Lancashire hotpot

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

8 large lamb chops, each about 7oz (200g) in weight

2lb (900g) potatoes, cut into 5mm (1⁄4in) slices

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 onions, sliced

8 anchovies, finely chopped

2 cups hot vegetable stock

1 tbsp butter

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Heat a drizzle of the oil in a large frying pan, add the lamb chops, and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. If the pan is overcrowded, cook the chops in two batches.

2 Layer the potatoes in the bottom of a 4-pint (2.3-liter) flameproof dish, lay the chops on top, and season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan, add the onions, and cook over low heat, stirring frequently for 10 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Stir in the anchovies. Spoon a layer of the onion mixture on top of the chops, then add the rest of the potatoes and onion mixture in layers, finishing with a potato layer.

3 Pour in enough of the stock to come nearly up to the top of the potatoes. Dot the potatoes with butter, cover the dish tightly with foil, then bake for 2 hours, or until the potatoes are meltingly soft and the stock has been absorbed. Remove the foil for the last 20 minutes of cooking. Serve with pickled red cabbage.

Cook’s Notes

The anchovies add richness. Don’t worry if you’re not a fan they’ll melt away during cooking and you won’t be able to taste them.

Lancashire hotpot