slow roast shoulder of lamb with moroccan spices and salt cured orange

This is my first attempt at using my brand new slow cooker. I'm quite excited by the possibilities and couldn't wait to prepare some slow cooked meat. I apologise now if my blog gets a little overtaken with slow-cooking recipes. I'll do my best to not get too carried away. Anyways, whether you're a novice or pro slow-cooker I urge you to give this recipe a try. You could serve it with couscous but I decided to shred it and serve with flat bread and a range of side dishes including roast butternut squash and marrow slices, hummus, mint and garlic sauce and some sriracha too (I love that stuff).



Ingredients
1 kg half shoulder or leg of lamb
Rub
2 tbsp ras al hanout (check out this recipe for the spice mix or use shop bought)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp honey or agave syrup
1 tbsp dried mint (don't even think about using fresh - it won't work anywhere near as well.)
1 salt cured orange, pith removed, sliced into quarters
2 onions, peeled and roughly sliced
2 sticks of celery, halved
2 carrots, peeled and halved

1. Mix the spice rub ingredients together and rub into the lamb making sure it is completely slathered in the mix. Cover and set to one side to marinate. I left mine overnight but an hour or so should do it. 
2. Put the carrot, celery, onion and orange into the base of a slow cooker and put the lamb on top. Add a cup of water then cover with the lid and leave to cook on low/medium for 6 -12 hours. You may need to adjust this depending on your slow cooker. It is ready when the meat pulls apart easily and is falling off the bone. 
3. When cooked, remove the meat from the slow cooker and when cool enough to handle pull the meat apart into smaller pieces.
4. Serve with hummus, roast vegetables, flat bread and yogurt and chilli sauces. 

super easy pumpkin soup

I know I say this about a lot of my recipes but I really do love this one. It is stupendously easy, even after a crazy busy day at work I can bring myself to make this when I get home. It is very low calorie, pretty much fat free if you don't use oil for the roasting or for garnishing and surprisingly creamy for a dairy free soup. Sometimes I will vary this recipe by roasting the pumpkin with a couple of tablespoons of ras al hanout or cumin powder and chilli flakes, or I might add in some whole garlic and rosemary for something completely different a current favourite is to add a little creamed coconut and thai green or red curry paste when I blend it. There really is no end to what you can do with this awesome, simple recipe. The version in these pictures is topped with a dollop of mascarpone cheese and some smoked chilli and garlic oil.

Makes enough for 2-3 people

Ingredients 
1 butternut squash, acorn squash or similar sized amount of pumpkin (approx 1kg unpeeled)
Oil spray (optional)
1 or 2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes (to taste)
c.500ml just boiled water
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 200C fan. Cut the pumpkin/squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
2. Spray the pumpkin flesh with a little oil if using, season with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you are using. Place the pumpkin cut side down in a roasting pan then put in the oven for around 45 minutes or until cooked. I usually check after 30 minutes. You will know the pumpkin is ready when you can easily insert a knife and the skin is coming away from the flesh.
3. Once the flesh is cooked, boil the kettle then scoop the pumpkin flesh into a food processor.  Add the stock cubes and blitz it all together until you have a smooth puree and everything is combined. While the food processor is still running slowly and carefully add the just boiled water until your soup reaches your desired consistency. I usually use around 500ml.
4. You can either pour this straight into bowls from the food processor or transfer it to a saucepan and keep warm until you are ready to eat. I'm sure this soup would keep well in the fridge for a few days however I've never tried as it always disappears in one sitting in my house.

  

Optional Extras To make your soup more special why not try one or more of these optional extras. There's also nothing wrong with a chunk of crusty, buttered bread with this soup either, in fact you're missing out if you don't!

1. Drizzle with some smoked chilli and garlic oil such as this one from L'ail Olive with which I am currently obsessed. It's glorious.
2. Sage leaves gently fried in a little butter.
3. Crumbled feta/riccotta/cottage cheese with or without some chilli flakes.
4. Crumbled blue cheese.
5. Crispy fried bacon or pancetta.
6. Poached, shredded chicken.
7. Roasted pumpkin seeds.
8. Crispy fried onions.
9. Chunks of roasted squash.
10. Harissa paste swirl.

Let me know if you've got any other ideas for favourite pumpkin soup additions - I'm always looking for new inspirations.

slow cooked pork with ras al hanout, rosemary and salt cured orange

This is the first of, hopefully, an ongoing series of recipes from my sister. I'll ask her to introduce herself in a future post but in the mean time enjoy this delicious slow cooked pork recipe with a side of split peas.

Ingredients
2kg pork shoulder 

1 large onion
2 or 3 sticks celery
1 large carrot
1 salt cured orange pith removed (preserved lemons can be substituted)
3 large garlic cloves 

Spice rub:
2 tbsp ras al hanout mix
3/4 cloves
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
2 rosemary sprigs

1. Mix spice rub ingredients and rub over pork joint. Leave to marinade for at least a few hours - I leave overnight. 
2. Add roughly chopped veg, orange and pork to the slow cooker with water to reach half way up the joint. 
3. Cook on low-medium for 6-12 hours. It's done when it is tender and pulls apart easily. 
4. Served shredded or in large chunks with accompaniment of choice 
5. Good served with flat bread/wraps/rice/potatoes - I am happy with most carbs as a accompaniment to this recipe! 

 Split peas with mint, lemon and chilli
2 cups split peas
1 chilli
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 lemons (zest and juice)
Olive oil
Handful Fresh mint
Salt/pepper
Pinch of Paprika/ras al hanout 

1. Soak split peas overnight
2. Rinse well then place in large pan with lots of water 
3. Add 1/2 the mint, 1 chopped onion, 1 lemon zest, chilli, 
4. Boil for 10-15 mins uncovered then simmer covered until tender (approx 40 mins-1 hour) Can also be cooked in slow cooker. I did this for about 6 hours on med-high setting but they're done when soft.
5. Drain when done and add remaining mint (leaving a small amount back for garnish) lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil 
6. You can leave chunky but I blend it then add pinch of paprika or ras al hanout and some mint to serve. 
7. Good warm as an accompaniment or cold as a dip or on toasted bread.