While the eggs are poaching, stir the thyme, liquid aminos and porcini and truffle paste into the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Stir through the ‘cream’ and chopped parsley, then taste and season with a little salt and pepper, if needed. Heat the oil in a large heavy based casserole over a medium to high heat. Dust the ox cheeks with the seasoned flour, then add to the casserole and brown for three to four minutes. Remove from the casserole and set aside. To serve, spread the burrata on the toast, then spoon on some harissa. Top with the tomatoes, then sprinkle on a little more thyme to garnish. Remove the lamb from the casserole and use forks to shred the meat slightly, then return it to the casserole.

But slow cooking is by no means confined to meat; vegetables benefit from the process too. Onions melt away, root vegetables become tender and sweet – the possibilities are endless. Tom Kerridge’s blueberry, lemon and thyme pancakes Lemon blueberry pancakes recipe from Tom Kerridge’s Lose Weight For Good Something magical happens when you roast tomatoes – the already sweet tomatoes start to dry out and the flavour intensifies tenfold. This recipe is based on one of my favourite dishes, the Caprese salad of tomato, mozzarella and basil. I’m not quite sure how these three humble ingredients can create such an incredible taste sensation when eaten together, but I’m not going to complain. You can put all the ingredients uncooked into your slow cooker for ease, but I like to start the process in a pan because I find that the tomatoes release too much liquid into the pot.I love that my slow cooker will now be used all year round rather than confined to the colder months. Meanwhile, griddle the courgette slices on a ridged pan for one to two minutes on each side, until charred. Set aside. Pour the mixture into the tin and level off with a few sharp taps. Add the two slices of banana, cut-side up, and bake for 50 minutes to an hour, covering loosely for the final 15 minutes to stop the top browning too much. You will know the cake is ready when a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cooking basic ingredients slowly can be spectacular. Something as simple as a beef stew, using inexpensive ingredients and cuts of meat, can become a delicious hearty meal for the whole family.

Meanwhile, add the asparagus spears to a pan of boiling salted water and simmer for 2–3 minutes until tender. Remove with tongs, drain and set aside; keep warm.One of the nicest things I found is I would have been able to make the 1st meal from the book the day after the book arrived as there was a few recipes that I had all the ingredients in the cupboard/fridge already, so no need to go shopping immediately for fancy ingredients.

Put the pineapple chunks and their juice, the mango, avocado, chia seeds (if using) and spinach into a high-speed blender and pour over 330ml coconut water. Add the ginger and mint and blend until smooth.

Three stress-free slow cooker recipes by Masterchef's Dean Edwards

Tom Kerridge will be appearing at Pub in the Park Festival ( pubintheparkuk.com). Recipe from tomkerridge.com Tom Kerridge’s creamy mushrooms, poached egg and asparagus This healthy creamy mushrooms, poached egg and asparagus is perfect to enjoy in bed Methods are given for both slow cooker and conventional ovens so even if you've not invested in a slow cooker, you can still enjoy this marvellous book. Don't own a slow cooker? Don't panic! The recipes in this book can be cooked either conventionally in the oven or in your slow cooker. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. In a bowl, whisk the mascarpone and half the orange zest and juice. Add a splash of the cream if it needs loosening a little. Cover and chill.

Before serving, season with salt and pepper, then add the olives and sugar to taste. Finally, stir through the parsley, saving some for garnish, and serve with boiled rice or sauté potatoes. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda, sweetener, thyme leaves and lemon zest in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Slow cookers are often confined to heavy winter recipes made with stodgy ingredients and with poor nutritional content. Cook Slow: Light and Healthyshows you just how versatile your slow cooker can be with effortless, nourishing recipes inspired by dishes from around the world. Avoid boring ‘diet food’ and cook slow to create healthy, wholesome food for balanced eating. Add the onion and garlic to the same pan and fry for three to four minutes. Add the smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, oregano and chilli powder and cook for another minute.

I’ve taken this comfort food classic to another level with the addition of the slow-cooked chilli beef, using ox cheek. It’s so underused but the flavour is incredible. Timings Spoon a layer of the mushroom mixture into your slow cooker. Top with a layer of the griddled courgettes, then some of the white sauce, then sprinkle over some of the grated Parmesan. Repeat until all these ingredients have been used up, but make sure you finish with a layer of white sauce scattered with cheese. Then add a layer of tomato slices, pop the lid on and cook on the high setting for four hours.