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Post by everso on Feb 20, 2009 14:37:39 GMT
Try my spag bol recipe above. I usually fry it all up then plonk it into a pyrex casserole dish and microwave for about 30 or 40 minutes. It tastes no different to cooking on the stove or in the oven and reduces really well. God, I've just finished lunch but talking about this is making my mouth water. Am I greedy or what?  Right! This is what I meant to do!  Doesn't microwaving it just make it soggy? No. Absolutely not. Trust me on this. For years I'd been cooking it in the saucepan, then eventually I tried slowly cooking in the oven to avoid having to keep stirring in the saucepan. A couple of years ago I experimented and microwaved for about 40 minutes (depending of course on how much you're cooking - I base mine on, say, a pound of lean mince and a couple of cans of chopped tomatoes). It reduces really well and doesn't taste any different. Make sure you fry up everything first though. I would never cook ordinary meat (say chicken breasts or braising steak) in the microwave oven but I find that mince is fine being cooked in this way. |
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Post by Patrick on Feb 20, 2009 14:49:03 GMT
I'll never forget, years ago, when we had a combi oven; Microwave and oven combined, and we tried to cook some frozen meat pies in it and just couldn't get the "combination" right and ended up with two soggy lumps of uncooked pastry with hot meat in!  |
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Post by swl on Feb 22, 2009 13:20:08 GMT
Two words - slow cooker.
Put virtually any combination of ingredients in before you go to work. When you come home, a delicious meal awaits you.
My favourite is curry.
Heat up some oil in a big frying pan, add a couple of cloves and black cardomum pods. Chop up an onion and chuck it in. Throw in the mince and brown the lot.
Once the oil has fried off, add a tin of chopped tomatoes. Then the following:
half a spoon of ginger
half a spoon of garlic powder
half a spoon of garam masala
half a spoon of curry powder (I use mild madras)
half a spoon of turmeric
half a spoon of cumin
half a spoon of coriander
one spoon of crushed chillis
a pinch of salt.
Simmer for 10 minutes
Add some fresh methi (fenugreek)
Simmer for two minutes.
Serve.
or - put in a slow cooker and go to work.
You can use chicken or lamb instead of mince. I got taught this one by a halal grocer. You can use fresh spices if you like, but I've just got a line of jars of dried ones. Quick & easy.
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Post by everso on Feb 22, 2009 14:42:43 GMT
Two words - slow cooker. Put virtually any combination of ingredients in before you go to work. When you come home, a delicious meal awaits you. My favourite is curry. Heat up some oil in a big frying pan, add a couple of cloves and black cardomum pods. Chop up an onion and chuck it in. Throw in the mince and brown the lot. Once the oil has fried off, add a tin of chopped tomatoes. Then the following: half a spoon of ginger half a spoon of garlic powder half a spoon of garam masala half a spoon of curry powder (I use mild madras) half a spoon of turmeric half a spoon of cumin half a spoon of coriander one spoon of crushed chillis a pinch of salt. Simmer for 10 minutes Add some fresh methi (fenugreek) Simmer for two minutes. Serve. or - put in a slow cooker and go to work. You can use chicken or lamb instead of mince. I got taught this one by a halal grocer. You can use fresh spices if you like, but I've just got a line of jars of dried ones. Quick & easy. Slow cookers are good. I don't have one, but my friend swears by hers. |
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Post by sesley on Feb 23, 2009 14:00:12 GMT
 slow cookers are great, i have had mine for 20 years and use it for cooking lumps of beef or small bits of lamb,just brwon off first,then brwon off onions and carrots put in to pot and leave over night,brilliant and great for casseroles and stews because cheap cuts of meat need slow cooking to make them tender.
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Post by Patrick on Feb 23, 2009 14:17:08 GMT
I'm torn between a pressure cooker or a slow cooker at the moment - not sure which I'd make the most use of. I think the P cooker, cos I like the possibility of doing Chicken Soup, or Mulligatawny for instance. (as well as all the other stuff, of course).
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Post by everso on Feb 23, 2009 14:52:44 GMT
Does anyone own a pressure cooker? I've had one for years - in fact I've had two, dating back to when I was first married. They cook stewing beef in about 20 - 30 minutes. I suppose that's why I've never bothered to buy a slow cooker! And I'm not so organised that I know what I'll want for dinner the next evening.
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Post by Patrick on Feb 23, 2009 15:00:04 GMT
Trouble with a PC - for us, anyway - is finding a small one. I've 4pint Le Crueset (2.5l ) which is just right for two or for when someone comes to stay - and there's some left over for the next night if you're lucky. The smallest PC I've seen online is a 3..5litre.
Missed out on a 2.5 one in TJ Hughes once, but at the time we didn't think we would use it. The more one thinks about it though..........
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Post by everso on Feb 23, 2009 15:50:13 GMT
Trouble with a PC - for us, anyway - is finding a small one. I've 4pint Le Crueset (2.5l ) which is just right for two or for when someone comes to stay - and there's some left over for the next night if you're lucky. The smallest PC I've seen online is a 3..5litre. Missed out on a 2.5 one in TJ Hughes once, but at the time we didn't think we would use it. The more one thinks about it though.......... Yes, some of them are big, but I always cook enough for four anyway, eat half and freeze half (providing of course that it freezes o.k.). Saves on cooking! |
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vesta
Fluffy & Lovely!
tasty!
Posts: 56 
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Post by vesta on Feb 24, 2009 15:43:38 GMT
I like Beanfeast. It's better than mince.
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Post by percyplum on Feb 25, 2009 22:28:16 GMT
I've never used a pressure cooker or a slow cooker. If I want to cook a meal to be ready when I get home I use the auto timer on the oven.
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Post by percyplum on Feb 25, 2009 22:29:46 GMT
I like chilli, lasagne, cottage pie, stuffed peppers using mince instead of rice, stuffed marrow, spag bol, all the usuals really.
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Post by everso on Feb 25, 2009 22:32:12 GMT
I've never used a pressure cooker or a slow cooker. If I want to cook a meal to be ready when I get home I use the auto timer on the oven. Yes, I use the auto timer too, but if you're cooking chicken? I mostly just use my oven or stove top and occasionally the microwave. The pressure cooker gets used occasionally, but it's heavy and at the back of the cupboard in a corner, and, well..... |
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Post by Coffeepot on Feb 26, 2009 7:49:37 GMT
Shepherds pie I think is my fave mince dish, I don't have a pressure cooker, when I was a lass my Mum had one and all the hissing scared me, and there was a lot of fiddling about with weights on the lid.
Are they different now? Maybe one would be handy - if they're not scary.
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Post by everso on Feb 26, 2009 13:56:38 GMT
Shepherds pie I think is my fave mince dish, I don't have a pressure cooker, when I was a lass my Mum had one and all the hissing scared me, and there was a lot of fiddling about with weights on the lid. Are they different now? Maybe one would be handy - if they're not scary. Coffeepot, they can be a little bit scary, but nowadays they don't have the weights on. Scary can add a bit of excitement to preparing a meal though. |
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vesta
Fluffy & Lovely!
tasty!
Posts: 56
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Post by vesta on Feb 26, 2009 15:15:11 GMT
Pressure cookers make fabby rice pud.
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Post by Coffeepot on Feb 26, 2009 15:24:27 GMT
Pressure cookers make fabby rice pud. But do you still get a skin on it? I love rice pudding with skin on ;D |
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Post by Coffeepot on Feb 26, 2009 15:25:45 GMT
Shepherds pie I think is my fave mince dish, I don't have a pressure cooker, when I was a lass my Mum had one and all the hissing scared me, and there was a lot of fiddling about with weights on the lid. Are they different now? Maybe one would be handy - if they're not scary. Coffeepot, they can be a little bit scary, but nowadays they don't have the weights on. Scary can add a bit of excitement to preparing a meal though. Oh right, thanks. I may think of getting one. Make a change from just scaring myself when the bloomin grill nearly takes my eyebrows off! |
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Post by motorist on Feb 26, 2009 15:26:07 GMT
Pressure cookers make fabby rice pud. But do you still get a skin on it? I love rice pudding with skin on ;D Oof, not me. I do like rice pudding hot, though. Sometimes plain, but sometimes with just a little bit of jam to stir in  |
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vesta
Fluffy & Lovely!
tasty!
Posts: 56
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Post by vesta on Feb 26, 2009 15:31:30 GMT
Pressure cookers make fabby rice pud. But do you still get a skin on it? I love rice pudding with skin on ;D mmmmmmmMMMMMmmm! I'd fight to the death for rice puddin' skin! |
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