A refined twist on a British classic starring sweet apples and plump, booze-soaked raisins
Diana Henry
The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer
Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
Published
A satisfying meal for lunch or dinner that capitalises on one of the most successful food pairings – pork with apples. Here, both cider and the fruit are used, cooked until tender to serve alongside good-quality pork sausages.
Throw in booze-soaked raisins and some softened onions and it’s an unbeatable match – made perfect with a side helping of smooth and cheesy mashed potato.
Overview
Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
1 hr
Serves
6
Ingredients
- 75g raisins
- 50ml brandy (you can use apple brandy, whisky or just boiling water if you prefer)
- 2 large onions, peeled
- 3 eating apples, unpeeled, halved and cored
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- a few sprigs of thyme
- 1 tbsp soft light brown sugar
- 12 good-quality pork sausages
- 200ml dry cider
For the mash
- 900g mashing potatoes, peeled and cut into even-sized chunks
- 75g butter
- 50ml milk
- 80g cheddar, grated
Method
Step
Bring 75g raisins and 50ml brandy to the boil in a saucepan, then pull the pan off the heat and leave the raisins to plump up.
Step
Halve 2 large peeled onions and cut each half into 3 wedges. Put them and 3 halved apples in an ovenproof dish large enough to hold the sausages in one layer.
Step
Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil, a few sprigs of thyme and some seasoning, then toss the apples and onions with your hands.
Step
Sprinkle 1 tbsp soft light brown sugar on the apples. Scatter the raisins and their liquor over the top.
Step
Preheat the oven to 190C/180C fan/gas mark 5.
Step
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying-pan and fry 12 pork sausages until golden.
Step
Place on top of the raisins, apples and onions, pour over 200ml dry cider, and bake for 50 minutes to an hour. The sausages will be dark brown, the apples golden and tender, and the onions will have absorbed the liquid.
Step
Meanwhile, cook 900g potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks) in boiling, lightly salted water until tender, then drain.
Step
Return to the pan and cover with the lid. Place over a very low heat for a couple of minutes to dry them out a bit.
Step
Mash thoroughly, then add 75g butter and 50ml milk and some seasoning.
Step
Beat in 80g grated cheddar, and check for seasoning again. Serve with green veg.