Cooking again

I’M COOKING again.

Actually, I’ve been doing a fair bit of cooking lately. Last week, for example, I made us an amusing prawn and egg flan (My Good Lady did the pastry for me for this, she’s got the touch for pastry much more than I have), a rather disappointing and pointless attempt at making my own baked beans, and one of my much-praised kipper and egg kedgerees.

This evening I’ve got out our slow cooker and set it to plopping on a chicken in white wine with mushrooms.

Discussing our culinary activities amongst friends and acquaintances, I’m surprised by how many of the menfolk we know are taking to the pinny and the pan – and especially to the slow cooker. It’s maybe because precision timing on the slow cooker isn’t crucial as it is in the normal way (although it’s true that you do have to be a little bit careful when doing fish).

This evening’s dish is a case in point. I’ve just lined the bottom of the pan with new potatoes, literally thrown in the chopped up veg, laid the chicken thighs on the top, poured over the stock and the wine, and blast off!

The recipe suggests a cooking time on LOW for between 6 and 8 hours – I shall try to keep an eye on it, and when the chicken seems about done I’ll just switch off.

Voila! Tomorrow’s dinner is ready for warming up in the evening along with a few fresh vegetables.

I just hope it tastes better than those wretched baked beans!