Lamb ragu in the Breville Flavour Maker slow cooker

It's no secret that I love my slow cooker. What's not to love? You throw all the ingredients in it, flick a switch and hours later you return to a hot, cooked dinner without hours slaving over the stove. The only thing that I didn't like about my slow cooker, was having to seal meats in the fry pan before putting them in the slow cooker. As simple as it sounds, adding a step and a pan to wash up really didn't appeal to me so I often just threw the meat in unsealed. That is until now.

Breville have recently released the answer to my slow-cooking laziness problem - the Flavour Maker. The removable dish can now be used on the stove so you can seal the meat and create a flavoursome base on the stove, then return the pan to the slow-cooker base and let it work its slow cooking magic. It's still just as easy to use, easy to clean and I think it even takes up a little less space in the cupboard. I also like the new handle on the lid and heat-proof handles on the removable pan which the previous model didn't have. Another little change is an 'auto' setting that cooks for 2 hours on high then changes to low. I'm not 100% sure of its use but I guess if you had only 6 hours to cook something that normally cooks in 8 you can use this setting. The only thing missing is the 'keep warm' setting. I'm not sure where that went (not that I ever used it on my old one though).

I wanted to use a recipe from the old cookbook that my grandma gifted me a few weeks ago so when I came across pasta and lamb sauce I knew it was the one. Not only did I have a packet of diced lamb in the fridge, picked up from Stockman's Choice at the markets, I'd also get to use my new pasta press. I have to say, this was one of the tastiest things I've made. The flavour was so rich and warming. I can't wait to try all my slow-cooker recipes in the Flavour Maker and sample some new ones too.

Start by heating the oil in the removable pan.

Add the lamb to the pan and cook until it is sealed. You might need to do this in batches but again I took the lazy route and it worked out fine.

Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir it all together.

Pour the wine into the pan and bring it to a boil then reduce to a simmer until the wine has reduced. It takes about 5 minutes.

Put the pan back into the slow cooker base and add the rest of the ingredients.

Then it's on with the lid and cooking on high for 3 hours.

Take the lid off and continue to cook on high for 1 hour to let the sauce thicken. I thought I had invented this little trick but I actually read the new manual and it's in the suggestions.

Remove the rosemary and oregano and use a fork to break up the meat a little bit so it's shredded. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. I made my own pasta again using my Kithenaid pasta press. I'm a little bit addicted to fresh pasta and getting better at it every time.

Serve the ragu over piping hot pasta and top with grated parmesan. Enjoy!

Recipe

Lamb ragu in the Breville Flavour Maker slow cooker

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Servings: 4

Author: Adapted from Pasta and Lamb Sauce in Generations of Bush Cooking, Hints and Remedies

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Ingredients

• 500 g 1lb diced lamb
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 sprig of fresh oregano or ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 tablespoon oil
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ¼ cup white wine
• 1 tin of crushed tomatoes
• 2 fresh tomatoes diced
• ½ cup of beef stock adding a little extra stock powder if you're using powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• pasta for 4 people
• grated parmesan to serve

Instructions

• Place the slow cooker removable pan on the stove and heat the oil. Brown the meat then add the garlic and tomato paste to the pan and stir them through. Add the wine and bring the pot to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.
• Place the pan back into the slow cooker base and add the rest of the ingredients.
• Place the lid on, turn the slow cooker to high and cook for 3 hours.
• Remove the lid and continue to cook on high for 1 hour.
• Cook pasta according to packet instructions.
• Remove the oregano and rosemary from the pot. Use a fork to gently break up the meat cubes, stir the sauce together then spoon it over bowls of hot pasta.
• Top with grated parmesan.
• I should mention we purchased our Flavour Maker at Myer on sale for $100. It retails for $149.95.

Have you made this recipe? I'd love to hear what you think. Tag me on Instagram @clairekcreations