Delia’s Pork Sausages Braised in Cider with Apples & Juniper

This is a lovely casserole that us well worth trying.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 large pork sausages, weighing about 1 lb (450 g)
• 8 oz (225 g) lean smoked bacon, roughly chopped
• 1 level tablespoon plain flour
• A few sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and freshly milled black pepper 
• 15 fl oz (425 ml) strong dry cider (we used Waitrose Vintage Apple Cider)
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar (Aspall Apple Cider Vinegar)
• 1 Bramley apple, cored and sliced into rings (unpeeled)
• 1 Cox’s apple, cored and sliced into rings (unpeeled)
• 1 level dessertspoon juniper berries, crushed slightly either in a pestle and mortar or with the end of a rolling pin
• 2 dessertspoons olive oil
• 8 oz (225 g) onions, peeled and sliced into rings
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled and chopped

METHOD

1. We placed our 22” casserole pan it on a medium heat
2. Add 1 dessertspoon of the oil to it.
3. As soon as it’s hot, fry the sausages until they are nicely browned on all sides, then, using a draining spoon, transfer them to a plate.
4. Add the onions, garlic and bacon to the frying pan and cook these until they have also browned at the edges – about 10 minutes, then remove them from the pan
5. Add the other dessertspoon of oil, when it’s hot, add the apple rings and brown these on both sides, which will take 2-3 minutes.
6. Once softened add the sausages, followed by the bacon, onion and garlic.
7. Sprinkle the flour in to soak up the juices, stirring it gently with a wooden spoon.
8. Add the cider and cider vinegar, a little at a time, stirring after each addition.
9. Add the the crushed juniper berries, the thyme, and bay leaves
10. Season with salt and pepper, but not too much salt because of the bacon.
11. Put the lid on and place the casserole into the oven at 150c for 40 to 45 minutes