You cannot beat a comforting plate of sausage and mash. Quality sausages and a good homemade gravy raise the bar, lifting the dish from a midweek meal to something special.

Beef sausages are a favourite of mine, complimented with a red wine gravy. I used a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, grown in the Central Valley region near Santiago, the countries capital. Of course use any red wine you have available, the only rule of thumb is don’t cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink.

I whipped this dish up after going a walk with the family around Branston Water in Burton-on-Trent, just off the A38. A full house and hungry kids to feed, I wanted quick, simple and tasty.

In a deep sided frying pan I added a tablespoon of sunflower oil, one peeled and sliced red onion and sixteen beef sausages. I fry them gently until the onions are soft and opaque and the sausages are brown, about ten minutes. Turning the heat up I add a generous dash of red wine and bring to the boil for two minutes, until the alcohol burns off. Then I add a pint of boiling water and two beef stock cubes and a slurry of cornflour. Allow the gravy to thicken and then serve with mash and peas.