Tag: recipe

Slow Cooker Sunday: Sausage and Puy Lentil Stew

 

Slow Cooker Sunday: Sausage and Puy Lentil Stew
Recipe Type: Pork
Cuisine: Slow Cooker
Author: Mediocre Mum
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
This recipe originally came from Sara Lewis, but she called for Venison Sausages and Cranberries.  I only had pork sausages and don’t really like fruit of any description  (e.g apricots, raisins, apple) in my dinner so I just omitted them.  The picture doesn’t do it justice but I can’t stress enough how amazingly good it was.
Ingredients
  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 6-8 good quality pork sausages (we get ours from the local butcher)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, mince (I buy frozen portions of garlic)
  • 2 TBSP plain flour
  • 900ml chicken stock
  • 3 TBSP light or dark brown sugar
  • 2 TBSP tomato puree
  • 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
  • 200g puy lentils
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Place the lentils and bay leaf in the bottom of the slow cooker
  2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the sausages on all sides.  No need to cook through as they will be in the slow cooker for 6 hours.  Set aside.
  3. Add the onion and garlic to the frying pan and saute for approx 3 minutes until they soften.  Sprinkle over the flour and mix well for about a minute.  Gradually add the stock, then stir in the sugar, tomato puree, vinegar and season with a bit of salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
  4. Pour the mixture over the lentils and place the sausages on top.  Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours.  Don’t forget to remove the bay leaves and serve with crusty bread.

Don’t forget Slow Cooker Sunday is all about sharing recipes and getting inspiration from others.  Feel free to add your own recipes below.  They can be old or new and don’t even have to be your own.  Just one you’ve tried and liked.

And if you need extra inspiration, don’t forget to check out our Pinterest Board, with over a hundred recipes.

Google+ fans, we also have a Community ‘All Things Slow Cooking’ feel free to join in.  Thanks to Aly Hodge it’s now starting to grow legs.

And if you subscribe to my blog, using the form in the sidebar you can get a free copy of my first ever eBook ‘There’s More to Slow Cooking than Stews – 10 Recipes to get you going’.



Slow Cooker Sunday: My Top 5

slowcookingAs always, I’ve  been slow cooking this week.  But, it’s been one of those weeks, I’ve been so busy I don’t know if I’m coming or going and to be honest I’m starting to drop a few balls.

Nothing this week really stood out to blog about so I thought I would dig through the archive and share a few of my more popular recipes.  Weirdly, my most popular recipe is still the first Slow Cooker Recipe I ever posted ‘Green Thai Chicken Curry’ back in August 2010.

My top 5

Thai Green Chicken Curry – one of the most visited pages on my blog and if you want to have a go at your own paste check out the recipe on Just Annie QPR

Easy Slow Cooker Lamb Curry – yes it involves jars but it’s still worthy, but as a busy mum I’m always up for a cheat.

Abruzzi Lamb – perfect for a dinner party, I’ve served it time and time again and always gets rave reviews.

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry – for my veggie friends!

Pesto Salmon Bake – find me a kid that doesn’t love salmon.  Plus a bit of wine for mummy!

Now it’s your time to share.  There is a linky below;  recipes can be old or new and it doesn’t have to be your own recipe, just one that you know and love and have a website address.  Alternatively, you can email recipes to me mediocremum@gmail.com or leave your recipes in the comment section.

And if you need extra inspiration, don’t forget to check out our Pinterest Board, with over a hundred recipes.

Google+ fans, we also have a Community ‘All Things Slow Cooking’ feel free to join in.



Slow Cooker Sunday: Mince and Macaroni Soup

Bit of a laugh yesterday, the team from Netmums sent around a film crew.  They’re starting a parenting channel on youtube and would like to highlight food for all the family.  They asked if I could knock up a few Slow Cooker recipes that kids would eat.  In the end, I did Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs, Mince and Macaroni Soup, Sausages with Chutney Gravy and a Banana Bread.  It was really food fun.

I do public speaking everyday and am a fairly confident character and genuinely thought I’d be comfortable in front of the camera but I wasn’t.  Once I see the final version, if it’s not to cringe worthy I’ll pass on the link.

I wasn’t going to post a recipe yet, but, the cooking marathon has resulted in a huge amount of food in the house.  We went sledging today and it was so nice to come home to some hearty soup that helped us unthaw!  So, I thought I’d share it.

 

Slow Cooker Sunday: Mince and Macaroni Soup

Recipe Type: Main
Cuisine: Slow Cooking
Author: Mediocre Mum
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
A hearty soup that is perfect for a cold winters night!
Ingredients
  • 1TBSP of oil
  • 400g of minced beef
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 450ml of beef stock or water
  • 1 500g carton of passata
  • 1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 TBSP of soy sauce
  • 2 tsp of dried Italian herbs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 200g of uncooked macaroni
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Brown the mince for approx 5 minutes, add the onion and garlic, sauté for a further 3 minutes.
  2. Transfer to the slow cooker. Add the stock, passata, tomatoes, soy sauce, dried herbs, bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
  3. Fifteen minutes prior to serving cook the macaroni according to the packet instructions. Stir into the soup. Ladle into large bowls and serve with crusty bread.
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This is the perfect weather for slow cooking.  So what have you been cooking?  Do add your recipes to the link below.

I will also be adding your recipes to our Pinterest board which is growing rapidly.

Enjoy the snow!




Slow Cooker Lamb, Carrot and Pearl Barley Casserole

 

Slow Cooker Lamb, Carrot and Pearl Barley Casserole with Dumplings

Recipe Type: Main
Cuisine: Slow Cooking
Author: Mediocre Mum
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-3
I don’t normally cook many casseroles and stews but this is the perfect meal for the current dropping temperatures. It’s hard to describe the smell, but I came home to a lovely ‘sweet’ smell coming from the kitchen. The Pearl Barley gives it a thick creamy texture.
Ingredients
  • 1 TBSP of Oil
  • 300g of lamb (as you are slow cooking you could use mutton)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3-4 medium carrots, sliced diagonally
  • 2 celery stick, chopped
  • 45g of Pearl Barley
  • 450 ml of Lamb Stock
  • 2 pinches of dried parsley
  • Dumplings – I use Aunt Bessie’s finest frozen
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the lamb, season with salt and pepper and brown for approximately 5 minutes.
  2. Add the onion, carrots and celery and fry for a further 3-5 minutes.
  3. Transfer to the slow cooker. Sprinkle the barley over the lamb and vegetables, add the stock, stir and sprinkle the parsley on top.
  4. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
  5. And 90 minutes before serving, place the frozen dumplings on top. After 45 minutes turn them.
  6. Ladle into large bowls and enjoy!

 

If you do try any of my recipes do pop back and let me know what you think.  For more Slow Cooker inspiration, click on the tab at the top.

Cheers,

Chrissie

 

Slow Cooker Chickpea and Chorizo Tagine

 

Slow Cooker Chickpea and Chorizo Tagine

Recipe Type: Main
Cuisine: Slow Cooking
Author: Mediocre Mum
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-4
I was originally going to serve this with a lemon and mint couscous but then realised I didn’t have any couscous so I’ve said it serves two, but you could stretch it to four with couscous or rice.
Ingredients
  • 1 TBSP of olive oil
  • 2 red onions, sliced thinly
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 thin chorizo, 15 cm in length, roughly cut diagonally
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 400g tin of chickpeas, rinsed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 450 ml of veg stock
  • Couple of pinches of dried thyme
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Couple of pinches of dried sage
  • Natural Yoghurt
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, sauté the onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes until they soften. Add the Chorizo and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the paprika, stir and cook for a further minute.
  2. Transfer to the slow cooker. Add the chickpeas, bay leaves, vegetable stock and thyme, mix well. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Thirty minutes prior to serving add the lemon juice and sage.
  3. I’d recommend serving on a bed of couscous, with flatbread and yoghurt.

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If you happen to try any of the recipes do let me know how you get on.