Fill and boil your kettle. Trim and peel the swede and carrots then roughly chop them. Pop them in a large pan with the bay leaf. Pour in the hot water from the kettle to cover the veg by a few cms, then add a pinch of salt. Pop the pan on a high heat, cover and bring to the boil. Once the pan is boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for 15-20 mins, till the veg are tender.

Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the onion. Warm a medium pan on medium heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, the onion and drop in most of the thyme sprigs. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry, stirring often, for 10-15 mins till the onion is glossy and browned. It should brown slowly to caramelise the onion rather than burn it, so if it starts to colour straight away, turn the heat down.

Meanwhile, fill and boil the kettle again. Crumble the stock cube into a measuring jug and pour in 300ml boiling water. Stir to dissolve the stock.

Stir 1 tbsp flour into the onion. Cook, stirring, for 2 mins. Add a splash of the hot stock and stir till absorbed. Add another splash and repeat, till you've added all the stock. Turn the heat up, bring the pan to the boil, then turn the heat down a little and simmer for 5 mins till the gravy has thickened slightly.

Meanwhile, preheat your grill to high and line a baking tray with foil. Rub the tofu sausages with ½ tbsp olive oil and pop them on the baking tray. Grill for 8 mins, turning once or twice, till browned all over.

Pull the kale leaves off their cores and roughly chop them. The swede and carrots should be tender by now. Add the kale to the pan and simmer for 4-5 mins to wilt it. Drain the veg and return it to the pan, discarding the bay leaf. Add the butter and a good pinch of salt and pepper then mash together with a masher or fork till combined. Taste the mash and add more salt or pepper if you think it needs it.

Scoop the mash onto 2 warm plates and top with the grilled sausages. Ladle over the onion gravy, discarding the thyme sprigs, and garnish with the last of the thyme leaves to serve.