I was asked for a recipe to be made in the slow cooker/crock pot so by agreement I am making an old fashioned stew. This dish can be done slowly whilst at work and is a hearty meal to come home to.

Beef Stew & Sausage

• 500g of beef stewing steak, any cut will do because of the length of time it will be cooking for.
• Link sausages, two per adult, 1 per child
• 3 small onions sliced
• 3 carrots cut into chunks
• ½ turnip also cut into chunks
• 1 stalk of celery (optional)
• 2 dsps of cornflour seasoned with salt and pepper for coating your beef
• 2 bay leafs
• A sprinkling of dried thyme and rosemary
• 1 stock cube or stock pot.
• Enough water just to cover
• Oil for frying
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Using a frying pan, fry the onion in heated oil until slightly brown, then add to the slow cooker.
2. Brown the sausages, adding a little more oil if needed, add to slow the cooker.
3. Toss the beef in the flour and add to the frying pan and brown, add to the slow cooker.
4. Using a little boiling water, swirl around the frying pan to pick up any juices and add to the cooker.
5. Add all your vegetables, stock and herbs and stir to mix.
6. Use enough water to just cover. Slow cooked food does not condense the liquid so you end up with almost as much as you add.
7. Set your cooker on 1/low for 8hours or 2/high for 4 hours and leave to cook.
8. Adjust your seasoning to taste and if needed add a little cornflour and bisto mixed with water to thicken.
9. Serve with mashed potatoes or to save on the washing up, add baby potatoes to the slow cooker along with the veg and cook with the rest of the dish.