AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
My slow cooker had a metal flameproof pot, so you can put it on the hob for searing stuff first. The non-stick coating has started coming adrift though, and I'm not convinced that a replacement pot won't do the same. I never used it on the hob much anyway.
Instead, I've order myself a new 6 litre slow cooker with ceramic inner, a 5 litre multi-cooker (which can also slow cook), and a food processor to take some of the donkey work out of the prep. Being on "stay at home" duty, the vast majority of my meals will be done through these, batch cooked, and frozen as home cooked "ready meals".
I've got some dehydrated roasted sweet potato, and a bag of dried chick peas. When it's time to use those, they'll both get thrown in the pot with some onion and curry spices, then given a quick blitz in the food processor. A tried and tested recipe here.
Another simple curry is lentil dhal. Lentils and dried veg (I dry my own), adding passata, tomato puree and curry spices to suit, when everything's softened up. Same thing with herbs and garlic instead of curry spices makes a great pasta sauce instead.
I always have rice and pasta in the cupboard (which I'll be able to do in the multi-cooker too), but sometimes I'll not bother for the curries, and just do a flatbread with it instead. Every time there's space in the freezer for another ten single serving tubs, I'll do another batch of something.
I've also done beef stews, chicken soups, chilli, stocks, bolognaise, risotto, hearty veg soups with pearl barley, all that kind of thing. No fixed recipes though. I don't measure stuff anymore. My cupboard has lentils, dried beans, dried veg, dried fruits, dried mushrooms, assorted pasta, assorted grains, and assorted herbs and spice blends. Then there's always tins of chopped tomato, occasionally dried tomato, passata, puree etc. I've usually got some minced beef in the freezer, but will sometimes use red lentils instead. If I use other meats, they tend to be diced. Decide on a general theme, chuck in whatever ingredients seem appropriate, in whatever quantities seem vaguely appropriate, and taste/adjust as it goes along. I only do "cooking by numbers" when baking. My baking skills aren't good enough to improvise like that.
I don't tend to do larger items like chicken breasts, stuffed peppers or other big stuff in the slow cooker though. Instead, I'll cook them in a cast iron casserole dish or cast iron marmitout in the oven, at Gas Mark 3 or 4 (160-180C), surrounded by root veg and some kind of allium (onion, leek, garlic). Yum!
Instead, I've order myself a new 6 litre slow cooker with ceramic inner, a 5 litre multi-cooker (which can also slow cook), and a food processor to take some of the donkey work out of the prep. Being on "stay at home" duty, the vast majority of my meals will be done through these, batch cooked, and frozen as home cooked "ready meals".
I've got some dehydrated roasted sweet potato, and a bag of dried chick peas. When it's time to use those, they'll both get thrown in the pot with some onion and curry spices, then given a quick blitz in the food processor. A tried and tested recipe here.
Another simple curry is lentil dhal. Lentils and dried veg (I dry my own), adding passata, tomato puree and curry spices to suit, when everything's softened up. Same thing with herbs and garlic instead of curry spices makes a great pasta sauce instead.
I always have rice and pasta in the cupboard (which I'll be able to do in the multi-cooker too), but sometimes I'll not bother for the curries, and just do a flatbread with it instead. Every time there's space in the freezer for another ten single serving tubs, I'll do another batch of something.
I've also done beef stews, chicken soups, chilli, stocks, bolognaise, risotto, hearty veg soups with pearl barley, all that kind of thing. No fixed recipes though. I don't measure stuff anymore. My cupboard has lentils, dried beans, dried veg, dried fruits, dried mushrooms, assorted pasta, assorted grains, and assorted herbs and spice blends. Then there's always tins of chopped tomato, occasionally dried tomato, passata, puree etc. I've usually got some minced beef in the freezer, but will sometimes use red lentils instead. If I use other meats, they tend to be diced. Decide on a general theme, chuck in whatever ingredients seem appropriate, in whatever quantities seem vaguely appropriate, and taste/adjust as it goes along. I only do "cooking by numbers" when baking. My baking skills aren't good enough to improvise like that.
I don't tend to do larger items like chicken breasts, stuffed peppers or other big stuff in the slow cooker though. Instead, I'll cook them in a cast iron casserole dish or cast iron marmitout in the oven, at Gas Mark 3 or 4 (160-180C), surrounded by root veg and some kind of allium (onion, leek, garlic). Yum!
