Lentil & Vegetable Hotpot
with Cheesy Potato Topping
It’s often assumed that ‘hot pot’ refers to the earthenware pot that is traditionally used to cook casseroles in British cuisine, but it is actually more likely to be connected with what lies within, which would have been a ‘hodgepodge’ or jumble of ingredients. A true veggie warmer with a kick of English mustard to provide the all important heat to put fire in your belly!
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
Ingredients
½
Wholegrain Mustard
1
Provencal Herbs
1
Onion
1
Yellow Pepper
75
Chestnut Mushrooms
15
Tomato Puree
½
Flat Leaf Parsley
30
Half-Fat Mature Cheddar Cheese
1
Vegetable Stock Powder
1
Carrot
1
Lentils
125
Baby Spinach
450
Potatoes
Not included in your delivery
100
Water
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 220°C. Bring a large saucepan of water with a pinch of salt to the boil. Cut the potatoes (no need to peel) into 1/2cm slices. Add it to the pan, lower the heat and and simmer until tender, 10-12 mins. TIP: The potato is cooked when you can easily slip a knife through the middle. Be careful - you don't want the potato slices to break up too much! Drain in a colander and set aside to steam dry.
Halve, peel and chop the onion into small pieces. Trim the carrot (no need to peel!), quarter lengthways, then chop widthways into small pieces. Halve, then remove the core and seeds from the pepper and chop into small pieces. Roughly chop the mushrooms. Drain and rinse the lentils in a sieve. Roughly chop the parsley (stalks and all).
Heat a splash of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly soft, 4-5 mins. Add the pepper and mushrooms, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until soft, 5 mins.
Next, add the lentils, Provençal herbs and tomato purée to the pan and stir well. Pour in the water (see ingredients for amount) along with the stock powder. Add the mustard (see ingredients for amount - add less if you don't like heat!), then stir in the spinach a handful at a time until wilted. Simmer for a minute then add half of the parsley.
Transfer the lentil mixture from the pan into an ovenproof dish. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, arrange on top of the pie, overlapping each slice of potato (see photo). Season with a few grinds of black pepper. Grate the cheese on top then bake on the top shelf of your oven until bubbling and golden, 10-15 mins.
Let the hotpot sit for a few mins and then serve in deep bowls. Finish with a sprinkling of the remaining parsley. Enjoy!
