Old Fashioned Lancashire Hot Pot

Old Fashioned Lancashire Hot Pot was one of my mother's staple Monday meals during cold Lancashire winters. I remember coming in from school to the wonderful smell of it cooking. The quantities given below should be enough for a family of four.

What you'll need to make Old Fashioned Lancashire Hot Pot:

• 4 very large baking potatoes, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 4 large lamb chops
• 1 large onion, chopped into rings
• Salt and pepper
• Gravy browning or two Oxo cubes
• A little oil
• 1 oz good butter
• A large casserole dish with lid

How to make Old Fashioned Lancashire Hot Pot:

1. Put the sliced potatoes into a pan of boiling, salted water and boil for 10 minutes or until just soft but still firm. Drain well.
2. Gently fry the lamb chops on each side for a few seconds to seal the meat
3. Put half the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the dish and add salt and pepper
4. Add half the sliced onion
5. Now place the chops on top of this
6. Cover with the rest of the onion
7. Finish off with the rest of the potatoes arranging them nicely on top
8. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper
9. Make up the gravy browning/Oxo cubes with 500 ml of hot water and pour over the meat, onions and potatoes
10. Cover with the lid and bake in a medium oven (140 degrees Centigrade) for 2 hours
11. Remove from the oven and put knobs of butter on top
12. Place under the grill for a couple of minutes until the top layer of potatoes are nicely browned
13. Serve with mashed carrots and cabbage for a traditional old fashioned Lancashire meal!

Old Fashioned Lancashire Hot Pot is nutritious and filling in itself but my mother always without fail made desserts. With this dish she used to make good old fashioned Rice Pudding. Watch this space if you want to know her secret recipe!