I use my lunches to explore food from around the world. This week I decided to try Lancashire Hotpot.

This is the recipe I followed.

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1.5 lbs lamb not too lean – neck is best, but shoulder works well too, cut into bite-size chunks

2 brown onions peeled and sliced thinly

1 heaped tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour use gluten-free plain flour if required

2 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock water with a couple of stock cubes is fine – or use bouillon for gluten free

2 bay leaves

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (use a gluten free version if required)

3 medium-sized carrots peeled and cut into chunks

1.5 lbs potatoes peeled and sliced to 2-3mm thick (floury potatoes such as russets work best)

1 tbsp melted butter for brushing

¼ tsp dried thyme

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325F

Melt the butter and vegetable oil in a medium sized casserole or sauce pan and fry the lamb pan until lightly browned all over (about 3-4 minutes). Spoon the lamb into a bowl, then add the onions to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft.

Add the lamb back in, then stir in the flour, cooking for a minute. Add in the stock, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Give everything a stir, bring to a gently bubble. Then place a lid on it and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, stir in the carrots. At this point, you can transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole or pie dish if you wish. Top with the sliced potatoes. Start from the outside, and layer the potatoes, moving towards the centre.

Brush the top of the potatoes with the melted butter or spray with olive oil and sprinkle on the dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover with a lid or foil and place back in the oven for 1 hour.

After an hour, turn the oven up to 400F and remove the lid. Cook for a further 30 minutes until the potatoes are browned and crisp on top.

Take out of the oven, and leave to rest for 5 minutes or so, serve.