Caitriona Redmond: How to make the perfect porridge in your slow cooker 

I cook using my slow-cooker at least twice a week

Creamy slow cooker porridge

You could call me a slow cooker evangelist because I cook using this method at least twice a week. 

The beauty of having a larger size is that I can make two family meals at once; serving one meal that evening and freezing the second for another day.

They normally come in two sizes — either 3.5 litre or six litre. I find a 3.5 litre grand for a family of five but the larger size is handy for batch-cooking.

You can run a slow cooker on a timer if you’re going to be out of the house for long periods of time or using it overnight. 

If yours doesn’t come with a timer then buy a timer plug in your local hardware store (they’re inexpensive). I recommend you leave yours sitting on the back of the hob, away from little hands as they do get hot to the touch on the outside. 

The hob is a heatproof surface and safe to sit on once the hob itself is turned off.

Slow cookers use up the same energy as a light bulb, making them very cost-effective (cheaper than an oven or a hob) and safe to use.

They’re not that expensive to buy and in the context of saving on your energy costs this winter it’s an investment that will definitely reap rewards in the home. 

At the low end of the market, there is very little difference in the quality of slow cookers, apart from the price you’ll pay, so my best advice is to shop around to find the price that fits your budget. In the middle price range you’ll find slow cookers that have a sear and stew option. That means you can sear your meat inside of the slow cooker before putting it on to cook as normal. 

This method of cooking uses slightly more energy but does add an extra layer of flavour to your meals. It also requires more of your time because you have to stand over the cooker and sear, as opposed to lashing everything in and giving it a stir before flicking the switch.

On winter mornings it is a joy to go into the kitchen and have a piping hot breakfast made with Irish oats to serve up. In my house we all start the day at different times so a slow cooker full of porridge fits the bill for us all. The effort of stirring the ingredients into the bowl the night before is minimal and the reward is happy, full tummies.

Creamy Slow Cooker Porridge

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

Serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey on top for a delicious and hearty warming breakfast

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 3 mins

Cooking Time

 6 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 6 hours 3 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 200g oats

• 400ml water

• 400ml milk

•  

Method

1. Place all the ingredients into the slow cooker before going to bed. Stir so that the oats are well coated. Turn the slow cooker on low and cover.

2. In the morning stir the porridge well and add a little more milk if you find it’s too stiff.

3. Serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey on top.

4. I like to add 100g of raisins at night which should make this porridge sweet on its own but not everyone is a fan of raisins I know.

5. Feel free to experiment with your toppings in the morning because less time spent at the hob really frees you up.

6. Chocolate chips and chopped nuts are another excellent suggestion.

Warming Soup

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

A perfect bowl for winter lunches

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 35 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion, peeled and sliced

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 tsp harissa paste (I use Le Phar Du Cap Bon which I get in SuperValu)

• 100g pearl barley or dried soup mixture

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into rough chunks

• 1 small turnip (or half a large one), peeled and chopped into chunks

• 300ml hot water

• To serve:

• 1 handful of fresh greens such as spinach, sliced kale, or finely sliced dark green cabbage

• Fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan on a medium heat on the hob.

2. Add the onion and stir for 1 minute, next add the garlic and stir again. Cook for 4 minutes.

3. Squeeze in the harissa paste and step away from the saucepan so you don’t inhale the steam – otherwise you’ll get a lungful of spicy steam & make your eyes water!

4. Pour in the pearl barley and stir so that the barley is coated with the paste and begins to toast a little in the heat of the saucepan.

5. Add the chopped carrot and turnip, then pour the water on top of the vegetables and pearl barley.

6. Bring the saucepan to a simmer, then cover and simmer the contents of the saucepan for 20-30 minutes.

7. Once the vegetables are still slightly firm (not mushy!) the soup is cooked.

8. To serve the warming soup, spoon a large ladle of soup into a big bowl, then stir in the fresh greens immediately into the hot liquid so that they wilt a little bit.

9. Squeeze lemon juice on top and eat straight away. As there is pearl barley in the mixture there should be no need to add bread to the dish, although it is nice to dunk if you have some.

Special Offers 

It’s just over 90 days until Christmas Day. I know it might be the last thing on your mind at the moment but toiletry gift sets are half-price in Dunnes Stores until October 10. You can use “shop and save” vouchers to get even more money off the final total at the till. The gift sets are available in certain stores but can be delivered also. If you have got a teenager on your gift list you can’t go wrong with Lynx or Dove sets.

Tesco’s Meals Made Easy range serves a recommended four people per tray and they have a two for €10 deal on until October 4. That means you should be able to serve 8 portions of dinner for €10, providing you use your clubcard to purchase. That’s a portion cost of €1.25 per person with minimal preparation and cooking. Great value in my book.

Money-Saving Tip 

Beans are cheap and a great source of protein.

Beans are an extremely cheap alternative to buying a cut of meat for dinner. A bag of dried beans will last you for weeks. All you need to do is remember to soak enough beans the night before you intend to use them and boil before using them in your meals. 

A portion of dried beans costs about a quarter of the price of a fresh whole egg; and a whole egg costs about a quarter of the price of a piece of fresh meat. When you put it that way it's hard not to consider eating alternatives to meat when you are on a budget. An egg a day is an excellent way to maintain a healthy level of protein in your diet.

When I’m batch cooking at the weekends that’s when I cook up a few portions of beans, strain, and store in a sealed container in the fridge for use during the week.