Quorn Sausage and Cider Casserole

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This is a recipe that I've adapted from an old pork recipe that my mum used to cook...originally from Good Housekeeping, I think. You can use any brand of veggie/vegan sausages for this recipe, or you could use extra root vegetables, mushrooms and some tinned beans, if you don't like meat substitutes.

• 1 or 2 vegetarian sausages per person
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2-4 carrots, sliced
• 1 red pepper, chopped or sliced
• 2 sticks of celery or ½  bulb fennel, sliced
• 1 tbsp plain flour/cornflour
• 250ml dry cider
• 250ml stock made with boiling water and 1 veggie stock cube
• 1 heaped tsp tomato puree
• ½  tsp of dried mixed herbs or 1 tsp fresh chopped sage or rosemary
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 or 2 cooking apples peeled, cored and quartered (optional)

Drizzle the sausages with olive oil and brown off in a casserole at 180C/Gas 4 for around 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, gently cook the onions in a pan with some olive oil, until soft. Then throw in the carrots, pepper and celery/fennel and cook for a further 3-5 minutes.
Add the flour and stir well.
Add the hot stock and the cider (or extra stock).
Bring to the boil, stirring regularly. 
Pour the sauce over the sausages. Cook for 30 minutes.
If using, add the apple quarters and coat in the sauce. return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes, or until the apples and vegetables are soft.
Serve with roast potatoes or mash.

Slow cooker method: Put all the veg in the bottom of the slow cooker (add potatoes too if you want a one pot meal). Brown the sausages and place on top of the veg. Top with the apples.
Mix the cornflour with the cider, (cold) stock and remaining ingredients and pour into the crockpot/slowcooker. Cook on slow/low for 8 hours.