Lancashire Hot Pot (Serves 4)
Nigel Haworth, Chef Patron, Northcote Manor, Blackburn.
Ingredients
| 1 kg |
Shoulder of lamb [cut in to 3-4cm thick pieces] |
| 700g |
Thinly sliced onions |
| 1 kg |
Peeled King Edward potatoes |
| 25g |
Plain flour |
| 40g |
Salted Butter - melted |
| 150ml |
Chicken stock |
| 2 ½ tsp |
Sea Salt |
|
White pepper |
| Equipment - |
Hot Pot Dish - earthenware |
|
Diameter - 8'', Height - 3 1/2'' |
Method
Season the lamb with 1 teaspoon of salt & a good pinch of pepper, dust with the flour. Put the lamb into the base of the hot pot dish.
Sweat off the onions in 15g of butter with one teaspoon of salt for 4-5mins (to sweat is to cook without colour in a covered pan, on a moderate to hot temperature). Spread the onions evenly on top of the lamb in the hot pot dish.
Slice the potatoes horizontally [2mm thick]. Place in a medium size bowl, add the remaining 25g melted butter, season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of white pepper, and mix well.
Put the sliced potatoes evenly on top of the onions, reserving the best-shaped rounds for the final layer.
Pour over the chicken stock
Place the hotpot, covered in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes on 180-200c (Aga equivalent bottom of the baking oven) then for approximately 2½ hours on 130c (Aga equivalent in the simmering oven).
Remove from the oven, take off the lid or cover, return to the oven on 180-200c for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown (Aga equivalent bottom of the roasting oven)
Serve with pickled red cabbage.
PICKLED RED CABBAGE
Note: Can be made a day in advance
Ingredients
| Head of Red Cabbage |
|
| Star Anise |
|
| 400 ml |
Red wine |
| 275 ml |
Malt vineger |
| 140 ml |
White wine vinegar |
| 140 ml |
Balsamic vinegar |
|
Bay leaves |
|
Whole cloves |
| 1 tsp |
Whole black peppercorns |
| 1 tsp |
Whole pink peppercorns |
| 1 stick |
Cinnamon snapped in half |
|
Whole dried red Chillies |
| 12 oz |
Caster sugar |
|
Coarse Sea Salt for salting the cabbage |
Method
Half and quarter the red cabbage.
De-vein away the large stem and finely slice the red cabbage leaves. (Alternatively put through a food processor)
Salt the red cabbage well in a colander for 2-3 hours until a deep rich colour is achieved.
Drain and wash all the salt away thoroughly – pat dry.
Place all the vinegars, wine and sugar in a suitable pan and reduce by half.
Place all the dry ingredients in a pestle and mortar and coarsely pound.
When the reduction is near completion throw all the dry spices into the reduction and allow to infuse for 5 minutes. Pass the reduction through a fine sieve and while warm pour onto the red cabbage.
Place the cabbage in a suitable jar and seal. The liquor should just cover the cabbage.