Winter is the time of the year when the slow cooker can become a permanent item on your kitchen bench.
It's so easy before leaving the house in the morning to throw some cubed meat into the cooker, plus a selection of healthy vegetables and some seasonings, and flick the "on" switch.
Arriving home after work, the house is filled with mouth-watering aromas and a delicious dinner awaits.
However, after experimenting with my slow cooker I've found that not all foods or recipes take eight hours to cook - the length of time most working mums are away from their homes. In fact, when left too long they become extremely mushy and, as my family says, "all the dishes start to taste the same".
If you want to slow down the slow cooking, I suggest preparing the ingredients the night before, placing them in the crockery insert of the slow cooker and refrigerating it overnight. Chilling will add one to two hours to the cooking time. To prevent the insert cracking, place it into the cooker before you turn it on.
Another idea to slow the cooking is to invest in a timer so you can delay the start.
To obtain the best flavour, lightly brown the meat and veges before putting them in the slow cooker. If time is limited this step can be eliminated, but it is important to pre-cook the onion either by sauteing in a frying pan or in the microwave. Raw onion can sometimes dominate the flavour.
Very little moisture is lost from slow cookers, so if you're using a favourite casserole recipe reduce the amount of liquid by a third to a half.
Little or no stirring is required when cooking on low but occasional stirring may be necessary to distribute the heat evenly when cooking on high.
Reheating leftovers in a slow cooker is not recommended.
RECIPES
ANISE PORK
3 large pork hocks
8 large shallots or pickling-sized onions
2 tart apples, peeled and sliced
1 & 1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tbsp brown sugar
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup apple juice
1 tsp whole cloves
1 star anise
1/2 cup raisins
Place the hocks in a large slow cooker. Add the shallots or onions and apples. Combine the mustard, brown sugar and pepper with the apple juice and pour over the pork.
Sprinkle with the cloves, star anise and raisins. Cover and cook on low for six hours.
Using tongs, remove the hocks to a platter. Use the tongs to remove the skin and bones. The meat will be so tender it falls off the bones.
Thicken the juices, if preferred, with two tablespoons of cornflour mixed to a paste with a little water. Return the meat to the slow cooker and reheat. Serves 6.
RICE & FRUIT PUDDING
100g each: dried apricots, dried blueberries
2 & 1/2 cups milk
1 cup each: medium grain rice, cream, orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
Spray the inside of a slow cooker with oil. Dice the apricots. Combine all the ingredients then pour into the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for four hours or high for two hours. Great served warm or cold with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Serves 8.
SLOW COOKER MEATLOAF
750g lean minced beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 each: yellow, red pepper (capsicum), diced
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp each: Worcestershire sauce, mixed dried herbs
1 cup good tomato sauce
Spray the slow cooker with oil.
Combine the meat with the egg, peppers, seasonings and half the tomato sauce. Place on a sheet of baking paper large enough to allow you to lift the loaf into the slow cooker.
Leave the baking paper in the slow cooker.
Spread the remaining tomato sauce on top of the loaf. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours. Serves 6.
SLOW-COOKED CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES
A bouquet garni is a bunch of fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, parsley and a bay leaf tied together with cotton or string.
2 rashers bacon, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 each: large carrot, parsnip, onion, cubed
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp each: flour, paprika
8-10 skinned chicken thighs
1 bouquet garni
salt and pepper to taste
1 & 1/2 cups white wine
250g button mushrooms
Saute bacon in a frying pan, until coloured. Push to one side. Add oil and saute the carrot, parsnip, onion and garlic, until soft. Place in slow cooker.
Dust chicken with flour and paprika and rub in. Put chicken on vegetables. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook for five hours on low. Serves 4.