Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in the 2022 series of BBC TV’s Masterchef competition.

Yemi writes for the Stray Ferret about her love of the area’s food and shares cooking tips. 

I’ve always believed that sausages deserve better PR. I know people who aren’t so sure about eating pork believing it not to be as healthy as other meats.

When I first moved to Cumbria, I was introduced to the Cumberland sausage – that glorious, coiled beauty packed with pepper and herbs. It was hearty, honest, and the kind of sausage that didn’t just sit on a plate; it made a statement. I raised my boys on it – the classic combination of Cumberland sausage, mash, plenty of gravy with peas and carrot on the side. No frills, no pretence, just good, comforting food that made everyone at the table happy.

Over the years, my boys developed a quiet love affair with chipolatas – the slimmer, cheekier cousins of the Cumbrian coil. There’s something about them that speaks to snacky fingers and growing boys. I suppose it was because they were quicker to cook, which meant food was quicker to the table. And as our lives moved from Cumbria to Lancashire and for the past decade plus to Yorkshire, our sausage story evolved right along with us.

In Lancashire, we rediscovered Cumberland – as well as the growing world of speciality sausages. Suddenly, sausages weren’t just pork in skins; they were culinary passports. There were chicken sausages and Thai-spiced ones, caramelised onion and boerewors, lamb merguez and game sausages with juniper and red wine. Some were wonderful and bursting with imagination and balance. Others… well, let’s just say a few were trying too hard, especially the overly sweet, wine, apple and honey-laden ones that taste more dessert than dinner.

Now, here in Yorkshire, I’m surrounded by some of the best butchers in the country, each crafting their own take on the sausage with such passion it’s impossible not to feel inspired. These local legends have elevated the once-humble banger to restaurant-worthy heights, winning awards and hearts in equal measure.

So, as it’s Sausage Week (October 27 to November 2), maybe it’s time we all got a little more adventurous. Let’s look beyond the comforting trinity of sausage and mash, casserole, or chips. Imagine sausages tossed into a couscous salad with roasted vegetables and a squeeze of lemon, or a sausage-forward paella that celebrates spice and texture. You could even turn them into meatballs and bathe them in a creamy Swedish-style sauce.

But my current favourite? A dish that celebrates the sausage in all its glory while adding layers of texture, colour, and a hint of playfulness: sausage, chilli and hot honey flatbreads with pickled pink onions. I love it because I am eating a sausage sandwich without eating an un-inspiring ‘sausage bap’.

Sausage, chilli and honey flatbreads with pink onion

This isn’t so much a recipe as it is an invitation to play.

Start with good sausages – your favourite variety from your local butcher. Cook them whole or slice them into big chunks and cook until golden and slightly crisp around the edges. Then comes the glaze – a chilli honey drizzle that’s allowed to bubble in a hot pan until smoky and amber. Toss your sausages through it so they glisten with sticky heat and a hint of bitterness.

Tip to make your hot honey drizzle: add a pinch of dried chilli and smoked paprika to your honey and when it is deep golden, add a few drops of apple cider vinegar or just buy some hot honey at your local deli.

Prep your favourite flatbread (shop-bought or homemade – no judgement here). On the base, spread a roasted pepper and bean purée – something smooth and earthy that gives the dish its backbone. You can blitz roasted red peppers with a jar of butter beans or chick peas, olive oil, lemon juice, and smoked paprika. Don’t overthink it – it’s rustic food, not fine dining.

Then, for a bit of personality, bring in your pink onions one way or two ways. Half can be pickled – left to rest in a quick solution of vinegar, sugar, and mustard seeds until sharp and vibrant. The rest, lightly fried in a hot pan just until they blush golden around the edges. It’s the contrast that makes it fun – tangy brightness meeting mellow warmth.

Drizzle with a little of that leftover honey glaze, maybe some wild garlic oil if you’ve got some in your freezer, and finish with some fresh herbs or microgreens.

Eat it hot and most importantly, eat it with joy.

Because that’s what Sausage Week should be about – celebrating one of Britain’s most beloved ingredients with a little curiosity and a lot of flavour.