triticale - the wheat / rye guy

Stew Blogging

The Instapundit is correct that today instacuisine, regardless of the cost of ingredients, is more prevalent than time-intensive cooking. Money spent can be recovered, but time spent is gone forever. There are, however, multiple ways to trade money for time. One of these is by buying the correct tools. When the project is slow cooking, the correct tool is, whodathunk, a slow cooker, commonly known by the trademark Crockpot. Prepare the ingredients, load it up, go off and do your thing, and hours later your time-intensive luxury food is ready.

Irish Potato Stew

1 1/2 Lbs Lamb -- cut in 2" cubes
1 Tbsp shortening
2 Med onion -- chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 C beef broth
3 Med red potato -- cut in 2" cubes
1/2 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp pepper
1/4 Tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp marjoram -- crushed
1/8 tsp thyme -- crushed
1 pkg peas, frozen -- partially thawed
6 tbsps flour
1 pkg sliced carrots, frozen -- partially thawed

Melt the shortening in a large skillet, then brown the meat by quickly and briefly stir-frying. Combine browned meat in slow-cooker with all but the last three ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat and potatoes are done. Skim fat - there are tools which can be bought for this task also. Add peas and carrots, then flour dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water. Turn control on high; cover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes.

One way I've traded money for time is by using the frozen sliced carrots from our version of copper penny salad, the recipe which I've set aside till next week. If you use scraped and sliced fresh carrots, include them in the slow cook. Note that we merely scrub and blind the potatoes rather than peeling them. This is not done to save time but to add nutrients and flavor.

Oh yes. One more way to balance time and money. Slow cookers can sometimes be found at thrift stores for around five dollars, but don't count on getting one on your next shopping trip.

Posted by triticale at January 5, 2005 11:43 PM