Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon is perfect winter comfort food in my opinion. I changed this recipe slightly by only adding 6 onions as the recipe asked for 12. I served this with mashed potatoes, a side of green beans and a glass of red wine.

1.5 kg chunk or blade steak

150g lean rindless bacon

6 small onions

200 g mushroom

2 carrots

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon beef stock powder

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon dried marjoram

1 cup red wine

2 teaspoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoons cornflour (optional)

Cut all visible fat from the beef and cut into 1.25 cm dice. Dice the bacon and peel the onions. Place all into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Slice the mushrooms and place on top. 

Mix together the salt, stock powder, thyme and marjoram, red wine, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and pour over contents of cooker.  Place lid on cooker and cook for 4-5 hours on high or 8-9 hours on low.

If necessary, mix cornflour with 2 tablespoons of cold water to a paste and use a little or all of it to thicken the dish.

Source: Sally Wise Slow Cooker-Easy and delicious recipes for all seasons

Lamb Tagine

I always get excited when a recipe is recommended. Friends of mine who are regular slow cookers past on this quick and easy lamb tagine recipe. I am so glad they did, as it was delicious. The only ingredient I couldn’t buy was preserved lemon.  A substitute for it is sautéing finely chopped lemon with salt, sugar and oil until the lemon rinds are soft. This worked a treat- thanks for the recipe Anna and Stu.

Ingredients

500 g diced lamb 


1 teaspoon fresh ginger 

2 cloves garlic, crushed 


1 red onion, sliced 


1 teaspoon turmeric 


½ teaspoon cinnamon 


2 teaspoons ground cumin 


1 tablespoon honey 


2 teaspoons sugar 


1 x 400 g tin diced tomatoes 


1 cup chicken stock 


1 cinnamon stick 


10 prunes 


¼ preserved lemon, finely diced 


¼ cup almond meal

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 


1 tablespoon coriander, chopped

Method

1. Put all the ingredients into the slow cooker, expect the last 5 ingredients, mix well.

2. Set slow cooker to low and leave to cook for 8-10 hours.

3. Half an hour before serving, stir through prunes, preserved lemon, ground almonds, parsley and coriander.

4. Serve with cous cous.

For a vegetarian version, use a can of chickpeas instead of lamb or to give it some more body add the chickpeas with the lamb. Serve with cous cous with currants and almonds.

Source: http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/slow-cooker-lamb-tagine-L4406.html