Betty Turpin's Hot Pot

This is a famous recipe, often cooked on the British soap opera Coronation Street.

• Ready In: 4 hrs
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 lbs lamb necks, cubed
• 1 1⁄2 lbs potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1  large onions or 2  medium onions, roughly chopped
• 3⁄4 pint  light  stock or 3⁄4 pint hot water
• 1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  tablespoon flour
• 1  ounce  dripping
• 1  ounce butter (or use only 2 ozs. butter, no drippings)
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Melt the dripping or 1 oz butter over a high heat in a heavy-bottomed frying pan until the fat smokes.
3. Seal the meat and continue frying until nicely browned.
4. Remove the pieces from the pan to a deep casserole or divide among four individual high-sided oven proof dishes.
5. Turn down the heat to medium.
6. Fry the onions in the pan juices, adding a little more butter or dripping if necessary.
7. When the onions are soft and starting to brown, sprinkle on the flour and stir in to soak up the fat and the juices.
8. As the flour paste starts to colour, start adding stock or water a few tablespoons at a time, stirring vigorously to avoid lumps.
9. Gradually add the rest of the liquid.
10. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, add the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Pour the onions and liquid over the meat and mix well.
12. Tuck in the bay leaf (tear into 4 pieces if making individual hot pots).
13. Arrange the potatoes over the meat in overlapping layers, seasoning each layer.
14. Dot the top layer of potatoes with the remainder of the butter.
15. Cover the dish and place on the top shelf of the oven for 2 hours.
16. Uncover and cook for a further 30 minutes.
17. If the potatoes are not brown at this point, turn up the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes, or finish under the grill, brushing the potato slices with more butter if they look dry.
18. Serve with red cabbage and chips.