Sausage and bean cassoulet with potato cakes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 225g/8oz smoked streaky bacon, cut into 2cm/½in strips
• 6 cooked sausages
• 1 can baked beans
• 1 glass red wine
• 290ml/½ pint beef stock
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 55g/2oz breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the potato cakes

• 225g/8oz ready-made mash potato
• 1 eating apple, peeled and grated
• knob of butter and oil, for frying

Preparation method

1. Preheat oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
2. Heat a large pan add the oil and fry the garlic, onion and bacon for 2-3 minutes.
3. Chop the sausages into large chunks and add to the pan.
4. Add the red wine, stock, baked beans, thyme and tomatoes. Bring to the boil and gently simmer for 8 minutes.
5. Stir in the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper before placing in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and bake for 10 minutes.
6. Mix the apple with the potato and season, shape into a cake.
7. Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan and add the potato cakes. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.