Lancashire Hotpot
Lancashire Hot Pot
Serves 4
Ingredients
50g of lard
3 tablespoons plain flour seasoned with salt & pepper
12 trimmed best of neck lamb chops
4 lamb’s kidneys discard the core and cut into bite size chunks ( I don’t like these so have omitted but they do add depth)
2 onions peeled and sliced
100g mushrooms cubed
1 bay leaf
1kg potatoes sliced up to 1/2cm thick
425 ml of boullion or veg stock
Knob of butter
A frying pan and a shallow casserole dish with a lid
Methodology
Preheat the oven 150°C fan, 170°C non fan, gas mark 3.5
Take the seasoned flour and coat the lamb chops
Heat a pan to a medium heat then add the lard, sear the coated lamb chops . Move them to the casserole dish and pack tightly. If adding kidneys fry in the same pan for about 1 minute until seared. Drain the kidneys and discard juices.
Lower the heat and add the onion until translucent (about 15 minutes). Just at the end stir in the flour and it should be quickly absorbed
Add the onions and mushrooms and kidneys to the casserole dish and pack them in. Pop in the bay lead and season
Cover the casserole with potatoes and then add the stock /marigold
Season the potatoes and add dots of butter
Pop on the lid and put in the oven for about 110 minutes.
Remove the lid turn up the oven to 170°C fan, 190°C non fan, gas mark 5
Cook for 30 minutes and the top should be golden brown, Serve with greens and I also like pickled red cabbage with this.
