The Batch Lady’s budget-friendly hotpot
The Batch Lady Suzanne Mullholland is here with one of her best batch cooks that’s super easy to freeze and costs just over £1 a head. Her warming beef hotpot takes just ten minutes to prepare and is ideal for those cold winter evenings.
Suzanne's minced beef hotpot
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil1 cup of frozen chopped onion2 tsp frozen chopped garlic500g minced beef1 cup of frozen chopped carrots1 cup of frozen peas2 tbsp tomato puree1 tbsp dried rosemary1 bay leaf2 tbsp plain flour3 cups of beef stock (use 2 stock cubes)1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce2-3 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large, deep-sided frying pan over a medium heat.
2. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened.
3. Add the beef to the pan and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until browned.
4. Add the carrots, peas, tomato puree, rosemary, bay leaf and flour to the pan and stir to combine.
5. Add the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce and stir.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and leave to cook for 20 minutes, until slightly thickened.
7. Preheat the oven to 180℃ / gas mark 4.
8. Pour the beef mixture into a medium baking dish and arrange the sliced potatoes over the surface, overlapping them slightly to create an even layer that covers right to the edges of the dish.
9. Drizzle with a little olive oil, then transfer to the oven to bake for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and the mince is bubbling.
10. Spoon into bowls and serve hot.