In my slow cooker today.... part 2

miggy

Nicepeach wrote: »

Bolognese "pot luck" turned out well. Frozen 3 portions & 1 in fridge.

My SC had a day off today but is being useful as "storing" cauli stalks & other veg offcuts to make veg stock.

Not done this before. Should I just cover what's in there with water & cook up or should I add onion & other bits & bobs?

TIA.

It probably depends on what the 'other veg offcuts' are. If there is leek, for instance, I wouldn't worry about onions, but they undoubtedly go very well in stock. Ditto celery (I save leaves and oddments in the freezer for soups), carrots, whatever you like together, really. I don't think there's a rule except that it should be veg you like and that 'goes together'.

I tend to add some mixed herbs but that's just me. Also have to admit I haven't used the sc for stock before.

ETA: Unless you're making celery soup, go easy on celery, it's fab in the background!

FarmersWife_2

My SC today will be Lamb Curry... its a sort of throw in what I have recipe

Reading the stock ideas with interest... will definately try veg stock. I have some game stock in the freezer so dont see why I shouldnt do a veg one

C x

Indispensable_Hobbes

I'm not sure what I'd call todays concoction but it was left on overnight last night: 4 pork steaks - diced, 2 onions - diced, 2 carrots - chunked, 1 potato - chunked, tin of beans, veg stock pot, tin of toms, tom puree, garlic powder.

mumto2boys

Has anyone got a good but wine free beef stew slowcooker recipe please, i know the basics of meat/veg etc but what else should i be adding?

Nicepeach

miggy wrote: »

It probably depends on what the 'other veg offcuts' are. If there is leek, for instance, I wouldn't worry about onions, but they undoubtedly go very well in stock. Ditto celery (I save leaves and oddments in the freezer for soups), carrots, whatever you like together, really. I don't think there's a rule except that it should be veg you like and that 'goes together'.

I tend to add some mixed herbs but that's just me. Also have to admit I haven't used the sc for stock before.

ETA: Unless you're making celery soup, go easy on celery, it's fab in the background!

Thanks miggy. I haven't made stock EVER before I'm afraid to say but I've been following the "Don't throw food away" thread hence storing veg offcuts in SC. I'm one of those shockers who used to throw offcuts & peelings etc away but am trying not to & am experimenting like mad! Kitchen looks like something from Hogwarts! :rotfl:

I've always used the roasting tin & veg. water to make gravy for meals but never made Stock as such so am going to give it a go but. Going to just put some water over said stalks, potato peelings, bits of carrots etc. Will add herbs (thanks for that tip) BUT what do I do with the resultant limp stalks, peelings etc? Bin it? Doubt rabbits will eat it once cooked. I think I can hear MSE peeps screaming everywhere! I bet there's something I should be doing with it!

Sunnyday

Nicepeach wrote: »

BUT what do I do with the resultant limp stalks, peelings etc? Bin it? Doubt rabbits will eat it once cooked. I think I can hear MSE peeps screaming everywhere! I bet there's something I should be doing with it!

Don`t add too much water as some will come out of the veg as you cook it, once its done you can blend it and make a thin stock or if there is a lot of veg you will have a nice nourishing soup. Add a bit of pearl barley to the sc to help thicken it.

You will have to go out to find something for the rabbits lol

HTH

SD

miggy

Nicepeach wrote: »

what do I do with the resultant limp stalks, peelings etc? Bin it? Doubt rabbits will eat it once cooked. I think I can hear MSE peeps screaming everywhere! I bet there's something I should be doing with it!

I must admit that I used to make chicken stock all the time until I realised it was filling the freezer and never getting used, and I'd throw the mushy veg out, though I don't doubt they can safely be liquidised. Apart from the stock not being clear (if this matters to you; I think it's one of those things that's supposed to happen but I haven't worked out why) - well, apart from that I don't see why you shouldn't just keep the veg. The rabbits would probably like some dandelions instead.

I like the idea of the kitchen looking like Hogwarts! In my mind's eye you are standing in the middle, hair all over the place and robes streaming out around you, waving a wand and screaming 'Accio veg!', upon which all sorts of potato peel and ends of carrots leap into the SC - and the rabbit is left loking very puzzled as they do if a guinea pig steals their treats, because they've never heard of 'accio' and they don't know where their cabbage leaves went.

Our kitchen is looking gleaming and scientific for the first and only time in 18 years, due to a new cooker and lino. This won't last but the cooker may keep me from this thread for a bit. I'll be back though.

In our SC today were the remains of a bag of chicken nuggets. This wasn't a good idea as they got a bit soggy due to some other chicken also being in there - but we live and learn.

d1gger

My pot today was Spanish Chicken. I did it the long way. Skinned 3 drumsticks & thighs, browned them. removed then browned onion then added 2 tbsp flour, garlic (2 cloves), then 150 g chopped choizo and pack of passsata (DS doesn't like toms). Put about a 1lb of chopped new pots in and chucked chicken then tom sauce mix, 1/2 stock, a couple of tbsp of black olives, s&p for 8-9 hours.

V nice. DS hates smoked things, so he said!. But he loved the chicken and potatoes.

Next time, should I brown every thing and what about the chorizo?

Nicepeach

I like the idea of the kitchen looking like Hogwarts! In my mind's eye you are standing in the middle, hair all over the place and robes streaming out around you, waving a wand and screaming 'Accio veg!', upon which all sorts of potato peel and ends of carrots leap into the SC - and the rabbit is left loking very puzzled as they do if a guinea pig steals their treats, because they've never heard of 'accio' and they don't know where their cabbage leaves went.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: Your description is almost right
! Hair DEFINITELY all over place, no fancy robes - usually fluffy jamas, thermal socks & crocs - have lovely tiled floor but it's very cold & trying to delay switching on electric under floor heating as it's sooooo expensive:eek: to run.

Think DS thinks I'm turning eccentric in my "old age" (mid 40s) as every time he comes in there's another "experiment" going on (been testing out washing & re-using bread bags for freezer bags as I'm using so many now I'm making large batches of "things" in SC - had them pegged on sock airer the other day... He just looked at them, then at me & walked out of the kitchen...).

Anyway to the stock experiment - Popped all veg offcuts, peelings etc. in with couple of bay leaves, mixed herbs, black peppercorns. Left on low all day yesterday, turned off last night & took crock out of SC so it would cool down nicely. Lifted lid this morning when I went in to make a coffee but couldn't face doing anything with it, will do it soon. All veg turned v. soft & smells "veggy". No surprises there then. Will update later when I've mustered the strength to fish out sogginess.

miggy

d1gger wrote: »

My pot today was Spanish Chicken. I did it the long way. Skinned 3 drumsticks & thighs, browned them. removed then browned onion then added 2 tbsp flour, garlic (2 cloves), then 150 g chopped choizo and pack of passsata (DS doesn't like toms). Put about a 1lb of chopped new pots in and chucked chicken then tom sauce mix, 1/2 stock, a couple of tbsp of black olives, s&p for 8-9 hours.

V nice. DS hates smoked things, so he said!. But he loved the chicken and potatoes.

Next time, should I brown every thing and what about the chorizo?

That sounds LUSH! If you don't mind I think I may be borrowing the idea some time this week. (Probably with the tinned new pots as recommended not so far back).

I think you probably browned the right things - evidence being that it went down well! I think I would have put the chorizo in as it was. Could you taste it or did it disintegrate and merge with the rest in which case maybe it could have been browned first as much to keep it together as anything.