Winter has come on stronger than usual this year and the cold weather is keeping most of us inside. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. Especially, when a recipe like this comes your way. This vegetarian dish is flavorful, healthy and will warm you from your head to your toes.
Winter Warmer Hotpot
Winter Warmer Hotpot
Recipe adapted from Mary McCartney’s Food: Vegetarian Home Cooking
Serves 4
Ingredients
-2 medium to large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin round slices approx. 1/4 inch thick
-1 large red onion, halved then cut crosswise into thin slices
-3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into cubes
-8 ounce green beans, trimmed and chopped
-15 ounce can white beans (such as cannelloni), drained
-3 vegetarian sausages (or burgers), cooked and chopped into chunky bite-sized pieces (optional)
-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs
-3 1/2 cups vegetable stock, mixed with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
-black pepper to taste
-butter or olive oil for finishing
-1 can beer (to cook the sausages in); this is optional
Ingredients
Method
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-If you are using the vegetarian sausages and would like to add more flavor to the dish: Place sausages and pour one can of beer into a 1 quart sauce pan pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Line the casserole dish with the potatoes
-Arrange half of the potato slices in the bottom of a casserole or baking dish (about 11 inches). Layer all of the onion slices over them, then scatter the carrots and green beans over the onion, followed by the beans and then the sausage or burger pieces (if using). Sprinkle in the herbs and finish with a final layer of the remaining potato slices.
Arrange vegetables
Scatter “meat” and sprinkle fresh parsley over arranged vegetables
-Carefully pour in the vegetable stock, which should come to about 1/3 inch below the final (top) layer of potato. Drizzle olive oil over the top, grind some black pepper over it, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
-Place the dish on the middle rack in the oven. Cook for 1 hour, 45 minutes, then take off the foil, dot the potatoes with butter or olive oil, and cook for 15 minutes more. Carefully take the dish out of the oven and switch oven temperature to broil. Place under broiler for 3-7 minutes until the top layer of potatoes is golden and slightly crisp.
Last step: Broil (to get the potatoes lightly browned and crisp)
Original recipe suggests that you may serve with a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream on top and some freshly ground black pepper.
Scoop Winter Warmer Hotpot into a bowl and enjoy!