Bratwurst from the slow cooker

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 strips of raw, coarsely chopped bacon
• 300 g shallot(s), small, peeled
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 8 sausages, coarse
• 1 tbsp flour
• 200 ml red wine
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed
• 2 tbsp blackberry jam
• 175 g blackberries
• 1 dashes of water
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 4 hours; Total time approx. 4 hours 20 minutes

Preheat the slow cooker to “high” or “low,” depending on your desired cooking time. Add olive oil to a pan over moderately high heat and fry the bacon and shallots for about 5 minutes until light brown. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute, then transfer the contents of the pan to a plate. Add the sausages to the pan and brown all over for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir to loosen any residue with a spatula. Add the bacon and shallots and mix well. Add the red wine, bay leaves, juniper berries, and 1 tablespoon of the jam and bring to a boil. Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker and cook on “high” for 3-4 hours or on “low” for 6-8 hours, until the sauce has reduced and is thickened. Once the dish is ready, add the blackberries to a small saucepan with the remaining jam and a splash of water and cook until the berries begin to break down. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with mashed potatoes, for example. One way to serve the dish would be on a bed of mashed potatoes, then add the sausages and their gravy, then spoon over the blackberries. Serve with mustard.