A slow cooker certainly earns its place in the kitchen in the midst of winter, where warming, hearty stews and broths are staples throughout the colder months. Before you banish the slow cooker to the back of the cupboard for gloomier days, however, this invaluable cooking pot can also liven up any summertime cooking repertoire. Here are some slow cooker recipes to try when the weather sizzles.
Sweetcorn
No summer menu is complete without corn on the cob, and when you’re hosting an al fresco bash, the easiest way to keep the sweetcorn coming is by filling the slow cooker with buttery cobs. Sweetcorn isn’t just delicious, but according to BT it’s one of your five-a-day, and is rich in nutrients.
Thai chicken curry
Thai curry has started to rival Indian curry in popularity, so make this dish a feature of your summer dining by adding it to the slow cooker. Use boneless chicken for a tender flavour and douse the meat in a rich and creamy sauce that will happily soak into the rice.
Beef casserole
Beef recipes, such as those available at http://food-tales.com/food-recipes/beef/, make perfect winter warmers, but they deserve a place in the slow cooker during the summer, too. Instead of using root vegetables to make a beef casserole, switch to summer greens, broad beans and courgettes, for a lighter flavour.
Stuffed peppers
Peppers halved and stuffed make for a tasty summer dish, and your slow cooker can achieve this to perfection. For a Mexican twist to your stuffed peppers, add beans, corn, rice and salsa.
Barbacoa beef
Tacos stuffed with barbacoa beef make for a crowd-pleasing summer dish and can be easily cooked in the slow cooker. Beef recipes such as this cooked on slow for 10 hours create flavoursome, tender meat that melts in your mouth.
Poached salmon
Salmon infused with lemon and herbs cooks perfectly in an hour in a slow cooker. Serve with a bed of fresh greens from the garden for a delicious meal that epitomises summer.
Poached apricots
A slow cooker isn’t just handy for rustling up main meals; you can use it to perfect puddings, too. For a light, summer dessert, simmer poached apricots in your slow cooker and serve with rosewater and Greek yoghurt. This recipe is sure to become a firm favourite during the warmer months.