Antony Worrall Thompson joining us to answer your questions on slow cooking - Tuesday 18th January between 1 - 2 pm

[RachelMumsnet]

Antony Worrall Thompson is our guest next Tuesday lunchtime when he's going to be answering questions on how to get the most out of your slow cooker as well as giving us tips on how to prepare some delicious one-pot dishes either in a slow cooker or a casserole - just the thing for these cold wintry nights.

He will also be preparing one of the recipes from his new book Slow Cooking which we will film and show in Mumsnet Recipes. The webchat will run between 1 and 2pm so put the date in your diary and if you can't join us next Tuesday but have a question you'd like to put to Antony, post it to this thread.

[Suziewoos]

Hello AWT,
Met you at yr Bistro in Not hill a few years back on cooking course, sadly now just diagnosed as Pre-Diabetic. Please can you produce cookery book but without all the carbs your last one has?

PS Do you sell a new Pressure cooker?
Thanks
Sue

[GeraldineMumsnet]

Hello all,

Antony's going to be making a pot roast chicken recipe from his Slow Cooking book before the webchat - if you'd like to try it, the recipe's here.

We hope to film it and then put up the video after the chat, so you can see how Antony prepares it.

Webchat starts at 1pm on Tues. :)

[GoldFrakkincenseAndMyrrh]

Can you recommend some good seasonal Spring/Summer slowcooker dishes? Everything seems to be for autumn/winter and really heavy!

[KangarooCaught]

Was given our 1st slow-cooker this Christmas, an apart from a very boozy mulled wine & a fab chili, everything else I've made, (chicken & beef so far) has been a disappointing mush. Added spices & got spicy mush! It just all tastes of one consistency & texture. Where am I going wrong?

[knittiekitty]

How can I thicken the cooking sauce to serve the food up with? Although the stews are tasty and the meat tender the cooking liquid usually ends up really thin and my family don't enjoy 'wet' dinners.

[eyeofhorus]

do you have a good recipe that uses bean/ chickpeas whereby you have pre-soaked them but not boiled them beforehand? ie, a good chickpea tagine or bean chilli. Something for us vegans anyway.....
Thanks!

[LadyBlaBlah]

I thought this thread to be a joke in Little Britain stylee taking the piss out of women who are insanely and disproportionately arsed about doing menial chores. Seems I was rather wrong

[TheDailyWail]

how do you avoid bitter onions when you're trying to prepare a dish quickly?

[Carrotsandcelery]

We are looking for a reliable vegetarian slow cooker recipe - nothing too bizarre but something really tasty. Any ideas?

[headfairy]

Hello Antony,

Can you tell me how I can avoid stews and casseroles done in the slow cooker all ending up as a homogenous mush? They all seem to taste the same and all vegetables lose any kind of bite. Is there a way of introducing some texture without losing the convenience of just being able to chuck it all in and leave it?

TIA x

[deemented]

Hi Antony,

I use my slowcookers most days - i do everything from whole chickens to chocolate brownies to garlic bread in them and have even been known to make candles and soaps in them too but i still struggle with thickening things up. I usiually use cornflour, but find i'm using something like half a packet before it gets reasonably thick, and using meat that has been coated in flour hasn't worked for me either. I don't use excessive ammounts of water or stock, and have tried reducing it, but it's still not working for me.

Is it really nessacary for me to make a proper roux to thicken my sauces and stews, or is there another way?

[HerBeatitude]

Why do green peppers (and red ones to a lesser extent) often end up tasting really bitter and vile when done in a slow cooker? How to avoid this?

[SlubberdeGurnard]

Hi Antony.

I have some ox tail. Can you recommend a recipe that is a bit snazzier than just braised ox tail.

Thank you

[walkingonthemoon]

Hi AWT - I'm a busy mum of two and also childminder-to-be and love using my slowcooker. However, I'm stuck in a rut and want some new recipes that are quick to prepare first thing in the morning (as no-time in the day), that little ones will like aswell as adults and are not too expensive... it's a 'holy grail' request but can you help?

I probably won't be around for the webchat but if you could answer me I'd appreciate it very much! Thanks.

[ilovesprouts]

hello AWT ive never used my slow cooker whats the easyest thing to start cooking in it thanks

[lukewarmmama]

Hiya - I've got a very large capacity slow cooker, bigger than I think most recipies are designed for. Does it matter? How would you adjust recipies for different size cookers?

[solo]

Headfairy asked my question! thanks Headfairy!

[TessOfTheDinnerbells]

Oooh I have got to make the most of this opportunity:

Hi Anthony,

Lovely to chat with you here!

Please could you tell me which recipe you would recommend for a pretty hopeless cook as a failsafe dinner party recipe. Would be great if it would suit any number of guests from 4-12.

Failing that, could I please have your mobile number in case of future emergencies?

[TessOfTheDinnerbells]

Should I add that I don't own a slow cooker?

[abgirl]

deemented have you tried thickening with gravy granules, worked very well when I tried it recently...

[Lulumaam]

Hi Anthony..

I've recently seen a recipe for slow cooker porridge.. any other breakfast ideas , I love the idea of staggering downstairs bleary eyed and only having to lift the lid on the slow cooker and ta daaaaaaa, a hot cooked brekky !

also, any ideas for breast of lamb in the slow cooker.. it's such a great cheap cut, but so hard to do much with succesfully, i've found... so any ideas would be great

thank you very much

[SylvanianFamily]

No question, but I think some sleb chef backing of slow cookers is way overdue. I was rolling on floor laughing watching Jamie Oliver's 'easy' recipes on his ministry of food program. I know he's got loads of kids - but I kinda get the idea he's never done any if his drizzling or wazzing with an inquisitive toddler and hungry baby around his ankles. I was very surprised he didn't mention slow cookers - given how cheap and easy a lot of slow cooker dishes are.

OK, I have a question - nay, a patented design suggestion. Why has no one launched a slow cooker with gadgets?

.... for example, a smaller inner dish suspended over the main one that you could use to steam rice or veggies to go with the main dish underneath?

.....Or a timer which is connected to the thermostat. I find I need different times in summer and winter, presumably because in a cold kitchen it takes longer for the cooker to heat up properly. I think an option of 'X hours from when the cookers reaches 60C' might be more reliable.

[deemented]

abgirl - tried that, but i find it very salty tbh.

[SylvanianFamily]

Red lentils? Cook down to mush, so you wouldn't know they were there, apart from the thickness.

[fatpantsandgladrags]

Hi Anthony,

I am yet to christen my christmas slow cooker......what would you recommend as an easy recipe to start with? Any tips to make my inaugural voyage into the unknown a success?