Is there anything nicer than a hearty Sussex walk, followed by a good lunch that you know you’ve earned in exercise? And the good news is that this autumn, Sarah Thompson of Sussex Kitchen is sharing a collection of recipes that celebrate the heroes of Sussex. These recipes are designed to be kind to your wallet, full of flavour, and hearty enough to satisfy even the most traditional of appetites. This is a guide to cooking with joy, supporting our community and feeding our families brilliantly.
Hearty Pork & Apple Hotpot
The perfect fuel for a Sunday afternoon walk, this is the ultimate one-pot comfort food, reducing both cost and washing up.
Serves: 4
Estimated cost per serve: £1.50 – £1.80
Ingredients:
- 500 g homemade pork sausage meat
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 large onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 eating apples
- 200 g pumpkin (all chopped)
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 400 ml stock
- 2 potatoes, thinly sliced.
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180°C. In an ovenproof pot, brown the sausage meat. Remove the meat.
- Add the onion, carrots, apples and pumkin. Cook until softened.
- Stir in flour, then gradually add stock to create a gravy. Return the meat to the pot.
- Top with potato slices and bake for 35-45 minutes until golden.
Freezing Tip: The filling can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then top with fresh potato slices and bake as instructed.
Pork & Apple Pie
Dinner: A nostalgic showstopper and a comforting classic with an autumnal twist. The traditional filling is made even more delicious and visually stunning by a vibrant, creamy pumpkin mash topping.
Serves: 4
Estimated cost per serve: £1.50 – £1.80
Ingredients:
For the Filling:
- 500 g homemade pork sausage meat
- 1 large onion
- 2 cooking apples
- 150 ml Sussex cider
- 1 tbsp plain flour.
For the Topping:
- 500 g potatoes
- 300 g pumpkin
- 25g butter
- A splash of milk.
Method:
- Filling: In a pan, brown the sausage meat. Add the onion and apples and cook until soft. Add flour, then cider, and simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Topping: Boil the potatoes and pumpkin until tender. Drain, then mash with butter and milk.
- Spoon the filling into a pie dish and top with the mash. Bake at 190°C for 25 minutes until the topping is golden.
Freezing Tip: You can freeze the pie filling in a container for up to 3 months. Alternatively, you can freeze the whole, unbaked pie (minus the potato topping). To cook from frozen, bake at a lower temperature (around 160°C) for 60-75 minutes.
Sarah Thompson is a food and travel photographer, writer and stylist. You can find her at https://sussexkitchen.co.uk and at @sussexkitchen.
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