Hungarian-Style Smoky Sausage Leczo Stew With Brown Rice

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add your hot dog sausage[s] and cook for 1-2 min on each side or until browned all over

Once browned, transfer the sausage[s] to a clean chopping board (reserve the pan!)

Cut narrow slices widthways (about the width of a pound coin) into the hot dog sausage[s], making sure not to cut all the way down to the base

Add the sliced hot dog sausage[s] to a tin foil-lined baking tray and put the tray in the oven for 15-18 min or until the sausage[s] is cooked through (no pink meat!)

Rinse your brown rice, add it to a pot with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 20-25 min or until it's tender with a slight bite

Once cooked, drain, return it to the pot and keep covered until serving

Boil a kettle

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Peel and finely slice your brown onion[s]

Chop your tomato[es] into wedges

Deseed your peppers (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into thin strips

Return the reserved pan to a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the sliced onion, pepper strips and bay leaf[ves] with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 4-5 min or until beginning to soften

Dissolve your chicken stock mix in 250ml [325ml] [450ml] boiled water

Once softened, add the chopped garlic, ground smoked paprika, tomato wedges and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the chicken stock to the pan with 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5-6 min or until the vegetables are tender and the stock has thickened to a stew-like consistency

Meanwhile, chop your parsley finely, including the stalks

Once the sausage[s] is cooked through, add them to the pan with the stew with any remaining juices from the tray, discard the bay leaf[ves] – this is your Hungarian-style smoky sausage leczo stew