Slow Cooking: Easy Slow Cooker Recipes

Slow-baked sausages and tomatoes

PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 6–8 HOURS

SERVES 4

Perfect for brunch, this recipe is quick and easy to prepare and looks after itself overnight while you are sleeping. If you’re cooking for a larger number just increase the ingredients accordingly.

2 tbsp olive oil

8 thick sausages, such as pork and herb

3 red onions, peeled and sliced

2 beef tomatoes, thickly sliced

1 fresh rosemary sprig

1 fresh thyme sprig

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Warm half of the olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat. When hot, add the sausages and cook for 5–10 minutes or until well browned.

Place the onions in the slow cooker dish, then drizzle with the remaining oil and toss well to combine. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer over the onions, then add the herbs and plenty of salt and pepper. Top with the sausages.

Cover with the lid and cook on low overnight or for up to 8 hours. Using a slotted spoon, place the sausages on serving plates, then remove the herbs and discard. Spoon the vegetables onto the plates and serve immediately with plenty of fresh bread to mop up the juices and maybe a fried egg or two.

WHAT ABOUT…

if you want to use the oven? Simply place all of the ingredients into a large roasting tin. Bake, uncovered, in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4 for 60–90 minutes or until browned and caramelised. Turn the sausages occasionally during cooking.

Potato and black pudding hash

PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 8–9 HOURS

SERVES 6

Not the lowest calorie breakfast but so, so good. It is absolutely perfect for a morning after the night before brunch – or come to think of it, perfect at any time of the day or night!

50g (2oz) chilled butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing

650g (1lb 7oz) potatoes, such as King Edward or Maris Piper, peeled and coarsely grated

1 onion, peeled and diced

250g (9oz) black pudding, cut into 2cm (3/4in) pieces

100g (31/2oz) grated mature Cheddar cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

Butter the inside of the slow cooker dish very thoroughly. Arrange half of the potato in a single layer over the base of the slow cooker dish, then sprinkle over half of the onion, half of the black pudding, half of the cubed butter and then the cheese.

Repeat this process again, making sure that all of the potato is covered, and ending with a layer of cheese. Season with pepper. Cover with the lid and cook on low overnight or for up to 9 hours.

Serve spooned onto serving plates and top with a poached egg.

TRY…

taking time to make sure that all the potato is covered and not in contact with the air. This will prevent the potatoes from oxidising and turning an ugly grey colour.

Huevos revueltos

PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 6–9 HOURS

SERVES 4

VEGETARIAN

This version of the classic Mexican scrambled egg breakfast dish is wonderfully flavoursome due to the long slow cooking of the vegetables overnight.

2 plum tomatoes

1 red onion, peeled and diced

2 red peppers, deseeded and diced

1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 eggs

25g (1oz) butter

1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh parsley

Place the tomatoes in a heatproof bowl, cover with freshly boiled water and leave to stand for 2 minutes, then drain. Peel the tomatoes, then remove the seeds and cut the flesh into chunks.

Place the tomatoes, onion, peppers, chilli and olive oil in the slow cooker dish and season generously with salt and pepper. Cover with the lid and cook on low overnight or for up to 9 hours until tender and caramelised. Strain off any cooking liquid.