Chicken & mushroom Hotpot

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put 50g of butter in a medium-size saucepan and place over a medium heat.

2. 2

   Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms to the saucepan with the onions.

3. 3

   Once the onion and mushrooms are almost cooked, stir in the flour to create a thick roux. If using a stock cube, crumble it into the roux now and stir well.

4. 4

   Cook the roux over low heat, stirring continuously for 2 minutes to cook out the floury taste.

5. 5

   Take the roux off the heat. Slowly add 500ml water (if using a stock cube) or fresh stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.

6. 6

   Season with pepper, nutmeg, and mustard powder. Return to medium heat and bring to a boil while stirring until the sauce has thickened.

7. 7

   Reduce to a very low heat. Add the cooked chicken and sweetcorn (or other vegetables) to the sauce and stir well.

8. 8

   Grease a medium-size ovenproof pie dish with a little butter and pour in the chicken and mushroom filling.

9. 9

   Carefully lay sliced potatoes on top of the filling, overlapping them slightly like a pie top.

10. 10

    Brush the potatoes with a little melted butter and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and golden brown.