Sunday Supper: Lancashire Hotpot

Ingredients

• 4 large baking potatoes peeled cut into 1/2 inch rounds
• 24 ounces beef broth 
• 4 servings butter to top casserole
• 1  carrots chopped
• 1 rib celery chopped
• 1 tablespoon flour 
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 4 servings kosher salt black
• 3  lamb loins cleaned
• 2 pounds lamb stew meat cubed
• 1 small onion chopped
• 4 servings parsley chopped
• 1 small bunch thyme leaves 
• 4 servings vegetable oil 

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• baking pan

Directions

1. Dust kidneys with flour. Melt butter in large skillet, then fry kidneys until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Once kidneys are brown, remove from pan and add a large swirl of vegetable oil; sear stewing meat in batches until brown on all sides and reserve.
2. Add garlic, carrot, celery, onion and thyme to the pan, and cook until vegetables begin soften, scarping brown bits from bottom of the pan, about 6 minutes.
3. Add beef stock and bring to a simmer, then turn to low while you prepare baking dish.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F.
5. Place half the potatoes in an overlapping pattern on the bottom of a large ovenproof baking dish with a tight fitting lid.
6. Pour stew over the potatoes, and top with the rest of the sliced potatoes in an overlapping pattern. Cover with lid and place in the oven until potatoes are soft, about 1 hour.
7. Remove from oven and dot with bits of butter. Turn oven to broil and brown potatoes until deep golden; allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
8. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with a large glass of brown ale.