Tamarind Beef and Mushroom Casserole

This dish from a Waitrose recipe has been adapted to be made in a thermal cooker.

Course

Beef, Main Dish

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
400 g pack of beef diced
1 onion roughly chopped
1 large carrot roughly chopped
1 small swede roughly chopped
1 parsnips roughly chopped
1 leek sliced
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
2 red chilies halved lengthways
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
100 g jar of tamarind paste
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp brown muscovado sugar
400 ml beef stock
250 g chestnut mushrooms quartered
in Coriander leaves and rice cookedthe top pot

Course

Beef, Main Dish

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
400 g pack of beef diced
1 onion roughly chopped
1 large carrot roughly chopped
1 small swede roughly chopped
1 parsnips roughly chopped
1 leek sliced
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
2 red chilies halved lengthways
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
100 g jar of tamarind paste
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp brown muscovado sugar
400 ml beef stock
250 g chestnut mushrooms quartered
in Coriander leaves and rice cookedthe top pot

Instructions

Heat the oil in the inner pot and brown the meat in batches transferring it to a plate once browned.
Add the vegetables to the pot and cook for a few minutes.
Add the garlic, chili and ginger and cook for a further minute.
Return the browned meat to the pot with any resting juices and stir in the tamarind paste, soy sauce, sugar, stock and mushrooms.
Put the lid on the inner pot and bring to the boil. One boiling place the inner pot into the insulated outer container and shut the lid.
Leave to cook for a minimum of 3 to 4 hours.
Place 2 cups of rice in the inner in the top pot and add 3 cups of water.
Bring to the boil and then give it a stir with a fork to break up any lumps before placing it in the top of the inner pot.
Leave to cook for minimum of 3 to 4 hours.
Serve on a bed of rice with a sprinkling of coriander leaves over the top.

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Slow Cooked Pork in Cider

Pork and cider together make a delicious thermally cooked meal that can be eaten all year round. This meal is very easy to make and can be left cooking in your thermal cooker until you are ready to eat. Serve with seasonal vegetables and a sprinkling of chopped parsley for a meal to eat any day of the week.

Course

Main Dish, Pork

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 kg pork shoulder diced
2 onions sliced
2 celery sticks roughly chopped
3 parsnips cut into chunks
2 leaves bay
3 tbsp chicken gravy granules
500 g small new potatoes
330 ml bottle cider
850 ml water
handful parsley chopped
greens to serve (optional)

Course

Main Dish, Pork

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 kg pork shoulder diced
2 onions sliced
2 celery sticks roughly chopped
3 parsnips cut into chunks
2 leaves bay
3 tbsp chicken gravy granules
500 g small new potatoes
330 ml bottle cider
850 ml water
handful parsley chopped
greens to serve (optional)

Instructions

Heat the oil in the inner pot and brown the meat in batches, then set aside.
Add the onions, celery and parsnips with the bay leaves and fry until golden brown.
Sprinkle in the gravy granules and give a good stir.
Add the pork and any juices back to the dish.
Add the potatoes.
Pour in the cider and water making sure everything is covered, if not add a little more water.
Bring to the boil stirring occasionally. Skim any impurities from the surface.
Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on.
Place the inner pot into the vacuum-insulated outer Thermal container, shut the lid. Leave to cook for a minimum of 2 hours.
Before serving check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Garnish with the parsley and serve with vegetables of your choice.

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Venison Sausage Casserole

Venison Sausage Casserole - Video

Another thermal cooker recipe by Mr D from Mr D's Kitchen. A wonderful casserole made with red wine, chestnuts and venison sausages. If you don't like venison though why not use pork or beef sausages and remember this recipe like all of mine will work well in a slow cooker.

Course

Main Dish, Venison

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
6 venison sausages
200 g bacon lardons
2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
2 onions peeled and sliced
150 g mixed wild mushrooms
3 sticks of celery finely sliced
2 carrots sliced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp juniper berries crushed
2 tbsp tomato puree
375 ml red wine
2 tbsp beef gravy granules
500 ml water
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
180 g vacuum-packed chestnuts

Course

Main Dish, Venison

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
6 venison sausages
200 g bacon lardons
2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
2 onions peeled and sliced
150 g mixed wild mushrooms
3 sticks of celery finely sliced
2 carrots sliced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp juniper berries crushed
2 tbsp tomato puree
375 ml red wine
2 tbsp beef gravy granules
500 ml water
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
180 g vacuum-packed chestnuts

Instructions

Put the inner pot on the cooker.
Turn on the heat to medium and pour in the rapeseed oil.
When hot add venison sausages and brown all over.
Once brown transfer to a plate.
Add the bacon lardons and fry until crisp.
Add the cloves of garlic and fry for 1 minute.
Add 2 onions, the mixed wild mushrooms, the sticks of celery, the carrots, the dried thyme and the juniper berries.
Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until everything softened.
Stir in the tomato puree.
Pour in the red wine, the beef gravy granules, the water, the redcurrant jelly and the vacuum-packed chestnuts.
Stir, add the sausages back and bring to the boil.
Once boiling put the inner pot into the outer container and shut the lid.
Leave to cook without power for a minimum of 2 hours.
Serve with mustard mash.

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Tuscan Pot Roast Lamb

Tuscan Pot Roast Lamb - Video

So what do you do if you have half a leg of lamb, 3 different kind of beans, a bottle of wine and a thermal cooker…..well Tuscan Pot Roast Lamb is the perfect recipe.

Course

Lamb, Main Dish

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

Course

Lamb, Main Dish

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

Instructions

Put the inner pot on the heat and add the rapeseed oil.
When hot brown the meat on all sides and once browned remove and put to one side.
Turn down the heat and add the bacon pieces, onion, carrots, celery and the leek. Give a stir then put the lid on and leave for the vegetables to soften.
While the vegetables are softening make some incisions in the meat and push the garlic slices and the rosemary in these.
Once the vegetables have softened pour in the red wine. Add the gravy pot or stock cubes and stir well to dissolve.
Place the meat back in on top of the vegetables.
Add the three bean salad and the chopped tomatoes and stir before topping up with hot water so the lamb is covered.
Add the thyme and bay leaves then bring to the boil then simmer for about 10 minutes.
Put the inner pot into the outer container and shut the lid. Leave to slow cook without power for a minimum of 3 to 4 hours.
When ready check the seasoning and adjust if necessary before serving with mashed potatoes or just crusty bread.

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Wonderful Carrot and Beetroot Soup

Carrot Beetroot Soup is an easy and healthy soup that has not only a wonderful colour but a great taste. Soups are perfect to make in a thermal cooker as it allows them to slowly cook and develop their flavours while keeping the vitamins and nutrients locked in the cooker.

Wonderful Carrot and Beetroot Soup

This is a delicious and vibrant soup made with beetroot and carrots and garnished with sour cream.

Course

Soup, Starters, Vegetarian

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 large brown onion chopped
500 kg carrots peeled, chopped
3 celery stalks sliced
2 garlic cloves peeled and diced
1 kg beetroot's peeled and chopped
2 litres vegetable stock

To serve

Course

Soup, Starters, Vegetarian

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 large brown onion chopped
500 kg carrots peeled, chopped
3 celery stalks sliced
2 garlic cloves peeled and diced
1 kg beetroot's peeled and chopped
2 litres vegetable stock

To serve

Instructions

Heat the oil in the inner pot.
Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion is tender.
Add beetroot and stock. If the vegetables are not quite covered top up with water.
Bring to the boil.
Once boiling turn down to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on.
Turn off the heat and place the inner pot into the vacuum-insulated outer Thermal Container.
Shut the lid and leave to thermally cook without power for a minimum of 3 hours.
Before serving remove the bay leaves and purée with a blender.
Serve with a twist of sour cream and some chopped fresh chives.

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Mr D’s Easter Simnel Cake

Mr D's Easter Simnel Cake

Making the cake takes about 20 minutes to put together, 30 minutes simmering and 4 to 6 hours power free thermal cooking. This is a saving of 1 hour 30 minutes oven time. The recipe is based on a Waitrose recipe and uses their products but these can be substituted with similar ingredients.

Course

Cake and Bread

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

250 g soft Five Fruit Medley
250 g luxury Mixed Fruit
1 lemon grated zest and juice
175 g butter
175 g light muscovado sugar
4 large free range eggs beaten
225 g plain flour
2 tsp mixed spice
500 g golden Marzipan
100 g flaked Almonds toasted
apricot jam warmed and sieved

Course

Cake and Bread

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

250 g soft Five Fruit Medley
250 g luxury Mixed Fruit
1 lemon grated zest and juice
175 g butter
175 g light muscovado sugar
4 large free range eggs beaten
225 g plain flour
2 tsp mixed spice
500 g golden Marzipan
100 g flaked Almonds toasted
apricot jam warmed and sieved

Instructions

Line the case of your cake tin (see above for details of the tin) with greaseproof paper and grease the sides and lid with butter.
Place the fruit into a bowl with the grated zest and lemon juice and set aside.
Beat the eggs until they are fluffy and set to one side.
Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and beat together until pale.
Add the whisked eggs gradually mixing well as you between each addition - if the mixture begins to curdle, add a little flour.
Sieve the flour and mixed spice over the mixture, then fold in until combined.
Cut 200g marzipan into cubes and fold into the mixture with the reserved fruit and almonds, until evenly distributed.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the top.
Cover the top of the cake/pudding tin either with the lid if you are using Mr D's Cake Tin or eco-friendly foil. This is to stop water dripping on the top of the cake.
Place the cake/pudding tin inside the inner pot on a trivet.
Add enough boiling water to come ¾ the way up the side of the cake tin.
Bring back to the boil and then turn down the heat to a low simmer. Simmer gently with the lid on for 30 minutes.
Turn off the heat and transfer the inner pot into the vacuum-insulated outer container.
Close the lid and thermal cook without power for a minimum of 4 hours. It can be left overnight.
Once cooked, allow to cool in the tin before removing.
Remove from the cake/pudding tin and place on a wire rack.
To decorate, remove the baking parchment from the cake. Roll half the remaining marzipan into a round the size of the top of the cake.
Brush the top of the cake with the apricot jam and place the rolled marzipan on top.
Roll the remaining marzipan into 11 balls and position around the edge.
Place under a preheated high grill for 1-2 minutes or until golden and finish with a ribbon decoration.
Happy Easter

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Pot Roast Beef with Mushrooms

For this dish you an use any beef joint but remember the cheaper cuts will need a lot longer to tenderise them. I served my Pot Roast Beef with lovely creamy mashed potatoes which soaked up all the lovely mushroom gravy. If you have a top pot you can cook your potatoes in that and they will be perfect to mash just before serving.

Course

Beef, Main Dish

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 kg beef joint. If you choose a cheaper cut it will need longer cooking
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 large onion thinly sliced
3 400g tins cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp thyme
3 tbsp beef gravy mix powder
250 g mushrooms sliced
2 bay leaves
water

Course

Beef, Main Dish

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 kg beef joint. If you choose a cheaper cut it will need longer cooking
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 large onion thinly sliced
3 400g tins cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp thyme
3 tbsp beef gravy mix powder
250 g mushrooms sliced
2 bay leaves
water

Instructions

Add the oil to the inner pot over a medium heat.
Brown the meat all over.
Remove the meat and add the onions and garlic. Cook the onions until they a soft.
Place the meat back on the onions and add all the other ingredients.
Pour in some water if the meat is not completely covered.
Bring to the boil and then turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Put the inner pot into the insulated outer container and shut the lid. Cook for a minimum of 4 hours without power depending on the cut of meat. If cooking it longer bring it back to the boil after the 4 hours.
Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables of your choice

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Perfect Sticky Glazed Ham

This recipe is adapted from a recipe that appeared in the Waitrose Magazine. It makes the perfect ham for a celebration.

Course

Ham, Main Dish

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

2 kg unsmoked gammon from the thick end of the leg
2 onions roughly chopped
2 carrots roughly chopped
2 sticks celery roughly chopped
2 star anise
10 black peppercorns
15-20 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
4 bay leaves
2-3 sprigs thyme
500 ml stout
200 ml cola

Glaze

Course

Ham, Main Dish

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

2 kg unsmoked gammon from the thick end of the leg
2 onions roughly chopped
2 carrots roughly chopped
2 sticks celery roughly chopped
2 star anise
10 black peppercorns
15-20 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
4 bay leaves
2-3 sprigs thyme
500 ml stout
200 ml cola

Glaze

Instructions

Place the vegetables on the bottom of the inner pot.
Place the gammon on top of the vegetables.
Add 8 of the cloves and the rest of the ingredients and top up with cold water.
Bring to the boil skimming any scum carefully off the surface.
Turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Place the inner pot into the insulated outer container and shut the lid.
Leave to cook without power for 4 to 6 hours.
Remove while you prepare the glaze.

To glaze

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Put all the ingredients for the glaze in a pan over a very low heat and mix until combined.
Remove the gammon from the inner pot and put on a rack in a in a baking tray.
With a sharp knife remove the skin leaving a
good even layer of fat.
Score the fat in a diamond pattern and stud each diamond with a clove.
Pour over half the glaze and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes basting with more glaze every 8-10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes.

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A Bowl of Pumpkin and Apple Soup

This is a wonderful soup (based on a Keith Floyd recipe from his trip to Africa) to serve on Halloween or bonfire night. The recipe will fill a 4.5L Mr D’s Thermal Cooker but it can easily be halved if you are feeding less people. I used for mine a chicken stock I had saved from cooking a chicken in my thermal cooker earlier in the week but you can if you wish use chicken stock cubes or vegetable stock cubes if you want a vegetarian version.

Course

Starters, Vegetarian

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

40 ml rapeseed oil
30 g butter
2 large lonion chopped
1 kg pumpkin peeled and cubed
500 g potatoes peeled and cubed
4 medium eating apples peeled and cubed (I used Cox’s)
1 tsp ground turmeric
3 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
250 ml chicken or vegetable stock if using stock cubes and water 1¼ L and 3 stock cubes
1 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
2 tsp sugar
200 ml crème fraîche

Course

Starters, Vegetarian

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

40 ml rapeseed oil
30 g butter
2 large lonion chopped
1 kg pumpkin peeled and cubed
500 g potatoes peeled and cubed
4 medium eating apples peeled and cubed (I used Cox’s)
1 tsp ground turmeric
3 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
250 ml chicken or vegetable stock if using stock cubes and water 1¼ L and 3 stock cubes
1 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
2 tsp sugar
200 ml crème fraîche

Instructions

Heat the oil and butter in inner pot.
Add the onion and sauté until golden.
Add the pumpkin, potato, apples and spices and mix together making sure all the vegetables and fruit are covered with the spices.
Add the stock, salt, bay leaf sugar, crème
fraîche and bring to the boil.
Once boiling turn down to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on.
Turn off the heat and place the inner pot into the vacuum-insulated outer Thermal Container.
Shut the lid and leave to thermally cook without power for a minimum of 2 hours.
Before serving remove the bay leaves and purée with a blender.

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The Best Gluten Free Bread

This simple recipe for Gluten Free Bread is so easy to make in a thermal cooker. There is no kneading or waiting for it to rise like conventional bread.

The Best Gluten Free Bread

Most people say the gluten free bread is very dry. By cooking it in a thermal cooker dryness is not a problem as you will get lovely soft bread with a good crumb. You will need for this recipe a 1lb bread tin with a lid such as the Mr D’s Bread Tin.

Course

Cake and Bread, Gluten Free

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

150 ml warm milk 40°C
½ tsp cider vinegar
1 large legg
3 tbsp rapeseed oil
225 g white gluten free flour blend I use Doves Farm
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp quick yeast
1 tbsp sugar

Course

Cake and Bread, Gluten Free

Cuisine

Servings

Ingredients

150 ml warm milk 40°C
½ tsp cider vinegar
1 large legg
3 tbsp rapeseed oil
225 g white gluten free flour blend I use Doves Farm
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp quick yeast
1 tbsp sugar

Instructions

Mix together the flour, salt, yeast and sugar.
In a bowl beat the oil, milk, vinegar and egg together.
Add the flour and mix to form a sticky dough. You are looking for a thick batter.
Cut a piece of greaseproof paper to line the bread tin.
Grease the tin not forgetting the lid and place the greaseproof paper in the bottom.
Add the batter to the bread tin and leave the lid off.
In the inner pot add ¾ cup of boiling water and ¼ cup of cold water.
Place the bread tin on a trivet in the inner pot.
Put the lid on the inner pot.
Put the inner pot into the outer insulated container. Shut the lid and leave to rise.
After 30 minutes, check to see if the dough has doubled in size (filling the tin about ¾). If not leave it bit longer.
Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the inner pot from the outer container and put the lid on the bread tin.
Pour boiling water into the inner pot until the water comes about ¾ of the way up the side of the bread tin.
Put the inner pot on a heat source and bring back to the boil.
Once boiling, turn the heat down so the water in simmering. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes with the inner pot lid on.
Turn off the heat and place the inner pot into the insulated outer container.
Shut the lid and leave to thermal cook without power for a minimum of four hours. It can be left overnight.
Once cooked remove the tin from the inner pot and carefully take off the lid.
Leave for a few minutes then run a knife carefully around the edge of the bread and turn out onto a rack.

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