With the weather getting cooler, I tend to start using my Dutch oven a bit more.
You'll need a Dutch oven if you don't have one! All kinds of good stuff you can cook in those things.
A suggestion before you start: search Lancashire Hotpot to get an examples of the neat patterns people use with their top layer of potatoes. You'll see what I mean when you check out the photos.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. Lamb, cut into approx. 9 pieces
3 cups Beef broth
16 oz. Mushrooms, sliced or halved
6 Medium potatoes, thinly sliced
2 Medium onions, thinly sliced
2 carrots, chopped
2 Medium stalks celery, thinly sliced
Bouquet garni (I used thyme, savory, rosemary, parsley, rosemary)
2 Bay leaves
Herbes de Provence
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Prepare your ingredients beforehand, makes like a lot easier when cooking anything.
1. Collect the ingredients and prepare all vegetables. I know, I know, obvious right?
Well I don't do this half the time and I end up doing things in the middle of cooking when I should have had prep work done already.
I always check the discount bin at the butcher's counter. Found these at a great price.
2. Preheat oven at 380 degrees. For the first hour the hotpot is in the oven it will cook on high. After an hour reduce heat to 320.
3. Start layering your potatoes, vegetables, and lamb. Season as you go along with salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence--be careful not to over season.
About halfway through layering add your Bouquet garni and bay leaves.
Work in layers
The top layer is supposed to be a layer of potatoes arranged in a fancy pattern. This potato layer will be browned after the dish is done.
Traditionally the top layer will be layer of potatoes, arranged in a fancy pattern. I just added the ingredients till I ran out.
4. Pour beef broth over the lamb and vegetables in the pot. If you haven't seasoned the hotpot, do so now. Cover the pot and place in the oven. Cook for 5-6 hours.
5. Remove hotpot from oven. Test meat to make sure it's tender and ready. When the meat pulls apart easily with a fork, you know it's done.
Out of the oven, time to finish up.
6. Crisp top layer of potatoes. Spritz olive oil or brush melted butter over the potatoes and broil, uncovered until potatoes brown and are slightly crispy.
Alternate method: I removed the potatoes from the hotpot and places them in a casserole dish. I then coated them and broiled separately from the meat and vegetables.
To plate...
Ready to eat!
...just put it on your plate and eat it.
Enjoy!