As temperatures start to cool, Jade Wright samples some tasty recipes to get the slow cooker going

FORGET fast food. As the seasons change and the nights draw in, it’s time to embrace slow cooking. There’s something satisfying about food that takes its time, filling the house with wonderful aromas as it simmers its way to tenderness.

Slow cooking favours cheaper, tougher, cuts of meat that only show their true colours after hours of gentle cooking. It’s also a perfect way to cook autumn root vegetables, bringing out the sweet, mellow flavours and buttery texture.

The domestic slow cooker is enjoying a renaissance as families rediscover the joys of hearty stews, soups and casseroles. And in restaurants across Merseyside, chefs are rolling out autumn menus packed with slow cooked favourites.

Tom Gill was head chef at the Everyman Bistro for 11 years – a venue well known for its delicious comfort foods.

Now he runs the kitchen at The Brink, a newly opened adult dry bar in Parr Street.

“Slow cooking is great, it uses the cheaper cuts of meat but provides such tenderness and juiciness,” he says.

“In the autumn, it’s particularly popular as it is hearty and warming to come home to.”

One of Tom’s signature slow dishes is Navarin of lamb.

“I made it at the Brink this week and the delicious aromas lingered warmly throughout the venue,” he smiles.

“Slow cooking as an easy labour of love during the recession. In these days when we are all cash-strapped and very busy, we want more for less and slow cooking is a great way of achieving this.”

Gavin King, head chef at Portico Cantina, agrees.

“Slow cooking is a great way of cooking tough cuts of meat and will help make it more tender and succulent,” he says.

“It’s also tastier if you lock the flavours in by coating it in some flour and maybe some spices and brown the meat off before adding it to your stew. Any juice from the meat that may escape will be retained in the liquid, giving it a more complex flavour.

“Always start by browning your meat before braising or stewing. Cooking by braising causes the breakdown of the fibre tissue, making it tender.

“Stewing is a slower process again. In gentle heat, it still makes the fibres fall apart easily and the protein coagulate without being toughened.”

Delifonseca has launched its autumn menu, and one of the most popular dishes is their beef and beetroot stew.

Martin Cooper, head chef at Delifonseca Dockside, says: “Winter is a great time to enjoy good hearty food, and that means using the best local produce available and combining it with different cuts of meat.

“During the next few months, there are some great vegetables around that can all continue to grow through the cold weather.

“We’ve sold beef and beetroot stew since we opened five years ago, but it’s one that has grown in popularity with the customers as beetroot has become more ‘in fashion’.

“In terms of meat, I always find that a shin of beef is ideal for slow cooking, whether I am in the kitchen in Delifonseca or at home. The texture and flavour that it develops through the cooking process is beautiful and the meat always seems to hold its shape.

“Stews like this are best made in large quantities as they freeze and re-heat very well and the cost of making them doesn’t have to be pricey. All you need to do is serve the dish with fresh crusty bread and it is sure to warm you up during the winter months.”

Martin is also a great believer in browning any meat before it is cooked.

“While slow cookers claim that you don’t need to brown the meat and onions, I would recommend that you take the time to do it, as it adds an extra depth of flavour,” he says.

“Don’t get hung up on the volumes, basically you need meat (cheaper cuts are better as they have some natural fat and more flavour – you just need time to unlock them), onions and any type of root vegetables, herbs and stock and alcohol (beer, cider, wine) and seasoning.

“Add a slow heat and time and alchemy will happen. Just be patient.

“Sauces can be thickened or reduced at the end if you want to get fancy.

“Find a basic recipe and then mess around with your type of ingredients but in similar proportions. You will discover that some root vegetables are sweeter than others, etc, but that’s all part of the fun.

“We like to serve it with mashed potatoes with mustard or horseradish, but, if you want to add potatoes, do so towards the end of the cooking time.”

As far as the cuts of meat to choose, Martin says the cheaper the better.

“Shin and stewing beef are perfect, chicken thighs if you like chicken,” he says. “Brough’s Butchers (situated at Delifonseca Dockside) are great at giving advice to customers, and these cuts make feeding families quality meat very affordable. They find that customers are keen to learn about meat, not just the provenance but about how best to use it. It’s great to have that kind of expertise on site.”

It isn’t just beef and lamb that benefit from slow cooking. Pork is a favourite, too.

“The Spanish pork and chickpea stew was a really popular dish at the recent Hope Street Feast,” explains Gary Manning, from The Quarter.

“The stew is made by using pork cheeks which are a cheaper cut of meat. By slow cooking the cheeks, the meat becomes extremely tender and all the flavour is intensified.

“It is a perfect meal for the colder autumnal nights as it is hearty, warming and the ultimate in comfort food. The slow cooked stew is a great family dish as it is both economical and filling. It would be a sure winner for bonfire night where everyone can gather round and enjoy it with rice, patatas bravas or simply a chunk of crusty bread.”