Slow cooking is the best way to eat off the grid. Here is the philosophy for successful slow stews.
It’s an icy winter’s day in west London and Allegra McEvedy’s kitchen is filled with spice-fragrant steam. As she stirs a huge pan of gumbo, a richly flavoured sausage and prawn casserole, McEvedy, who recently starred in the BBC TV series Economy Gastronomy (buy the book in the US) , becomes increasingly evangelical. “The recession was the kick up the backside that people needed to eat better and waste less,” she says.
At this time of year, braises and stews with lots of vegetables and cheaper cuts of meat are the answer. The joy of slow cooking is that it is low stress, she explains. “It doesn’t matter if you add two tablespoons of vinegar or eight. The great thing is to get it cooking. You can adjust the flavours along the way.”
Balance is the secret. “Aim for a subtle sweet and sour flavour, adding a spoonful of honey as well as vinegar. You won’t notice them in the finished dish, but they add an imperceptible new layer and the joy of slow cooking is the layers of flavour.”
Vinegar will also mellow a casserole with too much chilli, and a squeeze of lemon juice will go some way to rebalancing the flavours if it’s over-salted. If it is really salty, there is nothing for it but to make a second, unsalted batch and mix the two. Happily, most slow cooks freeze well, so what doesn’t get eaten can be stashed away.
The gumbo is bathed in a thick, rich sauce. “Incredibly tasty and comforting. It’s nuts to eat any other way.”
Economy Gastronomy by Allegra McEvedy and Paul Merrett is available from Amazon US or Amazon UK
200W Portable Power Station, Powkey 120Wh/33,000mAh Power Bank with AC Outlet, 110V 6 Outputs Solar Generator External Battery Pack with LED Light for Home Use and Outdoor Camping
31% Off
Portable Power Station 600W, Powkey 296Wh Battery Backup with 2 Pure Sine Wave AC Outlets, USB-C PD100W and 2 Wireless Chargers, Solar Generator (Solar Panel Optional) for Outdoor Camping/RVs/Home Use
$275.54 (as of September 19, 2024 20:09 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
powkey Portable Power Station 800W with 3 AC Outlets, 110V/740Wh Solar Generator(Solar Panel Optional), 200,000mAh Emergency Backup Lithium-ion Battery for Outdoors Travel RV Trip Camping CPAP Machine
$474.99 (as of September 19, 2024 20:09 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Generac B4177GS Generator Battery Charger Genuine Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Part
