Wednesday 16 January 2008

Traditional English Recipe - Lancashire Hot Pot

The weather has been horrible over the past couple of weeks, so I haven't had any time to venture into the countryside with my camera. All we have had is rain, rain rain and more rain. Well, I guess that comes with living in England...LOL! So, whilst I am still waiting for the weather to improve so that I can complete my photo challenge for this month, I decided to bring a little bit of the countryside into the house, by cooking a tradional rustic British meal of Lancashire Hot Pot. Whilst deciding to cook this for my dinner yesterday evening, I made the decision that this would become my next blog recipe. So here it is....

Lancashire Hot Pot - The perfect easy rustic one pot meal
______________________________________________Ingredients(Serves 4)

500 g / 1 lb neck or chump of lamb (or minced lamb)
150 g / 5 oz diced carrots
150 g / 5 oz diced swede
150 g / 5 oz diced parsnip
150 g / 5 oz diced celery
3 onions, sliced or chopped
500 ml / 17 fl oz lamb stock
4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
25 g / 1 oz butter
Salt
Pepper

(Note: Lancashire Hot Pot is traditionally made with lamb. However, the lamb can also be replaced by beef if desired).

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Lancashire Hot Pot - Ingredients 1

If you do use this great recipe for a traditional Lancashire Hot Pot, please be welcome to either email me or leave a comment at the bottom of this post with your feedback. Thank You ~ Graham :o)
_______________________________________________

Lancashire hot pot is one of Britain’s great country dishes. Very simple dish full of lamb, potatoes and vegetables and the end result is stunning if it is done right.

The preparation for this dish is simple, if you are using lamb pieces you will need to cut them into reasonable size chunks. Then peel the vegetables and roughly dice them too.

Lancashire Hot Pot - Vegetables Chopped

Make sure the pan is nice and hot as the first thing is to get the vegetables going. So, take some butter and drop it in the pan.

Lancashire Hot Pot - Add butter to the pan

Then all you have to do is simply throw in the vegetables. Just move them around the pan until the butter melts and starts softening the veg.

Lancashire Hot Pot - Soften the vegetables 2

Another 2 minutes is all about they need. Then set them aside in the pot.

Now turn your attention to the lamb. Add the lamb to the pan (not too much at a time). There is a thought to this dish that you should put the lamb straight in the hot pot. I have tried Lancashire Hot Pots like that and tend not to agree with it as I like the lamb to have a rich colour.

Lancashire Hot Pot - Brown the lamb

When you have browned off all the lamb, add it to the pot. At this point, you must not forget the lamb stock, which I made earlier using a Lamb stock cube (yes, I cheated tonight as I am using Lamb mince rather than lamb pieces with bones). However, if you have a chance to make your own stock Lamb stock from lamb bones, then that is great.

Lancashire Hot Pot - Improve the stock

The important thing to remember here is that you don’t want to carry on preparing the Hot Pot, leaving all the dark caramelised bits from the lamb in the bottom of the pan. It’ll be a terrible shame to waste them. So I always pour the stock into the pan, give it a shake and now the magic happens. Most of the caramelised bits have come off the pan into the stock and the stock is even better with a greater lamb flavour.

Next, mix the veggies and browned lamb together, giving it a stir. This is why it is called a Hot Pot. It is one pot cooking and very simple. You need to season it well with sea salt and black pepper. Pepper is really important in dishes like this – it used to be the number one seasoning. The best of country cooking.

Next add the stock until it almost covers the lamb and veg.

Lancashire Hot Pot - Add the stock to the pot

Now to the potatoes. I have sliced these potatoes (you can do them in a food processor or by hand). Then start layering them around the dish. The idea is that with the two layers of potatoes, the bottom layer soaks up some of the stock and goes all soft and lovely and full of lamb flavours. Whereas the top layer curls up and goes brilliantly crispy. Once you have positioned the first layer, push it down so that all the juices go over it and coat it.

Lancashire Hot Pot - Add the first layer of potato slices

Before adding the second layer, because potatoes need seasoning, sprinkle some sea salt and black pepper over the top.

Okay, on with the show. Add the second layer of potatoes over the pot and, before placing in the oven, pour over any remaining stock and add a little more seasoning.

Lancashire Hot Pot - Add the second layer of potatoes

And that is all there is too it. Lancashire Hot Pot, simple as it comes, very rustic, no need to try and make look amazing in presentation, because you can’t – it is just lamb, vegetables and potatoes – very easy.

All that is left to do, is to get it into the oven at 160 C / 320 F (gas mark 3) for 90 minutes until the lamb is tender and the top layer of potatoes are golden and crunch.

And there you have it, Graham’s home made Lancashire Hot Pot. The simplest meal on earth.

Lancashire Hot Pot - The perfect easy rustic one pot meal


I am hoping the weather will hold up bit over the next few days so that I can get outside and snap away with my camera. I'll be sure to post my January challenge photo soon!

Cheerio for now!!!!

Graham Ettridge x

ps. And before anybody even thinks about asking.... No, I didn't eat the whole Hot Pot in one sitting, LOL! This dish will keep me going for the rest of the week...LOL!!!! By the way, to all vegetarians and vegans who are reading this post. I promise that my next recipe will be for a vegetarian dish!!!!!



Please be welcome to leave a comment below:

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks yummy, Graham! I love a good hotpot. My version is a bit of a cheat's hotpot though. In mine everything goes into a large pot on the hob including chunks of potato, a tin of baked beans and some worcester sauce. How lazy am I!
It looks on the weather map that you've been getting a right soaking, while us "up north" have had lovely sunshine. I think that all changes today. I think we have snow forecast.

no more said...

I wouldn't mind trying that with beef. Have you ever made a pot roast with vegetables? That may come as close as I can get to what you've made - or vegetable beef soup. And it looks so pretty

I'm a big meat and potatoes person so that's right up my alley. Except i'm not quite sure of some of the vegetable ingredients as to what they are. What is a swede?

nice pics to go with it!

AZZITIZZ said...

Here's a comment from my tummy,
Just to say your dish looks scrummy.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!

:)

Max Coutinho said...

Hello Graham,

Now this is what I call a yummy dish! I love lamb, I love vegies...

I must say that I would do the lamb stock with lamb bones: much more healthier!

I must congratulate you: you are an excellent cook *clap clap clap*! I am impressed, the hot pot had that yummy look that really appeals the eye :D!

Thanks for sharing the recipe with us :)!

Cheers

Anonymous said...

Great. Its only 10am over here...I have another two hours until lunch time and this post made me HUNGRY!

Michelle Hix said...

Wait, world traveler, photographer, writer, and fabulous cook? I'm sorry...tell us again why you are still single? The hotpot looks fabulous...in fact, I am going to try with turkey (sorry, don't eat lamb) and see how it turns out. Beautiful presentation!

linda said...

My husband would eat that every night of the week.

Crystal said...

Hi hi hi... I already got my answers in the postscript. :D

The veges looked so fresh. I'd keep this recipe, but I shall try this with beef instead as you suggested. Thank you for sharing, my friend!!! ;)

Crystal said...

Ooppsss... just to let you know, I'm posting this comment via my
other blog. ;)

~Crystal @ Choc Mint Girl~

Michelle Hix said...

Graham
I just realized that I didn't add you to my "We said it Wednesday post." I now remember what happened...I came here to pull a quote from your blog to post on mine as a link and got all caught up in your hotpot recipe and totally forgot what I was doing! I will add it next Wednesday for sure.

Graham Ettridge said...

Amypalko, Mmmmm I love baked beans, so I will definitely try it that way next time :) I am sooo jealous that you have snow on the way - I LOVE snow!!! (so many photograph opportunities).

Muse, it goes perfectly with beef - I have it that way quite often. Swede is another name for yellow turnip. Thanks for your nice comments.

Hey Azzy, Rumble rumble rumble indeed! The waiting for it to cook was so difficult as the aroma was sooo inviting.

Max, I agree with you, I wish I had purchased lamb on the bone, rather than the mince. I love making my own stock!!

Meleah Rebeccah, awwwww sorry friend ;) I hope you eventually had a nice lunch!!

Graham Ettridge said...

Michelle Hix, why am I still single? I wish I knew the answer to that one... I guess I lack confidence in myself. Who knows what this year has in store for me??? Thanks for your kind comments and let me know how the Turkey hotpot goes, I might try that myself!

Linda, your husband has an obvious great taste. Mince, Veg and potatoes are the perfect comfort food for a winters evening.

Crystal, thanks friend for you kind words. I look forward to reading your new blog!!!

Anonymous said...

When can I come round for dinner???? love your sister

Anonymous said...

Was most interested in stumbling across your blog. I so enjoy the mismash style of good bloggers who get their story across in an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable manner

Have you any major travel plans for the year 2008?

Would love to see the results from the photo contest, please drop me an email if I don't scurry around

Anonymous said...

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Lancashire Locksmiths said...

Hi Graham, I really love the in depth recipe and all of the pictures looks yummy. My husband and I love hot pot so I will do this at the weekend, thank you.

Anonymous said...

I've just started taking an interest in home-cooking and never tried lamb before, and this was absolutly spectacular!!!!
I've been talking about it for days lol!

I also used Lamb mince (since I didn't know if I liked lamb), I wonder if I use chunks of lamb do I just sear them in pan or fully cook before they go in the pot??


So all in all, 10 out of 10!

Barbara Cartile said...

Graham I have been cooking for fifty years and tried your recipe with my daughter who is raising lambs and did not know what to do with neck pieces until now. A very tasty dish and what we here call "comfort food". Our entire family really enjoyed this meal, so new to us here in Vancouver,Canada.

Graham Ettridge said...

Barbara, I am so glad you enjoyed the pie and it really is the perfect comfort food. Thank you for your kind comment :)

LindsayfromChapelhall said...

Very good recipe. I was using cook- from-frozen minced lamb and found I needed to double the quantity of that.

Alice said...

I always use beef when I make a hotpot and it tastes equally as nice. Your recipe is clear and easy to follow. The step by step photographs help a lot. Great post and you are giving me the urge to make one tomorrow.

Unknown said...

I like your blog post. Keep on writing this type of great stuff. I'll make sure to follow up on your blog in the future.
Locksmiths Edinburgh

Anonymous said...

This is a brilliant recipe. I have tried a few before and this one works the best and is always lovely. I've had this bookmarked for a few years now and with winter coming I am glad that it's still available.

thank you very much for keeping it up. lol

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for writing this. I hope this page stays up as I've bookmarked it. Made this several times now and it's the best recipe I was able to find for proper hot pot. Keep up the good work.

Tchos said...

I should have mentioned this before, since you invited people to comment if they used this recipe. I've kept this one and made it many times over the past few years, and always enjoyed it. I'm making it again just now, which is what finally got me to comment! Thanks!

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