' I was dismayed to see that in her "Kitchen Gadget Hall of Shame" she placed the electric slow-cooker as being one of the items she had bought and was now going to give to a "more deserving cause." I was surprised at her condemnation of this great piece of kitchen equipment which I am happy to give cupboard space too. Anyone reading my "About" page will have already read that I used to have a pub with restaurant section - my mid-life crisis attempt to escape driving a desk all my working life! It was during these few years that I really discovered just how great slow cookers can be and a lot more versatile than it might appear at first glance.I prided my "pub-grub" as being, for the most part, home-made, and as far as possible using seasonal and locally produced ingredients. I supported the local butcher, fishmonger and vegetable and fruit suppliers as well as getting lots of fresh fruit and veg delivered to my doorstep by customers who had a glut of tomatoes, courgettes etc. Even trout arrived at my doorstep following a very successful fishing trip and too many trout for personal consumption. I was lucky that in the same village lived a licensed game keeper who also lectured for the wild deer society (I forget it's correct name). In return for the free use of my function room once a month in the daytime (when it would most likely have been empty in any case) fir his training sessions, he used to regularly bring me venison, rabbit, pheasant etc and these were ideal components for a game pie. Game pie was one of the many dishes that I used to prepare using my much loved slow cookers.
Other favourites that received the slow cooker treatment somewhere in the overall preparation were the pub classics of steak and ale pie, a multitude of variations on the pie theme, chilli con carne, ragu sauce for bolognaise, canneloni or lasagne, all manner of soups, my 'signature' dish of lamb shanks in red wine, rosemary, redcurrant, garlic and red wine, various casseroles and even my home cooked ham was slow cooked in cider using a slow cooker. Christmas and Easter time I used to put the turkey breast in a slow cooker in white wine and various other flavourings, and then just finish it in the oven to get a nice glaze. People always remarked how beautifully moist the turkey was and how flavourful the gravy (made from the slow cooker cooking liquor). Even some desserts got made in the slow cookers - they make a great bain-marie for things like creme brulees and creme caramels and can be used for "steamed" puddings as well.
I ended up with 5 large (6-8litre capacity) slow cookers, 3 of the medium size ones (3 litre capacity) and 1 of the cute small ones which I purchased through Lakeland, the only one I have seen of a size suitable just for 2-3 people. This little one was great for keeping sauces warm throughout the service period. Even though I have now been out of the pub trade for 4 years I am still a devotee of the slow cooker and have kept 2 large ones, one medium and one small. I use them a lot, less so in the summer months when the grill, barbecue and griddle pans come out to play. I am a spring and summer person, I love the warm / hot sunny days and any excuse to get a crowd of people round for a barbecue or al fresco eating. One of the few compensations for me of the autumn and winter is the fact I can really start using my slow cookers again!
There are some links in my "Shop" for anyone wanting to check out these wonderful gadgets and I am planning do include plenty of recipes over time in this blog that can be done in a slow cooker to show other people how versatile and easy to use they are. They will save you time ultimately as you don't need to be constantly watching over them, things never burn in them and will keep warm for a couple of hours after they are cooked in them. They are very cheap to run (about the same energy consumption as a light bulb I believe) and because foods don't burn or caramelise so much in them compared to when cooked in an oven or stove top, they also wash up easily - what a bonus! The cheaper cuts of meat are ideal for slow cooker recipes so you will save money there too and have you can bulk / batch cook staple or favourite recipes for freezing. Another bonus is that cooking the main course in the slow cooker frees up hob space or oven space - I could go on and on singing their praises ;-)
3 comments:
Slow Cookers rock ;) I kind of go through crazes with them, but there really isn't a better aroma to come home to in the cold dark & frequently wet winter nights, especially those nights when your on your own than the slow cooker.., I swear it practically yells out to you "Honey I'm Home"...:) Love 'em.
I agree, slow cookers are an excellent addition to the kitchen. For some reason a lot of professional cooks don’t like them while, at the same time, telling us to cook certain dishes as slowly as possible. I know some people who have been put off slow cookers because they try their favourite recipes without adapting them in any way. It just needs a little practice.
I really don't understand why slow cookers are not better liked by the "professionals" - certain cuts of meat which require slow, moist and very gentle cooking do so well in the slow cooker environment! Oh well .... each to their own but I am glad that some people agree with me! ;-)
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