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  |  Meat & poultry  |  Poultry  |  The luxury of slow-cooking
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The luxury of slow-cooking

by Joanna Lamiri
continued from page 1
  • Make sure you use enough liquid so the casserole doesn’t dry out – top it up if necessary during cooking. A good robust red wine (like Barolo or Merlot), beer or cider are popular choices as they give a really delicious flavour and can be reduced easily. Their acidity also helps to tenderise the meat. Incidentally, the alcohol evaporates during cooking, so you don’t run the risk of intoxicating your guests.
  • Use a good, solid casserole, preferably cast-iron, so it can be transferred from the hob to the oven once the meat and vegetables have been browned and the rest of the ingredients are added. The best ones are heavy-based and have a really tight-fitting lid. This is crucial, as the steam circulates during cooking to seal in moisture. If your lid doesn’t fit well, fill the gap with a rolled-up tea towel.
  • If the sauce doesn’t become thick and syrupy during cooking, reduce it before serving. Remove the chicken or meat and other ingredients to a warm place, then put the casserole on the hob and remove the lid. Turn up the heat and allow the liquid to reduce until it has a syrupy consistency. This happens fairly quickly with wine, but if you use stock you may need to whisk in 1 tbsp flour or a knob of butter.

    The following recipes use chicken and lamb, which lend themselves magnificently to slow cooking. If your meat tends to be dry, you’re in for a great surprise, as these dishes all taste deliciously succulent.

    Next page:
    Pot-Roasted Chicken with Star Anise and Sweet Potatoes



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