Winter walks and lamb hotpot

by Bruce McMichael
Winter walks (Image: John Coupe)
Winter walks (Image: John Coupe)

As the New Year takes hold and the days get shorter, brighter and filled with the optimism of freshly made New Year’s resolutions, it’s a great time to take bracing walks in your local parks, fields of along the beach.
And when you return home in the evening you might want to make this heart warming dish adapted from meatmatters.com to reward yourself, family and friends.

Lamb and Thyme Hotpot
Serves: Three or 4 people
Cooking Time: 90 minutes

450g (1lb) lean lamb neck fillet, cut into thin medallions
1 onion, sliced
1 leek, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
300ml (½pt) beer
150ml (¼pt) Stock
15ml (1 tbsp) gravy granules
15ml (1 tbsp) fresh thyme, chopped
2 large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 parsnips, peeled and sliced
Melted butter

Lamb and thyme hotpot, delicious after a winter walk
Lamb and thyme hotpot, delicious after a winter walk

Pre-heat the oven, gas mark 4-5/ 180°C/ 350°F.

In a non-stick pan dry fry the neck fillet with the onion, leek and carrot for 4-5 minutes until browned.

Add the beer, stock, gravy granules and fresh thyme and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until thickened.

Transfer to an ovenproof casserole dish or individual ovenproof pots.

Cover the lamb with the sliced potatoes and parsnips and brush with a little melted butter

Cover the pot with foil and bake for 1 hour, remove the cover for the last 30 minutes to allow the potatoes and parsnips to brown.

Serving Suggestions: Serve with carrots with melted butter and fennel seeds; mange tout and steamed cabbage.

 

 

Bruce McMichael

Food writing, discovering food stories, meeting producers, chefs and food enthusiasts are all part of desire to inspire, inform my readers and fellow food lovers. I am a freelance writer, journalist and published author focusing on the international world of food and drink, culture and travel. In 2019 I graduated from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy with a Masters in Food Culture, Communication and Marketing. I am now a visiting Professor at the university teaching Food & Drink Writing. Based in London I travel widely, particularly across western Europe. I have chaired many conferences and meetings, spoken at conferences and events and often appear on radio and TV talking most about food, the business of food and being an entrepreneur. In 2017 I won an episode of the ITV (the UK-based national television channel) cooking competition show, 'Gordon Ramsay's Culinary Genius'. I took my children on holiday to Sicily with the prize money. As an experienced farmers' market manager and operator of a small marmalade/ preserves company, I am very familiar with the issues surrounding local food, farming, enterprise and the environment.