Cider Baked Sausage Food

HARD CIDER-BRAISED SAUSAGES WITH SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the sausages all over, in batches if necessary, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove to a plate as they brown. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
• Add the sauerkraut and toss to combine with the onions. Add the thyme, coriander and allspice and stir to combine. Season with pepper. Pour in the cider and reduce by half. Add the stock and brown sugar and return to a simmer. Tuck the sausages back into the pot and simmer, uncovered, until the kraut is very tender and the sauce is flavorful and slightly reduced, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with salt, if needed.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, add the butter and swirl to melt and combine. Serve topped with the parsley.
• Remove any loose leaves from the cabbage head and reserve. Quarter the cabbage and thinly slice, on a mandoline if you have one. (The shreds should be about the thickness of a quarter.) Toss the cabbage in a large bowl with the pickling salt. Work the cabbage through your hands and massage for a minute or two, until the cabbage begins to "sweat" and release some water.
• Thinly slice, then julienne the green apple, leaving the peel on. (Again, use a mandoline if you have one.) Slice the ginger into coins and press with the side of your knife to bruise them slightly and release their oils. Add the apples, ginger and allspice berries to the cabbage and toss well. Let sit for an hour or two, until the cabbage has released quite a bit of water.
• Pack the cabbage mixture into a large, wide-mouthed crock and press down very firmly until the liquid the cabbage has released covers it. (Depending on the age of your cabbage, it may release less water; a fresher cabbage will release a lot of water, while a cabbage that has been stored all winter will release less.) If the cabbage is not covered, mix together 1 quart cold water and 4 1/2 teaspoons pickling salt until dissolved and pour over enough to cover the cabbage.
• Use a couple of the reserved whole cabbage leaves to cover the surface of the cabbage. Cover with a plate (or the weight provided, if you have a fermenting crock) and set something heavy on top to weight it. (You can use cans. Many people like to use a resealable plastic bag filled with the same salted water solution used above because it weights evenly and if it leaks, it doesn't ruin the fermentation process.) Store the crock in a cool, dry place.
• Check the kraut after 2 days. There should be a few bubbles around the sides. Skim any scum that has risen to the surface. Check the kraut every few days and repeat skimming, if needed. Depending on the temperature of your room, the kraut should be ready after about a week. (Some people ferment for a couple of weeks or more, depending on how funky they want their kraut to be.)
• Divide the kraut and pack into jars. Store in the refrigerator. Drain and rinse the kraut well (discarding any ginger pieces) before using.

BAKED SAUSAGES WITH LEEKS, APPLES AND CIDER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F
• Put the leeks and apples into a roasting tin that will hold the sausages in a single layer. Put the sausages on top of the leeks and apples and drizzle over the oil.
• Season and toss together. Dot with the butter and pour over the cider. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
• About 15 minutes before it's ready, spread the mustard over the sausages and return to the oven.
• Serve the sausages and leeks with extra pan juices spooned over and mash or rosemary roasted potatoes.

BAKED SAUSAGE STOVIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease your baking dish.
• Peel and thinly slice the potatoes; peel and chop the onions.
• Dice the sausages.
• In a baking dish put a layer of potatoes, a layer of onions and a layer of sausage.
• Season to taste and sprinkle over half the herbs.
• Continue the layers until you have used up all the ingredients, ending with a layer of potatoes.
• Sprinkle on the rest of the herbs.
• Dissolve the stock cubes in 1 pint of hot water and pour into the baking dish.
• Bake for 40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

CREAMY CIDER & SAUSAGE BRAISE WITH APPLES & MASH

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a large pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15-20 mins until tender, then drain and mash with 2 tbsp of the crème fraîche. Season to taste.
• While the potatoes cook, heat the butter and oil in a large lidded frying pan. When the butter is just foaming, add the apple wedges. Cook over a medium heat for about 2 mins each side, or until just turning golden. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the sausages and onion to the pan and cook for 6-7 mins - turn the sausages so that they brown all over, and stir the onion so it doesn't catch. Pour in the cider and bring to the boil, then cover and cook for 10 mins.
• Stir in the mustard, remaining crème fraîche and the apples. Season to taste and serve with the mash.

CIDER BAKED SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Prick sausages with a fork and place in a baking dish.
• Add apples, onion and cider.
• Bake 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is cooked through and onions are tender.