Caitríona Redmond: How to make my comforting slow cooker lamb stew recipe

Plus a recipe for pizza-flavoured muffins and some praise for the humble apron 

Lamb stew served in the white bowls

Somebody asked me recently if I enjoyed working from home: “Yeah it’s great, I love being here for the kids and having an office workspace and a kitchen I use for testing each week.”

I didn’t mention how difficult it can be at times, particularly in the winter. There were weeks when the only other adult I saw apart from my husband was the postman and sometimes a neighbour. The combination of not being very mobile plus bad weather made the house a warm cocoon. The days can meld into one another; sometimes the only distinction between a weekday or the weekend was that there were no lunchboxes to be prepared or whooshing kids out to school.

The walls of the box room where I keep my desk can close in on me. I can also tell you with precision when the kids come home. My life is lived in a very small radius and that can be stifling.

Preparing and enjoying food carries me beyond the four walls of my home. While my environment remains the same, as Guy Fieri a flamboyant American TV chef would say, food takes me to flavour-town.

The residents of this not-specific town are not always delighted to be my guinea pigs. They are more of a captive audience that is strongly encouraged to eat what I cook, but never force-fed. I have my fair share of culinary disasters, and I am not immune to having to compost an entire meal. Tea and toast with a boiled egg is a reliable fallback in these situations.

This week’s recipes are happy outcomes of my experimenting with flavours.

The Oooh-Mammy stew is a happy mixture of pungent store cupboard jars and bottles combined with the core concept of an Irish stew. I love that I don’t have to
season the pot with salt or pepper and it perfumes the entire house while cooking. The second recipe is not a pizza but a muffin that evokes the flavours of a pizza. It’s nowhere near the classic pizza from Italy. It is a vehicle for persuading people of all ages to eat more cheese. Perfect for fussy eaters and it’ll generate lunchbox envy in classrooms nationwide.

Oooh-Mammy’s Slow Cooker Stew

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

This comforting dinner perfumes the entire house while cooking.

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 6 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 6 hours 15 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 500g lamb neck pieces (stewing meat)

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 2 large peppers, sliced

• 3 large carrots, sliced

• 500g whole baby potatoes

• 300ml beef or lamb stock

• 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 3 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp oyster sauce

• Fresh coriander and parsley to garnish

Method

1. Combine the lamb, onion, peppers, carrots, and potatoes in a slow cooker. Stir the ginger and garlic, plus the three sauces into the stock. Pour the mixture over the vegetables in the slow cooker.

2. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on high.

3. Serve with chopped soft herbs on top.

Pizza-flavoured Muffins

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

Perfect for fussy eaters and it’ll generate lunchbox envy in classrooms nationwide.

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 500g plain flour

• 75g grated parmesan cheese

• 125g grated mozzarella cheese

• 75g chopped salami or ham (optional)

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp dried basil

• 400ml whole milk

• 2 medium eggs

• 75ml olive oil

• Plus any fillings that you may prefer, e.g. chopped peppers, tomatoes, courgette, aubergine etc

Method

1. Preheat a fan oven to 180°C and line a cupcake/muffin tray with cases or baking parchment.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cheese, meat (if chosen), baking powder, garlic powder, oregano, and basil. Stir with a fork and make a large well.

3. In a jug combine the milk, eggs, and olive oil.

4. Pour the half the liquid into the well, stir well and then pour in the remaining liquid and stir until you have a thick batter.

5. Divide the batter between the muffin cases.

6. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

7. Serve with tomatoes or tomato sauce.

8. Recipe note: there is no salt or pepper in this recipe as parmesan is high in salt content and olive oil has peppery notes. Season as you wish!

Home Economics: Keeping covered with an apron

The apron is a multifunctional and essential piece of kit for working in the kitchen

When Kirstie Allsop proclaimed that washing machines in the kitchen were unhygienic I had to laugh. Where else would my washing machine be? It’s an integral part of the kitchen furniture. While I mainly give food-related kitchen advice in this column the humble apron is the perfect crossover between cooking and that washing machine.

The apron is a multifunctional and essential piece of kit for working in the kitchen. If I don’t have a kitchen towel to hand I can use it to lift hot dishes or trays from the oven. When wearing an apron, if you pick up the bottom corners it’s a handy carrying bag to move items around in. I keep my watch and rings in the pocket when I’m cooking as I prefer not to wear jewellery for hygiene purposes.

The main function of an apron is to protect your clothing when cooking. I’ve even started eating while I’m wearing an apron. This saves my work clothes from drips and spills so I stay relatively uncrumpled for work calls. Let’s not call it an adult bib though!

How does the apron link with the washing machine? Saving your clothes while cooking will make them last longer between washes. Less washes saves money on your energy bills, and will help your clothes longevity. I’ve tested many aprons over the years and have recently invested in an “Ulster Weavers” 100% cotton and machine washable apron. It’s generously long enough to protect the knees and is thick enough to prevent breakthrough stains to the clothes underneath.

Take my advice, save your clothes when cooking (and maybe eating) and invest in a decent apron.