Help adapting a slow cooker recipe

lovehome

Hi
I've been lurking for a wee while, picking up loads of tips as I go, particularly for recipes / food. Before Christmas I bought a slow cooker in the half price sale at Tesco. Since then, I've had some successes (mostly following recipes) and some less successful meals (mostly trying to adapt things myself).
I've found a recipe that I'd love to try but it's not a slow cooker recipe. Could anybody give some advice on how to adapt this recipe, particularly why you'd make the adaptations? I hope this isn't too presumptuous, but if I try and adapt it myself I'll probably end up with watery beef and raw aubergine! :rotfl:
Thanks!
2 tablespoons olive oil
600g beef chuck steak, trimmed, cut into 4cm pieces
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
800g vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 long red chilli, halved lengthways
4 (300g) baby eggplant, chopped
couscous, to serve
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Method
Step 1
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add beef. Cook, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika and cumin. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Step 2
Add tomato, chilli and 1/2 cup cold water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, for 1 hour. Remove lid. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until beef is tender and sauce has thickened.
Step 3
Meanwhile, heat half the remaining oil in a frying pan. Add half the eggplant. Cook, turning occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until golden. Repeat with remaining oil and eggplant. Set aside.
Step 4
Remove and discard chilli. Add eggplant to saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through. Serve with couscous.

lovehome

P.S. I'll be using chopped tomatoes, so how much should I use?

Fruball

Chuck it all in, go out, come back, and enjoy

Sounds delish

(ps I would use a can of tomatoes, possibly 2. Once it is all in, have a look at it. If there really doesn't seem a lot of fluid, add another can)

mi_jardin

I wouldn't add the extra water if I was doing that recipe, liquid doesn't boil off like it does in a stew.

lovehome

Thanks for the advice! Would you do step 1 on the hob (brown the beef with the spices) and then chuck in the slow cooker or just chuck in? Would you hang off on the aubergine until nearer the end or can I just chuck it all in at the same time.
I don't know why, I'm really timid with this slow cooker thing where everybody else seems so confident!

madvixen

lovehome wrote: »

Thanks for the advice! Would you do step 1 on the hob (brown the beef with the spices) and then chuck in the slow cooker or just chuck in? Would you hang off on the aubergine until nearer the end or can I just chuck it all in at the same time.
I don't know why, I'm really timid with this slow cooker thing where everybody else seems so confident!

You could brown it first if you have the time. It would probably enhance the flavours a bit as well. We only have access to a slow cooker during the week so I never brown my meat, I just bung it all in

You'll soon get the hang of it. Have a look around the net for recipes (the Americans have some awesome "crockpot" recipes) and check out the food section on Pintrest as well.
Best of luck

Fag_ash_lil

Hi ya,

I have a tesco slow cooker which i use all the time ... .... Don't be scared of using it ... they are so simple and easy to use ... and only one pot to wash up ... what more could you ask for ?

Mine has 3 settings on it .... low , high and warm .The booklet that came with it was really basic ...

I have had mine for ages and usually only use the " high " setting .... I have left food cooking on this setting for up to 10 hours and it has still come out tasting great ..

After my food has cooked i may use the warm setting ... just incase i may fancy another bowl / plate full of food later !

The only time i would use the " low " setting would be to warm food up from cold ..... ( but it quicker to use the microwave instead ) .

I don't bother " browning " my meat before i put it in the slow cooker ..... I did try it once , but it never made a difference " taste wise " ... no point in making more work for yourself ...

Personally i do exactly the same as " Fruball " says ... " chuck it all in " . ... but if you like your aubergine with a " bit of a crunch to it " then add them in the last couple of hours ...

One tip though ... DON'T keep taking the lid off everytime you pop into the kitchen, for a quick taste ... this really slows down your cooking time ....

Happy cooking ! ... Let us know how you get on ...

terri x

Fruball

Fag_ash_lil wrote: »

Hi ya,

I have a tesco slow cooker which i use all the time ... .... Don't be scared of using it ... they are so simple and easy to use ... and only one pot to wash up ... what more could you ask for ?

Mine has 3 settings on it .... low , high and warm .The booklet that came with it was really basic ...

I have had mine for ages and usually only use the " high " setting .... I have left food cooking on this setting for up to 10 hours and it has still come out tasting great ..

After my food has cooked i may use the warm setting ... just incase i may fancy another bowl / plate full of food later !

The only time i would use the " low " setting would be to warm food up from cold ..... ( but it quicker to use the microwave instead ) .

I don't bother " browning " my meat before i put it in the slow cooker ..... I did try it once , but it never made a difference " taste wise " ... no point in making more work for yourself ...

Personally i do exactly the same as " Fruball " says ... " chuck it all in " . ... but if you like your aubergine with a " bit of a crunch to it " then add them in the last couple of hours ...

One tip though ... DON'T keep taking the lid off everytime you pop into the kitchen, for a quick taste ... this really slows down your cooking time ....

Happy cooking ! ... Let us know how you get on ...

terri x

I have the same Tesc0 SC! I only ever use the low setting! Just goes to show, you can't go wrong with slow cooking