Sausages with lentils & pickled grapes

Name: Sausages with lentils & pickled grapes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Essential Olive Oil; 400 g packs No.1 British Free Range 6 Wild Garlic Pork Sausages; 125 g diced unsmoked pancetta; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, grated to a purée; 3 sticks celery, diced; 1 small carrot, diced; Pinch chilli flakes, more if you like it hot; 100 ml dry vermouth; 275 g Merchant Gourmet Dried Puy Lentils, rinsed; 450 ml fresh chicken stock; 2 bay leaves; ½ tsp Dijon mustard (optional); ½ lemon, juice (optional); 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 25 g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves chopped

This dish from Diana Henry is simple but special. You can make the grapes in advance, before Christmas if you like – they’re great with cheese and cold cuts – but three or four days is fine.

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Serves6
CourseMain meal
Prepare20 mins
Cook45 mins
Total time1 hr 5 mins
Plusadvanced pickling time

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2 tbsp Essential Olive Oil
2 x 400g packs No.1 British Free Range 6 Wild Garlic Pork Sausages
125g diced unsmoked pancetta
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated to a purée
3 sticks celery, diced
1 small carrot, diced
Pinch chilli flakes, more if you like it hot
100ml dry vermouth
275g Merchant Gourmet Dried Puy Lentils, rinsed
450ml fresh chicken stock
2 bay leaves
½ tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
½ lemon, juice (optional)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ x 25g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves chopped

For the spiced pickled grapes

275g seedless black grapes
250g granulated sugar
250ml cider vinegar
5 black peppercorns
6 juniper berries
½ cinnamon stick

For the pickled grapes, pull sprigs of grapes off the main stem. Put the remaining ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to help the sugar dissolve. Boil for about 4 minutes, then cool completely.
Wash the grapes and put into a warm sterilised jar. Pour over the vinegar mixture to cover the grapes and seal with a vinegar-proof lid. You can enjoy these after about 3 days. The longer they are in the vinegar the more pickled the grapes will taste and the more wrinkled they become.
Heat the oil in a large shallow casserole. Add the sausages, brown all over for colour, then remove. Add the pancetta and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden.
Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot, then cook for 8 minutes more. Add the chilli, then the vermouth, allow to reduce and add the lentils, stock and bay leaves. Return the sausages to the casserole and cook, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes until there is no pink meat. Add a little more liquid if needed. The lentils should not be completely soft (they must keep their shape) and the stock should be absorbed.
Once cooked, decide how much more seasoning you want. The mustard and lemon juice are optional. Stir in the extra virgin olive oil and parsley. Put some pickled grapes into a bowl, then serve with the sausages.

Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe