Baked Sausages With Apples, Raisins & Cider

1.Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.

2.Put the raisins into a saucepan and add the alcohol. Bring to just under the boil, then take the pan off the heat and leave the raisins to plump up for 30 minutes.

3.Halve the onions and cut each half into four wedges. Put the onions and apples into an ovenproof dish that will hold the sausages in a single layer (it makes life easier if it's a dish you can also serve from). Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil, the seasoning and thyme and toss the apples and onions with your hands. Sprinkle sugar on each wedge of apple. Scatter the raisins and their soaking liquid in among the apples.

4.Heat the remaining a tsp of oil in a frying pan and fry the sausages until golden all over; you are just doing this for colour.

5.Put them on top of the apples and onions and pour in the cider.

6.Tuck any visible raisins under the fruit and sausages otherwise they might burn.

7.Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. The sausages will become dark brown, the apples golden and completely tender and the liquid should be absorbed by the onions.

8.Serve immediately with mash and a green vegetable, such as Savoy cabbage or a watercress salad.