Spicy Pork, Fennel & Cabbage Sausage Rolls
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 24 mini sausage rolls
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds plus extra for sprinkling on top
- 2-4 tablespoons oil
-
750g/26ozs cabbage, finely sliced (I had a small wombok cabbage)
-
1 onion, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
- 500g/1.1lbs pork or beef mince
- 3/4 cup/210g/7ozs tomato paste
- 3-4 tablespoons Sriracha
- 1 egg, beaten
- 75g/2.6ozs parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/3 cup chia seeds (optional)
- 4 sheets butter puff pastry
- 1 egg, whisked for egg wash
Step 1 - Heat a large frypan or skillet on medium to high heat and dry toast the fennel seeds for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove and place in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and fry the cabbage until softened. You can add a little water to it to help it wilt down but make sure that there is no liquid or water left in the pan once the cabbage is cooked or it will make your filling mixture a bit sloppy. Remove from the pan and place in the same bowl as the fennel seeds and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the onion on medium heat until soft and then add garlic and sauté for a minute. Place the onion and garlic mixture in the bowl along with the cabbage.
Step 2 - Add the mince, tomato paste, Sriracha, egg and parmesan and mix together well. If it is still too wet add the chia seeds that should absorb some of the moisture and swell up. Place the filling in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up.
Step 3 - Preheat oven to 220C/428F/gas mark 7. Thaw the puff pastry sheets in the fridge and take one out at a time and pipe a very thick log down one side taking up 1/3 of the width. Then brush the edge with eggwash and roll it up into a log. I like to place these in the freezer to firm up for 20 minutes both to create a good, rounded shape and also so that the puff pastry rises well in the oven.
Step 4 - Brush with egg wash and cut each log into six pieces. Sprinkle with extra fennel seeds. Bake for 28-30 minutes. Serve with tomato sauce (I like to add a little Sriracha to the tomato sauce for spiciness).