Cooking the Southdowns Way

Cooking
the
South
Downs
Way
Introduction
The South Downs are a line of hills that run across the South East of England, from
Winchester in the west to Eastbourne in the east. This recipe booklet will introduce
you to some of the producers that farm the downs between Winchester and Arundel.
Local food writer Susie Carter, winner of Britain's Best Dish 2008, has created 12
seasonal recipes to showcase the ingredients of these producers. We hope the
booklet will inspire you to visit the South Downs and try some of the exceptional
food produced within this unique landscape. Many of the recipes are designed with
children in mind with suggestions on how they can join in the cooking, and several
of the featured farms are open to the public making an ideal family day out.
www.visitsouthdowns.com
Booklet produced by Hampshire Fare Ltd
www.hampshirefare.co.uk
Recipes © Susie Carter www.susieskitchen.co.uk
Food Photography by Peter Dawes www.pdpix.co.uk
Producer photography by Ann-Katrin Purkiss for the
South Downs Joint Committee unless otherwise
indicated.
Design and print by Greenhouse Graphics using
Ecoprint System 4 www.greenhousegraphics.co.uk
Funded by the South Downs Sustainable Development
Fund, Hampshire County Council and East Hampshire
District Council.
2
Contents
Spring
In Season
Roast Pork with Rhubarb Sauce
Simnel Bread and Butter Pudding
Apple Juice and Yoghurt Lollies
4
6
8
10
Summer
In Season
Spicy Mackerel Burgers
Plum and Blueberry Clafoutis
Courgette and Goats Cheese Rolls
12
14
16
18
Autumn
In Season
Breast of Lamb with Butternut Stuffing
Pear and Ginger Flapjack Pudding
Lavender Shortbread
20
22
24
26
Winter
In Season
Beef and Chestnut Beer Pie
Little Honey Puddings
South Downs Spaghetti Carbonara
Map and producer contact details
Information and index
28
30
32
34
36
38
3
In season...
radishes
cauliflower
cucumber asparagus
salad leaves
purple sprouting broccoli
spinach
carrots
Spring
March
April
May
Also look out for...
Wild venison - the hunting
season for most kinds continues
until April 30th
Spring lamb - a little less flavour
at this time of year, but the meat is
at its most tender
Sea fish - mackerel, herring and
ling are great value and plentiful
Game - the game season is over,
but you can enjoy rabbit and
pigeon all year round at great
prices
At the end of the season...
make the most of the first
asparagus, broad beans and
new potatoes
4
5
Roast pork with rhubarb sauce
serves 6 - 8
Apples are coming to the end of their season
in spring, so swap the usual apple sauce for
homemade rhubarb sauce. Pork belly makes an
economical roast; it’s easy to carve, always stays
juicy and makes the best crackling.
1.5 - 2kg pork belly, any ribs removed
& skin scored at 5mm intervals
Sea salt and black pepper to season
800g rhubarb
75g caster sugar
If you buy your pork from a butcher or farm shop,
they should be able to remove the
bones and score the skin for you.
Season the flesh with pepper,
then turn over and dry the skin
well with kitchen paper. Rub in
about 2 tbsp sea salt, making
sure it only goes into the skin,
not the flesh.
Preheat the oven as high as it will
go. After half an hour, brush off
any excess salt with some kitchen
paper, then transfer the tray to the
top shelf of the oven for 30 minutes.
This should result in some proper
crunchy crackling.
Turn the oven down to 160c / GM3 and
continue to cook the pork for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, roughly chop the rhubarb
and tip into a roasting tin. Sprinkle with
the sugar and shake the tin a bit until
the rhubarb is well coated. Bake in the
oven for 15-20 minutes until tender,
then mash into a thick sauce with a
fork.
To make the pork easier to carve,
remove the crackling in one go and
snap into pieces. Slice the meat and
put the rhubarb sauce in a bowl on
the table.
6
Hyden Farm Organics
Tips...
• If your crackling hasn’t crackled, remove it in
one piece using a sharp knife, then return to
the oven on a baking tray and give it 5-10
minutes at the highest setting whilst you
carve and serve the rest of the meal
• Left over sauce can be frozen for next time,
or spoon on top of yoghurt or cereal for
breakfast.
For little hands…
• Get the children involved by mashing the
roasted rhubarb into a pulpy sauce.
Clanfield, Waterlooville, PO8 0SD
02392 632683
www.hydenorganics.co.uk
Hyden is a fifth generation family farm in the Meon Valley.
They raise rare breeds with traditional techniques to
organic standards, ensuring excellent care for their
animals whilst protecting the surrounding countryside.
Farmers’ Markets
You can meet Richard and family and buy their
produce from farmers’ markets in Petersfield
and Winchester. The markets are a great way
of finding out what is grown in your area. You
can talk to the farmers and producers to find out more
about how the animals have been reared and how the
food has been made. Visit www.farmersmarkets.net for
more information.
7
Simnel bread and butter pudding
serves 6
This luxurious cousin of bread and butter pudding has all the
flavour of simnel cake, but none of the hassle and is a great way
to end your Easter Sunday lunch.
1 white bloomer loaf
50g softened butter
200g marzipan,
thinly sliced
300g jar mincemeat
300ml milk
300ml double cream
6 egg yolks
60g caster sugar
1 tbsp demerara sugar
fresh nutmeg for grating
Preheat oven to 180c / GM4 and line a 23cm square
cake tin with baking parchment.
Cut the bread into slices and butter both sides
generously. This is easiest to do if you butter the cut side
of the loaf before each slice, then stack and butter the
other side as you go. Layer the bread in the cake tin,
alternating with the marzipan slices and mincemeat,
finishing with a layer of bread.
Beat together the milk, cream, egg yolks and caster
sugar until the yolks are well incorporated.
Pour half of the mixture over the pudding
and leave to soak in for 10 minutes.
Pour over the other half, then sprinkle
with demerara sugar and grate over a
little nutmeg.
Bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes
until golden brown. To serve, remove
the pudding from the tin and cut into 6
portions. Accompany with a big jug of
custard.
8
Slindon Bakery
Slindon, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 0RP
01243 814369
Tips...
• Vary the recipe by adding marmalade
instead of mincemeat or your favourite
seasonal jam.
Slindon Bakery bake with locally-milled flour, including
wholemeal from Lurgashall Watermill. This environmental
ethos also applies to their 6 delivery vans which run on
bio-diesel they make from waste cooking oil.
Cut down on packaging
For little hands…
• Children can help by buttering the bread
and building the different layers in the tin.
Buying local produce can reduce the need for
packaging. For example, Slindon Bakery sell
mainly through farmers’ markets and use paper
or cornstarch bags. When you're finished with
one of their bags, you can put it in the compost bin with
your vegetable peelings, whilst plastic bags are thought to
take well over 500 years to break down in landfill.
9
Apple juice and yoghurt lollies
makes 8
1 bottle of apple juice
3 tbsp live natural yoghurt
For stripy lollies, pour half of the apple juice into a jug and
mix with the yoghurt until smooth.
Photo courtesy of Emma Caulton
Commercial ice lollies can be full of sugar, but if
you make your own you know exactly what’s gone
into them. They are easy to make and fun for the
children - the only difficult thing is waiting for
them to freeze!
Pour into the lolly moulds until they are 1/3 full. Insert the
sticks, add the plastic caps and freeze for 2 hours or until
solid.
Remove the plastic caps and add another third of plain
juice. Replace caps and freeze for another 2 hours.
Finally, fill the last third of the moulds with the juice and
yoghurt mixture, then freeze until solid.
To remove the lollies, run the outside of the mould under
warm water, then carefully pull the lollies out.
Hill Farm Juice
Tips...
• In summer you can make the lollies with a
homemade smoothie mixture. Put half a
bottle of juice and the yogurt in a blender
with a small punnet of strawberries or
raspberries and blitz until smooth before
filling the moulds.
For little hands…
• Children can make these with very
little adult intervention, though the unmoulding can be difficult for little ones.
10
Droxford Road, Swanmore, SO32 2PY
01489 878685
www.hillfarmjuice.co.uk
Hill Farm’s award-winning range of apple and pear juices
are made on the farm and can be found in good food
shops throughout the South Downs.
Cut down on food miles
If you buy apple juice made from concentrate,
chances are it has been made from apples
grown in China. Buy local apple juice and
you’ll cut down on over 5000 food miles whilst
enjoying a fresher tastier product. Reducing food miles
helps protect the environment by decreasing the amount
of CO2 produced by transporting food and drink from one
country to another.
11
Summer
In season...
June
July
berries and cherries
salad leaves
August
Also look out for...
carrots
courgettes
broad, french and runner beans
tomatoes
beetroot
fennel
12
Flat fish - delicious for light
summer suppers
Gluts - make the most of bumper
fruit and vegetable crops by
making your own jam and chutney,
which will add some sunshine to
your winter dishes
At the end of the season...
new potatoes
enjoy the first plums, cooking
apples and sweetcorn
13
Spicy Mackerel Burgers
serves 4
These burgers make a welcome addition to a
summer barbeque and because mackerel are
an oily fish, they are full of Omega 3.
4 mackerel, filleted & skinned by your fishmonger
2 mild red chillies, deseeded & chopped
4 spring onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3cm chunk of root ginger, grated
Small bunch fresh coriander, chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded (optional)
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
pinch of sugar
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
Put all of the ingredients except the fish, flour and oil in a
food processor with a pinch of salt and a good grind of
black pepper and blitz until evenly mixed. Roughly chop
the mackerel fillets, then add them to the food
processor and pulse until chopped and evenly
spiced.
Flour your hands well and shape the
mixture into 4 burgers. The mixture will be quite
soft, so dust the burgers with flour as necessary to stop
your hands sticking. Space the burgers out on an oiled
baking tray and put in the fridge to firm up for at least 30
minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180c/GM4. To make the
burgers easier to BBQ, brush the tops with oil and
bake for 12 minutes.
They can then be cooked over a hot barbeque to
impart a lovely smoky taste, or finished off in a griddle
pan for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Serve the burgers in a roll with your
favourite topping, or try them with
watercress and chilli jam.
14
Didling Good Lumpwood Charcoal
Didling, Midhurst, West Sussex
01730 814815
Tips...
• You can also use herring or sardines for
these burgers which are both sustainably
fished off the South coast.
All the timber for the charcoal made by Chris and Lucy
is sourced locally from sustainable sources, with the
majority coppiced within 15 miles of their woodland
home.
Enhancing habitats
For little hands…
• The Thai herbs and spices used in the
burgers are very aromatic - ask the
children to smell each ingredient so they
start to recognise the flavours.
Coppicing is the ancient craft of cutting trees
to ground level to encourage strong regrowth,
which provides a renewable source of timber.
The long thin branches can be used to make a
variety of woodland craft such as baskets and hurdles or
they can be made into charcoal for fuel. Coppicing is
good for the environment as it allows light to reach the
woodland floor, allowing different species of plants and
animals to thrive.
15
Plum & Blueberry Clafoutis
serves 4
If you can make Yorkshire pudding, you can make
clafoutis - it’s basically ‘toad in the hole’ featuring
seasonal fruit and a sweetened batter, and it makes
a wonderful warming summer or autumn pudding.
6 plums, halved and stoned
150g blueberries
75g caster sugar
75g butter
160ml milk
150ml double cream
1 egg plus 3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
50g plain flour
1 tbsp demerara sugar
Mix the fruit with 1 tablespoon of the caster sugar
and leave out of the fridge for 30 minutes to get the
juices flowing.
Preheat oven to 190C / GM 5. Melt the butter in a
saucepan, then cook, swirling occasionally, until it
turns golden brown and smells caramelised. First it will
go foamy, then it will cook off, then it will go foamy
again.
Brush a little butter inside a baking dish, then add a
spoonful of sugar and shake it round the dish so that it
sticks in an even layer.
Measure the milk and cream into a measuring jug, then
lightly whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract, melted butter and
any juices from the fruit.
Sift the flour into a bowl with a pinch of salt and the rest of
the sugar and make a well in the middle. Pour the egg
and cream mixture into the well whilst whisking in the flour
from the outside, until you have a lump-free batter.
Arrange the plum halves and blueberries in the prepared
baking dish, then pour in the batter and put straight into
the oven. Bake for 35–45 minutes or until a skewer
inserted into the centre of the pudding comes out clean.
Sprinkle with the demerara sugar.
16
Durleighmarsh Farm Shop
Tips...
• Serve the pudding hot or cold with
custard or thick local cream.
• You can use any seasonal fruit for this
recipe and one of the classic choices is
cherries. You can also enrich the batter
with 2 tbsp ground almonds or add a tsp of
ground cinnamon or your favourite spice.
For little hands…
• Children can help by arranging the fruit in
the baking dish, though their main role will
be eating the finished pudding!
Petersfield, GU31 5AX
01730 821626
www.durleighmarshfarmshop.co.uk
Durleighmarsh Farm is a family-run farm shop and
pick your own. They grow a huge variety of fruit and
vegetables, and their farm shop stocks lots of other
produce from the South Downs.
Pick your own
Picking your own fruit and veg is the best way
to ensure maximum freshness and minimum
packaging. It is usually much cheaper than
buying berries from the supermarket, and
children love it. They learn how the different fruits grow
whilst enjoying fresh air and exercise in the countryside.
They are also more likely to try the fruits if they’ve picked
them themselves.
17
Courgette and goats cheese rolls
makes approx 40
These little roulades are quick and easy to prepare.
If you have space in the garden, try growing a
courgette plant this year - just one plant will
produce many courgettes which grow from tiny
to huge in just a few days.
2 medium courgettes
150g Hansus goats cheese
4 tbsp double cream
handful basil leaves, thinly shredded
1 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Use a vegetable peeler to slice the courgettes
lengthways into thick ribbons. Lay on a tray, season well
with salt and black pepper, then leave for 10 minutes the salt will soften and cure them slightly.
Mash the cheese with a fork and mix with the rest of the
ingredients until well combined.
Roll up a teaspoon of the mixture inside each courgette
ribbon, then stand the rolls on their ends on a serving
plate.
Hansus Cottage
Tips...
• Look out for yellow courgettes too - using
both varieties will look especially pretty on
the serving plate.
For little hands…
• Slicing the courgettes is an adult job, but
everything else can be done by younger
members of the family. As canapés they
are particularly good before a summer
barbeque and children will really feel as if
they have made a contribution to the meal.
18
Langley Farm Lane, Liss, GU33 7JW
01730 894854
www.hansuscottage.co.uk
Jane’s tiny dairy produces award-winning, handmade soft
goats’ cheeses using unpasteurised milk from her own
herd. Between August and December, you can also buy
kid meat from the farm.
Traceability
Buying local produce makes it is easier
to trace the food you are eating back to
the farm where it was grown. This can
give you peace of mind about animal welfare and storage
conditions and means you know exactly where to go to
get more of the produce you have enjoyed.
19
Autumn
In season...
beetroot
pumpkins and squash
September
October
November
plums and greengages
dessert and cooking apples
salad leaves
sweetcorn
courgettes
autumn raspberries
parsnips
leeks
pears
potatoes
cabbages and sprouts
figs
20
fennel
Also look out for...
In the hedgerow - sloes,
blackberries and elderberries,
chestnuts and cobnuts
In the skies - the start of the
game season for mallard, partridge
and pheasants
In the seas - local shellfish is at
its best including oysters, mussels
and clams
At the end of the season...
preserve the last of the season’s
harvest as chutney - think apples,
pumpkin and red cabbage with
dried fruit and spices
21
Breast of lamb with butternut stuffing
serves 4
1 breast of lamb (approx 600g),
boned
1 small butternut squash
4 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 handfuls breadcrumbs
10 fresh basil leaves, shredded
4 baking potatoes
Preheat oven to 190c / GM5. Peel and halve the butternut
and remove the seeds. Cut the flesh into 2cm cubes,
season with salt and black pepper and roast in 3 tbsp of
the oil for 35 - 40 minutes, stirring half way through.
Stir in the crushed garlic, followed by the
breadcrumbs and basil leaves. Season with salt
and pepper and put to one side.
Increase the oven heat to 220c / GM7. Lay
the lamb out skin side down and pile the
stuffing in a line down the middle. Wipe
out the roasting tin, then add the rest of
the oil and put in the oven to heat.
Roll the lamb up tightly and tie with
string at 4 cm intervals. Season
the outside with salt and
pepper, then roast for 25
minutes, turning half way
through.
Meanwhile, peel the
potatoes and slice as
thinly as possible with a
sharp knife or mandolin.
Take the lamb out of the
oven and reduce the
temperature to 160c / GM3.
Transfer the lamb to a plate,
then tip the potato slices into the
tin. Season with salt and pepper
and stir carefully to coat with the
lamb fat.
Spread out into an even layer,
put the lamb on top and return
to the oven for 2 hours.
22
Photo courtesy of Susie Carter
Lamb breast is one of the most economical
cuts of what can otherwise be an expensive
animal. Despite it’s modest price tag, it is full
of flavour and the layers of fat mean the joint
slowly bastes itself from the inside out.
Grange Farm
Tips...
• To serve, remove the string from the lamb
with scissors and carve into thick slices.
Put the tin under a hot grill to crisp the
top layer of potato.
Empshott, Liss, GU33 6HT
01420 538104
www.grange-farm-empshott.co.uk
Grange Farm run a flock of 600 breeding ewes, which
makes for a very busy time when they lamb in April and
May. The lambs then spend their whole lives out in grass
pasture where they are allowed to grow slowly and
naturally, producing excellent meat that is lower in fat
and has a tender succulent flavour.
For little hands…
• Children will have to take a step back for
the cooking of this dish, but they will love
eating it - the top layer of potato ends up
like crunchy crisps.
Farm Shops
Many farms have an on-site shop where you
can buy their own produce along with food
and drink from other local growers. As you
would expect, they know their ingredients
inside out, so you can pick up all sorts of cooking tips
and serving suggestions.
23
Pear & ginger flapjack pudding
serves 6
Sweet, chewy oats and buttery soft pears
are an irresistible combination in this
alternative to the classic steamed sponges
of late autumn.
with cinnamon cream
150g butter
150g soft light brown sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup
200 - 300g porridge oats
1/2 tsp ground ginger
4 pears, peeled & cored
75g crystallised ginger,
chopped
284ml pot double cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 180c / GM4. Butter a ceramic
pudding basin and line the base with a circle of
greaseproof paper. Put the butter, sugar & syrup
in a saucepan and heat until melted and
smooth.
Blackmoor Farm Shop
Stir in the ground ginger and enough oats to
form a stiff dough, then press 3/4 of the
mixture into the pudding basin to form an
even case.
Cut the pears into bite sized chunks and
mix with the crystallised ginger, then
pack them into the flapjack-lined basin.
Sprinkle over the rest of the oat
mixture and press down firmly to seal
in the pears.
Cover the basin with foil, then bake
in the oven for 1 hour.
While the pudding is cooking, whip
the cream with the icing sugar and
cinnamon until thick, but not stiff.
Remove the pudding from the oven, then leave to set for
10 minutes. Run a palate knife around the edge to loosen
the pudding, then carefully turn out onto a plate.
Serve with the cinnamon cream alongside.
Tips...
• You can replace the pears with cooking
apples and the ginger with a handful of
sultanas to make a tasty alternative to the
usual apple pies and crumbles.
Blackmoor Estate, Blackmoor, GU33 6BS
01420 473782
www.blackmoorestate.com
Blackmoor Estate is one of the biggest producers of
apples and pears in the UK. You can also buy over 75
different varieties of fruit bushes, trees and canes to start
your own mini orchard at home.
Food and Farming Trails
For little hands…
• Children can get involved by constructing
the pudding. Make sure the oat mixture
has cooled down enough to handle, then
let them build the oat "igloo" and fill with
the pear mixture.
This series of leaflets guide you on walks
around farms in East Hampshire, one of
which is Blackmoor Estate. Each leaflet gives
information about the farm and the benefits of
local food and keeping fit. Look out for the
Scarecrow signposts to discover more about what is
growing in the fields whilst enjoying fresh air and exercise.
Visit www.hampshirefare.co.uk for details.
24
25
Lavender Shortbread
makes approx. 16 biscuits
Lavender makes a great alternative to rosemary
with roast lamb when picked fresh in the summer,
or use it dried to flavour desserts and biscuits all
year round.
Preheat the oven to 180c / GM4. Carefully remove the
little flower buds from the lavender stalks, then grind them
in a pestle and mortar to break them up into smaller
pieces and release the aroma.
6 stems of dried lavender
225g plain flour
75g caster sugar
Mix together with the flour and sugar in a large bowl,
then add the butter and rub in with your finger tips until
it comes together into a smooth dough.
150g butter, cubed
50g granulated sugar
Roll out the shortbread on a lightly floured surface until
approx 1.5cm thick. Cut the sheet into shapes, then
transfer to a lined baking tray.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, turning the tray round halfway
through, then use a tea strainer to dust the biscuits with
granulated sugar. Leave to cool on the tray.
These are lovely with a cup of tea, or serve with creamy
desserts like crème caramel or fruit fool.
English Hampshire Lavender
Tips...
• Keep a batch of these biscuits in the
cupboard as they make a great last
minute dessert: whip double cream with
a little honey until thick then sandwich
between the biscuits with some autumn
raspberries.
For little hands…
• Children can help rub the butter into the
flour, then unleash their creative side
cutting the dough into shapes.
26
Hartley Park Farm, Selborne, Alton, GU34 3HP
01420 511146
www.english-hampshire-lavender.co.uk
English Hampshire Lavender grows 24 acres of lavender
at Hartley Park Farm. As well as selling the lavender in
bunches and dried, they also produce 700 litres of pure
lavender oil for their bath and body care products.
Educating your senses
In the main growing season, many farms open
their doors to visitors, and English Hampshire
Lavender is no exception. As well as being
able to see the plants growing, you can touch
and smell the different varieties. Building up a memory
bank of different aromas and flavours from an early age
can help teach young palates to appreciate and
understand food more.
27
Winter
In season...
apples
December
January
February
jerusalem artichokes
red cabbage
savoy cabbage
kale
turnips
chestnuts
Also look out for...
Sea fish - this is the best time
of year for most varieties of fish
in local waters. No wonder the
French celebrate the festive
season with big shellfish platters
leeks
brussel sprouts
cauliflower
At the end of the season...
swiss and ruby chard
celeriac
28
Cooking apples - make the
most of cooking apples before
they become scarce by making
apple puree and freezing it for
later use in crumbles, pies and
puddings
The shooting season for wild
ducks and geese finishes on
January 31st, with the season for
pheasant and partridge ending
the following day. Game birds are
excellent value at the end of the
season, so stock up and make
game pies and casseroles for the
freezer
29
Photo courtesy of Rother Valley Organics
Beef and chestnut beer pie
serves 4 - 6
Local ales make a delicious cooking liquor for
winter stews. Try using chestnut beer from South
Downs brewery, Bowman Ales, to add a particularly
seasonal flavour to this classic pie filling.
1kg beef skirt, cut
into 4cm cubes
3 tbsp plain flour
2 tsp mustard powder
4 tbsp rapeseed
or olive oil
1 large onion, finely
chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
350ml "Nutz" from
Bowman Ales
1ltr good quality
beef stock
1 bay leaf
350g plain flour
100g beef suet
75g butter
1 egg, beaten
Dust the beef with the flour, mustard powder and plenty
of salt and pepper until well coated.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sear in small batches
until browned all over. Remove and keep warm.
Add the onions to the pan and cook until soft and golden.
Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
Shake in the left over flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring
constantly. Continue stirring whilst you slowly pour in the
chestnut beer, then stir in the beef stock, bay leaf and
beef and bring back to the boil.
Cover and simmer very gently for 2 - 2 1/2 hours until the
sauce is thick and the beef meltingly soft. Leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to 200c / GM6. To make the pastry, put
the butter in the freezer for 10 minutes. Mix together the
flour and suet with 1/2 tsp salt, then grate in the
thoroughly chilled butter and mix again.
Add enough cold water to bind into a pliable pastry, and
roll half of it out on a lightly floured surface until 5mm
thick. Use to line your pie dish, leaving a little to overhang,
and brush the edges with beaten egg.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pieces of beef to the
pastry case, then add enough sauce to cover.
Roll out the other half of the pastry until 8mm thick and
lay over the top. Cut off any excess pastry, then pinch
or crimp the edges to seal and brush the top with
beaten egg.
Bake the pie for 45 - 55 minutes until
the pastry is a deep golden brown.
Rother Valley Organics
Tips...
• Ask your butcher for a chunk of marrow
bone approx 7cm long, and stand it in
the centre of the pastry case before the
filling is added. The bone will act as a pie
funnel whilst the marrow enriches the
sauce.
• If you have excess sauce, reheat it just
before serving and use as gravy.
For little hands…
• Children can use the pastry trimmings to
cut out shapes and decorate the top of
the pie.
30
Sandilands Farm, Rogate, Petersfield, GU31 5HU
01730 821062
www.rothervalleyorganics.com
Organic farmers, Shon and Simon Sprackling launched
Rother Valley Organics in early 2004. The idea was to sell
organic meat direct to customers’ doors - handling the
entire process from pasture to plate whilst helping to
preserve some of the most environmentally sensitive
areas of the South Downs.
School Visits
Hampshire Country Learning provides the
opportunity for school children to explore and
enjoy the countryside, understand its
importance and realise that they have a role in
caring for its future. They raise knowledge and
understanding by establishing links between schools,
farmers and landowners and the visits enrich learning in
many curriculum subjects. www.countrytrust.org.uk
31
Little Honey Puddings
serves 6
This simple dessert showcases local honey and
makes a change to the classic syrup sponge
pudding. Great as an occasional treat when
paired with a light and healthy main course.
175g self raising flour
175g butter, softened
175g caster sugar
3 eggs
6 tbsp honey, plus extra for drizzling
Put some water on to heat in a steamer.
Using an electric hand mixer, whisk together the flour,
butter, sugar and eggs until light and fluffy.
Grease the inside of 6 mini pudding tins with a little oil or
butter, then add a tablespoon of honey to each. Divide
the cake mixture between the tins, then cover each one
with a piece of buttered foil.
Put the puddings in the steamer and cook for 35 - 45
minutes.
Carefully remove the foil and turn the puddings out into
bowls. Drizzle over a little extra honey and serve with
your favourite local ice cream.
Hampshire Beekeepers’ Association
www.beetalk.org.uk
Tips...
• These puddings are also delicious with the
addition of stewed apple or rhubarb: mix 2 tbsp
of stewed fruit with the honey in the bottom of
the tins before adding the cake mix.
• You can also make 1 large pudding - increase
the steaming time to 2 hours and keep
checking the level of the water so that it
doesn’t boil dry.
For little hands…
• Your children will probably enjoy steamed
puddings as much as you did when you were
little. Many of the best recipes are passed down
through families, so help your children keep this
tradition alive for generations to come.
32
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Beekeepers’
Association was founded in 1882 and now consists of
over 600 registered beekeepers. The South Downs
provides a diverse range of habitats for the woodland
honey bee and you can buy locally produced honey in
all good farm shops.
Pollination
All flowering plants require pollination in order
to reproduce and bear fruit. As bees travel
from blossom to blossom in search of nectar,
they transfer pollen from plant to plant, which
makes them an essential part of our ecosystem. Albert
Einstein is reputed to have said, "If the bee disappeared
off the surface of the globe then man would only have
four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination,
no more plants, no more animals, no more man."
33
South Downs Spaghetti Carbonara
serves 2
Try this recipe once and you need never buy
processed pasta sauces again! You can make the
sauce in less time than it takes to cook the pasta,
so it makes a great quick lunch or dinner for the
children. Alternatively, increase the quantities and
make enough for everyone to enjoy.
150 - 200g spaghetti, depending on hunger
4 thick rashers dry cured smoked streaky bacon
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 large egg
50g local hard cheese or parmesan, grated
small bunch fresh parsley or basil (optional)
Bring
a large
pan of
salted water
to the boil,
then add the
spaghetti and
check the packet for
cooking time (usually
about 12 minutes).
Slice the bacon into small
lardons or cubes and fry in a
little oil until golden brown. Add
the garlic and lower the heat, stirring
occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
Break the egg into a jug and season with
black pepper. Add the grated cheese and
mix to combine.
When the pasta is ready, drain and add it to the
bacon pan. Turn off the heat, then throw in the
chopped herbs, pour in the egg mixture and give it a
good stir.
Serve immediately in warm bowls. The egg makes a
lovely creamy sauce when it comes into contact with the
steaming hot pasta. Don’t be tempted to cook it as it will
scramble!
34
Lodge Hill Farm
Tips...
• Try making your own egg pasta: sift 600g
pasta flour into a bowl and make a well in
the middle. Break in 6 eggs and whisk
with a fork, slowly incorporating more flour
until combined. Knead until smooth, then
chill for 30 minutes.
Motor Road, West Dean, Chichester,
West Sussex PO18 0RT
01243 535245
Lodge Hill Farm rear free range chickens on the chalk
Downs near Chichester. Allowing chickens to forage for
their own food gives them a much more varied and
natural diet and results in far tastier eggs.
Animal welfare
For little hands…
• Children can join in rolling and shaping
homemade pasta: tear off a small lump of
dough and roll out on a floured surface
until as thick as a playing card and cut into
thin strips. Fresh pasta is even quicker to
cook - just 3 or 4 minutes normally.
One of the many benefits of buying local food
is being able to support farms with a high level
of animal welfare. This is especially important
when choosing where to buy eggs, as
supermarkets have for many years lowered their costs by
stocking eggs from chickens that have been intensively
farmed in cages. Buy free-range locally laid eggs from
farm shops and farmers’ markets and help put an end to
these cruel practices.
35
Exploring the
2. Slindon Bakery
Slindon, Arundel, West Sussex,
BN18 0RP
01243 814369
3. Hill Farm Juice
Droxford Road, Swanmore,
SO32 2PY
01489 878685
www.hillfarmjuice.co.uk
5. Durleighmarsh Farm Shop
Petersfield, GU31 5AX
01730 821626
www.durleighmarshfarmshop.co.uk
6. Hansus Cottage
Langley Farm Lane, Liss,
GU33 7JW
01730 894854
www.hansuscottage.co.uk
7. Grange Farm
Empshott, Liss, GU33 6HT
01420 538104
www.grange-farm-empshott.co.uk
9. English Hampshire Lavender
Hartley Park Farm, Selborne, Alton,
GU34 3HP
01420 511146
www.english-hampshirelavender.co.uk
A33
A272
9
A34
M3
New
Alresford
Selborne
8
7
Liss
A3090
6
Liphook
5
11
10. Rother Valley Organics
Farm Office, Sandilands Farm,
Rogate, Petersfield, GU31 5HU
01730 821062
www.rothervalleyorganics.com
Butser Hill
270m
Old
Winchester
Hill
3
Bishop's
Waltham
11. Hampshire Beekeepers’
Association
www.beetalk.org.uk
0
10
4
1
R.
Me
on
1. Hyden Farm Organics
Clanfield, Waterlooville, PO8 0SD
02392 632683
www.hydenorganics.co.uk
South Downs
Sussex
Downs
AONB
12
2
Havant
10km
Chichester
4. Didling Good Lumpwood
Charcoal
Didling, Midhurst, West Sussex
01730 814815
8. Blackmoor Farm Shop
Blackmoor Estate, Blackmoor,
GU33 6BS
01420 473782
www.blackmoorestate.com
12. Lodge Hill Farm
Motor Road, West Dean, Chichester,
West Sussex PO18 0RT
01243 535245
Railway
County boundary
River
Producers with on-site shop
36
A road
B road
Land over 183m (600ft)
This map is based upon Ordnance Survey material with the permission of
Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office
c Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and
may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings.
Natural England
100046223
2009
37
Our thanks to
South Downs Joint Committee
The South Downs are situated in the South East of
England and are currently designated as two Areas of
Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB): East Hampshire
AONB and Sussex Downs AONB. The South Downs
Joint Committee was established in 2005 to provide one
clear voice on issues across the South Downs and help
preserve this beautiful part of the English countryside for
generations to come. The funding for this booklet has
been provided through the South Downs Sustainable
Development Fund
www.southdowns.gov.uk
Hampshire County Council
Hampshire County Council are great supporters of the
local rural economy, which is especially important as over
85% of Hampshire is categorised as rural. The Economic
Development Office helps to fund several initiatives
including Hampshire Fare, the Sustainable Business
Partnership and the Hampshire Market Towns Project.
The Countryside Service manages Rights of Way,
Heritage and Conservation Sites, and Countryside
Access within Hampshire.
www.hants.gov.uk
Hampshire Fare
Hampshire Fare was established in 1991 to encourage
more people to use more local produce. The not-for-profit
organisation works with producers and farmers in
Hampshire as well as shops, restaurants, schools,
hospitals, government agencies, the media and the
public to get everyone working together and consuming
the quality produce that is grown, reared and produced in
Hampshire and surrounds.
www.hampshirefare.co.uk
A
animal welfare
apple juice
Apple Juice and Yoghurt Lollies
apples
B
barbequing
beef
Beef and Chestnut Beer Pie
Blackmoor Farm Shop
blueberries
bread
Breast of Lamb with
Butternut Stuffing
butternut squash
35
10
10
25
14, 15
30
30
25
16
8
C
charcoal
Cinnamon Cream
coppicing
Courgette and Goats Cheese Rolls
courgettes
East Hampshire District Council
The countryside section of East Hampshire District
Council is an active member of many partnership
organisations and on the Board of Hampshire Fare.
It is also a member of the Country Trust Hampshire,
Hampshire Farming Partnership and the Hampshire
Biodiversity Partnership group.
www.easthants.gov.uk
22
22
15
24
15
18
18
D
Didling Good Lumpwood Charcoal 15
double cream
8, 16, 24
Durleighmarsh Farm Shop
17
E
27
educating your senses
eggs
8, 16, 34, 35
English Hampshire Lavender
27
Enhancing habitats
15
F
farm shops
38
Index
17, 23, 25, 27, 31
farmers’ markets
food and farming trails
food miles
G
game
goats cheese
Grange Farm
grow your own
7
25
11
21, 29
18
23
18, 25
H
Hampshire Beekeepers
Association
Hampshire Country Learning
Hansus Cottage
Hill Farm Juice
honey
Hyden Farm Organics
33
31
19
11
32
7
L
lamb
Lavender Shortbread
Little Honey Puddings
Lodge Hill Farm
22
26
32
35
M
mackerel
map
meat recipes
O
oats
organic producers
14
37
6, 22, 30
24
7, 31
P
pasta
34
Pear and Ginger Flapjack Pudding 24
pears
pick your own
Plum and Blueberry Clafoutis
plums
pollination
pork
potatoes
24
17
16
16
33
6
22
R
reducing packaging
Rhubarb Sauce
Roast Pork with Rhubarb Sauce
Rother Valley Organics
9
6
6
31
S
31
school visits
seasonal produce list
5, 13, 21, 29
Simnel Bread and Butter Pudding
8
Slindon Bakery
9
Southdowns Spaghetti Carbonara 34
Spicy Mackerel Burgers
14
sweet recipes 8, 10, 16, 24, 26, 32
T
traceability
19
V
vegetarian recipes
10, 16, 18, 24, 26, 32
Y
yoghurt
10
Recipes in blue
Producers in green
39
Cooking the South Downs Way is about enjoying the best of the
area’s produce with family and friends. There are 12 seasonal recipes
to try, with helpful tips on how to get children involved in the cooking.
Learn about the producers who work across the Downs and find out
why buying local food is good for more than just your taste buds.