Hot Pot

James Martin

 Preparation time 30 mins to 1 hour  Email this recipe

 Cooking time 1 to 2 hours  

 Ingredients

900g/2lb best end and middle neck British lamb, sliced into chops

1 tbsp groundnut oil

butter

4 lamb's kidneys, skinned, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces

3 onions, sliced into 1cm/½in wedges

1 tbsp plain flour

570ml/20fl oz freshly boiled water

½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 fresh bay leaf

2 thyme sprigs

900g/2lb potatoes, cut into 2cm slices

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.

2. Trim the lamb of any excess fat and pat dry with paper towel.

3. Heat the oil and a small knob of butter in a large heavy-based frying pan until very hot. Add the lamb, two or three pieces at a time, and fry until brown, turning once. Once browned, put them in a wide 3.5-litre casserole. Brown the pieces of kidney.

4. Once the meat and kidney are in the casserole, add the onions to the pan. Fry over medium heat, adding a little more butter to the pan if necessary, for about ten minutes until browned at the edges.

5. Stir in the flour then gradually add the hot water and Worcestershire sauce, stirring until the flour and liquid are smoothly blended. Season with salt and pepper and bring to simmering point. Pour over the meat in the casserole.

6. Add the bay leaf and thyme, then arrange the potato slices on top in an overlapping pattern. Season the potatoes and dot the surface with a few dabs of butter.

7. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and put in the oven. Cook for 1 hour 30 minutes. Towards the end of cooking time, remove the lid and brush the potatoes with a little more butter. Then place under the grill to crisp up. Alternatively, remove the lid and increase the heat to 200C/400F/Gas 6 for the last 15 minutes of cooking.

8. Remove the bay leaf and thyme before serving.

Celery Soup
Ingredients
1 pint vegetable stock
1 pint milk
1 onion
2 heads celery, prepared and washed
1 tablespoon butter
salt and black pepper
cream if liked

Method
- Cut the celery into small pieces.
- Peel and chop the onion.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan.
- Put in the onion and celery, and cook over gentle heat for 5 minutes, but do not let it brown.
- Add the stock.
- Season and simmer gently until the celery is quite soft.
- Place into blender and puree.
- Return puree to the saucepan and add the milk.
- Make very hot and serve.
- Cream can be added if liked.


Cheese Soup
Ingredients
1/2 onion finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 heaped tablespoons flour
1 pint milk
pinch pepper
3 carrots, finely chopped or grated
2 sticks celery or piece of celeriac, finely chopped or grated
1 cup Cheddar cheese

Method
- Fry the onion in the butter until tender.
- Add the flour and cook slowly for 1 minute, stirring well.
- Add the milk, seasoning and stock gradually, stirring continuously, and bring to the boil.
- Add the carrots and celery and cook until they are tender.
- Stir in the cheese, heat gently until melted - do not over cook.
- Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.


Bacon and pea soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
5 rashers streaky bacon, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cup dried peas, soaked overnight
1 3/4 pints vegetable bouillon
1 teaspoon mint
seasoning

Method
- Melt the butter and fry the bacon until crisp.
- Remove the bacon and keep it warm.
- Add the garlic to the pan and fry until just browned.
- Add the drained peas, bouillon and mint and season to taste.
- Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 1 hour until tender.
- Puree in a blender, then return the soup to the pan and reheat gently.
- Serve sprinkled with bacon pieces.


Carrot Soup
Ingredients
2 pints vegetable stock
6 medium sized carrots, peeled and grated
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon plain/all purpose flour
salt and black pepper

Method
- Simmer the vegetables in the stock until quite tender.
- Mix the butter and flour together to form a smooth paste.
- Stir the butter and flour into the simmering stock.
- Add the tomato puree.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer for a further 10 minutes and serve.


Oxtail Soup
Ingredients
1 oxtail
2 carrots diced
1 turnip diced
1 onion diced
4 tablespoons dripping or oil
1 tablespoon seasoned flour
3 tablespoons parsley chopped finely
1 bay leaf
4 pints water

Method
- Cut the tail into small joints and roll in the seasoned flour.
- Heat the oil and fry the floured joints until brown.
- Pour off any excess fat and add the water, salt and parsley and bay leaf.
- Simmer for about 2 hours.
- Leave to go cold and remove any solidified fat.
- Add the diced vegetables, bring to the boil and simmer for another 2 hours.
- Remove bones carefully and let the soup cool.
- Blend the soup and season well.
- Serve hot.


Fish Soup
Ingredients
2 - 3 fillets of your favorite fish, making sure all bones have been removed
2 medium sized onions
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot
1 bay leaf
4 medium sized fresh tomatoes
1 lemon slice
1 1/2 pints fish stock (or use stock cubes)
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
salt and black pepper to season
glass of white wine to be added (if liked)
Method
- Cut the fish into small pieces.
- Slice tomatoes and cook gently in a small saucepan until soft.
- Rub tomatoes through a sieve.
- Peel and chop the onions and shallot.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan.
- Put in the onions and shallot and fry until nicely browned.
- Add the pieces of fish, bay leaf, tomato, seasoning and lemon.
- Cover with the stock, add the wine and boil gently for ten minutes.
- Sprinkle in the parsley just before serving.


Smoked Haddock Soup
Ingredients
2 - 3 fillets of your favorite fish, making sure all bones have been removed
2 medium sized onions
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot
1 bay leaf
4 medium sized fresh tomatoes
1 lemon slice
1 1/2 pints fish stock (or use stock cubes)
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
salt and black pepper to season
glass of white wine to be added (if liked)
Method
- Cut the fish into small pieces.
- Slice tomatoes and cook gently in a small saucepan until soft.
- Rub tomatoes through a sieve.
- Peel and chop the onions and shallot.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan.
- Put in the onions and shallot and fry until nicely browned.
- Add the pieces of fish, bay leaf, tomato, seasoning and lemon.
- Cover with the stock, add the wine and boil gently for ten minutes.
- Sprinkle in the parsley just before serving.

Scotch Broth
Ingredients
half a head of celery
half a turnip
1 carrot
1 onion
4 pints vegetable stock
2 cups tightly packed lean lamb (no bone) chopped
2 tablespoons pearl barley
1 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and pepper
Method
- Put the meat into a pan with the stock.
- Prepare and dice all the vegetables and add to the pan.
- Season well.
- Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 - 2 1/2 hours.
- Add the parsley and serve.
 

British Recipe - Traditional Mince Pies

These pies are traditionally eaten over the Christmas period in the UK, for more information see the Christmas page.

First buy or make the mince meat - this is not minced meat!

Ingredients for mincemeat - Makes approx 6lb

1lb suet

1lb chopped raisins

1lb chopped sultanas

1lb currants

1lb brown sugar

½lb mixed peel

4oz blanched, chopped almonds

1lb grated raw apples

half a grated nutmeg

¼pt brandy or whisky

the grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

Method for making mince meat

Mix all the dry ingredients and stir in the lemon and chosen alcohol.

Put into sterilised jars and cover as for jam or marmalade, i.e. with a circle of grease proof paper and a screw or cloth top.

!Note - The mincemeat will keep for about a year. If, over time, it becomes a little dry, simply add more alcohol!

Now make the pies

Ingredients - Makes 18 pies

225g/8oz cold butter, diced

350g/12oz plain flour

100g/4oz caster sugar

280g/10oz mincemeat

1 small egg, beaten (to glaze)

Icing sugar (to dust)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6/fan assisted oven 180°C

Make the Pastry

1. Rub the butter into the flour

2. Mix in the sugar and a pinch of salt

3. Stir the pastry until it forms a ball (don't add any liquid)

4. Knead the dough briefly until it is fairly firm. You can use the dough immediately, or put it in the fridge for later.

Make the Pies

5. Line 18 pastry cases by pressing small balls of the dough into them.

6. Spoon the mincemeat into the pies.

7. Press smaller balls of dough into round lids, big enough to cover the pies. (The pies can now be frozen for up to 1 month)

8. To glaze the pies before baking brush the tops of the pies with the beaten egg.

9. Bake for 20 minutes until golden.

10. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.

11. To serve, lightly dust with icing sugar. (The pies will keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container)

Definitions

Bake: To cook in an oven.

Brush: To cover food with an even layer of liquid by applying it with a pastry brush, eg brush the pastry with beaten egg or milk to glaze.

Dust: To sprinkle lightly with a powder i.e. icing sugar.

Glaze: A glaze is used to give desserts a smooth and/or shiny finish.

Knead: To work a dough by hand, using a folding-back and pressing-forward motion.

Mix: To beat or stir foods together until they are combined.

Rub in: A method of incorporating fat into flour by rubbing the fat with the fingertips until it combines with the flour to form a mixture with a breadcrumb-like consistency, eg rub the butter into the flour and add enough cold water to form a smooth dough. Pastry, scones, cakes and biscuits are made using the rub in method.

Stir: To agitate an ingredient or a number of ingredients using a hand held tool such as a spoon.

Suet: Suet is traditionally made from the white fat that surrounds the kidneys of ox and lamb (mmmm). It is available ready-shredded in packets. However if you prefer vegetarian suet is also available.