The Inaugural Slow Cook

Last week, my friend Christian (who I am hoping to convince to guest write a post about cooking with the aga on his houseboat - see now it's in writing so you can't get out of it!) decided to try out the chicken adobo recipe I posted. Unfortunately I wasn't there to taste it, but it looked like it came out great judging by the picture and his glowing review in the comment section! For months now I have been promising to go all out and cook essentially every Filipino dish I know for one tasty feast. However, without a slow cooker I just couldn't do my grandmother's chicken adobo recipe justice (don't worry, the approximation is still delicious).

Christian's chicken adobo - great job!

So when I woke up the following morning, having already set a date for what will be an epic Filipino feast night, I made an excellent impulse decision and bought a slow cooker! Not just any slow cooker either. This baby has a shiny cardinal exterior (Fight On Trojans!) and a removable pot which can be used to sear meat on the hob! Aww yeah!

My precious (via amazon.co.uk)

Turning to Christian yet again for inspiration, I settled on lamb and barley stew for the inaugural slow cook in my new toy. This wonderfully hearty British dish is just perfect for the fall weather that is finally settling in after an unusually hot summer. I may be from southern California but 85 degree plus (Fahrenheit) weather is not okay when your flat is built to be insulating and has no ceiling fans or screens on the windows to keep bugs out. The other benefit to changing weather is the unspoken understanding of conversation initiation between strangers. I have found that if you strike up a conversation with anyone by asking about or commenting on the weather, they will politely inform you of their desire to carry on said conversation with their response. If they give you a quick response or simply agree with you comment, it means that they do not want to talk to you. However, if they reward you with a wordy reply or elaborate further on your comment, feel free to take that as a sign to continue the conversation. This handy chart is full of other cues you should be listening for when talking to a Brit:

todayilearned.co.uk / Via buzzfeed.com 

As you might guess, these subtle hints take a bit of getting used to after years of dealing with rather blunt Americans. I often wonder if people just think I lack tact or if they know not to take my straight-shooting personally. Either way, we all seem to agree that stodgy dishes make for great comfort food so on to the recipe!

Lamb and Barley Casserole with Dumplings

My completed casserole!

Ingredients
1 tbsp oil
750 g lamb 

800 ml lamb stock

50 g barley
1 onion, chopped

4 stocks of celery, chopped

3 large carrots, chopped

4 pinches parsley
salt
pepper
125 g plain flour
65 g suet
1/2 tsp baking powder


Directions
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the lamb. Season with salt and pepper and brown (about 5 minutes).

2. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and fry for another 3-5 minutes.

3. Transfer to the slow cooker. Sprinkle the barley over the lamb and vegetables, add the stock (make sure it covers the meat), stir, and add the parsley on top.

4. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

5. For the dumplings, mix the flour, suet, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Gradually add small amounts of cold water (3-5 tbsp) to form a sticky dough. Flour your hands then roll the dough into 12 balls. The dumplings can be placed in the fridge to chill until needed. Add the dumplings, half submerged in the stock, one hour before serving.

Additional Tips
Neck meat left on the bone is excellent for this recipe. By the time the meat is finished cooking it practically falls off the bone.


I let my slow cooker run overnight so the stew was ready to go in the morning before I left for work. Thanks to my new thermos, I had a piping hot helping of casserole waiting for me at my desk after a long run during my lunch break. It really hit the spot! I'm really looking forward to trying out all sorts of recipes in my slow cooker now!

Lunch at work is awesome now!

Until next time, happy slow cooking! x