Lancashire Hotpot

Good, honest food! The meat and vegetables of this tasty dish are never browned first and the dish relies on long slow cooking to bring out all the flavours. There is a little bit of preparation but it is well worth it.

Serves 2

4 middle neck or loin lamb chops
450 g/1 lb potatoes, thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced or 30 ml/2 tbsp frozen diced onion
1 carrot, sliced
1 leek, sliced
2.5 ml/½ tsp dried mixed herbs
250 m/8 fl oz/1 cups very hot (not boiling) lamb or beef stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Switch the slow cooker to High.
2. Trim the lamb chops of excess fat. Place a layer of sliced potatoes in the base of the ceramic cooking pot and top with sliced onion, carrot and leek. Sprinkle with some dried herbs and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place four of the chops on top, then repeat the layers of potatoes, vegetables and seasoning and top with the remaining chops. Finish with a generous layer of potatoes.
4. Pour over the stock, then cover with the lid.
5. Either cook on High for 1 hour then reduce the heat to Low for a further 2-3 hours until tender, or cook on Low for 4-6 hours.
6. Serve with mushy peas.

Cook's tip
Although not included in a 'classic' Lancashire hotpot, you could add other vegetables as well, such as a handful of thickly sliced button mushrooms or a stick of celery.

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