Similar to a Lancashire Hotpot, which is traditionally made with mutton, this lamb hotpot is a great example of how cheaper cuts of lamb (scrag end & neck) can deliver the best flavoursome dishes when cooked slowly with a few key ingredients and real stock. Definitely worth the effort!
Ingredients:
(serves 4)
500ml Pure Beef Stock
500g Scrag end of lamb (on the bone)
400g Lamb neck (whole piece)
150ml Red wine (Merlot)
2 Medium Carrots
4 Medium Onions (2 sliced & 2 diced)
3 Celery sticks (diced)
1 Leek (diced)
5 Garlic cloves
3 Potatoes
1 sprig of Rosemary & Thyme
40g Unsalted butter
Salt & Pepper to season
Method:
1. Defrost the beef stock in a pan to a warm liquid.
2. In a hot frying pan, season and sear all the lamb until beautifully coloured. (remember colour = flavour) Remove and place in a casserole dish along with the herbs.
3. Add the sliced onion to the same pan and allow to colour lightly before adding 2 crushed cloves of garlic followed by the red wine – use this to de-glaze the pan – reduce by half and add to the casserole dish.
4. Add the beef stock to the lamb and cover with greaseproof paper and seal with tinfoil.
5. Place in a hot oven at 160’c for 3 to 3.5hrs or until tender.
6. Remove from the oven and separate the sauce and the meat.
7. Pull the meat from any bones and excess fat and place back into the casserole dish.
8. Allow the sauce to settle, remove any fat and pass through a sieve back over the lamb.
9. Place the carrot, onion, leek and celery in a pan with half the butter and fry gently to soften before spreading evenly over the lamb.
10. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes and layer over the lamb quite tightly. Dab the remaining butter over the top, cover with the greaseproof paper and tinfoil (you can
re-use the covering from earlier).
11. Place in the oven and bake for ½ hr at 160’C then remove the cover and bake for a further 20 mins at 180/200’C or until the potato has cooked and crisped up.
Serve with greens of choice.