Hotpot by Nigel Haworth

How to cook the perfect Lancashire Hotpot, favourite recipe from Nigel Haworth, Northcote

In order to recreate a traditional Lancashire Hotpot with flair, Nigel Haworth (chef-proprietor at the Michelin-starred, 3 AA Rosette Northcote) cooks a simple peasant dish but utilises some of the finest produce from his repertoire of producers and growers.

Nigel cannot afford to produce a Hotpot with a dull and bland lamb, tasteless onions and potatoes that fall apart in the slow cooking process. In order to ensure a quality hotpot, Nigel set about working with Bowland Forest meats to develop the perfect lamb for the job, one with true taste and tenderness. The heather-reared Bowland Lamb was the perfect answer.

For Nigel a visit to Jim Curwen's Marshaw Farm, along with the beauty of the heather clad hills of the Forest of Bowland (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and the freedom of the lambs endorsed why the flavours of Bowland Lamb are truly great and therefore the perfect match for Nigel's Hotpot. Further research went into finding the perfect English onion, along with many trips to local farms in the Rufford and Hesketh Bank area for the ideal potato. Having found all the ingredients, care, understanding and passion brought the ultimate Hotpot into reality and Nigel now believes this is a dish that can really be taken seriously.

An essential part of being able to produce such a traditional dish at Northcote was the ability to cook the Hotpot in a slow traditional manner that will reemphasise all its heritage. To re-create this in a commercial kitchen, Nigel Haworth was delighted to incorporate a Dark Blue Aga Rayburn into his modern kitchen.

The final piece of the jigsaw was for Nigel to find a Hotpot dish that was made in a traditional way, hand thrown from stoneware clay to re-create a genuine Hotpot. Nigel turned to the experience and knowledge of the University of Central Lancashire for guidance in his quest, who designed a pot, which is now used in Northcote today.

What you need: (serves 4)

• 1 kg under shoulder, neck and shin of lamb (Cut into 3-4cm thick pieces) - use regional lamb, eg Bowland Lamb
• 700g thinly sliced onions
• 1kg peeled King Edward potatoes
• 25g plain flour
• 40g salted English butter, melted
• 150ml chicken stock
• 3tsp sea Salt
• White pepper
• Hotpot dish - stoneware, diameter 8"/21cm, height 3.5"/9cm

What you do:

1. Season the lamb with 1 teaspoon of salt and a good pinch of pepper, dust with the flour. Put the lamb into the base of the Hotpot dish.
2. 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 Hotpot dish.
3. 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, mix well.
   Put the sliced potatoes evenly on top of the onions, reserving the best-shaped rounds for the final layer and add the chicken stock.
4. 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 2 1/2 hours on 130c (Aga equivalent in the simmering oven).
5. 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).
6. Serve with pickled red cabbage and glazed baby carrots.

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