Hearty Beef & Carrot Hotpot

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7 and boil a kettle

Slice your potatoes (skins on) into thin discs

Add the potato discs to a large baking tray (or two!) with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper

Give everything a good mix up and put the tray[s] in the oven for 15-20 min or until beginning to soften

Whilst the potatoes are cooking, peel and finely chop your brown onion[s]

Top, tail, peel and dice your carrot[s]

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add your beef mince with a generous pinch of salt and cook for 3-4 min or until beginning to brown, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go

Meanwhile, dissolve your beef stock mix, tomato paste and Marmite in 300ml [390ml] [550ml] boiled water – this is your Marmite stock

Once the beef is beginning to brown, add the chopped onion and diced carrot to the pan with a generous grind of black pepper

Cook for a further 3-4 min or until beginning to soften

Once softened, add the chopped garlic with 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] flour and cook for 1 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the Marmite stock and your bay leaf[ves] with a pinch of salt and sugar

Bring to the boil over a high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 4-5 min or until thickened and the beef is cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your beef & carrot hotpot mix

Once thickened, transfer the beef & carrot hotpot mix to an oven-proof dish

Top with the softened potato slices and put the dish in the oven for 15-20 min or until the potatoes are golden and the hotpot is bubbling – this is your hearty beef & carrot hotpot