Caraway Lamb Hotpot

This is proper British comfort food, the kind that warms you from the inside out on a grey afternoon.

Lamb stew meat gets sauteed with onions, then layered in a casserole with thick slices of potato, each layer building on the last.

A muslin bag of caraway seeds sits right on top while it bakes, giving the stock a gentle earthy warmth without leaving seeds in every bite.

The lid comes off for the last 20 minutes so the potatoes on top go golden and the chopped bacon crisps up into salty little bits.

Kitchen Tips

• Wrap the caraway seeds in muslin or cheesecloth so you can pull them out easily before serving. Loose caraway seeds hiding in a stew can be a surprise nobody asked for.
• Use veal stock if you can get it. The recipe suggests it for good reason: it adds a richness and body that beef stock can’t quite match.
• Slice the potatoes thick, about a quarter inch. Thin slices will dissolve into the broth instead of holding their shape as a golden crust on top.
• Let the hotpot rest for 10 minutes after pulling it from the oven. The juices settle and every scoop comes out neater.