Lancashire Hotpot

Perhaps the meal most associated with Lancashire, characteristic single pot dish traditionally made with mutton but lamb is used nowadays. Often served with pickled beetroot or red cabbage.

Ingredients

• 8 x 175g middle neck lamb chops
• 4 lamb's kidneys cored and sliced
• 1 kg potatoes, sliced
• 250g onions sliced
• salt and pepper
• 300ml veal or lamb stock
• 25g lard or dripping

Trim the excess fat from the chops, melt it down and use to fry the chops. Rinse the potatoes in cold water and put a layer in a deep oven proof dish. Lay some of the chops on top, cover with a layer of kidneys and onions. Continue with these layers, seasoning with salt and pepper, and finishing with a layer of potatoes. Pour over the stock and brush the potatoes with melted lard or dripping, or the melted-down fat from around the kidneys if available.

Cover with a lid and cook in the oven at gas mark 4 (350 degF, 180 degC) for 2 hours. Remove the lid; increase the heat to gas mark 6 (400 degF, 200 degC), place the dish near the top of the oven and cook for 30 minutes more to brown the potatoes.