SAUSAGE AND LENTILS WITH APPLE AND SAGE

There’s lots of lovely veg in this steaming pot of sausage and lentils. Every version of this I make is a little different depending on what’s in the garden or the larder.

SERVES 6

■ Oil or fat for cooking ■ 6 well-seasoned butcher’s sausages

■ 2tsp fennel or caraway seeds (optional)

■ 2 large onions, chopped ■ 2 large or 3 medium carrots, scrubbed or peeled and roughly chopped

■ 3 celery sticks, chopped ■ 200g celeriac, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks

■ 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced ■ 2tsp sweet smoked paprika ■ 200g Puy, green or brown lentils

■ 2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped

■ 3 sprigs of thyme

■ 2tbsp English mustard ■ 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée ■ 800ml vegetable or chicken stock

■ 100g kale or cavolo nero, coarse stalks removed, roughly chopped

■ Sea salt and black pepper

FOR THE TOPPING

(optional)

■ 1 large or 2 medium eating apples

■ 12-15 sage leaves

Heat a little oil or fat in a large flameproof casserole over a medium heat. Add the sausages and cook for 5-7 minutes, turning,

until browned then set aside. Toss the fennel or caraway seeds, if using, into the pan and fry for a minute or so, then add the onions, carrots, celery and celeriac. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the veg are starting to soften, stirring often.

Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Now add the paprika, lentils, rosemary, thyme, mustard and a few twists of pepper. Spoon in the tomato purée and stir well. Cut each sausage into 3 or 4 pieces and add back to the casserole. Pour on the stock, then add enough water to cover. Stir well and simmer very gently,

uncovered, for 25 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the veg and lentils are tender. Stir in the kale or cavolo nero and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Quarter and core the apple, cut into 3cm chunks and fry in a little oil over a medium heat for 3 minutes until glazed, seasoning with salt and pepper halfway through. Tip into a warmed bowl. Add a dash more oil to the pan, toss in the sage leaves and fry for 1-2 minutes to crisp up. Ladle the casserole into warmed bowls and top each portion with a spoonful of apples and a few crispy sage leaves.