Lamb, turnip & celeriac hotpot

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only

Lamb neck is a hugely underused cut, topped with sliced, seasonal root veg, this winter staple is ideal for a budget-conscious family meal or dinner party main

Prep:30 mins
Cook:4 hrs
mins plus overnight marinating

Serves 6
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 618
fat 41g
saturates 16g
carbs 15g
sugars 5g
fibre 8g
protein 42g
salt 4.1g

Ingredients

2 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
6 lamb neck fillets (1¼kg/2lb 12oz), cut into large chunks or halved
9 shallots, peeled and kept whole
3 tbsp plain flour
1 garlic bulb
1l lamb or beef stock
3 merguez sausages, sliced
2 large turnips (about 500g/1lb 2oz), peeled and very thinly sliced
1 celeriac (about 500g/1lb 2oz), peeled and very thinly sliced
mashed potato and pickled cabbage, to serve
6 cloves
3 star anise
1 ½ tsp rosemary
3 garlic cloves
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Tip

Fresh veg

Don't slice your turnip and celeriac until ready to use, otherwise they'll discolour. If you've got a mandolin, it's useful here to get an even thickness and neater finish.

Method

First, make the spice blend. Combine all the ingredients together in a spice grinder with 1 tbsp salt and blend to a fine paste. Alternatively, crush each ingredient with a pestle and mortar and combine to form a paste. Rub the paste onto the lamb fillets then leave in the fridge to marinate overnight.
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish until smoking. Sear the lamb fillets in batches until evenly browned on all sides, then set aside on a plate. Good caramelisation on the meat will give it more flavour.
Wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper, then add the remaining oil. Once hot, add the shallots and cook over a medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 mins. Once browned, add the flour and cook for 1 min to remove any floury taste.
Add the garlic and lamb stock to the casserole dish and bring to the boil, then return the lamb necks to the pan along with the merguez sausages. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 2 hrs. Can be braised a day ahead and left to cool.
Remove the hotpot from the oven and place overlapping slices of turnip and celeriac on top, pressing the first couple of layers into the sauce to absorb all of the delicious juices. Return the hotpot to the oven for 11/2 hrs until bubbling and golden. Serve at the table with mashed potato and pickled red cabbage.