Slow cooker: Easy and delicious recipes for all seasons

Ilove the melt-in-the-mouth silkiness of a slow-cooked pork curry, the hearty creaminess of home-made baked beans and the rich, sweet lusciousness of a sticky date pudding. In fact, I could go potty over all slow-cooked meals.

Sally Wise’s book is a neat collection that will broaden my repertoire. It is a mix of the tried and true, such as Irish Stew and Lamb Shanks as well as some recipes I wouldn’t have thought of cooking in a crock pot, such as the Moist Apple and Sultana Dessert and Pan Crock Bread.

In between readers will find mouthwatering recipes for soups and stews, meats and fish, vegetables and desserts. I especially liked the thought of Brussel Sprouts with Honey and Bacon, which sounds like a comforting affair.

Sadly, there are no pictures in the book, which, on the positive side, leaves more room for recipes – 215 in total, an impressive number for such a small volume. And, of course, no pictures also means a lower price – a cookbook under $30 is always worth checking out.

I haven’t tried all the recipes yet, but I’ve started to. The ones I did try produced simple, easy-to-make meals with clean, pleasant flavours, such as the sweet and tangy Pork and Polenta Pie and the Spanish-Style Stuffed Squid with Creamy Potato Casserole, which you must try if you only tasted squeaking, rubbery squid rings before. This recipe makes the tenderest and most succulent squid I’ve ever eaten. And the potatoes, which I wouldn’t have thought of serving with squid, complement the dish perfectly. All in all, ‘Slow cooker’ is a solid collection of adaptable recipes, inventive flavours and clear directions.

Slow cooker: Easy and delicious recipes for all seasons by Sally Wise