Sticky Pear and Perry sausages with Cobnuts

I love these early Autumn days. There's a familiar note in the air; crisp mornings warmed gently by a thin sun, scented with an earthy perfume of wood, wet leaves and smoke. It's a wonderful time to cook with fresh, seasonal produce - my Butcher took delivery of his first batch of local Wood Pigeons at the weekend, a brace of which are now residing in our freezer. It's a bit early for many wild nuts, but Kentish Cobnuts are available right now - their fresh crunch adds a lovely contrast to the soft, yielding pears and sticky sausages in this dish.

6 Good quality pork sausages
A knob of butter
3 Ripe Pears
2Tbsp Honey
1Tbsp Wholegrain mustard
A small wine glass of Perry (if you can't Perry, cider will be just as nice)
Fresh Cobnuts
Salt and pepper

In a large pan, fry the sausages on the hob until browned nicely. Add a good knob of butter, half the pears, then add them to the pan (you can griddle the cut side beforehand if you like – I always think that the charred lines add an extra visual dimension). Stir in the Perry, mustard and honey - season, then pop a lid on the pan and simmer on low for 20 minutes, turning the pears and sausages intermittently. Serve with a scattering of fresh whole Cobnuts and a hearty side of Celeriac mash.

New British classics

Recipes and food styling: Jane Hornby
Prop styling: Jo Harris

Hampshire breed sausages with puy lentils

I'd thought the term 'Snorker' to be an oft-used colloquialism for the

sausage around these parts. However, upon mentioning to friends that I was

"Gonna buy some good snorkers at the weekend", i think it was assumed

that I was referring to either a) some kind of bizarre sub-aquatic

enterprise, or b) an acquisition altogether more saucy, perhaps

warranting a Sid James-esque cackle as I left the shop. As it happened

I was just going to the butchers to get some bits for lunch, but such

is the way. Serves 2.

4 Hampshire breed sausages

200g Cooked puy lentils

1 Red onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

Fresh thyme, stalks removed

2tsp Dijon mustard

4tbsp Olive oil

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

A small bunch of spring onions

1 Pop your sausages under the grill. Gently soften the garlic, chilli,

onions and thyme in a pan, stir in the lentils and turn the heat off.

2 When the sausages are just about ready, spoon the mustard into a jam

jar, then add the olive oil, lemon juice and zest. Season, shake well and stir

into the lentils, along with the spring onions. Serve

with the cooked snorkers.