In cooler weather there’s nothing better than a crock pot meal. But why should the crock pot only being relegated to cooler weather. It’s great in warm weather too, as it doesn’t make the kitchen hot with cooking.
Yes, you can tell where I’m heading with this can’t you? I have another crock pot meal to share with you. My new crock pot has been getting a huge amount of use since it arrived.
Sweet and Spicy Beef
Ingredients
Tablespoon oil
16 ounces round or rump steak
2 cloves garlic
2 small Spanish onions
Quarter cup red wine
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon Italian herbs
3 carrots
4 dried figs
1 cup dried apricots
1 vegetable stock cube mixed with half cup water
Half teaspoon light agave nectar
1 green bell pepper
1 cup snow peas chopped into halves
Cornflour to thicken if necessary.
Method
Brown meat in oil. (If you have one of the newer crock pots you will be able to brown in the crock pot itself which saves dirtying another pan. I love this.)
Add red wine, onion, garlic, chilli flakes, herbs, agave nectar, carrots, apricots, figs and vegetable stock cube mixed with water.
Put all this in slow cooker on to cook for four-five hours depending on the type of meat you are using. See hint below.
I prefer to add bell pepper in the last hour and half so it doesn’t become as cooked but you could add it earlier if you are putting the meal on to cook while you are not at home.
In the last half hour add the snow peas. Putting them in earlier makes them less crunchy.
Serve with rice and a salad and crusty bread. Serves 4.
HINT
You can use a cheaper cut of meat like blade, gravy beef or chuck steak. Just allow extra cooking time if you do. Another half hour or hour would be good.
I use light agave nectar instead of honey in my recipes since I am allergic to honey. This recipe is gluten free and dairy free.
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