Sausage & red pepper hot pot 

Sausages are one of the most comforting meals – choose your favourites for this recipe. This one-pot stew is a complete main course, with a green vegetable if you like, and will keep all the family happy.   

Serves 4

Prepare ahead Can be made up to 8 hours ahead. Bring to the boil to reheat.

Freeze Freezes well.

1 tbsp sunflower oil

8 spicy pork sausages

4 rashers of smoked bacon, finely chopped

1 onion, sliced

1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into large pieces

1 large carrot, diced into small pieces

1 garlic clove, crushed

300ml (10fl oz) of chicken stock 

400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste

2 fresh thyme sprigs

250g (9oz) baby new potatoes, skin on, thickly sliced into discs

salt and freshly ground

black pepper

•  You will need a large, deep frying pan or sauté pan with a lid or a flameproof casserole dish. Heat the oil in the pan over a high heat. Add the sausages and fry them until browned on all sides, then set them aside. Add the bacon and fry for a few minutes until crisp, then set aside.

•  Add the onion, pepper, carrot and garlic to the pan and fry for 5 minutes over a high heat. Pour in the stock, tomatoes and tomato paste, then add the thyme sprigs. Bring to the boil, add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.

•  Turn the heat down to a simmer and return the bacon and sausages to the pan. Cover and simmer on the hob for about 20 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced a little and the sausages and vegetables are tender. Serve in bowls, with a green vegetable.