Slowcooker - Vegetarian viewpoint

[Dottie]

To be fair, when I'm adding stuff to my slow cooker at the start, I have a idea of what will be absorbed from the initial ingredients. But if my main ingredient/s mean I've got half a pot spare or I've adding lots of tins of toms or other flavoured liquids, then that's when I think of adding lentils to the dish. I've just never used flour at the end of cooking to thicken dishes, on the hob, so don't do it in the slow cooker.

Everything in my dishes has to earn it's place from a nutritional point of view, so for me flour is an empty ingredient, so just have never used it. Being cooking like this so long I don't know why, however as I find things like like pastry far to heavy to be enjoyed, then maybe that's why I looked into other forms of thickening dishes.

[Hilary B]

I prefer to avoid flour for thickening, when unavoidable, I usually use cornflour because it is 'safer' (less liable to go lumpy). A couple of spoonfuls of flour (cornflour or otherwise) is not exactly going to make a big difference nutritionally to a good sized pot of stew, and may make a 'runny' sauce more manageable.

[FionaH]

Thanks for the tips guys

[Flummery]

I'm now starting to get interested in one! Can I assume that as long as you give them a good hard boil, you can finish off home grown dried beans or peas in a slow cooker? I have to keep setting the timer when I boil beans because I get interested in something else and forget! Burnt beans is not a nice smell.

[Hilary B]

I'm now starting to get interested in one! Can I assume that as long as you give them a good hard boil, you can finish off home grown dried beans or peas in a slow cooker? I have to keep setting the timer when I boil beans because I get interested in something else and forget! Burnt beans is not a nice smell.

I can't see any reason why not. It's the 10 mins fast boil that is critical surely?
I can't see why home-grown dried peas should be so very different (in what cooking they need) from the yellow split peas I buy in the supermarket, and those are fine in the slow cooker (without any fast-boil needed). I also use flageolet or haricot beans (the latter get the fast boil treatment) with no problems.

[FionaH]

But I would still need to soak dried beans over night?

[Flummery]

But I would still need to soak dried beans over night?

Yes. However, I was told that a quicker (slightly) method is to heat them to boiling then turn off the heat and leave for an hour. Then proceed as if they'd had an overnight soak. If you are leaving home early though, the overnighter is best if you can get your act in gear!

[zazen999]

Last night, I prepped a pasta sauce base; onion, peppers, passata and herbs, stock cube and pepper, some water; and put it on low this morning. Came home, put the usual amount of pasta in [dry], added some cheese and half an hour later the pasta was done.

Nommed and Mr Z is chuffed as there is less washing up.

2/2 tried, and 2/2 success.

Brilliant!

Tomorrow, I'm working from home so I'm attempting the layered potato bake that I've been making since I first started cooking at age 12; first read in the Dairy Diary of the early 80s. I goggled some recipes and a US version mentioned putting 'cheese soup' in - much as I love cheese - cheese soup

I'll stick with my old version I think.

*FLum - get one!!! I'm impressed so far!

[Jeanied]

Purple kitchens are all the rage, judging by the kitchen shops round here!
Now you have a very trendy colour in a slow cooker.

[Alison]

Out of interest what is the best way of thickening the fluid in a SC?

My inner dish is hob save so I just take it out the cook pot bit and put it on the hob to reduce down by boiling up a bit. No extra washing up and it's nice and easy.

I'm now starting to get interested in one! Can I assume that as long as you give them a good hard boil, you can finish off home grown dried beans or peas in a slow cooker? I have to keep setting the timer when I boil beans because I get interested in something else and forget! Burnt beans is not a nice smell.

Yes, I do that loads, although usually in caseroles.

[zazen999]

Purple kitchens are all the rage, judging by the kitchen shops round here!
Now you have a very trendy colour in a slow cooker.

Although I don't 'do' trendy - it is in homage to the Purple Bint, Queen of Noms and all round Domestic Goddess.

[Two_Sheds]

a quicker (slightly) method is to heat them to boiling then turn off the heat and leave for an hour.

That's what I do (Rose Elliot taught me: a hot soak). Boil em for 5 mins, then turn off heat for an hour.
Or, soak them in cold water overnight

[Purplebint]

Although I don't 'do' trendy - it is in homage to the Purple Bint, Queen of Noms and all round Domestic Goddess.

Ah, now this has made my whole week

I'll be making mead in my slow cooker this evening. I normally use a gallon stock pot and simmer it all day but my slow cooker is slightly bigger and I can leave it on low overnight and then get it in the fermentation bucket in the morning.

Not sure how well I'll be able to sleep with the scent of it all though, when I did bolognaise overnight the other week I woke up starving after dreaming of food all night

[shirlthegirl43]

Out of interest what is the best way of thickening the fluid in a SC?

Obviously not of use for veggie chefs but if you are cooking meat (stew etc) then I dust the cubed meat with seasoned flour and brown it in a frying pan before adding it to the crockpot. This usually results in a thicker gravy. For my fave chicken recipe, I don't bother with thickening the juice - just serve it as it is.

[Flummery]

*FLum - get one!!! I'm impressed so far!

Got one on order - should be here by Friday!