Lancashire Hotpot

Name: Lancashire Hotpot
Total time: 185 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: UK
Ingredients: 800g lamb shoulder, diced; 2 onions, sliced; 3 carrots, sliced; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 tbsp oil or dripping; 500ml lamb or beef stock; 1 tsp thyme; 2 bay leaves; 4 large potatoes, thinly sliced; Salt & pepper

A traditional northern English lamb casserole with sliced potato topping.

~185 mintotal~577 kcalper serving~34g protein~31g carbs~36g fat

Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 6.

Ingredients

800g lamb shoulder, diced
2 onions, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp oil or dripping
500ml lamb or beef stock
1 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
4 large potatoes, thinly sliced
Salt & pepper

Cooking Steps

Heat oil in a casserole dish and brown lamb pieces. Remove and set aside
Add onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook 10 minutes until softened
Return lamb, add thyme, bay, stock, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes
Transfer to oven dish. Layer thin slices of potato over top, overlapping. Brush with butter
Cook at 170°C for 2 hours. Finish at 200°C for 20 minutes to crisp topping

Optional Enhancements

Add parsnips
Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce
Add black pudding slices
Top with buttered breadcrumbs

Plant & Growing Tips

Potatoes: Choose a waxy variety for top layers (Charlotte, Maris Peer). Plant in spring

Carrots: Direct-sow into loose soil. Keep moist

Onions: Plant sets March-April

Herbs: Thyme and bay are perennial

Natural Pest Control

Net carrot beds to stop carrot fly

Use mulch to retain moisture

Garlic spray reduces aphids on onions

Harvest

Potatoes: Harvest when skins set and plants die back

Carrots: Pull when brightly coloured and firm

Herbs: Pick fresh thyme sprigs before flowering

Storing & Freezing

Refrigerate 4 days. Freeze cooked filling separately for 3 months.