Tussock Hotpot

The Tussock Hotpot is one of many really unique recipe ideas that I'd like to try to bring to life that kind of intimidate me. This particular idea comes from the book The Long Patrol, when the "famous Tussock hotpot" was described: "In a huge earthenware basin coated with a golden piecrust was a delicious medley of corn, carrots, mushrooms, turnips, winter cabbage, and onions, in a thick, rich gravy full of Mem's secret herbs." I was surprised to see corn mentioned, since all other foods in Redwall are indigenous to the British Isles. You don't find any mention to things like squash or citrus, (although I did use lemon peel in my first jam recipe), and this is the only mention of corn in the entire series. I decided to combine the onions and herbed gravy and use my onion sauce recipe here. I hesitantly recommend using a store-bought pie crust for this just because the vegetables themselves will take a lot of time and effort. I did have trouble with a store-bought crust crumbling to nothing, though, so I don't have any pictures of the finished pie.

Tussock Hotpot

Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 turnip
• 3 large white mushrooms
• 2 carrots
• 1 small head cabbage
• 1 cup corn
• 1 recipe onion sauce
• 1 box containing 2 pie crusts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Peel the turnips and slice them thinly (I used the 1/8" setting on my mandolin)
   
3. Slice the mushrooms thinly
   
4. Peel and slice the carrots thinly
   
5. Shred the cabbage leaves, discarding the tough outer leaves and the hard center veins
6. Line a pie pan with one crust
7. Layer the turnips along the bottom of the crust
   
8. Layer the mushrooms on top of the turnips
   
9. Layer the carrots on top of the mushrooms
   
10. Layer the shredded lettuce on top of the carrots
    
11. Sprinkle corn evenly over the cabbage
    
12. Pour the onion sauce evenly over the corn
    
13. Top with remaining pie crust, pinch shut, and cut slits into the top to release steam
    
14. Bake for 40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown