Pork baked in cider

Happy new year! Tonight we're having a slow-cooked winter casserole that's really tasty. It also works well with sausages or pork chops. Great served with mashed potato and a green vegetable.

You will need:

• 500g pork (shoulder, chops or fat sausages)
• 2 large apples - peeled, cored & quartered
  
• 1 large onion - sliced
  
• 2 cloves garlic - chopped
  
• 6 juniper berries - crushed
• 2 pinches of dried or fresh sage
  
• cider (or apple juice or stock)
• arrowroot or cornflour to thicken (see Thickeners page)
  

1. Lightly fry the pork or sausages in a little vegetable oil to seal the outsides. Put them in a large casserole dish with a lid.
2. Add the sliced onion to the pan and fry until beginning to soften, add the garlic and fry for a minute longer. Add these and the apples to the casserole.
3. Sprinkle over the crushed juniper berries, sage and some salt and pepper.
4. Pour in the cider until about halfway up the casserole contents.
5. Bake in the oven (or simmer on the hob if using a pan) as slowly as possible - until the meat is completely tender.
   
6. Thicken with a dessertspoon of arrowroot or cornflour dissolved in a little water. Return to the oven until ready to serve.