Vegetarian Hotpot

Ingredients for  4  Servings

• 1 tbsp

  Olive oil
• 2

  Onions, finely chopped
• 4

  Carrots, peeled and chopped
• ½

  Swede (about 350g), peeled and chopped
• 200g

  Parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 25g

  Plain flour
• 750ml

  Vegetable stock, made from stock cubes
• 4 tbsp

  Pearl barley
• 3

  Sprigs thyme, leaves only
• 900g

  Potatoes, peeled and sliced into 2mm slices
• 25g

  Butter
• -

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Approximate Times

• Preparation :

  Less than 30 minutes
• Cooking :

  1 to 2 hours

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.
2. Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the oil and, once hot, add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook the onions for 4-5 minutes, or until softened. Add the carrots, swede and parsnip, plus another pinch of salt. Cover with a lid on and gently fry for 10 minutes, or until softened a little.
3. Remove the lid, sprinkle in the flour and stir around to coat the vegetables and soak up any cooking juices. Add the stock, pearl barley and thyme and stir to mix well. Simmer for 15-20 minutes to soften the veg. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Meanwhile, heat a large pan of water and cook the sliced potato in boiling water for 1-2 minutes to soften slightly. Drain and then put them into cold water to cool them and make them easier to handle.
5. Pour the vegetable mix into a large, shallow ovenproof dish. Arrange the potato slices over the top of the vegetables, seasoning between layers with salt and pepper to taste and finishing with a neat layer of slices. Dot over the butter and finish with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place into the preheated oven and cook for 45-50 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the potatoes are golden-brown on top.