Lamb Hotpot
Hotpot is such a wonderful winter comfort. This recipe is for lamb (the correct version) and can use just about any cut so long as it is a bit fatty. It is a great method for lamb on the bone as the fat will cookout (and into the root vegetables) leaving tender meat on the bone. I’ve used leg and neck chops with great success and even cheaper cuts such as breast. If you would prefer not to have bones in the hotpot then it is best to use some neck fillet. The black pudding is a great trick learnt during a butchery course from a Lancashire chef, who pointed out it was a great way to add depth of flavour and thicken the gravy. I was gutted to have not thought of it myself. It is pure FatSteak Club!
One-pot method
Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in an ovenproof pot over medium heat.
Dredge your lamb chops in flour and brown in the hot oil on both sides.
Set the chops aside and with a splash more oil, add the onions, parsnips, carrots and garlic to the pot and cook together for 3 minutes.
Crumble in the black pudding and cook for 1 minute more. Season then add the rosemary before covering with a layer of the chops.
Pour in water to a level just covering the lamb. Arrange the potatoes over the top to form a fully covered layer. Put the lid on the pot and place in the oven for 1 hour.
At this point, the meat should feel tender when poking with a knife. Cook for a further 15 min with the lid off to get a nice brown colour on the potatoes crust.
Serve with pickles.
Ingredients
Olive oil
4 lamb chops
Plain flour for dredging
1 large onion, chopped
1 large parsnip, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1 ring of black pudding (~50g)
4-5 sprigs of rosemary
3 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
