Glamorgan Sausage ✠

Glamorgan is one of the thirteen historic counties of Wales. Glamorgan sausage is a traditional Welsh vegetarian sausage made of cheese, leeks, and breadcrumbs. Like its compatriot Welsh Rabbit (not rarebit!), it sprang of necessity from a time when meat was a scarce luxury. Modern Welsh cooking still retains these tasty dishes as robust mainstays even though meat is now more reasonably available.

I found references to Glamorgan sausage while looking into the Rabbit/Rarebit debate, and a little research brought me recipes that made me want to try to make it. Mind you, my supermarket doesn’t carry the right ingredients (e.g., Caerphilly cheese), and my diet doesn’t allow some of the others. So the recipe below is only an approximation of what a true Glamorgan sausage might taste like. It is a rich preparation, with the cheese and frying oil, so eat them sparingly.

  • 1 large leek, chopped finely
  • 1 tbsp unsalted <butter>
  • 1 tsp rubbed sage
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 pinch dried thyme leaves
  • ¾ cup sharp Cheddar, grated
  • ¾ cup Swiss cheese, grated
  • ¼ cup grated dry Parmesan cheese
  • 4 low-carb flour tortillas, soft taco size, crumbled and toasted
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp nonfat milk
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
  • ¼ cup lower G. I. flour†
  • 5 tbsp vegetable oil

Cut the leek into chunks and chop them finely in a food processor.

Melt the <butter> in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the leek, sage, parsley, and thyme and cook, stirring, until onions are soft and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Slice the Cheddar and Swiss into chunks and place them in a food processor along with the grated Parmesan cheese. Pulse the processor to grate the cheeses together. The dry Parmesan keeps the cheeses in a crumbly form, not globbed up in a ball.

Tear up the low-carb tortillas and place them in the food processor. Pulse the processor to grate the tortillas into crumbs. Remove and place the crumbs on a cookie sheet sprayed with oil and toast in an oven at 350°F for 5 minutes or so until slightly browned.

In a large bowl combine the cheeses, half the tort crumbs, one of the eggs, milk, mustard, pepper, and the reserved leek mixture. Mix with hands until all the ingredients are incorporated. Divide the mixture into eight pieces and roll each into the shape of a sausage.

Beat the remaining egg and place it, the remaining tort crumbs, and flour on separate plates. Bread each sausage by coating it in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.

Heat enough oil in a non-stick saucepan on medium-high setting and cook the sausages, turning carefully until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes total. Carefully remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and serve immediately.

Makes about 8 sausages.