Slow Cooking: Easy Slow Cooker Recipes

A pinch of sea salt

75g (3oz) fresh blackberries

Butter a deep non-stick 1kg (2

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lb) loaf tin and line the base with parchment paper. Place a trivet, up-turned heatproof saucer or cushion of crumpled foil into the base of the slow cooker dish. Place the oats in a heatproof bowl and cover with the boiling water. Set aside until just warm.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars together with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, mixing well between each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.

Sift the flour and salt into the bowl and mix well to combine. Add the oat mixture and fold in to make a batter. Spoon into the prepared tin and level the surface. Dot the top with the blackberries.

Cover with a piece of buttered foil, leaving enough room for the mixture to rise, but well sealed around the edges. Place the tin on top of the trivet, saucer or foil in the slow cooker and pour in enough cold water around the outside to just cover the trivet. Cover with the lid and cook on low overnight or for up to 9 hours until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Remove the tin from the slow cooker and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before turning out, blackberries uppermost, onto a serving plate.

Slow-roasted tomatoes on toast

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 6–9 HOURS

SERVES 4

VEGETARIAN

Slowly cooking tomatoes with salt slightly dehydrates them and concentrates their flavour. So if you start with good-quality, great-tasting plum tomatoes and cook them overnight in the slow cooker with salt, they’ll taste even better. They are lovely served on toast or as an accompaniment to a full cooked breakfast.

8 plum tomatoes

A large pinch of sea salt

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Using a sharp knife, cut the tomatoes in half and place them cut side down in a single layer in the slow cooker dish.

Sprinkle over the salt, sugar and vinegar. Cover with the lid and cook on low overnight or for up to 9 hours.

Using a spatula, remove the tomatoes from the slow cooker dish and serve on hot buttered toast.

WHAT ABOUT…

if you want to use the oven? Place the ingredients in a roasting tin and cook in an oven preheated to 110°C (225°F), Gas mark

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overnight or for up to 9 hours until the tomatoes are softened and starting to dry out slightly.

Mixed mushrooms on toast

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 6–9 HOURS

SERVES 4

VEGETARIAN

While you could certainly fry these ingredients together quickly and create a very tasty dish, slow cooking them encourages the mushrooms to gradually absorb the flavours of the other ingredients, giving them greater intensity and making them utterly more-ish!

500g (1lb 2oz) mixed mushrooms, such as button, cup or portobello, cut into large wedges or thickly sliced

50g (2oz) chilled butter, cubed

2 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon (preferably unwaxed)

2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh parsley

Place the mushrooms in a heatproof bowl just large enough to hold them and make sure the bowl fits into your slow cooker dish. Add the butter, olive oil, 1 tsp salt and the lemon zest and juice and, using your hands, mix everything together well.

Place the bowl in the slow cooker dish and pour in enough cold water around the outside to come about one-third of the way up the sides of the bowl. Cover with the lid and cook on low overnight or for up to 9 hours.

Stir well and add the parsley, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon onto hot buttered toast or English muffins and sprinkle with more parsley to garnish. Great topped with a poached egg.

TRY…

using any leftover mushrooms in salads or to make a fantastically flavoursome risotto.

Home-made baked beans

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES, PLUS SOAKING

COOKING TIME: 6–9 HOURS

SERVES 4 WITH TOAST

VEGETARIAN

You could open a can of course, but this home-made version will leave you wondering why you did! Slow cooking creates an intense depth of flavour and sweetness in this dish, making it taste rich, wholesome and satisfying.

150g (5oz) dried haricot beans