Welsh cooks aren’t one to be boxed in by convention, a statement evidenced by the creation of the Glamorgan sausage, which swaps the traditional pork filling for a combination of cheese and shredded leek, encasing it within a breadcrumb crust.
These vegetarian sausages originated in the historical Welsh county of Glamorgan, in South Wales, but are actually thought to be named after the Glamorgan breed of cattle, which produced the hard white cheese the dish was originally centred around. Sadly, Glamorgan cattle are now an endangered breed, and so Caerphilly cheese, another Welsh speciality, is used in its place.
Glamorgan sausages have been eaten in Wales since at least the mid-19th century, but their resourcefulness, requiring no meat and utilising stale bread (through the breadcrumbs), made them a big hit during the frugal war years. It’s their taste, however, that has ensured their popularity has endured to this day, with the creamy-centred sausages a staple on restaurant menus and supermarket shelves around Wales and beyond – the dish being one of the Welsh culinary innovations that is popular across the UK.
When are they eaten?
In his 1862 travel guide, Wild Wales, George Henry Barrow described being served Glamorgan sausages as a breakfast dish, where they were paired with a cup of tea and toast. While still occasionally popping up on breakfast menus, the sausages are more regularly eaten at lunch or dinner, either as a starter with a dip or chutney, or as a main with a side of mash, veg and gravy.
Notes from the chef
With frugality almost certainly in mind, most traditional Glamorgan sausage recipes suggest using equal parts cheese and breadcrumbs during preparation of the dish, but – no longer limited by post-war rationing – I recommend using closer to 2:1 cheese to breadcrumb ratio for a softer and richer sausage with more of a delicious ooze!
Though my recipe below details that the sausages should be cooked in the oven, they can also be cooked fully in a pan if necessary. In this case, the sausages will need to be fried on a medium heat for around 3 minutes on each side, and I would recommend frying in vegetable oil (fill the pan to a depth of 5mm) to avoid burning butter.
In her Glamorgan sausages recipe from the 1980s, the iconic food writer – and de facto authority on traditional Welsh cooking – Bobby Freeman recommends using a 50:50 mix of white and brown bread crumbs for the filling, which works nicely, but is by no means essential. I would stick to white for the coating.
And finally, from late March to May, wild garlic grows across South Wales and makes a great addition to the sausages. If you’d like to add some, finely chop a handful of the wild garlic leaves and add to the leeks for the last 30 seconds in the pan before continuing with the recipe as detailed below.
How to make Glamorgan sausages
Serves 4 | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
40g butter
2 medium leeks, finely chopped and washed
2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
Salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste
1 tsp mustard powder
2 eggs, whites and yolks separated
2 tbsp milk
200g Caerphilly cheese
100g breadcrumbs, plus more for coating
2 tbsp of finely chopped fresh herbs (a mix of parsley and chives works well)
Vegetable oil, to fry
50g plain flour
Method
Step 1: Begin by melting half of the butter in a pan and sweating the chopped leeks and thyme until soft. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and mustard powder.
Step 2: In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks and half of the milk together. In a larger bowl, crumble the cheese into the breadcrumbs and add the cooked leeks followed by the egg yolks and milk. Give a good mix and press the mixtures into the shape of eight sausages.
Step 3: At this point, putting the mixture into the fridge for half an hour will help the sausages to set and will make life easier when crumbing, but it is not essential if you are in a rush.
Step 4: Preheat the oven (190C; fan 170C; gas 5), then whisk the reserved egg whites and remaining milk in a shallow bowl. Place the flour in another bowl and the remaining breadcrumbs into a third.
Step 5: Take your set sausages and dip each first into the flour, then into the egg whites and then finally into the breadcrumbs, ensuring they are all fully coated.
Step 6: Melt the remaining butter in a pan big enough to hold the sausages over a medium heat and add the sausages. Cook until just golden on each side and place in the oven (in your pan if ovenproof or transfer onto a baking sheet) for approximately 15 minutes, until golden and piping hot.
This recipe was researched and tested by chef Alex Vines. Alex developed his signature “simple yet attentive” cooking style during a decade working in renowned London restaurants. Originally from Cardiff, Alex champions the use of seasonal and local produce, mirroring the principles of traditional Welsh recipes. Follow Alex on Instagram.
