Slow cooking uses little electricity and is a great way of using cheaper cuts of meat that benefit from longer cooking.

Meatloaf

Bean and carrot salad 

Summer recipe: This proves that the slow cooker is a useful piece of kitchen kit all year round.

Lemon and fennel chicken

Summer recipe: This proves that the slow cooker is a useful piece of kitchen kit all year round.

Boeuf Bourguignonne

1kg steak, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
1 tblsp oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
500ml Burgundy
200ml stock
2 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste with 1 tsp salt
2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
350g small onions, peeled but left whole
250g thick cut bacon, cut into lardons
150g whole button mushrooms

Place the cast iron bowl on the hob over a medium heat
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the cast iron bowl and brown the steak on all sides.
Do this in batches so that you do not over crowd the dish. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and reserve.
Add the onions to the pan and cook gently until translucent. Remove and reserve.
Fry the bacon lightly and return the meat and onions to the bowl.
Using oven gloves to handle the bowl, carefully transfer it to the heater base.
Add the rest of the ingredients and cover with the cast iron lid.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
Serve with buttered noodles and green salad.

Spanish Pork With Olives

900g pork, cut in 2.5 cm cubes
2 tblsp olive oil
2 medium onions, finely sliced
400g skinned and chopped tomatoes
150ml red wine
Juice and grated rind of 1 orange
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 green pepper, chopped
50g olives, sliced

Place the cast iron bowl on the hob over a medium heat. Heat the oil and brown the pork cubes.
Set aside. Gently fry the onions until soft and return the pork to the bowl. Add all other ingredients.
Using oven gloves to handle the bowl, carefully transfer it to the heater base. Cover with the cast iron lid.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
Serve with saffron rice.

Coq Au Vin

A nostalgic, bistro favourite.
600g chicken, cut in cubes
250g streaky bacon, cut in strips
16 small onions
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
500ml red wine
250g mushrooms
1 tblsp flour, kneaded into 1 tblsp softened butter to make a roux.

Place the cast iron bowl on the hob over a medium heat.
Heat the oil and fry the bacon until it changes colour. Remove and set aside.
Fry the chicken until coloured all over.
Return the bacon to the bowl, with all the other ingredients except the roux mix.
Using oven gloves to handle the bowl, carefully transfer it to the heater base.
Cover with the cast iron lid.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
Stir in the roux mix and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes.
Serve with olive oil mashed potatoes and petits pois

Minestrone soup

2 carrots, finely grated
2 potatoes, finely grated
2 stick celery, finely grated
1 courgette, finely grated
1 onion, finely grated,
200g dried haricot beans, soaked overnight, drained and boiled vigorously for 10 minutes
1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
1 litre water
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Do not add any salt at this stage of the cooking process, or the beans will not soften.
Add salt to taste when the soup is ready.
Place all the ingredients in the cast iron bowl and cover with the cast iron lid.
Place on the heater base.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Garnish with finely chopped parsley and serve with grated Parmesan cheese and good bread.

Celery Soup

3 sticks celery, sliced
2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 litre chicken stock
50 ml double cream

Put celery, onions, potatoes and stock into the cast iron bowl and cover with the cast iron lid.
Place on the heater base.

Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Alternatively pass the soup through a sieve for a rich, velvety texture.
Stir in the cream and serve.

Smoked Fish Chowder

3 potatoes, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
500g smoked cod or smoked haddock
2 bay leaves
1 tin sweetcorn
800ml water
250 ml milk
2 tblsp cream

Place all the ingredients, except the cream in the cast iron bowl and cover.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8. Stir in the cream and serve with soft white rolls.

Stuffed Squid

8 medium squid, cleaned
4 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
8 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
140ml dry white wine
½ tsp dried rosemary
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

To make the stuffing combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, egg and oil in a bowl.
Carefully stuff the mixture into the squid and secure with a cocktail stick
Place into the cast iron bowl.
Add the tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, cayenne pepper and wine.
Season to taste.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.

Delicious with crusty bread and a green salad.

Ratatouille

1 onion, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 aubergine, cut into 2cm cubes
3 courgettes, sliced
2 red and 2 green peppers, sliced
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
125 ml water
Bunch of fresh basil, chopped

Place the cast iron bowl on the hob over a medium heat.
Heat the oil and lightly fry the onion and garlic until soft.
Add the aubergine and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Add all other ingredients.
Using oven gloves to handle the bowl, carefully transfer it to the heater base.
Cover with the cast iron lid.
Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 6 hours.

Delicious with pasta French bread or as an accompaniment to roast chicken
Can also be served cold as an addition to the salad table.

Rustic Potatoes

25g butter
6 medium potatoes cut into thick slices
2 onions, sliced
200ml water
125 grams grated cheese
Salt and pepper

Spread the butter over the base of the cast iron bowl. Place half of the potatoes in the bowl.
Lay the onions on top and cover with the rest of the potato slices. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour in the water. Sprinkle the cheese over the potatoes.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
A perfect partner for grilled sausages or a gammon steak.
Or try it with a green salad and a glass of chilled white wine.

Ludlow lamb shanks.

2 tblsp rape seed or sunflower oil
2 red onions, halved and thickly sliced
2 –4 lamb shanks (each weighing approx 300-350 g)
300 ml red wine
200 ml stock
1 tblsp redcurrant jelly
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
8 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

Place the cast iron bowl on a medium heat and add the oil.
Add the onions and saute until translucent.
Remove the bowl from the hob and add all the other ingredients.
Transfer to the heater base and out on the lid.
Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours
Serve with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans

Shrewsbury sausages

Sausages and beans slowly cooked together to produce a rich dish to serve with crusty bread and a cold beer.
2 tbsp sunflower oil
12 -16 good quality sausages with high meat content
4 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
200ml red wine
4 tbsp tomato puree
100ml stock
2 x 400g tin tomatoes
4 x 400g butter beans

Place the cast iron bowl on the hob over a medium heat
Heat the oil in the cast iron bowl and brown the sausages on all sides.
Place the browned sausages on a plate and reserve.
Place the onion and garlic in the bowl and sauté until softened.
Carefully transfer the bowl to the heater base and add the rest of the ingredients.
Return the sausages to the bowl and cover with the lid
Cook on LOW for 4 – 6 hours and serve with crusty bread.
Serves 6 - 8

Chelmarsh Chicken

A delicious stew of tender chicken and nourishing vegetables
~ a one pot meal to welcome you home at the end of the day.

500g carrots peeled and sliced

450 g leeks, sliced
8-12 chicken thighs
250g mushrooms, sliced
500ml chicken stock
2 tsp dried thyme

Place the cast iron bowl on the hob over a medium heat
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the cast iron bowl and brown the chicken thighs.
Do this in batches so that you do not over crowd the dish.
Transfer the browned chicken pieces to a plate and reserve.
Add the leeks to the pan and cook gently until translucent.
Using oven gloves to handle the bowl, carefully transfer it to the heater base.
Add the carrots, mushrooms and thyme to the bowl and lay the chicken pieces on top.
With salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Add the stock and cover with the cast iron lid.
Cook on LOW for 4 – 5 hours and serve with crusty bread.
Serves 6-8

Shropshire Hills Pork

25g butter + 1 tblsp oil
400g onion, chopped
900g pork, cut in 2.5cm cubes
200g carrot, sliced
200g apple, peeled and cubed
600ml dry cider
200ml chicken or vegetable stock
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp sugar

Place the cast iron bowl on the hob over a medium heat
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the cast iron bowl and brown the pork on all sides.
Do this in batches so that you do not over crowd the dish.
Transfer the browned meat to a plate and reserve.
Add the onions to the pan and cook gently until translucent.
Return the meat to the bowl.
Using oven gloves to handle the bowl, carefully transfer it to the heater base.
Add the rest of the ingredients and cover with the cast iron lid.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
Serve with mashed potatoes and buttered cabbage.

Bewdley Beef and Ale casserole

A hearty dish, best made with a local ale and accompanied with a glass of the same!

1 kg stewing beef, cut into cubes.
500ml bitter or stout
18 stoneless prunes
6 tblsp strong beef stock

Marinade the beef in the stock and beer overnight
Place the meat, marinade and prunes in the cast iron bowl. Cover with the cast iron lid.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.

Gammon joint

A traditional favourite either served hot with parsley sauce or sliced cold for salads and sandwiches.
1 – 1.5kg gammon joint
180 ml water
Bay leaf
10 peppercorns

Place all the ingredients in the cast iron bowl, cover with the cast iron lid and place on the heater base.
Cook on HIGH for 3½ to 4 hours

Wrekin Rabbit In Mustard Sauce

1 tblsp olive oil
1 rabbit, approx 1kg in weight
250g streaky bacon, cut into small pieces
4 onions, finely sliced
500ml chicken stock
150ml white wine
1 bay leaf
1 dessertspoon Dijon mustard
60ml double cream
25g soft butter
25g flour

Place the cast iron bowl on the hob over a medium heat
Heat the oil and lightly fry the bacon until just coloured.
Transfer to a plate while you cook the onions until soft.
Using oven gloves to handle the bowl, carefully transfer it to the heater base.
Replace the bacon, add the rabbit, hot stock, white wine, bay leaf and mustard.
Cover with the cast iron lid.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
When the dish is cooked, mix the softened butter and flour to make a paste
and stir into the sauce with the cream.
Cook for a further 10 minutes.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Osso Bucco served with lemon Gremolata

A Milanese speciality
1 package (14g) dried porcini mushrooms
250ml boiling water
50ml flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 sliced veal shanks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 leeks, white part only, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 sprigs fresh thyme
125ml dry white wine

In a heatproof bowl, combine porcini mushrooms and boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes.
Drain through a fine sieve, reserving liquid. Pat mushrooms dry with paper towel and chop finely.
Set aside.
In a bowl, mix together flour, salt and black pepper.
Lightly coat veal shanks with mixture, shaking off the excess.
Place the cast iron bowl on the hob over a medium heat.
Add veal and cook until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer to a plate and reserve.
Add leeks, carrots and celery to pan and stir well.
Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
Increase heat to medium. Add garlic, thyme and reserved mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add wine and reserved mushroom liquid.
Using oven gloves to handle the bowl, carefully transfer it to the heater base.
Cook on LOW for 8 - 12 hours until the veal is very tender.

Lemon Gremolata

2 cloves garlic, minced
250ml finely chopped parsley
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Just before serving the Osso Bucco, combine garlic, parsley, lemon zest and olive oil in a small serving bowl and pass around the table,
allowing guests to individually garnish.
Serve with risotto alla milanese for an authentic and classic north Italian meal.

Bolognese Ragu

An Italian classic that is a firm British favourite
2 onions
4 cloves of garlic
2 sticks of celery
1 green pepper
1 kilo of minced beef
2 tins of tomatoes
4 tsp of dried oregano
100ml of dry sherry
1 tblsp spoon tomato puree
2 tsp salt
Black pepper

Place the cast iron bowl on a hob over a medium heat. Heat the oil and brown the minced beef.
Remove to a bowl. Fry the onions and garlic until soft. Stir in all remaining ingredients.
Using oven gloves to handle the bowl, carefully transfer it to the heater base and cover with the cast iron lid.
Cook for at least 5 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW
Serve with spaghetti and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
This sauce is also ideal for layering in a lasagne or even serving with a baked potato.

Goulasch

700g cubed beef, 2.5cm
2 onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 red peppers, sliced
1 tblsp paprika
2 tins chopped tomatoes
Sour cream

Place the cast iron bowl on the hob over a medium heat. Heat the oil and brown the meat. Remove from the bowl and set aside.
Cook the sliced onions and garlic until soft. Return the beef to the bowl and add all the other ingredients, except the sour cream.
Using oven gloves to handle the bowl, carefully transfer it to the heater base. Cover with the cast iron lid.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
Serve with sour cream, rice and green salad.

Swedish Pot Roast

1.5 kg beef rump or chuck roast
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp. dried dill
60ml water
1 tblsp vinegar
4 tsp. cornflour
2 tblsp water
240 ml sour cream

Sprinkle all sides of meat with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the dill.
Place in the cast iron bowl. Add water and vinegar. Cover with the cast iron lid and cook on LOW heat setting for 7 to 9 hours or until tender.
Place meat on a platter and keep warm.
Turn control to HIGH.
Dissolve cornflour in 2 tblsp water and stir into the stock. Stir in remaining dill.
Cook on HIGH heat setting for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Stir in sour cream. Slice meat; serve with sauce.
Serve with boiled potatoes and braised red cabbage.

Pork With Cabbage And Apples

700g joint of pork
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
2 onions, sliced
½ cabbage, shredded
300ml white wine
2 apples, chopped
5 juniper berries, crushed

Place all the ingredients in the cast iron bowl.
Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 7 to 9 hours or until tender.

Chicken Korma

1 tblsp oil and 25g butter
600g chicken fillet, cut into 3cm cubes
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 cm piece root ginger, peeled and grated
1 tblsp ground cumin
2 tblsp ground coriander seed
2 tsp ground fenugreek seed
1/2 tsp ground chilli
2 tsp turmeric
2 tblsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
½ mango, peeled and sliced
50g creamed coconut
Juice of 1 lemon
200ml water

Place the cast iron bowl on the hob over a medium heat
Heat the oil and butter and brown the chicken pieces.
Do this in batches so that you do not over crowd the dish. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and reserve.
Gently fry the onion, garlic and ginger until soft. Stir in the spices and fry for 1 minute.
Return the meat to the bowl.
Using oven gloves to handle the bowl, carefully transfer it to the heater base.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well to mix. Cover with the cast iron lid.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
Serve with pilau rice, Indian bread and pickles.

Lamb Dampukht Akbar

1kg cubed lamb
2 tblsp oil
200g chopped onion
5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 tsp ground black pepper
20 cloves
8 cardamom pods, cracked
200ml water

Place the cast iron bowl on the hob over a medium heat
Heat the oil and brown the lamb. Do this in batches so that you do not over crowd the dish. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and reserve.
Gently fry the onion and ginger until soft. Stir in the spices and fry for 1 minute. Return the meat to the bowl.
Using oven gloves to handle the bowl, carefully transfer it to the heater base. Add the water and cover with the cast iron lid.
Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.
Serve with rice or Indian breads and raita

Shenyang Pork