November

This month is all about the root veg. Potatoes, carrots, onions, swede/turnip, celeriac & parsnips are all coming in. Perfect for hearty meals on cold nights. Brussels sprouts, spring green cabbage, white cabbage, savoy cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale and leeks are also in season this month.

This month's main recipe is a double dip sent in from one of our customers, Paula, who uses a slow cooker to make a simple mid-week roast that converts into a hearty stew the next day.

There's also a bread & butter pudding recipe, which is perfect for left over bread.

Lazy Slow Cooker Roast & Second Day Stew

My lot love a roast, it's a guaranteed winner, but weekends are always really busy and it's hard to find the time after work so I find this slow cooked joint is an excellent compromise. I use a large joint and serve with roast veg on the first day and then use the left overs to make a stew on the second.

The slow cooking means a cheaper cut of meat is lovely and tender and extra delicious.

for 4-6 people

The Roast

1.2 kg-1.5kg beef joint.
I use Boxeater as it is a little leaner but Brisket is delicious too.

a couple of large carrots, peeled and quatered
2 sticks of celery, chopped into 4
an onion quartered 

1. First thing in the morning, sear the joint on all sides in a hot frying pan until a good brown.
   
   Put the chunky chopped veg in the bottom of the slow cooker with 100ml water.
2. Place the joint on top of the veg.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs depending on joint size.
4. When cooked take out of the cooker and rest in a warm place covered in tinfoil for 20-30 mins before serving. Reserve the cooking juices and veg for tomorrow's stew.

I serve with carrot & swede mash and roast potatoes & parsnips. All of which I pre prep in bulk and freeze on the odd weekend when I am at home.

Carrots and swede are just peeled, chopped and bagged up in meal size portions then frozen. I just pull a bag out and throw it into the steamer/saucepan when I need it. They last for ages.

I do about 3kg of roast potatoes & parsnips at a time. Peel, chop and par-boiled for 6 mins and then drain and leave to dry for 5 mins in the pan with a tea towel on top. Give them a good shake, season with salt & pepper and coat in about 6-8 tbsp oil (I use goose fat if budget will stretch, cheap rapeseed oil when it won't). Spread them out on baking trays to cool, then freeze on the trays, covered in cling film. Once frozen I transfer them to bags in meal size portions. Too cook just fling them on a tray into a hot oven for 40-50 mins.

I also freeze mashed potato in large ice cube trays and then pop it out and re-bag it in 600g portions. To use I tip a bag into a bowl and heat in the microwave on full power for 7 mins, stir & add a tbsp of water, full power for 6 mins.

Second Day Stew

This is a bit of a random mix as it depends what I have in the fridge! Usually it consists of the following:

Left over meat from yesterday's roast
The cooked veg and juices from the roast, blended to make a gravy
Chopped fresh veg - usually carrots, potatoes for us
400-600ml beef stock (depends how much veg you are using.
a cup of frozen peas/peas & sweetcorn/sweetcorn
tin of chick peas/butter beans/other pulses
salt, pepper, dried rosemary & thyme

Throw everything except the frozen veg into the slow cooker and cook on low all day. Put the frozen veg in 30 mins before serving. Serve with crusty bread and butter.

And we mustn't forget pudding! Bread and butter pudding with a good glob of Roddas clotted cream. Hmmmmm seriously, can you beat that!

Bread & Butter Pudding

• 100g sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 5 slices of any bread - brown, white , wholemeal, granary all work well
  
• Butter
• 3 handfuls sultanas
• 500ml milk
• 2 eggs