Recipe Inspiration

Ingredients...

1200g equal quantities of diced stewing veal, pork and lamb

50g dripping

350g onions, peeled and sliced

350g carrots, peeled and sliced

25g plain flour

1litre Essential Cuisine Veal or Chicken Stock (made up with 16-20g mix per litre of water)

35g raw pearl barley

5g mixed dried herbs

700g King Edward potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

75g grated cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Method...

1. Preheat oven to 160◦c.
   
   
2. Heat the dripping in a suitable frying pan, fry the meat in batches until golden brown all over. Transfer to a wide casserole dish, with a lid.
   
   
3. Gently fry the onions and carrots until starting to soften, but without too much colour.
   
   
4. Stir in the flour and soak up the juices, cook out for a few minutes, stirring regularly.
   
   
5. Gradually add the stock, barley and herbs, bring to the simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then pour over the meat in the casserole.
   
   
6. Arrange the potatoes on top, overlapping, cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 1 ½ hours. Remove the lid, sprinkle with the cheese and cook for a further hour.
   
   
7. If you require more colour on the potatoes and cheese, finish under a hot grill.
   
   
8. Your Northumbrian Hodgepodge Pie is now ready to serve.

Chefs tip: 

The hodgepodge pie derives from medieval pies such as Gees in Hoggepot and Goos in Hochepot. It is quite unique because it has a variety of meats in the pie, this Northumbrian version is thickened with flour and pearl barley, a filling one-pot meal, for a cold Winters day.