Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Base and Aromatics
- 30 ml olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, sliced
- 250 g chestnut mushrooms, halved
- 2 celery, thickly sliced
- 3 garlic, minced
Root Vegetables and Grains
- 300 g carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
- 400 g swede, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
- 150 g pearl barley, rinsed well
Broth and Seasoning
- 20 g plain flour
- 30 g tomato paste
- 15 g yeast extract
- 5 g fresh thyme, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 5 g fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
- 800 ml vegetable stock, hot
Topping
- 800 g floury potatoes, peeled and sliced 3mm thick
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Peel the potatoes and slice them uniformly to a 3mm thickness, preferably using a mandoline slicer. Set the sliced potatoes aside in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning.
Heat 15ml of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the halved mushrooms and sauté until they release their moisture and develop a deep brown crust, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 15ml of olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the sliced onions and celery. Cook gently until the onions are soft, translucent, and slightly caramelized.
Stir the minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and tomato paste into the softened vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens slightly. Sprinkle the plain flour over the mixture and stir well to coat, cooking for another minute to remove the raw flour taste.
Pour in a small splash of the hot vegetable stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Gradually stir in the remaining stock, followed by the yeast extract. Return the browned mushrooms to the pot, along with the chunked carrots, swede, and rinsed pearl barley. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Drain the potato slices and pat them completely dry. Arrange the potato slices over the surface of the stew in overlapping concentric circles. Brush the potatoes generously with the melted butter and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and bake in the preheated 160°C/320°F oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. This allows the root vegetables and barley to become tender while absorbing the savory broth.
Remove the lid from the Dutch oven and increase the oven temperature to 200°C/390°F. Bake uncovered for a final 30 to 40 minutes, until the potato topping is crisp and golden brown.
Remove the hotpot from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken slightly and makes serving much easier.
Chef's Notes
- Drying the potato slices thoroughly before shingling them on top of the hotpot is crucial; excess surface starch and water will cause them to steam rather than crisp.
- Yeast extract like Marmite is the secret weapon in vegetarian stews. It provides the deep, savory umami notes that you would traditionally get from slow-cooking lamb neck or chops.
- Browning the mushrooms deeply at the beginning lays down a crucial flavor base. Do not crowd the pan; cook them in batches if necessary so they roast rather than boil.
- Using a floury potato variety (like Maris Piper or Russet) ensures the bottom of the potato layer breaks down slightly to thicken the rich gravy, while the exposed tops become delightfully crisp.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cover tightly. The pearl barley will continue to absorb liquid, so you may need to add a splash of water or stock when reheating.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in an airtight container. The potato topping may lose some crispness upon thawing but will remain delicious.
Reheating: Reheat portions in the oven at 180C/350F for 20 minutes to restore potato crispness, or microwave for 3-4 minutes if in a hurry.
