Hotpot is exactly the sort of warming winter food that grey days call for, on a par with shepherd’s pie and mince and dumplings for peak British comfort food. The origin of the seemingly simple term ‘hotpot’ - the British dish, rather than the East Asian one - is the subject of some debate. The most popular theory is that it is actually corruption of the word ‘hodge-podge’, rather than anything to do with heat or saucepans. ‘Hodge-podge’ was used in the 18th century to refer to a range of simple dishes made with whatever was lying around, rather than just one dish, and the term eventually morphed to become ‘hotpot’. Nowadays however, when most people hear the term ‘hotpot’ they think of something very specific indeed - Lancashire hotpot.

Lancashire hotpot, a mutton or lamb stew braised in the oven, made with plenty of onions and occasionally carrots, is always topped with a golden layer of crispy shingled potatoes and is easily the most famous hotpot in the UK. Some versions of Lancashire hotpot use lamb kidneys, and historically beef and even oysters were a popular ingredient, but the distinctive layer of crispy potatoes is what makes the dish iconic.

We have a whole range of types of hotpot on the site, from Nigel Haworth’s incarnation of the Lancashire classic that simply uses lamb, onions and potatoes, to more unusual versions, like Matt Whitfield’s duck, hazelnut and swede hotpot. We even have a vegetarian version made with root vegetables and served alongside some very cute snowman cheese toasties. Check out the full collection of recipes below.