Lancashire Hotpot

Serves: 6

900g lean lamb chops or cutlets, trimmed

15-30ml dried mixed herbs

15ml sunflower oil

30ml freshly chopped mint

4 lamb’s kidney’s skinned, cored and diced

3 medium onions, peeled and cut into wedges

15ml/1tbsp plain flour

600ml good, hot lamb stock

15-30ml Worcestershire sauce

Salt and black pepper

2 bay leaves

25g butter, softened

900g red potatoes, unpeeled and sliced

Coat cutlets with the mixed herbs. Heat oil in a large pan and cook lamb, in batches until brown, turning once. Transfer to a large ovenproof casserole dish with a lid. Sprinkle with half the mint.

Preheat oven to Gas mark 3, 170°C, 325°F.

Add the kidney to the pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes, then spoon over the cutlets.

Fry onions for about 10 minutes until brown adding a little more oil to the pan if necessary.

Stir in the flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Add stock, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning.

Pour stock and onion mixture into casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining mint and add the bay leaves. Arrange potato slices on top of casserole dish in an overlapping pattern. Season and dot with half the butter. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 1½hours. Remove lid and cook for a further 50 minutes.

Brush potatoes with remaining butter and place casserole under a preheated moderate grill for 4-5 minutes until potatoes are crisp and golden. Serve with seasonal vegetables.