Posted by Adam Quinan on January 13, 2004 at -1:13:09 from 66.185.85.76 user Adam.
In Reply to: Ransomes 120th Birthday posted by Ross Cossar on January 12, 2004 at 13:21:14:
I developed these two hotpot recipes based on the vague descriptions of two versions of the hotpot given in Chapter 6 "Snow" Winter Holiday. A true Lancashire hotpot, which is what I suspect the Lake Bottom hotpot should be, would probably not contain carrots but would contain other ingredients, traditionally lamb's kidneys or oysters.
However, I decided that I would make the two versions using similar ingredients. These were both served at the TARSCanada Arthur Ransome's Russian Winter Holiday and 120th Birthday Party on January 10th 2004 to a party of TARS members who were skating on Mel Lastman Square tarn in North York, Ontario and much appreciated in the -13 degC temperature.
Igloo Hot Pot (serves 8 Arctic explorers and one Eskimo)best prepared by two ships' mates in an Igloo
In a good size pot, layer
One can corned beef (bully beef from South America, not North American corned beef), cubed
One onion, cut into slices
Eight medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
Three medium carrots, sliced in pennies,
Add about one pint (2 cups) of melted snow,
Add salt, pepper and/or bouillon cube to taste.
Cover and simmer gently over wood fire in the igloo until the potatoes are soft (about 45 - 60 minutes)
You will find the corned beef disintegrates into something like a thick soup with minced beef. Serve in bowls or mugs, share forks to pick up the bigger pieces of potato.
Lake Bottom Hotpot (Should serve a skating party, but in the book feeds the fish)
Two lb of stewing lamb
Two onions, sliced thinly
Ten medium/large potatoes sliced thinly
Five medium/large carrots, sliced (or lamb's kidneys or oysters)
Brown lamb in oil or butter and set aside,
In a large pot, layer ingredients, potatoes, onions, carrots and meat in a oven proof pot.
Season each layer with a little black pepper, salt and mixed herbs
Add about two pints (4 cups) of meat stock.
Cover and cook in a moderate oven 325 degF oven for about 2 hours or until meat is tender, Remove cover for the last half hour to allow potatoes to brown on top.
Wrap up and take out on to a frozen tarn in a basket, leave the hotpot on the ice for a few minutes while you unpack the rest of the basket. Enjoy the smell left behind and the perfectly symmetrical round hole in the ice.
Luckily Mel Lastman Square tarn is not very deep, so the pot couldn't melt through the ice and disappear.