200 Easy Slow Cooker Recipes

500g (1lb 2oz) pork mince

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

½ tbsp finely chopped fresh sage leaves

2 shallots, peeled and finely diced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp brandy

1 large egg, beaten

Line a non-stick 1kg (2lb 4oz) loaf tin with 6 bacon rashers, placing them next to each other horizontally so that the ends of the bacon overhang each side of the tin and the base is completely covered.

Roughly chop 3 of the remaining bacon rashers and 300g (10oz) of the chicken livers and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the mince and mix well with your hands until the mince is very smooth. Mix in the herbs, the shallots, 2 teaspoons of salt, the brandy and egg.

Spoon half of the mixture into the tin and press down into the corners with the back of a spoon. Place the remaining chicken livers in a single layer over the top and season with some salt and pepper. Cover with the remaining mince mixture and press down again. Cut the remaining bacon rashers in half and lay them horizontally across the base of the terrine, then fold the overhanging ends of bacon over the top to seal everything in neatly. Cover tightly with a layer of parchment paper then foil.

Place the tin in the slow cooker and carefully pour enough boiling water around the outside to come halfway up the sides of the tin. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 3–4 hours or until the mixture is firm and the juices run clear when tested with the tip of a knife. Remove the tin from the slow cooker and leave to cool slightly before unwrapping. Drain off any excess fat, then leave to cool completely. Serve in thick slices.

DUCK CONFIT WITH SUGARED PISTACHIO, ORANGE AND POMEGRANATE SALAD

This dish looks great, tastes great, and is great!

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus chilling

Cooking time: 2 hours

Serves 4

4 free-range duck legs

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 fresh thyme sprigs

50g (2oz) pistachios

1 tbsp golden caster sugar

200g (7oz) mixed baby salad leaves

2 spring onions, trimmed and finely shredded

1 pomegranate, halved

1 orange, cut into segments

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Rub the duck legs with 4 tablespoons of salt. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Dry the legs with kitchen paper, removing excess salt.

Place the thyme in the slow cooker dish and rest the duck legs on top. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 2 hours or until the duck is bathing in a pool of its own fat. Put the duck into a shallow dish together with the herbs and pour the liquid fat over the top to cover the duck completely. Leave to cool, then cover and chill until needed. It will keep for 2–3 days.

Thirty minutes before eating, remove the duck from the fridge. Put the pistachios and sugar in a small heavy-based saucepan and place over a high heat for 1–2 minutes until the sugar has just melted. Remove from the heat and stir to roughly coat the nuts in the caramel. Allow to cool, then roughly chop. Place the salad and onions on a large platter. Using a fork, release the seeds from the pomegranate, discarding any of the bitter white membrane. Scatter the seeds and orange segments over the salad.

Remove the duck from the now solidified fat and scrape off all the fat and skin. Using 2 forks, shred the flesh into bite-sized pieces and scatter the meat over the salad. Drizzle with a little olive oil, add seasoning to taste and scatter with the sugared pistachios. Serve straight away.

CREAMY BEETROOT SOUP

Beetroot makes a great soup, but when it’s slow-cooked first it’s even better! Serve with crusty bread.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 4 hours

Serves 4

Vegetarian

4 fresh raw beetroot, about 450g (1lb) in total, peeled and diced

1 potato, about 100g (3½oz), peeled and diced

1 onion, peeled and diced

1 tsp caraway seeds, plus extra to serve

1 litre (1¾ pints) hot vegetable stock, plus extra if needed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

200ml (7fl oz) crème fraîche

Place the beetroot, potato and onion in the slow cooker dish. Add the caraway seeds, stock and salt and pepper and mix well.

Cover with the lid and cook on high for 4 hours or until the beetroot is completely tender. Pour the mixture into a food processor and blitz until smooth, adding extra hot stock if it is too thick and needs thinning down.

Spoon all but a few spoonfuls of the crème fraîche into the soup and blitz again to combine. Season to taste.

Ladle the soup into individual bowls immediately and eat warm or leave to cool completely and chill before serving. Hot or cold, serve topped with a dollop of the remaining crème fraîche and a few extra caraway seeds sprinkled over.

TRY...

For a lighter alternative, simply omit the crème fraîche.