Perfect Plates in 5 Ingredients by John Whaite offers innovative, scaled back recipes that are simple to cook yet impressive to serve while still packed with flavor.

Usually, I am not a fan of quick and easy type cookbooks (only because I have that covered after cooking for 30 plus years), but when a cookbook is this nicely and written by John Whaite, The Great British Baking Show winner, I can get behind it. 

With only 5 ingredients per recipe (plus the essentials of olive oil/butter/salt/pepper), this is practical, fun cooking that still will wow your family and guests.

Tahini and Honey Chicken with Paprika Potatoes, Preserved Lemon and Cider Pork with Couscous, and Tempura Cocktail Sausages with Hoisin are all examples of craveworthy dishes. The author even has dessert covered with desserts such as a beautiful Autumnal Apple Crisp Cake, Self-Saucing Orange Curd Pudding, and a Lemon and Rosemary Almond Cake. 

Special thanks to Kyle Books and the author for sharing Roasted Sausage and Apple with Sauerkraut which I made a while back on a crisp Spring evening. I threw some potatoes and carrots in the mix because I didn't need to keep the recipe at five ingredients and it was one delicious meal on a tray. Don't forget to head over to our contest page to enter our giveaway!

 

Roasted Sausage and Apple with Sauerkraut

A midweek sausage supper is reassuringly simple, and even better, it doesn't skimp on flavor or the general feeling of being satisfied. The best-quality sausages are always a must: I'd opt for the supermarket's best own brand or those from an excellent butcher. And, of course, you can quite easily, and absolutely should, customize this dish with different flavors of sausage-a fiery, chile-flecked sausage would do just the trick for me.

SERVES 2 to 4

8 good-quality link sausages
2 Granny Smith apples
1 large onion
A few sprigs of thyme
2 tablespoons sauerkraut
olive oil
sea salt flakes
coarse black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Put the sausages into a roasting pan and drizzle with a little olive oil. Cut the apples into quarters-I don't bother to core or peel them. Slice the onion in half through the root, leaving the root intact, and peel it. Cut it into eight wedges and arrange these, with the apples, in the roasting pan. Top with the thyme sprigs, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until the sausages are bronzed, and the apples and onion are quite softened. You can turn the sausages midway through, if you prefer a more even coloring; though I'm not particularly concerned. Scatter over the sauerkraut just before serving.

Leftover ingredient

The sauerkraut will keep for a while in the fridge. It's gorgeous in ham sandwiches, stirred into soups, scattered over pizzas or stews. It brings its flavor-boosting qualities to any dish, really, but it's delicious in its own right, too.

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