Occasional recipes: sausage goulash

As we get older, our ability to learn things diminishes. Therefore, anything we get quite good at as adults must really be quite simple. I got through university without realising that things don't cook quicker just because you turn the stove up to maximum. Nowadays I quite enjoy this cooking lark. So I think that from time to time I will share some recipes with you. Expect this kind of thing on a Friday night because that's when I usually cook.

Tonight's was an old favourite from my 1985 Dairy Diary for the Home, (c) the Milk Marketing Board 1984. I suspect my mother gave this to me as a student because every week features a new and fairly straightforward recipe. It's also handy for letting me know that 22 years ago yesterday (a Friday) my Comparative Communist Systems essay was due; there was to be a Debate on 13 November; and on 19 November I had to Speak To Richard Re. Friday!!! On 20 November I had to be at the Sports Centre 5.00 With Clive 4 Bottle Filling (of the scuba variety), on 23 November I was going to Loughborough and on 24 November OMD at the Arts Centre is crossed out. I don't know if they cancelled or I couldn't go due to being in Loughborough.

Anyhays, the recipe for week 44: sausage goulash. Serves 4.

• 25g English butter (any nationality will do, or just advanced butter substitute like Flora)
  
• 450g pork sausages (so many types to choose from. Felt like something spicy so went for pork & sweet chili. Could probably even do it veggie. The packet had 6 sausages, which for a serving of four would mean 1.5 each. For a family of three it's much easier just to go mad and give everyone two.)
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed (Huh? I laugh at your 1 clove in a manly manner. Cloves of garlic don't come in units as small as one in this household. Anyway, we had a bulb to finish so went up to ... um ... five, I think.)
  
• 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped (no green at Tesco, used orange.)
  
• 1 level tbsp plain flour
• 225 g tomatoes, skinned and chopped (otherwise known as a can of chopped tomatoes)
  
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp paprika pepper (don't have any, used mild chili powder)
  
• 300g can condensed tomato soup
• 300ml (i.e. half pint) fresh milk
• salt and pepper
• 450g potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 tbsp natural yogurt
• green pepper rings to garnish (omitted: see above)
  

1. Melt butter and fry sausages until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add chopped onion, garlic and green pepper to pan. Fry for 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for a further 2 minutes.
3. Stir in tomatoes, tomato puree, paprika, soup, milk, seasoning and potatoes
4. Replace sausages. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until potatoes are tender. (It had half an hour on a low simmer, which tenderised the potatoes to just the right amount. Keep stirring or, even in the best non-stick, whatever's at the bottom will start to burn.)
   
5. Before serving, stir in the yogurt and garnish with green pepper rings. (I always forget this bit and tonight was no exception.)

Accompany with something decent and red. Follow with Delia's basic pancake recipe à la Boy, with vanilla ice cream and that chocolate sauce that sets hard.