SLOW COOKING

[diddlydee]

Re: SLOW COOKING

Whole chicken recipe which is fab!

1 whole chicken
at least fat cloves of garlic
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 carrot cleaned (or peeled if old) and sliced
1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 350 ml of water
1 tbsp of tomato puree
1/2 tsp of herbs de provence (easily obtained if you don't have them - and you'll use them in lots of stews - lovely!)
a bunch of parsley chopped
a little vinegar (red wine, sherry or balsamic) to taste

Chuck the chicken in the slow cooker with all ingredients EXCEPT the vinegar, half the parsley and the tomato puree. This can be left all day on low, or about 4 hours on high.

When cooked, remove the whole chicken; you can brown it in the oven if you wish whilst you prepare the sauce.

If preferred, skim the fat from the juices in the slow cooker, then add them all to a blender and puree till smooth.

Place in a saucepan and boil to thicken slightly whisk in the tomato puree and a little vinegar at a time - keep tasting until it tastes just right. Add the rest of the parsley to the sauce.

Serve with the chicken, veg of your choice and crunchy roast potatoes

[LooLoo]

Re: SLOW COOKING

Sooooooooooo hungry

[diddlydee]

Re: SLOW COOKING

Pork with apple and cider

Pork type of your choosing, but should contain some fat to stop it drying out. Rindless belly slices are good, if a little naughty, otherwise some shoulder steaks are great.

Ingredients:

1 whole cooking apple or 2 if small, chopped into chunks
1 whole onion, chopped
1 pint of dry cider
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 pork steaks or 8 bellys slices (based on 4 people or 2 really hungry people!)
5-6 juniper berries, gently crushed with the back of a spoon
a pinch of sugar, to serve

Chuck it all in (except the sugar) cook it for ages. Taste; if a little sour, put some sugar in and try again until just right. Eat! (with roast potatoes and veg).

Do you think I like roast potatoes? Ha ha ha

[diddlydee]

Re: SLOW COOKING

A really easy lamb stew

1) Cheap cut of lamb, whole if on the bone or chopped if not - shoulder is good
2) Any veg, chopped (good for using up that one carrot, half an onion and sad old turnip!)
3) Some dried herbs
4) A whole bottle of cheap crappy fizzy wine
5) Some pulses (they do sell a stew mix - but be careful, it needs soaking) - just a handful needed
6) Some parsley
7) Some dumpling mix or make your own.

Chuck in 1-5. Leave for as long as you fancy on low. 1 hour or so before serving turn to high and chuck in the dumplings. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

PS. if you make enough dumplings, you won't need mash!

[diddlydee]

Re: SLOW COOKING

PS. you can add peas, mushrooms or other quick cook veg to any recipe, but they only need to be added in the last few minutes before serving!

[LooLoo]

Re: SLOW COOKING

Diddles i notice a theme that runs through your recipes...........

rhahahahaha

x

[diddlydee]

Re: SLOW COOKING

Yup! I do like my roast king edwards! But, if you are just home from work and can't be arsed, you can buy ready made mash, serve with rice, or (gulp) use ready made roast potatoes if you absolutely have to...

[LooLoo]

Re: SLOW COOKING

i was thinking more of the alcohol................rhahahhaha

[diddlydee]

Re: SLOW COOKING

Oh, hadn't noticed that! Ha ha ha ha!

[LooLoo]

Re: SLOW COOKING

not that i am complaining as i do use a lot of vino myself when cooking

[mrsinvisible]

Re: SLOW COOKING

Cheapo gammon hock from butcher, soak overnight or rinse to remove excess salt. 3 carrots (like a tripod in the bottom of the pot gammon on top. 1 pint of liquid (I use water/cider/white wine) handful each, yellow split peas and red lentils ,chopped onion 2 chopped spuds, any seasonings you like, pepper, garlic, herbs etc. Cook 4 hours on high or 3 high 3 low, the meat will just pull off the bone, and the liquor can be whizzed to make soup.
When I cook a casserole I cut up a potato and some root veg, put them in cups and 'bury' the cup base into the casserole and it cooks away lovely, so you can have mash and veg with it . Also cook meat trimmings and feed the dog them same way. You can also steam a pudding in it, but double foil wrap the top so it doesn't absorb the stews flavour.
I love my slow cooker, it is soooo versatile.

[LooLoo]

Re: SLOW COOKING

Thanks Mrs I

i am loving all the ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!

xx

[Deepie]

Re: SLOW COOKING

braised lamb shanks

2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 lamb shanks
100g/3½oz plain flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
250ml/9fl oz red wine
1 onion, sliced
3 fresh sprigs rosemary
3 fresh bay leaves
300ml/½ pint chicken or vegetable stock
mashed potatoes, to serve

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
2. Dredge the lamb shanks in the seasoned flour and fry in the frying pan for 4-5 minutes, turning regularly, or until browned all over. Place the lamb shanks in the slow cooker.
3. Deglaze the frying pan with the red wine and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the volume of the liquid has reduced by half. Pour the liquid into the slow cooker.
   Add the onion, rosemary, bay leaves and stock to the slow cooker.
   
4. Cook on high for eight hours. Serve with mash.

[LooLoo]

Re: SLOW COOKING

Yums

[confused76]

Re: SLOW COOKING

Great thread Loo, and some fabulous ideas!!

I only got my slow cooker recently (£15 from Aldi if anyone is looking for one).

I've made chicken soup in it a few times so far, using the carcass of a roasted chicken. yum yum.

Ohhh i did make a lovely beef stew as well, just chucked in a load of veg, the beef stew chunks raw, some beef stock, and left it for 6 hours. Divine!!

The only thing i'm struggling with at the moment is what to thicken with. I'm off flour products so corn flour is out. I tried arrowroot but it didn't work. I need to get my hands on some zanthan gum and see if that works!

I want to expand my slow cooking repertoire so these recipes are fab!