Slow-cooking Through the Seasons

Cookery Book Slow-cooking Through the Seasons - Review

Jun 3, 2008 Rachel L. Webb

Another great book in the slow cooking series by Carolyn Humphries - Slow-cooking Through the Seasons.

Slow cooking is something Mediterranean housewives have practiced for centuries. Here, for today’s busy cooks Carolyn Humphries’ has done it again with another great book to add to the slow cooking series

Slow Cooking Through The Seasons by Carolyn Humphries

Carolyn Humphries’ slow-cooking series is a delightful education for all. This seasonal cookbook collection is an inspiration for us to use and take advantage of the fresh seasonal produce in their time.

The shops may be full these days with every exotic fruit and vegetable you can think of, but how much taste and freshness do they posess? When forced to grow out of their natural season, they are never as good, sometimes they don't even ripen properly, has that happened to you?

Humphries begins the book with an introduction to seasonal produce and lists the usual availability of them throughout the year .The mouth-watering recipe contents of these seasonal récipes means that while enjoying the fruits of natural timing we can help contribute enivronmentally too, by cutting down on transportation and pollution, packaging and waste.

The chapters are divided into the months and start with the produce list then content récipes using those seasonal foods for example:

January

  • Braised Steak with parsnips and sesame-coated potatoes
  • Light and Lucious Apple and Syrup Sponge

February

  • Hearty Sausage and Cabbage Soup
  • Seville Orange and Lemon Marmalade

March

  • Hake with Harissa and White Beans
  • Blood Orange Creams with Kiwi Coulis

April

  • Watercress Soup with Poached Eggs
  • Baked Banana Custard

May

  • Mixed Fish and New Potato Stew with Saffron
  • Hake with Harissa and White Beans

Humphries produces three-course meals in a slow-cooker and so could you.

How about this for a sample menu from the recipes in the book.?

Starters

  • Cream Brussel Sprout Soup with Ham
  • Carrot and Almond Soup with Coriander

Main Courses

  • Pigeon and Potato Pie
  • Slow-roast Pork Chops in Port with redcurrants
  • Salmon in Creamy Rosé Wine and Butter Sauce

Desserts

  • Christmas Pudding with Apple, Brandy and Walnuts
  • Hot Whole fruit Blueberry Fool
  • Blood Orange Creams with Kiwi Coulis

All very tempting to eat but they also make it tempting to dust-off that slow-cooker and get cooking these time saving récipes. Slow cookers are an environmentally friendly way to cook using only a fraction of the electricity used by a conventional oven. So save Money, save electricity, save the environment and eat well!

The book is nicely presented and one of a growing series of slow-cooking books which are

  • Slow-cooking from Around the World
  • Slow-cooking from Around the Mediterranean
  • Slow-cooking for Vegetarians
  • Slow-cooking Curry & Spice Dishes

Published by Foulsham Books, ISBN 978-0-572-03323-1, £8.99/$16.95

Tunisian Sweet Potato, Carrot and Pea Casserole Courtesy of Carolyn Humphries and Foulsham Books

The copyright of the article Slow-cooking Through the Seasons in Mediterranean Cuisine is owned by Rachel L. Webb. Permission to republish Slow-cooking Through the Seasons in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.