Toulouse Sausage with Maple-Glazed Onions and Lentils

• 4 Toulouse sausages
• 200g red onion, finely sliced
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup (preferably amber syrup for its rich taste)
• 40g butter
• Fresh thyme
• 300g tin of pre-cooked lentils
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 1 small leek, finely diced
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 40g pancetta
• Salt and pepper, to season
• 100ml water
• 40g Dijon mustard
• Handful fresh parsley

For the Toulouse sausages and maple-glazed onions:

1. Preheat your oven to 200C.
2. In a frying pan, melt butter and gently cook onions, adding the maple syrup slowly. Add sprigs of thyme to flavour and reduce the heat to keep warm.
3. In a separate pan, seal the sausages and colour on all sides. Once they are nicely browned, place into the oven for 8-10 minutes.
4. When cooked, set aside to rest before serving.

For the braised lentils:

1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, sweat the carrots, onion and garlic for about 3 minutes. When soft, add the leek and pancetta. Cook together until the pancetta is crispy.
2. Add lentils and water and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and take off the lid, cooking for a further 10 minutes or until the remaining liquid has reduced.
4. Just before serving, add the mustard and parsley and stir through.
5. Serve in shallow bowls with the Toulouse sausages and maple-glazed onions.