Bonfire night food ideas

Try 2 classic bonfire night sausage recipes

It’s always good to have bonfire night food ideas.

Because you want to be out enjoying the festivities, the fireworks and in some cases huge bonfires.

(btw, check out bonfire night at Lewes, it’s epic and like nothing I’ve ever seen or experienced before).

But if you’re at home then you need some good heartwarming food that is easy to whip up.

So you can get out and about quickly.

Or go for a good snack that you can walk around with such as the classic hot dog.

This is why I’m offering up two of my favourite November recipes:

• Sticky cider onion hot dog
• French onion, pigs-in-blankets casserole

And the beauty is, both take 10 mins to prep.

And only about 30 mins to cook.

What could be better?!

Bonfire night food ideas

1. Sticky cider onion hot dog

The best recipe to leave one hand free for your sparkler!

So this is perfect as one of my bonfire night food ideas.

I mean, we all love a sparkler, don’t we?!

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Sticky onion hot dog

Sweet, sticky hot dog with caramelised onions and cider

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Cost £

Ingredients

• A knob of butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions sliced thinly
• 100 ml dry cider
• 1 tbsp dark brown soft sugar
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 sausages
• 2 hot dog buns or brioche or baguette

Instructions

• Heat a frying pan and add the olive oil and butter, then throw in your onions and let them caramelise. Do this on a medium heat for approx 20 minutes
• Then pour in the cider and leave to simmer until reduced.
• (In another pan, start to cook your sausages).
• Back to your onions. Add in the cider vinegar and dark sugar and stir in. It should look lovely and shiny; dark and sticky looking but don't cook so there is no liquid at all…. you're not making toffee!
• In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard.
• Now, assemble your hot dog… slice down the middle of the roll, add your sausage and as much of the onion mix and mayonnaise as you like.

  Enjoy.

2. French onion, pigs-in-blankets casserole

We love this recipe.

It’s simple, fun and of course very tasty!

Print Pin

French onion, pigs-in-blankets casserole

Course Main Course

Keyword casserole, easy, pork, sausages

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Cost £

Ingredients

• 8 chipolate sausages
• 6 medium to large onions, sliced
• 8 rashers of streaky bacon (or 4 – halve and stretch)
• splash of olive oil
• 25 g butter
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• salt and pepper to season
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 500 ml beef stock
• splash of red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
• 1 baguette, sliced
• English mustard to spread on baguette slices
• grated cheese to sprinke & melt over baguette slices
• 250 g button mushrooms (optional)
• 2 garlic colves, sliced

Instructions

• Wrap your sausages with the bacon and pop into a non-stick casserole dish with a little oil.

  Cook until nice and brown all over – approx 6 mins.

  Once done, take out and set aside.
• Next, add the butter (and maybe a little extra oil) into the same casserole dish and then add in your sliced onions. Season with salt and pepper.

  Sweat the onions until nice and soft, then add the garlic and mushrooms. Keep stirring from time to time until the onions have become caramalised and brown (not burnt) – approx 15 mins.

  Now, stir in the flour. Add in a splash of red wine vinegar, stock and thyme, stir, pop your pigs in blankets back in, and leave on the stovetop gently for 20 mins.
• While this is cooks, melt some butter in a pan and brush lightly onto both sides of the bread slices. Then spread a little mustard on one side.

  Pop under the grill and toast each side. Then sprinkle grated cheese and pop back under until nice and melted.
• To serve, place the cheesy croutons into the casserole and watch your family devour!

If you want some more November festival celebration ideas.

Then check out my 3 Halloween favourites.

Bonfire night; what’s it all about?

If it’s not about sparklers and food.

Then what is it about?

400 years earlier though…

Back here in England, is where it all started.

Bonfire night was a celebration of the foiling of Guy Fawkes’ attempt to blow up King James I and the Houses of Parliament in London, in the Gunpowder Plot.

And when the plan failed, the public celebrated by lighting bonfires around London.

So, what was the Gunpowder Plot?

In 1605, thirteen young men including, Guy Fawkes, were part of the Gunpowder plot.

The reason they wanted the plot to blow up King James I and his government was because of… religion.

England was now a Protestant country and the plotters were Catholic.

And they wanted England to be Catholic again.

So they thought if they killed King James I and his ministers, all would be re-aligned again. As you do.

The plot thickens

Guy Fawkes and his conspirators put 36 barrels of gunpowder in cellars underneath the Houses of Parliament, ready to set off a massive explosion.

However, they were rumbled before they could strike a match to their gunpowder.

Apparently, one of Fawkes’ group sent a letter (*equivalent to today’s WhatsApp message) to his pal who worked in Parliament and warned him to stay away on the 5th.

Good friend. But not the brightest idea if you’re planning a bit of treason.

So, the letter was uncovered and the plot was foiled!

And unfortunately for the gunpowder plotters, the guards then stormed the cellars where they were waiting ready to execute their master plan.

A grizzly end

So ‘poor’ old Guy Fawkes and seven other conspirators as they were hung, drawn and quartered in January 1606.

And their severed heads and body parts were displayed on poles around London.

The public celebrated (as you would) by lighting bonfires and soon effigies of Guy Fawkes were also added to the bonfire.

Even children got in on the act and used to make a ‘Guy’ and parade him around the town in a wheelbarrow asking for a “penny for the guy” to get money.

So, lucky for us, Bonfire night has become a lot less gruesome.

And very much a fun night out with friends and family.

Happy Bonfire Night!