I am a fan of easy calm cooking, and if I get the chance to cook more than one meal at a time I'll take it and now I'm discussing something which has totally changed the shape of my weekly cook up! The slow cooker, also known as a Crockpot.
No doubt, lots of you have already discovered the joys of this simple cooking device, but if not, here are my best tips and tricks to creating beautiful meals, easily and quickly.
Why Slow Cooking?
Aside from the obvious time it frees up in the evening, there was one specific reason which launched me into the world of slow cooking: I am intolerant to yeast. As such, I was no longer able to buy shop bought stock or gravy and spent several months feeling terribly sad when my family ate delicious stock based soups or gravy covered roasts. Then I discovered the simplicity of creating my own stock with the use of a chicken, a crock pot and some veg. Delicious.
Method
Raw Vegtables
2-3 celary sticks
2-3 onions in halfs or quarters
2-3 carrots in 4 pieces
1-2 leeks in quarters
Sprinkle a teaspoon of dry basil, corinader and sage. Use fresh herbs if you prefer.
Place the vegtables on to the base of the cooking pot to act as a bed for the chicken.
Chicken
Massage butter under the skin of the chicken to keep it moist during the cooking process.
Place 2-3 bay leaves inside the chicken
Salt and pepper the skin
Place the chicken on its cosy bed of veg
Pour over 300ml of hot water.
Cooking and Storing
Based on a Sainsburys medium chicken, I cook it in my pot for 6-6.5 hours on medium checking over the last hour to see when the chicken is moist enough to fall off the bone. Do check your own cooking guideline instructions.
Once ready, pour out the stock juices in to a seperate pot(s) to cool before placing in the freezer to store. I usually get around 3 tupperware take away boxes worth.
Remove the chicken from the bone and do the same placing it into tupperware boxes to cool in as many servings as you wish. Freeze it once completrly cooled, or use it right away.
I love how easy this process is. Pop it in in the morning, and when you get home you have freshly cooked chicken and veg for super, along with lashings of fresh gravy. Just put some frozen roasties in the oven and you're ready for dinner.
I have a couple of delicious and easy meals I like to make with this chicken, including chicken bastilla which I will give you the method for in the next blog. Alongside actual chicken dishes though, the stock is perfect for everything from bolgnaise sauce to the base for soups!
CALM Cooking is the simplest way to cook as a busy mama, so give it a go and let me know how you get on @the_Calm_mummy
Love
Charlotte x
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