Description
A hearty and flavorful Cottage Chilli Hotpot featuring tender braised beef cooked slowly with aromatic spices, red wine, and vegetables, topped with creamy thyme-infused mashed potatoes, perfect for a comforting family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Coating
- 800g braising steaks, cubed
- 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned well
Cooking Oils and Liquids
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 300ml red wine
- 250ml good beef stock
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 red onions, cut into chunks
- 2 carrots, cut into chunks
- 4 garlic cloves, bashed to remove skin
- 2 red peppers, deseeded, cut into chunks
- 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and sliced
- 1kg potatoes
Herbs and Spices
- Few thyme sprigs, plus 1 tbsp leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
Canned Goods and Additives
- 2 x 400g cans chopped plum tomatoes
- 2 tsp caster or granulated sugar
- 400g can red kidney beans, drained
Finishing Touches
- Knob of butter (plus extra to dot on potatoes)
Instructions
- Prepare and Brown Beef: Toss the cubed beef in the seasoned plain flour until well coated. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and brown half the beef cubes until nicely seared. Transfer browned beef to a bowl. Add 100ml red wine to the pan and scrape up any browned bits; reduce the wine slightly, then pour into the bowl with the beef. Wipe the pan clean, then repeat with the remaining beef and another 100ml of red wine.
- Process Vegetables: Using a food processor, pulse the red onions, carrots, and garlic until they are finely chopped to help the vegetables cook evenly and integrate into the sauce.
- Cook Vegetables and Spices: Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the cleaned pan and tip in the finely chopped vegetables, red peppers, sliced fresh red chilli, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Fry the mixture for 10 minutes to soften the vegetables and develop flavors. Add ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and chilli flakes, cooking for an additional 1 minute to toast the spices.
- Add Liquids and Simmer: Pour in the remaining 100ml red wine and reduce it by half to concentrate the flavor. Then add the chopped plum tomatoes, sugar, the browned beef with its wine juices, and beef stock. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the mixture gently for 1½ to 2 hours until the beef is meltingly tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Finish Hotpot Filling: Stir in the drained red kidney beans and allow the hotpot mixture to cool slightly while preparing the potato topping.
- Prepare Potato Topping: Peel and slice the potatoes about 5mm thick. Boil the potato slices for 5 minutes until just tender. Drain well and return to the pan. Add a knob of butter, thyme leaves, and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat the potatoes evenly with butter and herbs.
- Assemble Hotpot: Transfer the chilli and beef mixture into a 35 x 25 cm ovenproof dish. Layer the prepared potatoes evenly on top. Dot the potato layer with extra butter for a golden finish.
- Freeze or Bake: For freezing, cover the dish with cling film and allow to cool completely. This hotpot can be frozen for up to 1 month; defrost thoroughly before baking. To serve freshly, preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/Gas mark 6. Bake uncovered for 50 minutes to 1 hour until the sauce is bubbling and the potatoes are golden and crisp on top.
- Serve: Serve the cottage chilli hotpot hot, accompanied by soured cream and green vegetables for a balanced, hearty meal.
Notes
- This dish is perfect for batch cooking and freezes well for up to one month.
- Adjust the amount of fresh red chilli and chilli flakes according to desired heat level.
- Using a food processor to chop the vegetables ensures they cook evenly and break down nicely.
- For extra richness, add a little grated cheese on top of the potatoes before baking, if desired.
- Make sure to defrost thoroughly before baking if using from frozen to ensure even cooking.
- Souring cream adds a nice cooling contrast to the spicy hotpot.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: cottage chilli hotpot, beef hotpot, chilli beef, comforting stew, braised beef recipe, hearty hotpot, red wine beef stew, potato topped hotpot
