Maple and fennel sausage breakfast muffins
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Maple and fennel sausage breakfast muffins
Of course, maple syrup is delicious drizzled over pancakes, waffles or French toast, but it’s more versatile than you might think and shouldn’t be overlooked in savoury cooking. Here, we’re sticking to the morning theme but using maple syrup to sweeten sausage patties for the ultimate brunch sandwich, along with a simple maple and black pepper butter. Slather it over the toasted muffins before assembling for a cracking start to the weekend
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Spencer Lengsfield
Spencer Lengsfield
Ingredients
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 x 454g pack reduced-fat pork sausages, skins removed
- 2½ tbsp maple syrup
- ½ x 20g pack chives, snipped
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 gouda cheese slices (or your favourite cheese)
- 4 medium eggs
- 4 white muffins
- 40g salted butter, softened
- ½ x 340g jar pink pickled onions, drained
Step by step
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For the patties, put the fennel seeds and chilli flakes, if using, in a mortar, then crush with a pestle. Alternatively, place in a sealed food bag and crush with a rolling pin. Tip into a large bowl and add the sausage meat, 1½ tablespoons of the maple syrup and half the chives, then season with salt and plenty of black pepper. If you want to check your seasoning, cook a tiny amount of the mixture in a pan and adjust according to taste. Shape the mixture into 4 patties.
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Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the patties for 2 minutes on each side or until they have a deep brown crust. Top the patties with the cheese slices, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Leave for 2 minutes or until melted, then set aside and keep warm.
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In the same pan, carefully remove any burnt bits of cheese, then turn the heat back up to medium-high. Crack in the eggs and season. Cook until the whites have set, the edges are crispy and the yolks are still soft (about 2-3 minutes). Meanwhile, cut the muffins horizontally in half and toast. Mix the softened butter with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and a little black pepper, then spread onto all cut sides of the toasted muffins. Top 4 buttered muffin halves with the cheesy sausage patties. Finish with the pickled onions, fried eggs, remaining chives and the muffin tops.
