Herby Cumberland Sausage Cassoulet

Boil a kettle

Peel and chop the potatoes into large chunks

Add them to a pot of salted boiling water over a high heat and cook for 15 min or until fork-tender

Meanwhile, strip the thyme leaves from the stalks and chop them finely

Peel and finely chop the onion(s)

Chop the tomatoes into a large dice

Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic

Add 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil to a large pan over a medium heat

Once hot, add the sausages and cook for 6 min or until browned all over

Transfer the sausages to a plate and reserve the pan for the next step

Return the pan to a medium-low heat and add the onion and garlic

Cook for 3 min or until the onion is soft but not coloured

Add the chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!)

Return the sausages to the pan

Add the tomatoes and 200ml (400ml) water

Crumble in the stock cube(s) and stir to dissolve

Cook for 10-15 min or until the sausages are cooked through and a thick sauce remains

Meanwhile, drain the potatoes and return them to the pot over a low heat

Add 60ml (120ml) milk and a knob of butter and mash

Season generously with salt and pepper

Drain and rinse the kidney beans, then them add to the sausage pan

Bring to the boil

Tip: If the sauce becomes too dry, gradually add a few tbsp of water