Slow cooked Potato Bake

I was given a slow cooking recipe book for Christmas and a recent BBQ was the perfect excuse to test out the potato bake recipe. It worked quite well and took no time at all to prepare. The thing that really took the most time was slicing the potatoes. If you are cooking for a large crowd, and have a food processer with a slicing attachment, using it will definitely save time.

Recipe
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium leeks
4 rindless bacon slices
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
1.5kg potatoes, sliced thinly
2 cups pouring cream
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
50g packet dried chicken noodle soup mix
1/2 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in frying pan and cook leek and bacon until the leek softens. Add the parsley and remove from the heat. Layer one third of the potato along the base of your slow cooker. Top with half of the leek mixture. Repeat layering with remaining potato and leek, finishing with potato layer. Combine cream, milk, mustard and soup mix in large jug, pour over potatoes; sprinkle with combined cheeses. Cook covered, on low for 5- 6 hours. I found 6 hours was plenty of time so don't cook it for any longer.

Source: The Australian Women's Weekly, Slow Cooking/ food director Pamela Clark, 2010.

http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9781907428234?redirected=true&gclid=COSGyvCplrUCFQE5pgodfwYA6g

Pipsqueak chicken!

I don't drink cider. I'm sure it's lovely, but it's just not my thing. When I discovered a bottle or two had been left in my fridge after an afternoon of friends visiting at my place, I got to thinking of what good use I could put it to. Cooking, of course! So, I checked out a few recipes, and after some tweaking this is what I came up with ... chicken cooked in cider, flavoured with tarragon and mellowed with a dash of cream. Here's how it went ...

Brown some chicken fillets in a pan with a touch of oil (I used thigh fillets for their rich flavour, but this would be equally good with breast fillets).

Pop the fillets in the preheated slow cooker and add:

- one and a half cups of apple cider, warmed in the microwave;
- two peeled and quartered brown onions;
- some fresh, chopped tarragon;
- some bay leaves;
- some chicken stock; and
- some salt and pepper.

I had the slow cooker on low while I was at work for about eleven hours all up. When I came home, the fragrance of this simmering dish was delicious and the chicken was so tender. To finish, I added about two tablespoons of cream and voila - I was done!

I shared this meal with a foodie friend and served it up with baby potatoes dressed in olive oil, fresh parsley and sea salt and a green salad with an oil and raspberry vinegar dressing.

I had never cooked with tarragon before, and I really enjoyed the flavour it gave to the chicken. Tarragon, as I've since found out (from Stephanie Alexander's Cook's Companion), comes in two main varieties - French and Russian tarragon - and it's name is thought to mean 'little dragon'. It seems to be a classic companion to chicken.

Does anyone else have any tips for using tarragon, or other great flavour combinations to suggest?