Scottish Lamb and Root Vegetable Hotpot
A hearty and comforting hotpot featuring tender lamb shoulder slow-cooked with a medley of Scottish root vegetables like neeps (swedes) and tatties (potatoes), topped with a golden crust of sliced potatoes.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 kg Lamb shoulder(boneless, cut into 3-4 cm chunks)
- 2 medium Onions(chopped)
- 3 medium Carrots(peeled and chopped)
- 500 g Swede (Neeps)(peeled and chopped)
- 750 g Potatoes (Tatties)(peeled and roughly chopped (for stew), plus 500g thinly sliced for topping)
- 750 ml Beef or Lamb Stock
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 30 g Flour(for dusting lamb)
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black Pepper
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan/Gas Mark 3).
💡 Tip: Ensures even cooking and browning. - 2
Dust the lamb chunks lightly with flour, salt, and pepper.
💡 Tip: The flour helps to thicken the stew. - 3
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in batches until golden on all sides. Remove lamb and set aside.
💡 Tip: Don't overcrowd the pan, or the lamb will steam instead of brown. - 4
Add the chopped onions and carrots to the dish and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- 5
Return the lamb to the dish. Add the chopped swede and potatoes (for the stew), beef or lamb stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Stir well to combine.
💡 Tip: Ensure the liquid almost covers the ingredients. - 6
Bring the mixture to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover tightly with a lid or foil.
💡 Tip: Simmering on the hob before baking helps tenderize the lamb. - 7
Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the lamb is tender.
- 8
Remove the dish from the oven. Arrange the thinly sliced potatoes evenly over the top of the stew. Season the potato slices with salt and pepper.
💡 Tip: Overlapping the potato slices creates a nice crust. - 9
Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for a further 45-60 minutes, or until the potato topping is golden brown and tender.
💡 Tip: Increase oven temperature to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas Mark 4) for the last 20 minutes if needed for extra browning. - 10
Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf before serving. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving hot.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For a richer flavour, you can add a diced turnip along with the other root vegetables.
- ✓If the stew seems too thin after cooking, you can remove the lid and simmer on the hob for a few minutes to reduce.
- ✓Serve with a dollop of mustard or a side of green vegetables.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Add a tablespoon of tomato purée to the vegetables for extra depth of flavour.
- Incorporate other root vegetables like parsnips or celeriac.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the lamb with hearty mushrooms and extra root vegetables.