Mini Hotpots with Stout

Impressive dish for entertaining, but still easy to prepare. Rich beef mince layered into stack with sweet potatoes and turnips to impress your guests.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 450g lean beef mince
  • 1 small red onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 teaspoons English mustard
  • 300ml good, hot beef stock
  • 2 large sprigs fresh thyme leaves
  • 100g sweetcorn kernels
  • 150ml stout or brown ale
  • 1-2 tablespoons instant thickening granules, optional
  • 25g unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
  • 450g medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 450g small turnips, peeled and thinly sliced

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C, 200°C Fan Gas Mark 7.
  2. Heat a large, shallow, non-stick frying pan and dry fry the mince until brown. Add the onion and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add the mustard, stock, herbs and seasoning. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the sweetcorn and stout or ale and cook uncovered for a further 5 minutes. At this stage stir in the instant thickening granules, if required.
  4. Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a large, shallow frying pan and fry the sweet potato and turnip slices in batches for 3-4 minutes on each side, then drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
  5. Place 4 x 10cm metal cook’s rings on a foil-covered baking sheet. Line the base of each ring with a combination of sweet potato and turnip slices. Spoon over a quarter of the mince mixture equally.
  6. Repeat the process twice, finishing each ring with a layer of sweet potato and turnip slices.
  7. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and using a fish slice transfer to a serving plate. Leave to rest for 2-3 minutes before removing the ring.