Chicken Cacciatore cooked in Mr D's Thermal Cooker

This classic Italian dish, also known as hunter’s stew was originally designed as an easy dish that could be cooked outside. The dish was adapted by individual hunters and was sometimes made from rabbit or sometimes chicken.
Chicken cacciatore is an ideal meal to make in Mr D's Thermal Cooker as it is easy to prepare and benefits from slow long cooking.
This dish should be served with rice or pasta and some crusty bread to mop up the wonderfully rich sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 tbsp olive oil


• 1.5 kg chicken portions, legs and thighs


• 40 g seasoned flour


• 1 onion sliced


• 2 garlic cloves, crushed


• 125 ml white wine


• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar


• 125 ml chicken stock


• 400g tin chopped tomatoes


• 2 tbsp tomato puree


• 1 tsp brown sugar


• 100 g stoned black olives


• 4 anchovy fillets


• salt & pepper to season

METHOD

1. Rinse chicken, pat dry and dust with the seasoned flour.


2. Heat the olive oil in the inner pot on medium heat, add the onions and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally.


3. Remove the onions to keep for later.


4. Add the garlic and ½ the chicken pieces, skin-side down. Cook until the chicken skin is golden brown, then turn pieces over and brown on the other side.


5. Once brown, remove and keep for later while you cook the remaining chicken pieces until they also are golden brown on both sides.


6. Add the first batch of chicken pieces back into the inner pot.


7. Add the onions you cooked earlier.


8. Add the white wine, white wine vinegar, chicken stock, the tin of chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, brown sugar, stoned black olives and anchovy fillets.


9. Mix everything and bring to the boil.


10. Turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on.


11. Turn off the heat and put the inner pot into the insulated outer container.


12. Shut the lid and thermal cook without power for a minimum of 2 hours.


13. Before serving check the seasoning adding salt and pepper if necessary.


14. Serve with pasta and crusty bread.

Serves 4-6.

Beaulieu Static Caravan Show

This weekend we had a stand at the Beaulieu Static Caravan Show. The weather was perfect.

The sun shone every day as we talked thermal cooking to many of the visitors to the show. One couple left the show and later decided to come back in to buy one.

Each day we took a cake and a main course to show what can be cooked in the thermal cooker. The steak and kidney pudding that we made for Sunday certainly was a hit with the male visitors who all seem to love this dish.

In the afternoon I did a demonstration of how to prepare a meal. This not only showed how quick it is to prepare a meal but meant we had a hot supper when we got home.

Fridays recipe: Chilli con carne - serves 8 people (use half the contents for 4 people): from Olive Magazine

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil


• 2 onions, finely chopped


• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely


• bunch of coriander, leaves picked, stalks chopped up finely


• 2 green chillies, diced finely


• 1 tsp of chilli flakes


• 2 tsp ground cumin


• 2 tsp ground cinnamon


• 2 tsp dried oregano


• 1 kg good-quality beef mince


• 2 tbsp tomato puree


• 200ml red wine


• 1 tsp of salt


• 1 tsp of fresh ground pepper


• 600g canned chopped tomatoes


• 2 tbsp black treacle


• 1 litre beef stock


• 2 red peppers diced


• 400g tin kidney beans


• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in the inner pot and gently fry the onions, garlic, coriander stalks and chillies on a medium heat for 5 minutes until softened.


2. Stir in the spices and oregano and cook for 2 minutes.


3. Turn up the heat to medium-high, add the beef mince and brown it.


4. Turn down the heat to medium and add the tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes.


5. Add the salt, pepper and red wine. Cook it for 2 minutes to let it reduce.


6. Stir in the canned tomatoes, peppers, kidney beans and black treacle.


7. Put the lid on the inner pot and turn of the heat.


8. Put the inner pot into the insulated outer pot and shut the lid.


9. Leave to cook in the thermal cooker for a minimum of 2 hours.


10. Before serving check the seasoning and adjust.


11. Serve with rice and garnish with the coriander leaves.
    

Spiced Beef - from Mr D's Thermal cookbook

This is a great recipe. I regularly make it for it makes a wonderful lunch with salad or in a sandwich made with fresh bread.

Sometimes referred to as 'huntsman's beef' and at one time a popular dish all over Britain. The longer the beef is cured, the longer it will keep.

Cooked Spiced Beef will keep for 3-4 weeks in a fridge. Make sure it is well wrapped in foil to prevent it drying out.

Ingredients

• 1.5kg piece of boned and rolled brisket, topside, or thick flank
• 80g sea salt
• 10g saltpetre
• 15g coarsely ground black peppercorns
• 15g ground all spice
• 15g ground juniper berries
• 50g dark brown sugar, such as muscovado

NOTE: Saltpetre is used in commercial charcuterie and meat curing . If it's difficult to get hold of in small quantities, try the Natural Casing Company in Farnham, Surrey (01252 713545 http://www.naturalcasingco.co.uk/).

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients together and rub well into the beef. Cover and leave in the fridge for 10-12 days, turning it once or twice a day.
2. After 10 to 12 days, wipe off the bits of marinade from the meat, put into a boil in the bag* and seal the bag with a tie.
3. Put the bag containing the meat into the inner pot of the thermal cooker.
4. Fill the pot with water up to about 3cms from the top.
5. Put the pot on the heat and bring to the boil.
6. Once boiling, turn down the heat and simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat and transfer the inner pot into the vacuum-insulated outer container.
8. Close the lid and leave to cook for 4 to 8 hours.
9. Once cooked, remove the bag containing the meat from the pot and leave to cool. This will take about 3 hours.
10. Remove the beef from the bag. Wrap the beef in cling film. Put it in a dish and cover with a weighted plate.
11. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
12. Re-wrap, and keep in the fridge and use for up to 3 weeks.
13. Serve cold thinly sliced.

* Only use bags that are designed for boil in the bag cooking. Other plastic food bags must not be used.
Contact mail@MrDsKichen.co.uk if you have problems.

Lancashire Hot Pot Serves 4-6 people - from Mr D's Thermal Cookbook

The Lancashire Hotpot has its origins in Lancashire. Some people say that female mill workers would prepare the dinner in the morning and place it in the range so that it was ready when the family returned home in the evening. Others say that mine workers would take it to the mines for lunch wrapped in blankets to keep it hot. Whatever the truth is though, it certainly is a great meal to cook in a thermal cooker.


THE INGREDIENTS:

• 1 kg of Lamb or mutton neck chops cut into 4 cm cubes.
• Seasoned flour for dusting.
• Groundnut oil.
• 50g of unsalted butter.
• 3 medium onions sliced.
• 1 ltr of lamb stock (if using stock cubes use two in 1 litre of boiling water).
• 2 sprigs of thyme.
• 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce.
• 900g of potatoes cut into 1.5cm slices.

THE METHOD:

1. Dry the lamb on kitchen towel before dusting it with the seasoned flour.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a hot frying pan and fry the lamb in batches until it is browned all over. Remove each batch as it is browned.
3. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the frying pan.
4. Add the onions and thyme. Cook until the onions start to colour.
5. Add the butter and cook for a few more minutes until the onions have softened.
6. Sprinkle on one tablespoon of the seasoned flour and mix with the onions.
7. Slowly add the stock stirring all the time to avoid any lumps.
8. Add the Worcestershire sauce.
9. Bring to the boil and check the seasoning. Adjust by adding salt and pepper if necessary.
   Simmer for 5 minutes.
10. Now start to assemble the hotpot by placing a layer of potatoes overlapping in the bottom of the Thermal Cooker inner pot.
11. Next put a layer of lamb followed by a layer of onions and the sauce they were cooked in.
12. Now put another layer of potatoes and continue layering potatoes, lamb and onions until everything is used up. End on a layer of potatoes.
13. Put the thermal cooker inner pot on the stove and bring the contents to the boil.
14. Put the lid on and turn down to a simmer for 5 minutes.
15. Put the inner pot into the insulated outer pot and shut the lid.
16. Cook for a minimum of 3 hours before serving.

Lamb Biriani - recipe from Mr D's cookbook

This Indian biriani, adapted for the Shuttle Chef, can be served on its own as a scrumptious meal, or dressed up for a festive occasion with fresh tomato chutney, vegetable curry side-dishes and crunchy popadoms. The lamb (mutton) needs to marinade for an hour at least (overnight if convenient). If you are cooking in the morning and want to save time then brown the onions the night before.

Ingredients for 6 - 8 servings (halve the ingredients for 3 people).

• 1 kg lamb or Mutton cut into 2 cm cubes.

For the Marinade:

• 4 green chillies (seeded and finely chopped)
• Coriander leaves (chopped - about 1 cup full)
• 1 clove garlic (crushed with salt)
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 small carton plain yoghurt (approximately 2 large serving spoons)

For the main recipe:

• 4 medium onions (thinly sliced).
• Oil or ghee (about 1 desertspoon).
• 1/2 kilo potatoes (can be either old potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks, or new potatoes halved).
• Pinch of saffron (optional, but adds a subtle flavour).
• 3 cups of long grain Basmati or Patna rice.

For garnish

• 100 g cashew nuts (or shredded almonds)
• 125 g sultanas

Method:

1. Cut the lamb (mutton) into 2 cm cubes.
2. Chop the chillies finely, crush the garlic, chop the coriander leaves and mix all with the spices and yogurt.
3. Mix all the marinade ingredients together and coat the meat with it. Cover and put in the fridge for 3 hours or longer.
4. Chop the onions, then fry in ghee or oil until golden with some browning (they should taste sweet). Remove from pan.
5. Add a little ghee or oil to the Shuttle Chef inner pot and heat marinaded lamb to seal the meat. (I prefer to add the meat a third at a time so that it is easier to turn.)
6. When the lamb is simmering hot, add the potatoes and 1/2 the fried onions. Stir well and bring back to simmer.
7. Mix the rice with 5 cups of boiling water and 1 desertspoon of salt.
8. Put the saffron in 1/2 cup hot water.
9. Stir 1/2 the rice into the lamb and potatoes, then spoon the other 1/2 of the rice and water on top.
10. Sprinkle the saffron water onto the top of the rice.
11. Make sure it is all simmering hot, put the lid on the Shuttle Chef pan and place it in the Shuttle Chef.
12. Leave to cook in the Shuttle Chef for 2 1/2 hours to get really tender, succulent meat. (You can leave the biriani cooking in the Shuttle Chef for up to 7 hours - the tatse is superb and the rice is still separate.)

To serve

Heat the remaining 1/2 of the browned onions, then add the nuts and sultananas. Stir occasionally until heated (the sultanas will plump). Open the Shuttle Chef and stir the onion, nuts and sultana garnish into the top layer of rice. Serve with Tomato Chutney.

Tomato Chutney

• 1 small green chilli (deseed and chop very finely)
• 1/2 medium onion (chop finely) I prefer sweet red onion.
• 3 large or 4 medium tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 dsp vinegar1 teaspoon sugar
• Good pinch salt

Method:

Stir all ingredients together, cover and leave in a cool place for flavours to blend.

Useful guide to cooking times

I though that today I would post this useful little chart from The Thermal Cooker site. It will give you a basic idea of cooking times for your own menues. Most slow cooker recipes can be used in the thermal cooker and by using either the times in a similar recipe or the times below you should end up with a perfectly cooked meal.

Food:	Simmer time after bringing to the boil:	Thermal cooking time:
Rice	5 mins	1 to 1.5 hours
Potatoes	5 mins	1 to 2 hours
Soup & Stock	10 mins	2 to 3 hours
Green Lentils	10 mins	3 to 4 hours
Pintos	10 mins	3 hours
Split Peas	10 mins	2 hours
Quinoa	5 mins	1.5 hours
Millet	5 mins	1 hours
Polenta	1 mins	1 hours
Winter Squash	5 mins	1 to 2 hours
Steamed bread	30 mins	3 hours
Chicken	6 mins	2 to 3 hours
Beef	13 mins	3 to 4 hours

Useful Tip 1 - How to cook for two people.

I was looking at Thermal Cookware site this morning and found this question and answer which I though may be of use to many who use a thermal cooker to cook for only two people.

Question:
Is it possible to cook a small meal as sometimes I do not have enough ingredients to fill a whole pot or I may just want to have enough for one or two people?

Answer:
If you are using the one pot Shuttle Chef you can certainly cook a smaller meal however it would only retain it's core temperature above 60 degrees (food safety standards) for less than 6 to 8 hours, therefore you could prepare a smaller meal in the morning to eat at lunch time or at lunch time to eat at dinner (say 4 hours later). Or you can bring the inner pot back up to the boil 4 hours later so that it would have another 4 hours before dropping below food safety standards.

When I have been cooking a small amount I have often put this in my cake tin which I cover with baking parchment and then put this on a trivet in the inner pot filled with enough water to come 3/4 of the way up the side of the tin. This system seems to work well. This is the same method that is used to cook cakes.

Master stock - From Mr D's Thermal Cook Book

Last night I didn't use the Shuttle Chef as we still had some of the Biriani left so I have decided to add my recipe for Master Stock.

Master stock refers to an aromatic, reusable stock used a lot in Cantonese cooking. Once the base stock has been prepared it is then used as a poaching or braising liquid for meat. Chicken is the most common meat cooked in master stock, although duck and pork are also often used.
I have read that in some restaurants in Beijing use master stock that is over 100 years old and it is a wonderful thought that maybe flavours that were created all those years ago are being handed down from generation to generation.

My stock is fairly new and I don't know if in a hundred years someone will still be cooking chicken in it but I do know it gives food a divine texture and flavour.

KEEPING THE STOCK: After use, if the master stock is not be immediately reused it should be boiled, skimmed, strained and cooled quickly to minimise the potential for bacterial growth. The stock should then be refrigerated or frozen until required. Refrigerated stocks may be kept for up to three days, while frozen stocks may be kept for up to a month. If the stock is to be kept longer it must be boiled before being reused.


THE INGREDIENTS:

2 L Water.

4 Cloves Garlic Sliced.

4cm piece of Ginger sliced.

6 spring onions chopped in half.

1 piece of cassia bark (you can substitute cinnamon stick for this).

3 star anise.

3 pieces of dried orange peel. You can buy this at an Asian supermarket or peel an orange (without the white pitch as this is bitter) and dry it slowly in the oven on a very low heat.

250 ml light Soy sauce.

250 ml Shoaxing wine (Chinese cooking wine).

75 g Chinese rock sugar (granulated sugar can be used ).

THE METHOD:

Fill a saucepan with the water. Add the sliced garlic, ginger and shallots, followed by the aromatics.

Add the light soy, shaoxing wine and Chinese rock sugar.

Bring to the boil and taste the stock for balance of flavours. If it requires more salt add a little more soy sauce.

Allow the stock to cool, if not using straight away, strain it through a fine sieve and refrigerate until needed.

Master stock, once cooled, strained and refrigerated can be used again and again.

Replenish the stock with fresh garlic, ginger, shallots and aromatics each time you use it and the flavour will continue to intensify in strength and flavour.

Andrews Spare Ribs - from Mr D's Thermal Cook Book

Last night we had some of the family around and I decided to BBQ, I know the weather was not so good but stiff upper lid and all that. I had decided to use the Cobb BBQ for the barbie with Lokkii briquettes.The lokkii briquettes are completely organic and have an organic firelighter so they are both convenient and eco friendly.

I wanted to include spare ribs in the menu as I had some in the freezer. These work well on the BBQ but are even better if cooked slowly in the Shuttle Chef so I put together a simple recipe "Andrews Spare Ribs". The reason they are called this is that a Filipino chef who unfortunately is no longer with us taught me how to cook spare ribs this way and guess what his name was Andrew.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Spare Ribs.
• 1 Red Onion chopped
• 500ml bottle tomato ketchup
• 3 cups of water
• 1 magi stock cube
• 2 tbsp Lea & Perrins Worcester Sauce
• 1 cup of Sprite *
• 1/2 tsp salt

* Sprite is used as a tenderiser.

Method:

1. Put all the ingredients into your thermal cooker.
2. Bring top the boil.
3. Skim off any impurities that form on the surface.
4. Turn down to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. After 10 minutes put into thermal cooker outer pot.
6. Leave for minimum 3 hours to cook.
7. Serve with the lovely rich tomato sauce.

Poached Guinea Fowl with Vegetables - from Mr D's cookbook.

Last night we wanted something light so I put together this delightful dish of poached guinea fowl with vegetables. I served it with the perfectly cooked vegetables and drizzled over the light stock created from the poaching liquid. By poaching the guinea fowl it is moist and takes on the wonderful flavours of the fennel and other vegetables.
There was enough for 3 people but as there was only two I saved the stock we had left over, shredded the remaining Guinea fowl into it and will have it as a soup today. You could use the same recipe with chicken.

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg Guinea fowl


• 6 carrots peeled and cut into 5cm chunks.


• 2 medium leeks cleaned and cut into 5cm lengths.


• 20 small potatoes washed but not peeled.


• 1 fennel bulb sliced.


• 4 celery sticks halved.


• 1 bay leaf.


• Water.


• 2 Vegetable stock cubes or my preferred way of making stock is to use Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon Powder (obtainable from most supermarkets) . If using this add 1 tablespoon.


• Salt and freshly ground pepper.

Method:

1. Wash the guinea fowl.


2. Place the guinea fowl into the inner pot of the thermal cooker.


3. Add the carrots and leeks into the pot.


4. Add the sliced fennel bulb, celery and the potatoes.


5. Put enough water to cover all the ingredients in the pot.


6. Add the stock cubes or powder.


7. Bring to the boil.


8. Turn down the heat to a simmer and put the lid on the pot.


9. Simmer for 10 minutes then put the inner pot into the outer pot.


10. Shut the leave and leave for a minimum of 2 hours to cook..


11. Once cooked adjust the stock for seasoning.


12. Serve spooning some of the stock over the guinea fowl.
    

Beef Curry - for 2 people (Double everything for 4)

I made this curry for the first time last night in my Shuttle Chef. Because of the lack of quantity I decided to cook it in a container and partly immerse it in water in the cooker. This way of cooking is ideal for meals that do not have much liquid content or if you are cooking just for one or two people.

Ingredients:

500g beef cut into 2-3cm cubes (you could use lamb if you prefer)
1 tbsp of ghee (I prefer ghee for flavour but vegetable oil can be used instead)
100g of yogurt
1/2 tsp of cornflour
100g tomatoes chopped and skinned (tinned tomatoes are ideal)
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic grated or chopped very finely
6 cardamoms (these need splitting open. I do this by squeezing )
2 bay leaves
1/2 tbsp of turmeric powder
1 tbsp of coriander powder
1/2 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp of salt (check before serving and add a little more if needed)

Method: ( You will need a pot that fits in the inner pot of the thermal cooker. I use my 6" cake tin in mine. You will also need something to stand the tin on in the inner pot. A food ring would do fine.)

1. Blend the cornflour with the yogurt in a bowl.


2. In a frying pan add the ghee and garlic


3. Heat the pan making sure the garlic does not burn.


4. Add the meat and brown.


5. Once browned add everything else and bring to the boil.


6. Once boiling put it into you cake tin and cover with parchment paper or foil to form a lid. Also you will need to make a handle either with string or a sling out of foil so that you can easily lift out the tin when cooked.


7. Put the food ring in the bottom of the thermal cooker inner pot.


8. Fill with boiling water up to the top of the food ring.


9. Put the cake tin into the inner pot.


10. Carefully top up with boiling water by pouring down the side (making sure that you don't pour it over the lid you made to cover the cake tin) until it is about 3/4 of the way up the side of the tin.


11. Put the inner pot onto a heat source and bring back to the boil.


12. Once boiling put on the lid and turn down to a simmer.


13. Simmer for 10 minutes then turn off the heat and put the inner pot into the thermal cooker outer pot and close the lid.


14. Cook for a minimum of 3 hours. Longer wont be a problem.


15. Serve with boiled rice.