Lancashire Hotpot

Hotpots are a dish close to my heart. They’re incredibly easy, delicious, and versatile. Topped with crispy potato and made entirely in one oven proof pan (minimising the washing up!) This recipe can be adapted to fit your garden needs with almost anything you have growing. Held together with a tomato gravy, they’re an almost all year round meal for the whole family.

Serve with blanched purple sprouting broccoli or wild garlic.

Recipe - Feeds 4 - Ready in 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 large onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 2 carrots, diced

• 2 parsnips, diced

• 250g chestnut mushrooms, halved

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tbsp cornflour

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp fresh thyme

• 1/2 tsp cracked pepper

• 700ml (3 cups) vegetable stock

• 2 large potatoes, thinly sliced*

• 2 sweet potatoes, thinly sliced*

• Salt, to taste

* Speed up the process by using a mandoline set to 1-2mm thick

In the summer, add fresh peas and sweetcorn too!

Step 1.

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large oven-safe pot over medium heat. Blast the mushrooms for 5-10 minutes until golden and sticky (don’t stir too much, let the mallad reaction kick in). Then lower the heat and add the sliced onion and minced garlic to the pot and sauté for 10 minutes, until the onion is softened.

Step 2.

Add the sliced carrots and parsnips to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften. Stir in the soy sauce, thyme, and black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the spices are fragrant. If you’re feeling fancy, add a glug of red wine or splash of red wine vinegar. Allow it all to reduce, then add the tomato paste.

Step 3.

Slowly pour in the vegetable stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the cornflour. To do so, make a mixture of cornflour and cold water in a small glass, then tip it into the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes, until the gravy thickens. Remove the pot from the heat.

Step 4.

Layer the sliced potatoes over the vegetable mixture in the pot, overlapping them slightly. Brush the potatoes with the remaining 1 tbsp of vegetable oil and season with a little salt. Cover the pot with a lid or foil and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour, then remove the lid or foil and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and crispy on top.

Step 5.

Remove the hotpot from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. Ladle generous portions of the hotpot onto plates, making sure to get plenty of the rich vegetable and gravy mixture in each serving. Include the addition of purple sprouting broccoli, wild garlic, chard or spinach as a side.

Note: If you prefer a thicker gravy, you can adjust the consistency by adding more flour or cornstarch mixed with water to the vegetable broth before simmering. If you’d like a vegetarian version of this meal, brush the potatoes with melted butter and liberally apply grated cheese to the potatoes after uncovering in the oven.