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Toffee Apple Pig In Blanket Balls

The very best bits of Christmas Day and the funfair collide in a nostalgia-heavy dish that makes the most of the humble onion. Herby sausage balls wrapped in smoked bacon are served alongside sticky caramelised onions and a zingy pickled carrot slaw for an unforgettable flavour experience. It’s all brought to life with a warming Toffee Apple Moonshine BBQ sauce.

Ingredients

½ huge onion cut into 8 wedges through the root

1 tbsp butter , unsalted

1 tbsp dark brown sugar

2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 sprigs thyme

2 Cox apples , peeled and chopped

¼ onion , chopped

2 garlic cloves , chopped

200 ml apple cider

75 ml cider vinegar

1 red chilli , quartered

25 g tomato paste

25 g English mustard

25 g golden syrup

1 tbsp dark brown sugar

2 tbsp Toffee Apple Moonshine

2 pinch salt

6 pork sausage , skinned

1 Cox apple , peeled, finely diced

1/4 onion , peeled and finely diced

1 clove garlic , grated

1 lemon , zest only

1 sprig thyme , chopped

4 leaves sage , finely chopped

½ bunch parsley

½ tsp black pepper , crushed

12 rashers smoked streaky bacon

6 tbsp water

4 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp onion seeds

1 tbsp mustard seeds

2 carrots

100 ml water

100 ml rapeseed oil

25 g English mustard

2 pickled gherkins

2 tbsp capers

20 g golden syrup

1 tsp salt

8 carrot tops

1 bunch radish tops

Method

For the onion wedges

Preheat the oven to 150℃. Heat the rapeseed oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot and shimmering, add the onion wedges and lightly season with salt. Fry, undisturbed, for 5-8 minutes until a deep golden brown. Add in the butter and continue to fry for 1 minute until foaming. Add in the sugar, vinegar and thyme and bring to a simmer. Flip the onion wedges over and transfer to the oven for 10-15 minutes until tender all the way through.

For the apple BBQ toffee sauce

Put all the ingredients into a large saucepan over a high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Top up with a little water if it starts to boil dry After 20 minutes, blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

For the sausage balls

Preheat the deep fryer to 160℃. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Form the mixture into 4 even apple sized balls around individual lollipop sticks. Wrap each ball in 3 rashers of bacon and secure the bacon with toothpicks. Gently lower each ball into the fryer and cook for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, drain on kitchen paper and transfer to an oven tray to roast for 10 minutes. Make the slaw and sauce while you wait

For the carrot slaw

In a medium saucepan, heat the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and spices. Peel and ribbon the carrots. Once the liquid is boiling, add the carrots and remove from the heat. Allow to cool naturally.

For the carrot top and herb sauce

Bring the water, oil, gherkins, capers, sugar and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the carrot tops and parsley and boil for 3 minutes. Transfer everything to a blender and purée until smooth. Allow to cool then taste and adjust the seasoning.

To serve

Glaze the cooked sausage balls in the BBQ sauce. Make a nest of the carrot slaw in the centre of a plate. Arrange 2 onion wedges around the slaw. Top the slaw with radish slices, a glazed pork ball, a drizzle of carrot top sauce and a carrot top. To serve Glaze the cooked sausage balls in the BBQ sauce. Make a nest of the carrot slaw in the centre of a plate. Arrange 2 onion wedges around the slaw. Top the slaw with radish slices, a glazed pork ball, a drizzle of carrot top sauce and a carrot top.