1. Estonian verivorst is a blood sausage filled with pearl barley; ordinary blood sausage is a good substitute. Preheat the oven to 190 °C and boil the potatoes in their skins in salted water for 20-25 minutes.
2. In a pan, fry the finely chopped onion in half the lard for 5 minutes, add the squeezed sauerkraut, caraway seeds, sugar and water, cover and braise over low heat for 40 minutes until tender and gently sweet-sour.
3. Prick the sausages in a few places with a toothpick so they don't burst while baking and lay them in a roasting tin.
4. Brush them with the rest of the lard and bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until the skins are crisp.
5. Peel the boiled potatoes and put them on plates with the braised sauerkraut.
6. Lay the hot sausages beside the sauerkraut and serve with a spoonful of lingonberry jam – the sweet-sour jam is an essential part of the Estonian Christmas plate.
Tip: In Estonia verivorst is the star of the Christmas table; don't bake it at too high a heat or the filling may dry out and the skin split.
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