Irish Potatoes Hot Pot: A Hearty Comfort Food

Irish potatoes are a versatile ingredient that can be used to make a hearty and comforting one-pot meal: the Irish Potato Hot Pot. This dish is perfect for a family dinner or as an impressive addition to a dinner party. It is a savoury dish that combines the sweetness of tomatoes, the crispness of fresh vegetables, and the exotic texture of liver or other meats. The potatoes are boiled or fried until they are tender, absorbing all the delicious flavours from the sauce. This dish is very customisable, with options to include different types of meat and vegetables.

Choosing the right potatoes

Look for potato varieties that are both starchy and waxy, such as russet or Irish potatoes. These types of potatoes will give you the desired texture in your hot pot—tender, yet able to hold their shape while soaking up all the delicious flavours from the sauce.

If you're purchasing your potatoes from a farmer's market, keep in mind that different markets may carry potatoes that vary in quality. For instance, potatoes from an Asian farmer's market may be creamier and more similar to the "Banso potatoes" found in Cameroon.

When selecting potatoes, also consider the size. For a potato hot pot, medium-sized potatoes are generally recommended. This ensures that the potatoes cook evenly and become tender without falling apart.

In summary, the key to choosing the right potatoes for an Irish potato hot pot is to select medium-sized, starchy, and waxy varieties like russet or Irish potatoes. These will provide the ideal texture and flavour absorption for your dish. Additionally, consider the source of your potatoes and opt for creamier options if available.

Preparing the meat

The type of meat you use for your Irish potatoes hot pot is flexible. You can use chicken, beef, lamb, pork, fish, shrimp, or even beef liver.

If you are using chicken, cut it into pieces, rinse it thoroughly, and place it in a pot. Add half a cup of water, two teaspoons of ginger, garlic, and herb blend, salt, and pepper. Let it cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, checking and replenishing the water as needed. When it is done, remove the chicken from the stock and place it on a greased oven tray. Let it broil/grill in the oven for 10 minutes.

If you are using beef, lamb, or chicken, cut the meat into 2-inch cubes. You can also use pre-sliced fatty beef, usually found in the refrigerated or frozen section of most Asian supermarkets. If using pre-sliced meat, simply thaw it if frozen.

For lamb, get the calf muscle, which has more uniform fat, connective tissue, and lean parts. Ask your butcher to remove the bone and slice the meat narrowly, like a short rib.

For pork, you can use pre-sliced pork belly, also found in the refrigerated or frozen section of most Asian supermarkets. It should be about 1/8 inch thick.

If you are using fish, you can use thinly sliced fillets of tilapia, bass, or fluke/flounder.

For a vegetarian option, you can omit the meat and use more vegetables or tofu.

Cooking the potatoes

Peel 20-25 medium-sized Irish potatoes and rinse thoroughly. Place the potatoes in a pot with water halfway up the potatoes and bring to a boil. Boil the potatoes until they are soft, this should take about 20 minutes. Once boiled, place the potatoes on a greased oven tray and grill/broil in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can skip this step and simply drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and bake them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

If you want to add a crispy texture to your potatoes, you can fry them after boiling. Heat some oil in a pan and lightly fry the boiled potatoes. You can also bake the potatoes in the oven to improve their taste and texture and prevent them from breaking when added to other ingredients.

For a Lancashire hotpot, thinly slice the potatoes to a thickness of about 2-3mm. Layer the potatoes on top of the meat and vegetables in your casserole dish, overlapping each other. This will result in a crispy topping. Brush the potatoes with melted butter and sprinkle with dried thyme. Cover and place in the oven for 1 hour. After this, remove the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden.

Making the sauce

The sauce for this hot pot is a flavoursome spiced tomato sauce. It is important to note that the sauce is made in the same pot in which the chicken was cooked, as this will add depth of flavour.

First, heat some oil in a pot and put in the onions, frying them for about 3 minutes. Next, add the chopped tomatoes and continue frying, stirring all the time, until the tomatoes start to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Now it's time to add the spices. Stir these in well, adding the stock from the boiled chicken to make a stew. You can add water at this stage if you want a soupier consistency. Season with salt, stock cubes (Maggi), and the rest of the white pepper, and mix the stew well.

Assembling the hot pot

To assemble the hot pot, you'll need to start by frying off your choice of meat in a hot pan. For a traditional Lancashire hotpot, this would be lamb, but you can also use chicken or beef. If you're making the Cameroonian version, you'll want to use chicken or beef liver. Once the meat is browned, remove it from the pan and set it aside.

Next, you'll want to soften some onions in the same pan. For extra flavour, you can use the fat rendered from the meat, or you can use butter or oil. Once the onions are soft, add the meat back into the pan, along with some stock, spices and herbs. Bring this to a gentle bubble and place a lid on the pan before transferring to the oven to cook for around 30 minutes.

After this initial cooking time, remove the pan from the oven and stir in some chopped carrots. You can also add other vegetables at this stage, such as green beans, bell peppers or celery. Top the meat and vegetables with sliced potatoes, starting from the outside and layering towards the centre. Brush the potatoes with melted butter and sprinkle with dried thyme.

Return the dish to the oven and bake, covered, for around an hour. After this, remove the lid and increase the oven temperature to crisp up the potatoes. This should take around 30 minutes.

Frequently asked questions