Katie Bishop - 200 easy slow cooker recipes

This book is designed to be really simple to use. If you fancy a curry or something spicy then look in the curries section, or maybe rich braises and stews are the reason you have a slow cooker in your kitchen, so take a look at that chapter. In my kitchen my slow cookers (cookers are plural because at the last count I had eight!) are a godsend for midweek meals, but particularly when entertaining.

This book is intended to complement a busy lifestyle, providing ideas for slow-cooked food for busy people. All the recipes have been written with the time-conscious in mind, for those who like good-quality (and that doesnt mean expensive!), great tasting food, but may not necessarily have hours in which to prepare it. There are also recipes for those with the inclination to do a little more advance preparation, and those who would rather throw it all into a pot and forget about it! Either way, as working late and/or lengthy socialising become the norm, you can feel confident that slow-cooked food can, in the majority of cases, be left happily for longer than the designated cooking time without spoiling, overcooking or burning.

The 200 unbelievably tasty, gorgeous and sumptuous dishes within this book will, I hope, convince you that over a long period of time some ingredients evolve into something even more spectacular than would be achieved with conventional cooking, often with significantly less time-consuming attention and hassle.

I love to have large gatherings and parties, and it is at these times I could not live without a slow cooker. Entertaining for a large number has never been easier, so if thats your thing, youll also find a chapter for special occasions and celebrations. There are also yummy chapters on roasts, light and easy dishes, chillies and pasta sauces as well as puddings and cakes. So, whatever your penchant and requirements, whether after-work suppers or make-ahead meals for those days when you just dont want to spend too much time in the kitchen, there should be a chapter for you!

Either way, I hope you enjoy the recipes. They have all been lovingly and very thoroughly tested. As mentioned earlier, do continue to bear in mind that every slow cooker is different and yours may be a different size from that used in this book, so times will vary accordingly. Im sure youll soon get to know and love your machine and be able to adapt all the recipes with ease. Treat your slow cooker well and it will be a faithful companion for many years to come!

(Previous image) Rolled shoulder of lamb with cumin and harissa (see full recipe )

A simple fresh vegetable frittata looks wonderfully colourful and is a great way to use up seasonal vegetables in the summer months.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 23 hours

Serves 6

3 peppers (preferably mixed colours), deseeded and cut into chunks

1 medium courgette, trimmed and cut into chunks

1 medium aubergine, trimmed and cut into chunks

1 red onion, peeled and cut into chunks

12 cherry tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

12 new potatoes, washed and cut into quarters

3 fresh thyme sprigs

2 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 eggs

10 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Place the peppers, courgette, aubergine and onion in the slow cooker dish and scatter the cherry tomatoes, garlic, new potatoes and thyme over the top.

Drizzle with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix well with a wooden spoon until all the vegetables are coated in the oil. Cover with the lid and cook on high, stirring occasionally, for 12 hours or until tender. Remove the thyme and discard.

Whisk the eggs and half of the Parmesan cheese together in a bowl. Season generously, then pour the mixture over the vegetables. Replace the lid and cook for a further hour or until just set.

Remove from the slow cooker base and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Run a knife around the edge of the frittata to loosen, then leave to cool, uncovered, for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges or squares to serve.

Baba ganoush is great as a dip with crudits or as part of a more substantial meal with mezze and pitta bread. In this version, cardamom gives the aubergine a sweet and fragrant flavour.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours

Serves 23 as a main course

Vegetarian

20 cardamom pods

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 medium aubergines, about 250g (9oz) each, cut in half lengthways

2 tbsp Greek yogurt

Remove the green outer husks of the cardamom pods leaving only the black seeds behind and crush these lightly in a mortar with a pestle.

In a large bowl, mix the olive oil and lemon juice together, then add the crushed cardamom seeds and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Add the aubergine halves and toss in the dressing until evenly coated, then place them in the slow cooker dish. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 2 hours.

Remove the aubergines from the slow cooker dish and leave to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, scoop the aubergine flesh out of the skins with a spoon and place in a large bowl. Add the yogurt and mix well. Season to taste.

Spoon the mixture into a serving dish and drizzle more olive oil generously over the top. Serve with warm pitta bread and salad as an appetiser or light lunch.

COOKING CONVENTIONALLY?

Place the aubergines in a baking dish, cover with foil and cook in an oven preheated to 180C (350F), Gas mark 4 for 12 hours until tender, then continue as above.

Peppers and slow cooking go hand in hand the long, gentle process brings out the best in the taste of the peppers. This is a great recipe for a mid-week supper or as a starter when entertaining.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 1-2 hours

Serves 4

Vegetarian

4 red peppers

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced

6 tbsp couscous

3 tbsp boiling water

4 tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, flat-leaf parsley or mint

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

2 tomatoes, diced

1 tsp harissa paste

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Using a sharp knife, halve the peppers, attempting to cut along the centre of the stalk so that each half has a piece of stalk attached to it. Carefully remove the seeds, leaving the stalks intact, and arrange the peppers in a single layer in the slow cooker dish (they should fit snugly with few gaps between them). Divide the garlic slices between the peppers.

Place the couscous in a large bowl and add the boiling water. Add the herbs, olive oil, tomatoes and harissa paste, then season with salt and pepper and mix well. Spoon the mixture neatly into the pepper halves and drizzle a little more olive oil over the top. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 12 hours or until the peppers are wonderfully soft but still holding their shape, and the couscous is tender. Serve immediately with some rocket leaves and dollops of Greek yoghurt.