grated
• ¼ c fresh small flat-leaf parsley leaves
• salt & pepper to season
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Soft Polenta

• 1 c polenta
• 3 c water
• ½ c cream
• 50 g butter, chopped
• ⅓ c parmesan, finely grated
• salt & pepper to season

1. Heat 2 tbspns olive oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. Add the sausages & cook, turning often, for 6 - 8 mins until cooked. Drain sausages on kitchen paper, & cut in half lengthwise.
2. Add 2 tbspns of olive oil to the fry pan, & cook the carrots stirring often for 2 mins until lightly coloured. Add the onion, courgettes, capsicum, stirring often for 4 mins until just beginning soften. Remove all vegetables from the fry pan.
3. Add the garlic & fennel seeds to the fry pan & cook for 1 min. Followed by the tomato paste, vinegar, sugar and ½ c water. Bring the mixture to the boil, & reduce the heat to low. Cook for 6 - 8 mins until mixture is thickened and reduced slightly. Remove fry pan from heat & add all the vegetables & sausages, stirring gently until coated with the sauce. Preheat oven to 200°C.
4. Bring 3 c water to the boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Gradually add the polenta in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly until all the polenta is incorporated into the water. Reduce the heat to low, & cook the polenta stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 10 - 12 mins until mixture thickens & polenta is soft. Remove the saucepan from the heat; stir in the cream, butter & ⅓ c parmesan until well combined. Season to taste.
5. Spoon the cooked polenta over the bottom of a large greased baking dish, and top with the sausage & vegetable mixture. Bake in the oven for 10 mins. Remove from the oven & scatter with ⅓ c parmesan and fresh parsley leaves before serving.