Christmas slo-cooker recipe?

Jolanta_Nowak

Am looking for something to do in the slo-cooker of a Christmassy sort.

Lidl have venison on sale. Would anyone have a recipe for that?

Pink.

Hi Jolanta,

I can't think of anything right now that would be particularly Christmassy but if you have a browse through The Complete Slow Cooker Collection you should get some ideas.

Pink

Lizzieanne

Not a venison recipe, but I have made this many times and it is great. It's Christmassy and turns out well when cooked in a slow cooker. This amount is for 10 lamb shanks - for 4 shanks, I just half the rest of the ingredients as this gives a bit more gravy.
I also don't worry about the measurements for the figs or dates, if I've got nearly the amount required it really makes no difference. You can get tinned pumpkin puree in Waitrose, but I honestly wouldn't bother - the lentils do the job just as well and are much cheaper.

I cook it on the hob up until the 'turn down to simmer' bit then I bung it all in the slow cooker. It's even better made the day before and reheated!


Nigella’s Lamb Shanks with Figs & Honey


10 lamb shanks
4 tablespoons olive oil
1kg onions
2 cloves garlic
leaves from 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 x 425g can pumpkin puree (or replace with 2 handfuls of red lentils, which I did)
500g dried figs (I used dates instead - didn't have any figs!)
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cinnamon sticks, crumbled
80ml runny honey
1 bottle red wine (hic!)
500ml water


Heat the oil in a pan large enough to eventually accommodate the entire stew, and brown the lamb shanks in batches. Transfer to a bowl.
Using a food processor, chopped the peeled onions, garlic and rosemary leaves finely. Fry them in the oily pan until the onion is soft but not coloured.
Add the pumpkin puree (or lentils), figs (or dates), allspice, cinnamon sticks, honey, wine and water. Stir well and bring to the boil. Put the shanks back into the pan, turn down the heat and simmer for 1 2/2 hours, partially covered.

It is best to cook it up to this point the night before, leave to cool overnight then skim off all the fat that will have collected on the top. Reheat the stew gently, seasoning if required.

angelavdavis

Jolanta_Nowak wrote: »

Am looking for something to do in the slo-cooker of a Christmassy sort.

Lidl have venison on sale. Would anyone have a recipe for that?

I cooked this for a family get together last Christmas in the slow cooker:

Kilo of Venison
Large Onion chopped
2 large carrots chopped
1 Turnip chopped
3 sticks celery chopped
Red Wine (enough to cover other ingredients in SC)
2 bay leaves
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 bouquet garni or shake of mixed herbs
Jar of Lidl Cranberry Sauce
Couple of pickled onions (remove before serving)
Chopped fresh parsley (if you have it but not essential)
Four tablespoons of plain flour
Salt and Pepper
Sugar

Chop up veg and place in bottom of SC on low.
Pre-brown the venison by coating in seasoned flour and browning in a frying pan. Put into SC.
Add a little of the wine to loosen the flour from the pan, give it a good stir and tip onto venison in SC.
Add remaining red wine, pickled onions, garlic, two large tablespoons of cranberry sauce, bay leaves and herbs.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until venison is softened.
Add a little sugar, salt and pepper if required (depends on wine).
Remove pickled onions and bay leaves before serving

Serve with mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts topped with toasted almonds!

This fed 6 people last year (including seconds!)