Ask Allegra: tips on slow cooking | Life and style

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Photograph: PR</span></p> <p><strong>Today's live session has finished. Allegra will be back in a fortnight when the topic will be tarts - quiches, fruit tarts, and all stops in between. Unless you want slow cooking part 2 - let us know!</strong></p> <p>Seasonality is not only about <em>what</em> we eat but <em>how</em> we eat it, and slow food - my favourite kind of winter cooking - is soon to be supplanted by a plethora of springy salads. </p> <p>So, before we say adieu for another eight months, this is the last chance to get your heads around the simplest, cheapest and most rewarding way of providing for a family on a budget during cold weather. </p> <p>If your experiments with casseroles, tagines, stews and the like have ever resulted in tough meat or watery veg in tasteless gravy, let me turn you back on to a style of cooking that warms your heart, body and soul. Post your questions below and I'll be online to answer them today at 3pm.</p> </div> </div> <div id="related"> <div class="blog-byline"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/allegramcevedy" title="Contributor's page"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/8/5/1249472253346/Allegra-McEvedy-001.jpg" width="60" height="60" alt="Allegra McEvedy"/> </a> <span>Posted by</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/allegramcevedy" name="&lid={blogBylineContributor}{Allegra McEvedy}&lpos={blogBylineContributor}{1}">Allegra McEvedy</a> Wednesday 13 February 2008 <span class="timestamp">10.30 GMT</span> <span class="byline-publication "> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/">guardian.co.uk</a> </span> </div> <ul id="article-toolbox-side"> <li class="printable"><a 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href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/Licketyspit" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="Licketyspit"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/Licketyspit"> Licketyspit </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">12 Feb 2008, 4:40PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Hello,</p><p>This one's been vexing me for a while.</p><p>Stews/casseroles: why does the "thick, unctuous" gravy that's always promised in the recipe never materialise?</p><p>The gravy is always too watery in consistency. I follow the recipes slavishly.</p><p>My partner is convinced that we need to ditch the stainless steel and invest in some Le Creuset cookware. </p><p>I'm wary. Will the expensive new vessel really yield results? Isn't there something more basic that I am missing?</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:6cdab568-9556-4642-924b-4d0dcea3c4fe"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:6cdab568-9556-4642-924b-4d0dcea3c4fe" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:6cdab568-9556-4642-924b-4d0dcea3c4fe')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:6cdab568-9556-4642-924b-4d0dcea3c4fe" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=6cdab568-9556-4642-924b-4d0dcea3c4fe&commenterUserName=Licketyspit&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:6cdab568-9556-4642-924b-4d0dcea3c4fe" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-2"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/SusanSmillie" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/1/0/81622a2c-a6c2-4b67-a0a1-f20b6e530280.Small.jpg" height="60" width="60" alt="SusanSmillie"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/SusanSmillie"> SusanSmillie </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">12 Feb 2008, 5:17PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Editor"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/microapps/server-side-pluck/images/icons_staff_28.gif" width="28" height="28" title="Staff" alt="Staff"/> <span>Staff</span> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Allegra! Allegra! My question is: should you ever slow cook fish? I tried doing it the one and only time I've tried to use my slow cooker and the fish just disappeared, disintegrated. It also tasted REALLY bad - I'm wondering if the lemons and white wine I put in reacted over 6 hours of cooking. I thought it seemed a bit weird to slow cook fish for six hours but that's what the recipe said...</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:074f9f13-d7b0-4c06-b5b8-02c7bdcbfbb2"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:074f9f13-d7b0-4c06-b5b8-02c7bdcbfbb2" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:074f9f13-d7b0-4c06-b5b8-02c7bdcbfbb2')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:074f9f13-d7b0-4c06-b5b8-02c7bdcbfbb2" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=074f9f13-d7b0-4c06-b5b8-02c7bdcbfbb2&commenterUserName=SusanSmillie&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:074f9f13-d7b0-4c06-b5b8-02c7bdcbfbb2" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-3"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/shoozographer" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="shoozographer"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/shoozographer"> shoozographer </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">12 Feb 2008, 5:38PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Ooooh, home-made baked beans, that's what I want to know how to make!</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:1536674a-6b54-4524-b5fa-0fdac36f3770"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:1536674a-6b54-4524-b5fa-0fdac36f3770" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:1536674a-6b54-4524-b5fa-0fdac36f3770')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:1536674a-6b54-4524-b5fa-0fdac36f3770" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=1536674a-6b54-4524-b5fa-0fdac36f3770&commenterUserName=shoozographer&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:1536674a-6b54-4524-b5fa-0fdac36f3770" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-4"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/nationwide" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/13/11/cd3c50ce-d124-4697-8b29-22921347c569.Small.jpg" height="60" width="60" alt="nationwide"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/nationwide"> nationwide </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">12 Feb 2008, 6:28PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Perfect cassoulet? One which doesn't involve french meats which are commonplace in Castelnaudry but expensive here? The whole point of this hearty, slow cooked dish is it's cheapness. What do you suggest?</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:06787c59-47d1-49fe-9cda-62f128d08256"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:06787c59-47d1-49fe-9cda-62f128d08256" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:06787c59-47d1-49fe-9cda-62f128d08256')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:06787c59-47d1-49fe-9cda-62f128d08256" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=06787c59-47d1-49fe-9cda-62f128d08256&commenterUserName=nationwide&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:06787c59-47d1-49fe-9cda-62f128d08256" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-5"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/mycookinghut" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="mycookinghut"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/mycookinghut"> mycookinghut </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">12 Feb 2008, 8:56PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>@Licketyspit, It's really worth investing in Le Creuset cookware. I am a fan of Le Creuset and I don't get paid talking good about them. I reckon it's better than slowcooker! It retains heat that you could never imagine! I have a Le Creuset cocotte 26cm and also a Stainless Steel saucepan. The cocotte is perfect for me and my partner especially when comes to winter. I like to cook a big pot of soup, casserole/stew, or even curry to go through the tough winter. Le Creuset never fails. Even though it costs a bit more than some cheaper pots but it's a lifetime investment!Check out my recipe for the result of Le Creuset <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.mycookinghut.com/2007/12/14/lamb-winter-vegetables-soup/">http://www.mycookinghut.com/2007/12/14/lamb-winter-vegetables-soup/</a></p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:460a6976-c9da-40cc-995c-1737d059fd1a"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:460a6976-c9da-40cc-995c-1737d059fd1a" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:460a6976-c9da-40cc-995c-1737d059fd1a')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:460a6976-c9da-40cc-995c-1737d059fd1a" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=460a6976-c9da-40cc-995c-1737d059fd1a&commenterUserName=mycookinghut&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:460a6976-c9da-40cc-995c-1737d059fd1a" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-6"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/mycookinghut" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="mycookinghut"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/mycookinghut"> mycookinghut </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">12 Feb 2008, 9:02PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>By the way, it cooks great Chinese Congee<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.mycookinghut.com/2007/06/30/chinese-congee-in-le-creuset-cocotte/">http://www.mycookinghut.com/2007/06/30/chinese-congee-in-le-creuset-cocotte/</a></p><p>and Ratatouille<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.mycookinghut.com/2007/07/11/ratatouille/">http://www.mycookinghut.com/2007/07/11/ratatouille/</a></p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:6f2ee324-3996-4cff-8e83-250c64b67c5a"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:6f2ee324-3996-4cff-8e83-250c64b67c5a" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:6f2ee324-3996-4cff-8e83-250c64b67c5a')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:6f2ee324-3996-4cff-8e83-250c64b67c5a" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=6f2ee324-3996-4cff-8e83-250c64b67c5a&commenterUserName=mycookinghut&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:6f2ee324-3996-4cff-8e83-250c64b67c5a" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-7"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/technopeasant" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/11/12/5bff4f69-43b9-47e4-bca2-733618b3a2dc.Small.png" height="60" width="60" alt="technopeasant"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/technopeasant"> technopeasant </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">12 Feb 2008, 9:16PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>It doesn't have to be Le Creuset. I have a Chasseur casserole - it's just as good but less expensive. Not sure they'll magically make your gravies thicker though... </p><p>Allegra: do you have any good vegetarian slow cooking suggestions - spicy lentils, beans and so on? I make plenty of meat stews, but I'd really like to have more non-meat options that aren't boring. </p><p></p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:6b7be2d7-652b-4e66-9216-8ae607cb447c"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:6b7be2d7-652b-4e66-9216-8ae607cb447c" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:6b7be2d7-652b-4e66-9216-8ae607cb447c')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:6b7be2d7-652b-4e66-9216-8ae607cb447c" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=6b7be2d7-652b-4e66-9216-8ae607cb447c&commenterUserName=technopeasant&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:6b7be2d7-652b-4e66-9216-8ae607cb447c" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-8"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/martillo" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="martillo"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/martillo"> martillo </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">12 Feb 2008, 9:34PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Standard"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Licketyspit: when you say you follow the recipes slavishly, does that include the quantity and type of liquid you use? Do you make your own stock, for example?</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:e90917f8-3086-4a8f-abcf-a117ee0344a8"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:e90917f8-3086-4a8f-abcf-a117ee0344a8" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:e90917f8-3086-4a8f-abcf-a117ee0344a8')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:e90917f8-3086-4a8f-abcf-a117ee0344a8" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=e90917f8-3086-4a8f-abcf-a117ee0344a8&commenterUserName=martillo&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:e90917f8-3086-4a8f-abcf-a117ee0344a8" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-9"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/Saltycdogg" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/12/4/ccf3cf4b-2288-491b-8425-076276bfa638.Small.png" height="60" width="60" alt="Saltycdogg"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/Saltycdogg"> Saltycdogg </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 8:48AM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>An oxo cube in a pint of water definitely isn't the same consistency as real stock that's for sure, let alone flavour. </p><p>However a little cornflour always works wonders and I don't really feel it's cheating. </p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:a8111b11-a0a1-476e-a0fb-c6d5e2e02bc7"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:a8111b11-a0a1-476e-a0fb-c6d5e2e02bc7" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:a8111b11-a0a1-476e-a0fb-c6d5e2e02bc7')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:a8111b11-a0a1-476e-a0fb-c6d5e2e02bc7" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=a8111b11-a0a1-476e-a0fb-c6d5e2e02bc7&commenterUserName=Saltycdogg&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:a8111b11-a0a1-476e-a0fb-c6d5e2e02bc7" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-10"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/DrOctagon" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="DrOctagon"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/DrOctagon"> DrOctagon </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 9:00AM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Licketyspit - it's called reduction. If it's too thin/watery then take the lid off, pop it on the hob and evaporate the water content until it's the right consistency.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:a8dd492d-40a9-4694-bbb0-9aa57bde8bb0"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:a8dd492d-40a9-4694-bbb0-9aa57bde8bb0" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:a8dd492d-40a9-4694-bbb0-9aa57bde8bb0')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:a8dd492d-40a9-4694-bbb0-9aa57bde8bb0" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=a8dd492d-40a9-4694-bbb0-9aa57bde8bb0&commenterUserName=DrOctagon&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:a8dd492d-40a9-4694-bbb0-9aa57bde8bb0" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-11"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/celticmiller" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="celticmiller"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/celticmiller"> celticmiller </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 9:46AM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>How do i stop onions going to nothing in a stew? They seem to totally disintegrate after an hour or so unless a) they're really browned & crispy first or b) they're tiny onions left whole. </p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:38482864-94ab-4c17-bc32-2ce6497ad938"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:38482864-94ab-4c17-bc32-2ce6497ad938" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:38482864-94ab-4c17-bc32-2ce6497ad938')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:38482864-94ab-4c17-bc32-2ce6497ad938" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=38482864-94ab-4c17-bc32-2ce6497ad938&commenterUserName=celticmiller&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:38482864-94ab-4c17-bc32-2ce6497ad938" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-12"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AlexC" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/7/6/4782eb0f-9def-4ec1-964a-f2d7c2a2562e.Small.png" height="60" width="60" alt="AlexC"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AlexC"> AlexC </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 10:20AM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>celticmiller - I think that's often the whole point of putting the onions in there. If you want some with more shape, you may just have to leave them whole or add them a bit later in the process. It's just a matter of what you want from them - they could be there to make a thick, sweet sauce (e.g. the base of a dopiaza curry), or they could be there as a solid vegetable element (e.g. in coq au vin). Or both. It's the same with potatoes - the two types of potato in a Lancashire hotpot have entirely different functions - one as a thickening agent, and one as a solid topping.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:21d5287b-864d-413b-9e58-1a5643eb76f5"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:21d5287b-864d-413b-9e58-1a5643eb76f5" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:21d5287b-864d-413b-9e58-1a5643eb76f5')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:21d5287b-864d-413b-9e58-1a5643eb76f5" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=21d5287b-864d-413b-9e58-1a5643eb76f5&commenterUserName=AlexC&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:21d5287b-864d-413b-9e58-1a5643eb76f5" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-13"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/celticmiller" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="celticmiller"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/celticmiller"> celticmiller </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 10:38AM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Thanks AlexC, that's really helpful. But your answer highlights the fact that when i make a stew i rarely follow a recepie. Will try the more structured approach in future: "what do i want from my onions?"!</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:c331723b-3c48-4969-927e-a28295f10206"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:c331723b-3c48-4969-927e-a28295f10206" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:c331723b-3c48-4969-927e-a28295f10206')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:c331723b-3c48-4969-927e-a28295f10206" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=c331723b-3c48-4969-927e-a28295f10206&commenterUserName=celticmiller&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:c331723b-3c48-4969-927e-a28295f10206" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-14"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/LadyWeinberger" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="LadyWeinberger"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/LadyWeinberger"> LadyWeinberger </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 11:20AM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Dear Allegra, I recently tried to slow roast a shoulder of lamb. The recipe said to turn on the oven to its fullest extent and then as you put the lamb in turn down to 160 and cook for 3 hours. The lamb was cooked with garlic, rosemary and seasoning and put in a roasting tin and covered with tin foil. The end result was supposed to be almost like shredded beef - a toffee-like sticky meat that you could almost spoon out of the tin. </p><p>Whilst the end result was nice - it was definitely not as expected and needed to be carved and was not particulary tender. </p><p>The lamb was from a fantastic butchers and, once cooked, I let it rest for 30 minutes.</p><p>Other friends have tried this recipe (and variations of it) and have found the same disappointing results.</p><p>Should I cook it for longer at an even lower temperature?</p><p>Your thoughts are appreciated,</p><p>Lady Weinberger</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:bbadde5b-02cc-4b98-8fb6-072b1a552114"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:bbadde5b-02cc-4b98-8fb6-072b1a552114" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:bbadde5b-02cc-4b98-8fb6-072b1a552114')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:bbadde5b-02cc-4b98-8fb6-072b1a552114" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=bbadde5b-02cc-4b98-8fb6-072b1a552114&commenterUserName=LadyWeinberger&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:bbadde5b-02cc-4b98-8fb6-072b1a552114" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-15"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/emilyalawrence" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="emilyalawrence"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/emilyalawrence"> emilyalawrence </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 11:27AM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>I would like a vegetarian stew that has pearl barley in it. any good receipies?</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:7e8553b8-1149-4219-ab7e-41d8606a7c20"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:7e8553b8-1149-4219-ab7e-41d8606a7c20" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:7e8553b8-1149-4219-ab7e-41d8606a7c20')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:7e8553b8-1149-4219-ab7e-41d8606a7c20" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=7e8553b8-1149-4219-ab7e-41d8606a7c20&commenterUserName=emilyalawrence&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:7e8553b8-1149-4219-ab7e-41d8606a7c20" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-16"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/hausenwednesday" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="hausenwednesday"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/hausenwednesday"> hausenwednesday </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 11:42AM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Licketyspit - cast iron definitely works wonders, i think it's because the heat gets distributed more evenly with these. Also,if you're not doing that already, try to cook without the lid so that the liquid reduces more. Another thing is that you might want to give it an extra 30 to 60 minutes longer than what your recipe suggests - if you're slow cooking meat, sticking to the timing is never as vital as with a roast.Anyway, if you want to get a LeCreuset pot or any other cast iron ware, they do come up in the sale - I've seen them reduced by as much as 50%, online as well as department stores such as Selfridges. Worth the wait with them being so pricey.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:baedc66c-31ee-4691-aae1-9e1e573cd0df"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:baedc66c-31ee-4691-aae1-9e1e573cd0df" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:baedc66c-31ee-4691-aae1-9e1e573cd0df')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:baedc66c-31ee-4691-aae1-9e1e573cd0df" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=baedc66c-31ee-4691-aae1-9e1e573cd0df&commenterUserName=hausenwednesday&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:baedc66c-31ee-4691-aae1-9e1e573cd0df" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-17"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/RebeccaSeal" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/6/4/06c49e6a-8eda-4a5d-945c-0355fb05a843.Small.png" height="60" width="60" alt="RebeccaSeal"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/RebeccaSeal"> RebeccaSeal </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 11:55AM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Staff"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/microapps/server-side-pluck/images/icons_contributor_28.gif" width="28" height="28" title="Contributor" alt="Contributor"/> <span>Contributor</span> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>hello Allegra,I've come into possession of half a leg of lamb, and have not the faintest what to do with it. I'm thinking slow-cooking is the best way but my cookbooks only seem to have slightly nuts recipes, featuring things like anchovies. Bleurgh, frankly. Any ideas? I don't have a big household, so I'd like to do something I could freeze the rest of...Thanks very much!</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:f65c7425-c9d3-41ee-b6c1-a912b4b03ae0"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:f65c7425-c9d3-41ee-b6c1-a912b4b03ae0" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:f65c7425-c9d3-41ee-b6c1-a912b4b03ae0')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:f65c7425-c9d3-41ee-b6c1-a912b4b03ae0" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=f65c7425-c9d3-41ee-b6c1-a912b4b03ae0&commenterUserName=RebeccaSeal&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:f65c7425-c9d3-41ee-b6c1-a912b4b03ae0" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-18"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/notjjwarr" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="notjjwarr"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/notjjwarr"> notjjwarr </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 12:11PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>I paid £10 for a huge Le Creuset casserole in 1972-in a sale- and still use it regularly.Quite cheap if you take the long view.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:9faeec18-4abf-49fe-9191-5e9fe1779cf0"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:9faeec18-4abf-49fe-9191-5e9fe1779cf0" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:9faeec18-4abf-49fe-9191-5e9fe1779cf0')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:9faeec18-4abf-49fe-9191-5e9fe1779cf0" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=9faeec18-4abf-49fe-9191-5e9fe1779cf0&commenterUserName=notjjwarr&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:9faeec18-4abf-49fe-9191-5e9fe1779cf0" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-19"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/LionelGerms" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="LionelGerms"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/LionelGerms"> LionelGerms </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 12:20PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Allegra, I love slow cooking meats but would like to branch out from my safety zone of beef, poultry and lamb. Can any cut of pork take a long slow cook? How about exotic cousins such as venison?</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:3815a026-b9e7-441a-8a9f-d904b1f2efb4"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:3815a026-b9e7-441a-8a9f-d904b1f2efb4" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:3815a026-b9e7-441a-8a9f-d904b1f2efb4')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:3815a026-b9e7-441a-8a9f-d904b1f2efb4" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=3815a026-b9e7-441a-8a9f-d904b1f2efb4&commenterUserName=LionelGerms&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:3815a026-b9e7-441a-8a9f-d904b1f2efb4" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-20"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/Saltycdogg" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/12/4/ccf3cf4b-2288-491b-8425-076276bfa638.Small.png" height="60" width="60" alt="Saltycdogg"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/Saltycdogg"> Saltycdogg </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 12:25PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Personally I'm not totally convinced how much difference cast iron makes once it's in the oven, I use pyrex for most of my slow oven cooking and it's fine, though obviously you can't put it on the hob. </p><p>However if that's what you want Ikea do a range of le creuset style enamelled cast iron cookware, for a fraction of the cost. I've been using one of the large frying pans from the range for a few months and so far it's still 'as new'. My other half hates it though as it weighs a ton. Something to think about when buying a large casserole that's going to be full of liquid. </p><p><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/40128902">http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/40128902</a></p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:a5b503e1-5067-4bc0-9045-eeaab115853f"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:a5b503e1-5067-4bc0-9045-eeaab115853f" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:a5b503e1-5067-4bc0-9045-eeaab115853f')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:a5b503e1-5067-4bc0-9045-eeaab115853f" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=a5b503e1-5067-4bc0-9045-eeaab115853f&commenterUserName=Saltycdogg&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:a5b503e1-5067-4bc0-9045-eeaab115853f" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-21"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/MissWhiplash" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="MissWhiplash"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/MissWhiplash"> MissWhiplash </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 12:31PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>I've got a rabbit in the freezer...</p><p>Can I slow cook him?</p><p>I know one usually makes rabbits into stew/casserole, but I wondered if I could leave him whole and make him more deliciously potroasty or similar?</p><p>I also love Le Creuset - stylish and also practical...I have a beautiful cerise heart shaped casserole pan which makes a little mini meal for two people - it's the best pan ever!</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:ea67d8b8-0332-4b2b-bffd-d51ed1d99c92"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:ea67d8b8-0332-4b2b-bffd-d51ed1d99c92" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:ea67d8b8-0332-4b2b-bffd-d51ed1d99c92')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:ea67d8b8-0332-4b2b-bffd-d51ed1d99c92" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=ea67d8b8-0332-4b2b-bffd-d51ed1d99c92&commenterUserName=MissWhiplash&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:ea67d8b8-0332-4b2b-bffd-d51ed1d99c92" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-22"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/jude196" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="jude196"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/jude196"> jude196 </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 12:45PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Some good vegetarian slow cooker recipes, please!!Most of the online recipes call for opening a can of beans, pouring them in the slow cooker with a few veg and herbs, and cooking for hours. Surely precooked cans of beans are not the best way to use these cookers??!</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:9c051cfc-d27e-4cf7-877c-351627ab6686"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:9c051cfc-d27e-4cf7-877c-351627ab6686" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:9c051cfc-d27e-4cf7-877c-351627ab6686')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:9c051cfc-d27e-4cf7-877c-351627ab6686" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=9c051cfc-d27e-4cf7-877c-351627ab6686&commenterUserName=jude196&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:9c051cfc-d27e-4cf7-877c-351627ab6686" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-23"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/matwall" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/7/8/e7f12809-5c41-4844-9870-dadd61d4164a.Small.jpg" height="60" width="60" alt="matwall"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/matwall"> matwall </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 1:00PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Editor"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/microapps/server-side-pluck/images/icons_staff_28.gif" width="28" height="28" title="Staff" alt="Staff"/> <span>Staff</span> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Hi Allegra,</p><p>I'm a big fan of curry and have always wanted to cook a Rogan Josh with mutton but have never been quite brave enough to try. I'm sure that the best way to prepare this would be to cook the mutton in the sauce slowly. Do you have any tips?</p><p></p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:fd5cc7f2-0f76-47a9-b3fb-40ff2aa901cb"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:fd5cc7f2-0f76-47a9-b3fb-40ff2aa901cb" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:fd5cc7f2-0f76-47a9-b3fb-40ff2aa901cb')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:fd5cc7f2-0f76-47a9-b3fb-40ff2aa901cb" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=fd5cc7f2-0f76-47a9-b3fb-40ff2aa901cb&commenterUserName=matwall&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:fd5cc7f2-0f76-47a9-b3fb-40ff2aa901cb" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-24"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/ThePoetsThumb" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="ThePoetsThumb"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/ThePoetsThumb"> ThePoetsThumb </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 1:09PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Le Creuset rocks. A great investment, and after 12 long winters of constant use, mine just keeps getting better. Worth investing in, no question. Slow cooking is the business, and a great way to use winter veg, pulses/beans and cheap cuts of meat together. On the leg of lamb question posted, I suggest Uncle Monty seasoning ('Garlic, Rosemary and salt'), seal the outside on a hot pan to caramelise the meat for flavour, transfer to the pot with two whole peeled carrots, two celery stalks, two halves of an onion and a couple of peeled and slightly crushed garlic cloves and a generous sprig of either thyme or rosemary. deglaze the pan you sealed it on with a glass or two of red wine, and tip this in to the pot. Put in the oven at 120C and cook for 4 hours. Allow to rest out of the oven while you make up a mash of 50/50 potato/celeriac. Serve tender, hand pulled strips of lamb on the buttery mash, pour over the juices from the pot (skim some of the lamb fat off the juices if you have time, or, while meat is resting, transfer juices to a pyrex jug and put into the fridge.When ready to serve, take out jug, throw in some ice cubes, scoop off chilled lamb fat, and re-heat juices to serve). Lamb. Leg. Done.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:25a6af05-f127-4677-be54-7baa57d9d258"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:25a6af05-f127-4677-be54-7baa57d9d258" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:25a6af05-f127-4677-be54-7baa57d9d258')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:25a6af05-f127-4677-be54-7baa57d9d258" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=25a6af05-f127-4677-be54-7baa57d9d258&commenterUserName=ThePoetsThumb&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:25a6af05-f127-4677-be54-7baa57d9d258" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-25"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/arianz" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="arianz"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/arianz"> arianz </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 1:16PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Hi Allegra! I make a lot of vegetables and pulses' stews, however, one thing I sometimes do not get right is the timing for the vegetables... peppers are especially a problem--either they are too hard, or they melt away... Have you got a special order according to which you chuck veg in the casserole pot--say, pulses first of all, then roots, then the rest? Or should I just aim for one timing? Hope it makes sense!Thanks a lot in advance!Arianz :-)</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:df89be56-a713-45ac-bd0b-513b640b8f00"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:df89be56-a713-45ac-bd0b-513b640b8f00" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:df89be56-a713-45ac-bd0b-513b640b8f00')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:df89be56-a713-45ac-bd0b-513b640b8f00" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=df89be56-a713-45ac-bd0b-513b640b8f00&commenterUserName=arianz&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:df89be56-a713-45ac-bd0b-513b640b8f00" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-26"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/rhetorician" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="rhetorician"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/rhetorician"> rhetorician </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 1:20PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Hello Allegra,</p><p>A semi-technical question about casserole cooking. Is there any discernible difference between cooking, say, lamb shanks, on a ring (a braise) and in the oven? I've done the same recipe both ways and couldn't see much difference (diff. recipes recommend top or oven). Would this extrapolate to other recipes (poached chicken with veg, or mushroom cassoulet)?</p><p>Many thanks</p><p></p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:59ba9f8e-b027-4e5c-a51d-92451608658b"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:59ba9f8e-b027-4e5c-a51d-92451608658b" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:59ba9f8e-b027-4e5c-a51d-92451608658b')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:59ba9f8e-b027-4e5c-a51d-92451608658b" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=59ba9f8e-b027-4e5c-a51d-92451608658b&commenterUserName=rhetorician&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:59ba9f8e-b027-4e5c-a51d-92451608658b" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-27"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/jessiej" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="jessiej"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/jessiej"> jessiej </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 1:35PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Hi Allegra,</p><p>Great idea. I've just been to Morocco and carted back a beatiful, big tagine. It's been soaked and oiled and is ready to rock. I have an electric stove, sadly, so I realise I am going to have to put something between the tagine and the hotplate. But is that enough? I had people telling me I should put some bamboo or something in the bottom of the pot so the veggies aren't so close to the heat (I will be doing veggie-only dishes). Any tagine advice would be well appreciated. Cheers.</p><p><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://lilyandchew.blogspot.com/">http://lilyandchew.blogspot.com</a></p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:18481663-480d-48e0-9bb0-58ade4a99a74"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:18481663-480d-48e0-9bb0-58ade4a99a74" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:18481663-480d-48e0-9bb0-58ade4a99a74')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:18481663-480d-48e0-9bb0-58ade4a99a74" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=18481663-480d-48e0-9bb0-58ade4a99a74&commenterUserName=jessiej&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:18481663-480d-48e0-9bb0-58ade4a99a74" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-28"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/italia90" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/2/6/a28a5742-8078-4860-96f9-005e3e0c1ef3.Small.jpg" height="60" width="60" alt="italia90"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/italia90"> italia90 </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 1:39PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Licketyspit, doing this kind of dish I put the meat, veg and anything else that's going in into a bag with a couple of dessert spoons of well seasoned flour and toss it about till everything has a nice coating This seems to add just the right amount of unctuosity to a gravy. The other thing is to err on the side of caution when adding the liquid, whether stock, beer or whatever, check regularly as you go on and add more liquid if you need it - rather than try to take it away at the end. If this fails, a mix of equal parts softened butter and flour - start with a dessert spoon of each - is a good late thickener. Beurre meuniere, is it? </p><p>Why do people put casseroles on the hob, rather than in a slow oven (around 140/150)? No burning, more even cooking, no fuss... </p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:0f1e5f90-ea74-4a43-b22d-d78b75928779"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:0f1e5f90-ea74-4a43-b22d-d78b75928779" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:0f1e5f90-ea74-4a43-b22d-d78b75928779')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:0f1e5f90-ea74-4a43-b22d-d78b75928779" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=0f1e5f90-ea74-4a43-b22d-d78b75928779&commenterUserName=italia90&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:0f1e5f90-ea74-4a43-b22d-d78b75928779" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-29"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/ladyhamilton" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="ladyhamilton"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/ladyhamilton"> ladyhamilton </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 1:54PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>I make stew every week so I don't have to cook unless I particularly feel like it. I have it down to a fine art now and can lob a stew together in 15 mins and bung it in the oven. </p><p>Anyway, a favourite is to brown a chicken in my cast iron pot (imitation le creuset but none the worse for that over the last 10 years), shove in some chopped onions, two lemon halves (squeezed), half a bag of pearl barley, garlic (no point asking how much I put in, my love for garlic eclipses most peoples - I'd have half a bulb) and some chopped carrots and loads of stock. Simmer for a couple of hours taking the lemon halves out after one (they get bitter). You end up with a thick chickeny lemony barley soup and a cooked chicken with only one pot to wash.</p><p>I used to do that one when we were cooking on a camping stove for the first year we had our house.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:0ba50766-a687-40e3-9ab2-b76588d76fa9"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:0ba50766-a687-40e3-9ab2-b76588d76fa9" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:0ba50766-a687-40e3-9ab2-b76588d76fa9')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:0ba50766-a687-40e3-9ab2-b76588d76fa9" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=0ba50766-a687-40e3-9ab2-b76588d76fa9&commenterUserName=ladyhamilton&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:0ba50766-a687-40e3-9ab2-b76588d76fa9" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-30"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/london34" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="london34"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/london34"> london34 </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 2:03PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>As mentioned above, a slow cook recipe for pork please...</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:1245cd26-a215-40d7-861f-1c34f0789c64"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:1245cd26-a215-40d7-861f-1c34f0789c64" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:1245cd26-a215-40d7-861f-1c34f0789c64')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:1245cd26-a215-40d7-861f-1c34f0789c64" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=1245cd26-a215-40d7-861f-1c34f0789c64&commenterUserName=london34&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:1245cd26-a215-40d7-861f-1c34f0789c64" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-31"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/mickeydolenz" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="mickeydolenz"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/mickeydolenz"> mickeydolenz </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 2:04PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Trusted"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>nationwide - goose and toulouse sausages - that's all you need for a half decent cassoulet, surely? Best eaten straight from the (Le Creuset, of course) dish after an all day drinking session.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:db3342c0-2461-4da8-930b-94857c1c7ed5"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:db3342c0-2461-4da8-930b-94857c1c7ed5" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:db3342c0-2461-4da8-930b-94857c1c7ed5')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:db3342c0-2461-4da8-930b-94857c1c7ed5" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=db3342c0-2461-4da8-930b-94857c1c7ed5&commenterUserName=mickeydolenz&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:db3342c0-2461-4da8-930b-94857c1c7ed5" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-32"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/kijog" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/11/3/8bc29cf4-43c4-41ac-8370-f0c18c42cbe2.Small.png" height="60" width="60" alt="kijog"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/kijog"> kijog </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 2:37PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>I always find the key to the 'thick' gravy is two things - coat your meat with flour before browning it and the minimum amount of water possible to the stew before you put it in the oven. I'm always surprised how much water ingredients give off.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:8be6364b-00cc-4f3e-b9f2-e7f355c2ed39"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:8be6364b-00cc-4f3e-b9f2-e7f355c2ed39" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:8be6364b-00cc-4f3e-b9f2-e7f355c2ed39')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:8be6364b-00cc-4f3e-b9f2-e7f355c2ed39" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=8be6364b-00cc-4f3e-b9f2-e7f355c2ed39&commenterUserName=kijog&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:8be6364b-00cc-4f3e-b9f2-e7f355c2ed39" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-33"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/snappy" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/4/5/c4ca6b68-a50c-4652-a5cc-2eba20152ad0.Small.jpg" height="60" width="60" alt="snappy"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/snappy"> snappy </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 2:46PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Trusted"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Do I actually need (to buy) a 'slow cooker', to cook slowly?</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:a55d8e7e-7d03-4a64-b441-a87b0489cb64"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:a55d8e7e-7d03-4a64-b441-a87b0489cb64" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:a55d8e7e-7d03-4a64-b441-a87b0489cb64')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:a55d8e7e-7d03-4a64-b441-a87b0489cb64" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=a55d8e7e-7d03-4a64-b441-a87b0489cb64&commenterUserName=snappy&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:a55d8e7e-7d03-4a64-b441-a87b0489cb64" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-34"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/memoryweaver" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="memoryweaver"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/memoryweaver"> memoryweaver </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 2:47PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Here's my take on a cassoulet, uses pork belly which is beautiful slow cooked, and chorizo which adds a wonderful deep flavour.Serves 10, and FILLS a 30cm / 6ltr La Cruset.Soak 500g dried haricot beans overnight, discard water. Then boil hard for 15 minutes in fresh water, discard this too. Half fill the pot with fresh water, add the haricots and a couple of large onions, chopped. Boil for 1.5 hours at a medium boil (top up with water if needed).</p><p>Meanwhile, preheat oven to Gas 8 (about 220C) and roast about 6-7 quid's worth of outdoor reared pork belly (with rind). Sorry, I buy it by cost, not weight. Roast for about 25 mins then chuck over some good chipolatas, roast for a further 10 mins. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Remove the rind from the pork belly (and reserve) and cut into about 1.5 inch chunks (the meat should still be quite pink). If you're lucky, some of the rind will have turned to crackling, so you get a quick snack!</p><p>Peel 1 kilo carrots, and roughly cut into 2-inch lengths, finely chop 200g Revilla Chorizo sausage (I use half a chorizo 'ring' from the Waitrose deli counter). It needs to be the thinner chorizo type, not the wide stuff. When the 1.5 hours boiling are up, add these to the beans, along with 1 tin chopped tomatoes, a generous squeeze of tom puree, 3 Kalo Organic chicken stock cubes, sprig of rosemary, bunch of thyme, few bay leaves and plenty of coarsely-ground black pepper. I add about half a glass of apple juice as the sweetness brings out the flavour, you could add a couple of teaspoons unrefined sugar. Bring back to boil, then remove from heat. Add the pork cubes (and the rind, it adds body), and chipolatas. Your dish should be pretty full right now. Now top with unpeeled organic potatoes, about 10 medium-large ones -- one per portion. Place in a slow oven, Gas 2 or equivalent, for 2 hours. Turn oven off, and leave for a further hour or so before eating.</p><p>This isn't as time-consuming as it sounds, as you can get on with other stuff throughout most of it. The unpeeled potatoes save a lot of effort, and are better for you (and delicious). In all, a satisfying and healthy meal, especially made with the best quality ingredients you can afford, though it can be made with much cheaper ones. The cost works out at about 1 pound 50 per portion. Enjoy.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:bf92b479-439a-4a2f-b428-05ae11fc9be8"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:bf92b479-439a-4a2f-b428-05ae11fc9be8" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:bf92b479-439a-4a2f-b428-05ae11fc9be8')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:bf92b479-439a-4a2f-b428-05ae11fc9be8" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=bf92b479-439a-4a2f-b428-05ae11fc9be8&commenterUserName=memoryweaver&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:bf92b479-439a-4a2f-b428-05ae11fc9be8" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-35"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AllegraMcEvedy" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/10/13/7a5d6a0a-80b8-46e3-ad7c-55ccb0a69f00.Small.png" height="60" width="60" alt="AllegraMcEvedy"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AllegraMcEvedy"> AllegraMcEvedy </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:05PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Staff"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/microapps/server-side-pluck/images/icons_contributor_28.gif" width="28" height="28" title="Contributor" alt="Contributor"/> <span>Contributor</span> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Hello and what a glorious day - a little too warm for the real needs of a slow-cooking day, but nonetheless let's embark on unraveling the mysteries of this very unmysterious art of cookery. The ingredients of a successful slow cook are the same whatever your meat or veg: a good pot, well-sourced participants, time, a bit of understanding, an appreciation of seasoning and more time. First to the pot, on which I have seen there's been quite a lot of chat already. Your choice of vessel definitely matters. Personally I wouldn't attempt one in a stainless steel pan as the way the heat moves through it is too aggressive. As saltycdogg said you can use pyrex, but then you lose the chance of simmering it down on the hob if your sauce is still a bit thin at the end. So where that leaves me (as I glance about my kitchen that looks like the result of a supermarket sweep through the world's kitchen shops) is with a very appealing collection of earthenware, cast-iron, glazed pots, Bourgeats, paella pans and the like. Basically what you want is something that is thick-ish and conducts the heat in an even, cuddle-esque way so that the food can just sit there and concentrate on metamorphosising into The Best Supper in the World, without fear of being scorched on all sides. You definitely don't need a slow-cooker to slow cook, Snappy.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:2453c41b-7e1d-4198-a01b-83f5fe046709"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:2453c41b-7e1d-4198-a01b-83f5fe046709" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:2453c41b-7e1d-4198-a01b-83f5fe046709')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:2453c41b-7e1d-4198-a01b-83f5fe046709" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=2453c41b-7e1d-4198-a01b-83f5fe046709&commenterUserName=AllegraMcEvedy&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:2453c41b-7e1d-4198-a01b-83f5fe046709" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-36"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/Leeupoort" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="Leeupoort"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/Leeupoort"> Leeupoort </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:08PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>The lamb/anchovie combo in a stew is wonderful. First saw it in a Willan recipe for lamb shanks. I now add five or so anchovies when the onions are browning. The anchovies break up and don't tase fishy, just adds to the richness.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:109801c5-0d6b-4b38-a9e6-ce26c1fdc9a3"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:109801c5-0d6b-4b38-a9e6-ce26c1fdc9a3" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:109801c5-0d6b-4b38-a9e6-ce26c1fdc9a3')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:109801c5-0d6b-4b38-a9e6-ce26c1fdc9a3" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=109801c5-0d6b-4b38-a9e6-ce26c1fdc9a3&commenterUserName=Leeupoort&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:109801c5-0d6b-4b38-a9e6-ce26c1fdc9a3" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-37"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/InternetFact" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="InternetFact"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/InternetFact"> InternetFact </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:10PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Browning the meat before stewing - is it really necessary? It seems to go against the idea of just lobbing everything into a pot and leaving it for ages!</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:54f16ba5-6528-4c96-8257-f07b04d9f3f4"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:54f16ba5-6528-4c96-8257-f07b04d9f3f4" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:54f16ba5-6528-4c96-8257-f07b04d9f3f4')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:54f16ba5-6528-4c96-8257-f07b04d9f3f4" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=54f16ba5-6528-4c96-8257-f07b04d9f3f4&commenterUserName=InternetFact&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:54f16ba5-6528-4c96-8257-f07b04d9f3f4" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-38"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/marginalbear" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/1/10/41779908-4426-4c65-aaca-1b223477aaa1.Small.jpg" height="60" width="60" alt="marginalbear"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/marginalbear"> marginalbear </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:12PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>If you want a suitable thickness in your stews, a good stock that contains animal collagen broken down over several days is one ingredient. For vegetarians the addition of lentils or other pulses [ and asafoetida ], rice flour, arrowrooot or okra adds body. If you want to cheat use a french onion soup mix, a good fit for all occasions. Flea seed husk [ Plantago majoris or isabgol ] I have yet to try but as a source of mucillage it cannot be beaten either as a binding agent or dietary fibre. It's the secret ingredient in all these expensive over the counter preparations for bloating and constipation and can be found in many Asian groceries at more reasonable prices. I'm not sure it isn't gluten free though.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:c53945b2-b4e2-4917-92c1-a7fe51bb57a5"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:c53945b2-b4e2-4917-92c1-a7fe51bb57a5" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:c53945b2-b4e2-4917-92c1-a7fe51bb57a5')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:c53945b2-b4e2-4917-92c1-a7fe51bb57a5" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=c53945b2-b4e2-4917-92c1-a7fe51bb57a5&commenterUserName=marginalbear&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:c53945b2-b4e2-4917-92c1-a7fe51bb57a5" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-39"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/Starskytherabbit" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="Starskytherabbit"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/Starskytherabbit"> Starskytherabbit </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:15PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Hi Allegra,</p><p>I`ve got a brace of pheasants in the freezer and would like to cook something romantic for my girlfriend on valentines day. Have you any slow cooked suggestions</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:bbe6e724-0ee8-4414-a885-439989dc571c"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:bbe6e724-0ee8-4414-a885-439989dc571c" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:bbe6e724-0ee8-4414-a885-439989dc571c')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:bbe6e724-0ee8-4414-a885-439989dc571c" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=bbe6e724-0ee8-4414-a885-439989dc571c&commenterUserName=Starskytherabbit&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:bbe6e724-0ee8-4414-a885-439989dc571c" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-40"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AllegraMcEvedy" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/10/13/7a5d6a0a-80b8-46e3-ad7c-55ccb0a69f00.Small.png" height="60" width="60" alt="AllegraMcEvedy"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AllegraMcEvedy"> AllegraMcEvedy </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:22PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Staff"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/microapps/server-side-pluck/images/icons_contributor_28.gif" width="28" height="28" title="Contributor" alt="Contributor"/> <span>Contributor</span> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>I have every intention - time permitting of getting to some of your more specific questions later, but I thought I might just say a few general comments on the sauce side of slow cooking. I've already seen some of you are in favour of the old bag-and-flour method, whilst others are happy to go with a bit of cornflour...and then there's the old make your own stock debate. As we all know there's no wrong in the kitchen, but I try to avoid flour, corn flour and the like as the way they make the sauce so cloudy and overly sticky bothers me. I'd rather do any one of the following: put less liquid in to start with, then top it up with hot liquid if necessary as it's happening. Or go for a bit of reduction on the hob at the end (either with the solids gently lifted out if they've already reached their zenith, or still in if they can handle it without falling apart). Some dishes, like curries, turn out with the bestest richest sauce if you throw in some ground almonds at the beginning - you can't hardly taste the nuts as they give their all to the consistency. Or a bit of fine polenta. If you make your own stock (meat) you get all the gelatinous goodies from inside the bones, and they will seriously help your sauce have flavour and structure, but sometimes that's just not realistic, so other methods have to be used in conjunction with a cube. And anyway slow-cooking isn't all about a thick sauce: you can have delicious thin sauces by using a balance of vinegars, honey, oils and the like with a bit of cube too. Slow-cooking is such an enormous playing field, it al depends what kind of dish I'm doing, but these are some of my regular fall-backs. </p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:ef1f1efa-ac60-4735-995c-c62618dde96f"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:ef1f1efa-ac60-4735-995c-c62618dde96f" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:ef1f1efa-ac60-4735-995c-c62618dde96f')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:ef1f1efa-ac60-4735-995c-c62618dde96f" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=ef1f1efa-ac60-4735-995c-c62618dde96f&commenterUserName=AllegraMcEvedy&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:ef1f1efa-ac60-4735-995c-c62618dde96f" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-41"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AllegraMcEvedy" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/10/13/7a5d6a0a-80b8-46e3-ad7c-55ccb0a69f00.Small.png" height="60" width="60" alt="AllegraMcEvedy"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AllegraMcEvedy"> AllegraMcEvedy </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:26PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Staff"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/microapps/server-side-pluck/images/icons_contributor_28.gif" width="28" height="28" title="Contributor" alt="Contributor"/> <span>Contributor</span> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>My Dear Suse - so the one thing that stands out as being truly fishy (haha) in your recipe is the Lemons: generally, unless they're preserved, normal fresh lemons impart an all-pervading unpleasant bitterness to the dish. Of course you can slow-cook fish, there's no reason why not, but I'd rather stick to slow-cooked veg and have my fish faster. Anyway, how slow is slow? 6 hours seems a bit excessive to me, but baking a whole fish nestled in some friendly fennel, some white wine, herbs and other things of this ilk could take about an hour, which is quite long enough when it comes to Neptune's finest.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:cd65148d-5ca4-4f29-855d-61f6280949bb"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:cd65148d-5ca4-4f29-855d-61f6280949bb" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:cd65148d-5ca4-4f29-855d-61f6280949bb')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:cd65148d-5ca4-4f29-855d-61f6280949bb" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=cd65148d-5ca4-4f29-855d-61f6280949bb&commenterUserName=AllegraMcEvedy&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:cd65148d-5ca4-4f29-855d-61f6280949bb" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-42"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AlexC" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/7/6/4782eb0f-9def-4ec1-964a-f2d7c2a2562e.Small.png" height="60" width="60" alt="AlexC"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AlexC"> AlexC </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:27PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>[Aside] For anyone interested, frozen, trimmed pork bellies are currently trading at about $97 for 20 tons on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The implication must be that you can get about 3 tons for £6-£7 if you shop around. But the local butcher may have a pretty high markup. Hmmm.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:86f17958-652d-4a8e-bdb9-5b4cc49deea2"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:86f17958-652d-4a8e-bdb9-5b4cc49deea2" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:86f17958-652d-4a8e-bdb9-5b4cc49deea2')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:86f17958-652d-4a8e-bdb9-5b4cc49deea2" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=86f17958-652d-4a8e-bdb9-5b4cc49deea2&commenterUserName=AlexC&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:86f17958-652d-4a8e-bdb9-5b4cc49deea2" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-43"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/SusanSmillie" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/1/0/81622a2c-a6c2-4b67-a0a1-f20b6e530280.Small.jpg" height="60" width="60" alt="SusanSmillie"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/SusanSmillie"> SusanSmillie </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:31PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Editor"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/microapps/server-side-pluck/images/icons_staff_28.gif" width="28" height="28" title="Staff" alt="Staff"/> <span>Staff</span> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>The lemons! I knew it was the lemons! So I might try out your whole fish in friendly fennel. Thanks Allegra, you're a culinary geniaaai xxx</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:988899f2-6011-4173-be35-64ad4dda2fa4"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:988899f2-6011-4173-be35-64ad4dda2fa4" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:988899f2-6011-4173-be35-64ad4dda2fa4')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:988899f2-6011-4173-be35-64ad4dda2fa4" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=988899f2-6011-4173-be35-64ad4dda2fa4&commenterUserName=SusanSmillie&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:988899f2-6011-4173-be35-64ad4dda2fa4" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-44"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/JimmyLondon" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="JimmyLondon"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/JimmyLondon"> JimmyLondon </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:33PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>a thought re: slow cooking fish. while flicking through a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingshall book at a bookshop the other day, he was talking about making fish stock - he reckoned that you don't want to boil up the fish and bones etc for more than 30mins as the bones are too brittle and start to break down/react, causing a rather nasty flavour to your stock. maybe this has got something to do with it as well SusanSmillie?</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:8a9af04e-04a9-4835-8e6a-f169c1c0db01"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:8a9af04e-04a9-4835-8e6a-f169c1c0db01" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:8a9af04e-04a9-4835-8e6a-f169c1c0db01')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:8a9af04e-04a9-4835-8e6a-f169c1c0db01" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=8a9af04e-04a9-4835-8e6a-f169c1c0db01&commenterUserName=JimmyLondon&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:8a9af04e-04a9-4835-8e6a-f169c1c0db01" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-45"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/bron99" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="bron99"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/bron99"> bron99 </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:35PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Pork does slow cook to a lovely end result - try hand of pork as a starting point. This is one I did a while ago - tweak it for winter!.<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://practicallydaily.blogspot.com/2006/06/pot-roast-hand-of-pork.html">http://practicallydaily.blogspot.com/2006/06/pot-roast-hand-of-pork.html</a></p><p>.</p><p>Bron</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:ddbabb75-442c-46e2-b185-1f02edf3a759"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:ddbabb75-442c-46e2-b185-1f02edf3a759" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:ddbabb75-442c-46e2-b185-1f02edf3a759')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:ddbabb75-442c-46e2-b185-1f02edf3a759" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=ddbabb75-442c-46e2-b185-1f02edf3a759&commenterUserName=bron99&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:ddbabb75-442c-46e2-b185-1f02edf3a759" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-46"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AllegraMcEvedy" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/10/13/7a5d6a0a-80b8-46e3-ad7c-55ccb0a69f00.Small.png" height="60" width="60" alt="AllegraMcEvedy"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AllegraMcEvedy"> AllegraMcEvedy </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:36PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Staff"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/microapps/server-side-pluck/images/icons_contributor_28.gif" width="28" height="28" title="Contributor" alt="Contributor"/> <span>Contributor</span> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>nationwide - so nice to have a regular! Sadly I haven't got quick enough fingers to talk you through my cassoulet (though I do love it dearly) but as you correctly said this particular bit of French peasant wizardry should indeed be all about the cheap cuts. You need belly for sure, and I also think Toulouse sausage would work well. Then for an out and out meat hit I'd go a duck leg or two too. And cook the whole thing with duck or goose fat. Little beans, plenty of thyme and garlic, preferably pureed with the fat and fried off first, You need the breadcrumb gratin and a decent stock - maybe with a trotter in it too. And all this takes is time, not money, though people seem to think they're the same thing now.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:0a90915b-a4a8-4ed9-b8ac-297c86e96a42"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:0a90915b-a4a8-4ed9-b8ac-297c86e96a42" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:0a90915b-a4a8-4ed9-b8ac-297c86e96a42')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:0a90915b-a4a8-4ed9-b8ac-297c86e96a42" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=0a90915b-a4a8-4ed9-b8ac-297c86e96a42&commenterUserName=AllegraMcEvedy&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:0a90915b-a4a8-4ed9-b8ac-297c86e96a42" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-47"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/SusanSmillie" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/1/0/81622a2c-a6c2-4b67-a0a1-f20b6e530280.Small.jpg" height="60" width="60" alt="SusanSmillie"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/SusanSmillie"> SusanSmillie </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:43PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Editor"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/microapps/server-side-pluck/images/icons_staff_28.gif" width="28" height="28" title="Staff" alt="Staff"/> <span>Staff</span> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Ta JimmyLondon. Trying to remember what fish I put in. But bitterness was the overall flavour. It was really sad, first time I'd used the slow cooking thing and I scooted home from work in the rain expecting a lovely bubbling fish casserole and got this watery bitter mess with no visible fish. Boo. It's now in the back of the cupboard. I should give it another go.</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:fab76afb-2b4c-458f-970e-eb85ce0a52a3"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:fab76afb-2b4c-458f-970e-eb85ce0a52a3" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:fab76afb-2b4c-458f-970e-eb85ce0a52a3')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:fab76afb-2b4c-458f-970e-eb85ce0a52a3" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=fab76afb-2b4c-458f-970e-eb85ce0a52a3&commenterUserName=SusanSmillie&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:fab76afb-2b4c-458f-970e-eb85ce0a52a3" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-48"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/bron99" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="bron99"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/bron99"> bron99 </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:51PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>Any suggestions for a solidly fabulous harira? I too have been in Morocco lately - even brought home some chick peas but so far I can't get the full depth of spiced richness. Would be very much appreciated.</p><p>Bron</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:ac64bc67-8139-41b0-b369-24dabb4d6262"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:ac64bc67-8139-41b0-b369-24dabb4d6262" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:ac64bc67-8139-41b0-b369-24dabb4d6262')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:ac64bc67-8139-41b0-b369-24dabb4d6262" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=ac64bc67-8139-41b0-b369-24dabb4d6262&commenterUserName=bron99&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:ac64bc67-8139-41b0-b369-24dabb4d6262" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-49"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AllegraMcEvedy" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/store/10/13/7a5d6a0a-80b8-46e3-ad7c-55ccb0a69f00.Small.png" height="60" width="60" alt="AllegraMcEvedy"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/AllegraMcEvedy"> AllegraMcEvedy </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:53PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Staff"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/microapps/server-side-pluck/images/icons_contributor_28.gif" width="28" height="28" title="Contributor" alt="Contributor"/> <span>Contributor</span> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>To all the veggies out there, I'm going to have to try some broad brushstrokes to try to answer your collective queries. Jude196: tinned beans ARE wrong for a slow cook - if you're in a hurry then you should be making a different dish. Arianz: the point (and indeed the magic) of a slow cook is that it all goes in pretty much at the same time - maybe there's a little frying on the hob first, but essentially it all just gets wapped in the oven...door closed and walk away. I would look at two things - firstly your choice of veg (I'm not convinced that peppers are designed to be slow cooked) and the second is how you're cutting them. there's been talk of the great tagine already, and often when you lift the lid there's a whole carrot, or half a leek, or other big pieces of veg that are soft to the core and cuttable with a spoon, but if they were any smaller they would have broken down and disintegrated before the dish came together. If you're beaning, then do soak the beans overnight - the benefit of lentil is that you don't need to. Then fry off the aromatics that would will be enhanced by a little time on their own to release, like garlic, chilli, spices and the harder herbs like thyme or rosemary. Then it's a case of everybody in: all your veggies & pulses but also the little things that are going to make it magic - I've mentioned almonds and preserved lemons before, but go with some dried fruit (apricots, prunes, figs), and maybe even some fun stuff from the Middle Eastern shop like pekmez or pomegranate molasses, or just plain honey. A tin of toms is useful. Season it well. When it comes to the liquid, yes yes yes to stock, but give it something to work with - I'm a big fan of a shot of sherry vinegar at the beginning with a good glug of quality olive oil - don't be shy with it, all it's going to do is give and give to the people in the pot, and as the temp stays low there's no chance of hurting the flavour or bonds in the oil. And don't leave those veg to drown - yes the beans will be thirsty greedy but put no more in that you think you'll need. And then time, more time. Don't be scared to drop the temp down to about 150 once it all looks like it's cooked just for another hour of coming togetherness. Then when you're really sure you don't want to spend any more gas/lecky on it, take it out and let it sit for 10. Taste for seasoning and the sauce for punch. Go back to the flavours you used at the beginning and give them a booster now. Finally some fresh soft herbs (like flat parsley, basil and coriander where appropriate) to finish it off. This is all the information you need. There are no secrets. Now go play!</p> </div> </li> <li class="pluck-comment-tools"> <ul id="CommentKey:f2885828-416c-4d03-9c49-fdeaf2b80c13"> <li class="recomended"> <a id="pluck-single-comment-CommentKey:f2885828-416c-4d03-9c49-fdeaf2b80c13" href="javascript:void(0)" title="Recommend this comment." onclick="return onClickRecommendation('CommentKey:f2885828-416c-4d03-9c49-fdeaf2b80c13')" class="recommend"> Recommend? </a> <span id="pluck-single-comment-no-CommentKey:f2885828-416c-4d03-9c49-fdeaf2b80c13" class="normal-recommended">(0)</span> </li> <li class="abuse-report"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Report abuse" class="report-abuse">Report abuse </a> </li> <li class="clip"><a class="anchor-based-login-required" href="/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/clippings/add?commentId=f2885828-416c-4d03-9c49-fdeaf2b80c13&commenterUserName=AllegraMcEvedy&r2ContentIdForSSP=336282557" name="" title="Clip this comment.">Clip</a> | </li> <li class="link"><a href="?showallcomments=true#CommentKey:f2885828-416c-4d03-9c49-fdeaf2b80c13" name="" title="Link this comment.">Link</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ul class="pluck-content" id="comment-50"> <li class="pluck-comment">  <div class="pluck-comment-author"> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/ternunstoned" class="author-profile-picture"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://sitelife.guardian.co.uk/ver1.0/Content/images/no-user-image.gif" height="60" width="60" alt="ternunstoned"> </a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/users/ternunstoned"> ternunstoned </a> </h3> <p class="posted-time">13 Feb 2008, 3:54PM</p> </div> <span class="author-tier"> <a class="rollover" title="Featured"> </a> </span> <div class="pluck-comment-body"> <p>ooo - can I echo the request for a good vegetarian stew or slow cooked beans/lentil dish. My partner often turns up her nose at the idea of 'veggie stew', probably because she's got memories of horrible student dishes. 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stoneware set "/> <h5><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardianoffers.co.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/GuardianOffers/10040/119309">Le Creuset five piece stoneware set </a></h5> <p>The cookware of choice for professional and amateurs. Save 拢22 off the RRP.</p> <p class="price">From: £44.50</p> </li> <div class="links"> <ul class="reader-offers-links"> <li class="first"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardianoffers.co.uk/mall/departmentpage.cfm/GuardianOffers/_119305/1/Household">More household product offers</a></li> <li><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardianoffers.co.uk/">Browse the Guardian reader offers shop</a></li> </ul> </div> </ul> </div> <div id="blog-most-commented"> <h2>Word of Mouth blog – most commented</h2> <ol> <li><span>1.</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/dec/23/best-food-books-decade">The best food books of the decade</a> (55) </li> <li><span>2.</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/dec/23/christmas-leftovers">Christmas leftovers</a> (13) </li> </ol> </div> <div id="blogs-calendar"> <div class="capsule"> <h2>Word of Mouth blog weekly archives</h2> <div id="calendar-container"> <table title="Calendar for February" summary="Calendar for February" id="calendar"> <thead> <tr> <th colspan="7" scope="col"> <strong class="month">Feb 2008</strong> <a title="Previous month" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/jan/28/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Previous}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{1}" class="previous"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/static/83728/common/images/calendar/arrow_left.png" alt="Previous" height="18" width="19"/> </a> <a title="Next month" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/mar/03/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Next}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{2}" class="next"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/static/83728/common/images/calendar/arrow_right.png" alt="Next" height="18" width="19"/> </a> </th> </tr> <tr class="month-nav"> <th scope="col" title="Monday" class="first">M</th> <th scope="col" title="Tuesday">T</th> <th scope="col" title="Wednesday">W</th> <th scope="col" title="Thursday">T</th> <th scope="col" title="Friday">F</th> <th scope="col" title="Saturday">S</th> <th scope="col" title="Sunday" class="last">S</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr class=" has-links "> <td class="not-this-month first">28</td> <td class="not-this-month ">29</td> <td class="not-this-month ">30</td> <td class="not-this-month ">31</td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/jan/28/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 1}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{3}">1</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/jan/28/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 2}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{4}">2</a></td> <td class="last"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/jan/28/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 3}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{5}">3</a></td> </tr> <tr class=" has-links "> <td class="first"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/04/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 4}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{6}">4</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/04/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 5}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{7}">5</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/04/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 6}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{8}">6</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/04/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 7}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{9}">7</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/04/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 8}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{10}">8</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/04/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 9}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{11}">9</a></td> <td class="last"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/04/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 10}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{12}">10</a></td> </tr> <tr class=" has-links "> <td class="first"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/11/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 11}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{13}">11</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/11/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 12}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{14}">12</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/11/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 13}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{15}" class="today">13</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/11/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 14}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{16}">14</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/11/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 15}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{17}">15</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/11/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 16}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{18}">16</a></td> <td class="last"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/11/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 17}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{19}">17</a></td> </tr> <tr class=" has-links "> <td class="first"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/18/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 18}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{20}">18</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/18/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 19}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{21}">19</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/18/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 20}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{22}">20</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/18/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 21}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{23}">21</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/18/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 22}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{24}">22</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/18/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 23}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{25}">23</a></td> <td class="last"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/18/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 24}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{26}">24</a></td> </tr> <tr class=" has-links "> <td class="first"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/25/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 25}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{27}">25</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/25/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 26}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{28}">26</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/25/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 27}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{29}">27</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/25/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 28}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{30}">28</a></td> <td><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/feb/25/week" name="&lid={calendarNavigation}{Calendar 29}&lpos={calendarNavigation}{31}">29</a></td> <td class="not-this-month ">1</td> <td class="not-this-month last">2</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> <div id="sponsored-features" class="capsule sponsored-features commercial"> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ function showSponsoredFeatures() { var sponsoredFeatureComponent = document.getElementById('sponsored-features'); if(sponsoredFeatureComponent) { sponsoredFeatureComponent.style.display = 'block'; } } //]]> </script> <ul class="trail trailblock tri"> <li class="major-heading"> <h3>Sponsored features</h3> </li> <li class="normal image odd"> 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class="promo-component eat-right-promo"> <div class="hd"> <h3>Eat right – check your BMI</h3> </div> <div class="bd"> <div id="eat-right"> <form method="get" action="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardianeatright.co.uk/start.cfm"> <input type="hidden" value="27015" name="code"/> <fieldset> <h4>Weight:</h4> <select title="weight, stone" id="wt_st" name="wt_st"> <option value="7">7</option> <option value="8">8</option> <option value="9">9</option> <option value="10">10</option> <option value="11">11</option> <option selected="selected" value="12">12</option> <option value="13">13</option> <option value="14">14</option> <option value="15">15</option> <option value="16">16</option> <option value="17">17</option> <option value="18">18</option> <option value="19">19</option> <option value="20">20</option> <option value="21">21</option> <option value="22">22</option> <option value="23">23</option> <option value="24">24</option> <option value="25">25</option> <option value="26">26</option> <option value="27">27</option> <option value="28">28</option> <option value="29">29</option> <option value="30">30</option> </select> <label for="st">st</label> <select title="weight, pounds" id="wt_lb" name="wt_lb"> <option selected="selected" value="0">0</option> <option value="1">1</option> <option value="2">2</option> <option value="3">3</option> <option value="4">4</option> <option value="5">5</option> <option value="6">6</option> <option value="7">7</option> <option value="8">8</option> <option value="9">9</option> <option value="10">10</option> <option value="11">11</option> <option value="12">12</option> <option value="13">13</option> </select> <label for="lbs">lbs</label> </fieldset> <fieldset> <h4>Height:</h4> <select title="height, feet" name="htft" id="htft"> <option value="4">4</option> <option selected="selected" value="5">5</option> <option value="6">6</option> <option value="7">7</option> </select> <label for="ft">ft</label> <select title="height, inches" name="htin" id="htin"> <option value="0">0</option> <option value="1">1</option> <option value="2">2</option> <option value="3">3</option> <option value="4">4</option> <option value="5">5</option> <option value="6">6</option> <option selected="selected" value="7">7</option> <option value="8">8</option> <option value="9">9</option> <option value="10">10</option> <option value="11">11</option> </select> <label for="ins">ins</label> </fieldset> <fieldset> <h4>Gender:</h4> <input type="radio" value="female" name="gender" id="genderf"/> <label for="genderf">Female</label> <input type="radio" value="male" name="gender" id="genderm"/> <label for="genderm">Male</label> </fieldset> <fieldset> <h4>Age:</h4> <input type="text" size="5" maxlenght="3" name="age" id="age"/> </fieldset> <p id="eat-right-submit"> <input type="submit" value="Start now"/> </p> </form> </div> <div class="two-col last"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardianeatright.co.uk/?INTCMP=ILCENTTXT89" name="&lid={componentFragments/trailPicture}{Eat right}&lpos={trail}{1}" class="link-image"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/commercial/2008/01/17/eatright_2.jpg" width="140" height="84" alt="Fruit - Guardian Eat Right promo"/> </a> <h3> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardianeatright.co.uk/?INTCMP=ILCENTTXT89" name="&lid={componentFragments/trailLinkText}{Eat right}&lpos={trail}{1}" class="link-text">Eat right</a> </h3> <div class="trail-text"> Join our healthy eating and diet club for just 拢2.99 a week </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="capsule" id="most-viewed"> <div id="most" class="tabs-container"> <h3>Most viewed on guardian.co.uk</h3> <ul class="tabs javascript-on"> <li id="most-1-link"> <a href="#most-1" class="active">24 hours</a> </li> <li id="most-2-link"> <a href="#most-2" class="inactive">7 days</a> </li> </ul> <div class="pane-wrapper"> <div id="most-1" class="most-pane tab-toggle-pane"> <h3 class="js-hider">24 hours</h3> <ol> <li class="first"> <span class="rank">1.</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/dec/19/fell-6000-feet-survived">Experience: I fell 6,000 feet and survived</a> </li> <li> <span class="rank">2.</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/20/laura-dekker-missing">Missing Dutch sailor Laura Dekker, 14, found on Caribbean island</a> </li> <li> <span class="rank">3.</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2009/dec/22/dylan-moran-dvd-comedy">Comedian Dylan Moran: 'What am I looking forward to? Incontinence and memory loss'</a> </li> <li> <span class="rank">4.</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/video/2009/dec/19/terry-pratchett-religion">Video: Terry Pratchett on religion: 'I'd rather be a rising ape than a fallen angel'</a> </li> <li> <span class="rank">5.</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/17/america-most-wanted-mark-weinberger">America's most wanted: doctor found living in tent on Mont Blanc</a> </li> <li class="more-most-viewed"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/mostviewed">More top stories</a> </li> </ol> </div> <div id="most-2" class="most-pane tab-toggle-pane initially-off"> <h3 class="js-hider">7 days</h3> <ol> <li class="first"> <span class="rank">1.</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/15/worlds-longest-sea-bridge">China stretches the imagination with world's longest sea bridge</a> </li> <li> <span class="rank">2.</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/dec/19/fell-6000-feet-survived">Experience: I fell 6,000 feet and survived</a> </li> <li> <span class="rank">3.</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/18/obama-speech-copenhagen">Barack Obama's speech disappoints and fuels frustration at Copenhagen</a> </li> <li> <span class="rank">4.</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/dec/18/south-africa-england-first-test-live">South Africa v England - day three as it happened | Andy Bull and Rob Bagchi</a> </li> <li> <span class="rank">5.</span> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/16/copenhagen-summit-miliband-farce-warning">Copenhagen summit veering towards farce, warns Ed Miliband</a> </li> <li class="more-most-viewed"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardian.co.uk/mostviewed">More top stories</a> </li> </ol> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="capsule bookshop-books"> <h3>Free P&P at the Guardian bookshop</h3> <ul class="books"> <li class="odd"> <div class="book-cover"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardianbookshop.co.uk/BerteShopWeb/viewProduct.do?ISBN=9781921259029" name="&lid={bookshop}{Snowflakes and Schnapps|picture|Life and style}&lpos={bookshop}{1}"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810im_/http://static.guim.co.uk//thirdparty/bookshop/foodanddrinkA/9781921259029.jpg" alt="Snowflakes and Schnapps" height="100"/> </a> </div> <div class="book-text"> <ul> <li><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20091224071810/http://www.guardianbookshop.co.uk/BerteShopWeb/viewProduct.do?ISBN=9781921259029" name="&lid={bookshop}{Snowflakes and Schnapps|link|Life and 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