One of those foods we used to eat before chicken korma and pulled pork … probably ever since Sir Walter Raleigh/ Sir Thomas Harriot introduced potatoes to the British Isles from the New World. (Sausages came with the Romans.) A bit warm for midsummer but comforting, nonetheless.

• Ingredients: Five or six of the best sausages you can get (400g), a leaf or two from a fennel bulb, two medium red onions, a couple of cloves of garlic, rape seed oil, black pepper- berries and ground, a small bunch of fresh oregano, a glass of red wine, half a glass of apple juice. Potatoes and single cream.

• Method: Start by steeping the sausages in boiling water for a few minutes. While this is going on, slice up the onions and fennel and sweat them together in a non stick pan, along with a spoonful of rape seed oil, some crushed or sliced garlic, a small handful of fresh pot marjoram/oregano, finely sliced, and some ground black pepper.

When the onions are softened, add in the drained sausages and stir them around. Leave on a low heat to brown gently. In another pan, suitable for both hotplate and oven cooking (I used an enamelled cast iron oval dish), let the wine, juice and peppercorns bubble away until reduced by at least half. Then carefully add the sausages and onions. Stir around with a wooden spoon and place in a medium oven for approximately 45 minutes. Check how they are doing from time to time.

Meanwhile, peel and chunk some potatoes and put them on to boil. Once cooked, drain and mash with some single cream, pepper and salt.

E voilà! No no no! It’s an English recipe (despite the Romans and the Peruvians).