LANCASHIRE'S most famous meal has caught the eye of a top chef on the hunt for England's national dish.

TV chef Brian Turner, currently touring the country sampling contenders for the accolade, visited the area yesterday to taste some of the region's favourite meal -- Lancashire Hotpot.

The BBC 2 TV's Ready, Steady, Cook star went to Northcote Manor in Langho to sample a portion of the traditional dish, prepared by head chef Warwick Dodds, and to ask around for other ideas about the county's favourite foods.

He has also appealed for East Lancashire residents to hand on their recipes and top tips to keep the region's cooking traditions alive.

The English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) is running the contest to find a national dish to celebrate St George's Day, following the news that 62 per cent of people would like to see more celebrations of English culture and cuisine.

But any Lancashire dish hoping to be named the nation's favourite will have to see off stiff competition from Yorkshire puddings and Cornish pasties in the bid to be the best.

Brian, famous for his appearances on Ready, Steady, Cook, said: "As a Yorkshireman I'm a big fan of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, but there's no reason why people in Lancashire shouldn't celebrate with hotpot. It's a great dish.

"We want to hear people's ideas and recipes because there's a lot of people in Lancashire with ideas for dishes that, sadly, could die with them, especially as youngsters aren't taught how to cook in schools any more."

Northcote's head chef Warwick Dodds outlined the restaurants secret for a successful hotpot. He said: "We use leg and shoulder of lamb and cook the onions in chicken stock. We use layers of thinly-sliced golden wonder potatoes.

"The red cabbage we serve it with is made with spices. We got the idea from visiting markets in Blackburn and talking to food experts among the town's Asian community.

"We also serve it with oyster fritters, because oysters used to be incredibly cheap and were often used in the hotpot."

To nominate a favourite dish, receive a recipe for Lancashire Hotpot or a comment card to provide recipe ideas or tips call 01908 609821 or visit www.meatmatters.com

LANCASHIRE HOTPOT

-Traditional hotpot is made with lamb and potatoes and usually includes onions and carrots

-This dish is thought to have become popular when the cotton industry was at its height and women mill workers would prepare it in a morning and leave it to cook while they were at work.

-Long, slow cooking produces the best results when making hotpot.

-Hotpot is traditionally served with red cabbage, but additional ingredients in the past have included oysters.

-According to local legend, a woman's prowess in hotpot-making determines the marriage prospects of her daughters.

The English Beef and Lamb Executive recommends the following recipe for Lancashire hotpot, but is hoping to hear more ideas from east Lancashire residents.

Heat 15ml of oil and use it to brown eight lean lamb chops or cutlets

Peel and slice 900g of potatoes and arrange a layer over the bottom of a large ovenproof dish

Cover with 1 sliced onion and two carrots, peeled and sliced

Season and sprinkle with three sprigs of fresh thyme

Arrange the lamb chops over the top and pour over 150ml of stock

Finish with remaining potatoes, neatly overlapping

Brush with melted butter, cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven for two hours at 180C

Removed the foil for the last 30-40minutes of cooking or until the top layer of potatoes is softened and well browned

Serve with pickled red cabbage and additional seasonal vegetables