In my slow cooker today...

Mermaid

Mermaid wrote: »

Hi,

I've just found a recipe for spotted !!!!!! in the January 2010 Asda magazine which has taken my fancy.

You can find the online version here: http://www.asdamagazine.com/2009/12/happy_ever_afters/

I'd like to make this in the slowcooker, and I wonder whether anyone could give me some advice on the amount of time to cook this for (either high or low power)?

I've found this post http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=46441&postcount=42, which suggests overnight for a Christmas pudding.

I'll try 8 hours on high if there are no further suggestions.

Also is it strictly necessary to cover it with clingfilm, as I'd prefer to put a bit of tinfoil over the top instead? Some of the old recipes for it suggest boiling it in cheesecloth, so I wouldn't have thought that a little bit of steam would hurt it! I don't like the idea of clingfilm being in contact with food as it cooks, and dumplings rise fine in a wet heat!

Thanks

Mermaid

OK, I left it on full for 7 hours, and this was too much. Next time I will:

• Cut the recipe down to half quantities as this will be enough for the 4 of us who like spotted !!!!!!.
• Add a little more sugar, at least double the spice and some of the lemon juice from the lemon that the zest came from.
• Cook for around 3 hours on full.

I still have a whole pudding left in the fridge - it's going to take ages to eat it up, but a worthwhile experiment nonetheless.

Mermaid

MushyPeas

Hi Mermaid, thanks that recipe for spotted !!!!!! looks lovely. Can I ask how you cooked it in the slow cooker? Did you put the dish into little pots and then put them in the slow cooker? I'm a bit confused about how it would work as I've never steamed a pudding before.

This morning I have carrot and lentil soup in the slow cooker. Oh and I've only just realised that you're not supposed to fill the slow cooker right to the top .

SparciaM

I'm thinking of buying a slow cooker as I saw one the other day 3.5l for £9.99.

My questions are:

There are 3 settings - low, high and auto - what is the auto setting?

Can you get slow cookers where you set it to cook on low for 8 hours and then switch off? Or do you need to buy a timer for the plug? Reason I ask is that I'm out of the house for 9 - 13 hours a day at work.

Do you need to pre cook, fry anything first, or does it all just go in?

Sublime_2

Nothing in mine today. Still trying to finish up the huge batch of pork, and beans from the other day. I'd normally have frozen the rest, but its just the thing in this weather.

MissyMAD

Sausage and lentil casserole in mine today. smells nice and hopefully will warm me up in this cold weather !

Sublime_2

SparciaM wrote: »

I'm thinking of buying a slow cooker as I saw one the other day 3.5l for £9.99.

My questions are:

There are 3 settings - low, high and auto - what is the auto setting?

Can you get slow cookers where you set it to cook on low for 8 hours and then switch off? Or do you need to buy a timer for the plug? Reason I ask is that I'm out of the house for 9 - 13 hours a day at work.

Do you need to pre cook, fry anything first, or does it all just go in?

Auto setting cooks on high for a couple of hours, then automatically switches to low. I used it on my old SC all the time, although I've only got a warm function now.

If you are out of the house for that length of time you might get away with low setting, depending on your SC, and the dish you are doing. Mines done on low setting in about 8 hours. It might be worth experimenting at the weekend so you know.

You can buy SC's with inbuilt timers, but they aren't cheap. There one with £10 off here. Or buy a slow cooker such as this one which does take ages to cook on low setting here.

smileyt_2

Today I have just done: pot barley, half a marrow (the last one of this year's crop), some frozen peas, mixed herbs, onion granules and stock. The ultimate lazy cook's meal - all I had to do was chop the marrow. I didn't even peel it because it was grown organically and the skin is so soft after 4 hours in the slow cooker.

I also have some pudding rice so might experiment with a rice pudding tomorrow!

andygb

AllBuyMyself wrote: »

Hello everyone. I am about to join your ranks and I could not be more excited about it!

Have just ordered a slow cooker from Amazon, so should hopefully be cooking your way by the end of the week.

Bought a pineapple today and have some bargain organic chicken thighs in the freezer, so will probably kick things of with something involving those two.

Just need to search through the recipes now and sit on my hands for a few days!

I would be sorely tempted to buy some fresh coriander, and make a curry. The natural sweetness of the pineapple will complement the spices, maybe use small yellow lentils to thicken it up.

andygb

I have a sausage curry on the go at the moment. My missus is not going to eat any, so I have ramped up the chilli powder, to make it at least Vindaloo hot - Oh Yes!!!!
The sausages were Paul Rankin ones from Waitrose. They have an offer on at the moment and they are reduced to about £1.70 a pack of six (they are very long as well!!!! - no sniggering at the back)
I browned the snorkers off, with roughly chopped onion, five crushed cloves of garlic, and my usual spice mix containing - chilli powder (two heaped teaspoons - we could have another Chernobyl on our hands here), Tandoori Masala powder and Garam Masala.
I then added finely chopped carrots, frozen peas, chopped yellow and red peppers, a cup of small yellow lentils, juice of one lemon, a big handful of Coriander,and obviously salt, pepper and a little sugar to tast and season.
Oh yes, nearly forgot, one tin of chopped toamtoes and water to get the consistency right.

It smells good, and it is hot.

Andy

lbt_2

andygb wrote: »

I have a sausage curry on the go at the moment. My missus is not going to eat any, so I have ramped up the chilli powder, to make it at least Vindaloo hot - Oh Yes!!!!
The sausages were Paul Rankin ones from Waitrose. They have an offer on at the moment and they are reduced to about £1.70 a pack of six (they are very long as well!!!! - no sniggering at the back)
I browned the snorkers off, with roughly chopped onion, five crushed cloves of garlic, and my usual spice mix containing - chilli powder (two heaped teaspoons - we could have another Chernobyl on our hands here), Tandoori Masala powder and Garam Masala.
I then added finely chopped carrots, frozen peas, chopped yellow and red peppers, a cup of small yellow lentils, juice of one lemon, a big handful of Coriander,and obviously salt, pepper and a little sugar to tast and season.
Oh yes, nearly forgot, one tin of chopped toamtoes and water to get the consistency right.

It smells good, and it is hot.

Andy

Hi Andy

That sounds lovely. Did you make it up as you went along or was it from a recipe?

I fancy making a chicken curry and I have some tikka masala paste in the fridge but I am not sure what to add.

Today, I have an enoooooooooooooormous joint of gammon with some boiling water, onions, celery, carrots, peppercorns and bay leaves. It smells so lovely