Slow Cooked Moroccan Chicken & Aubergine Tagine

Ingredients:

5 chicken thighs

2 medium aubergines

2 onions

4 carrots

75g sultanas

75g apricots 

2 chicken oxo cubes in 500ml boiling water

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp ginger

1 tbsp cumin 

2 tbsps flour

Black pepper

Method:

1. Chop aubergines into 1-2 inch chunks & place in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Next place the chopped onions, carrots, sultanas & apricots on top of the aubergines.
3. In a bowl or jug mix the OXO cubes with the boiling water & add the spices & flour, mixing well.
4. Place the chicken thighs on top of the vegetables & fruit but push them into the vegetable mix and pour over everything the stock & spice mix.
5. Place on low in a slow cooker for 6-8 hrs or on high for 3-4 hrs.
6. Serve with rice or couscous.

Slow Cooked Ham in Cider (great for Christmas!)

With all the spices this is great for an alternative Christmas meat on Christmas day.

Ingredients:

1.2kg gammon joint

Approx 30 whole cloves

500ml bottle of cider

100g soft dark brown sugar

100ml maple syrup

2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground nutmeg

2 tsp ground ginger

1 orange, quartered

Method:

1. Pierce small holes on the surface of the joint with a skewer or sharp knife and insert the whole cloves into the holes. Try to spread them out evenly.
2. Pour the cider over the joint in the slow cooker.
3. Press the sugar into the surface of the gammon joint around the cloves.
4. Gently pour the maple syrup over the meat, so as not to wash off too much sugar.
5. Place the spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger) into the cider.
6. Squeeze the juice from the quartered orange over the meat and place the remnants of the orange skin into the cider as well.
7. Slow cook for 4-5 hrs on high for the first hour then on low for the rest.erve with roast potatoes and vegetables for a lovely Sunday roast.

Serve with roast potatoes and vegetables for a lovely Sunday roast. 

Gingerbread

Ingredients:

350g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

125g butter

175g light soft brown sugar

1 egg

4 tbsp golden syrup

Method:

1. Sieve dry ingredients together.
2. With your clean fingertips rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Mix in the sugar.
4. Beat the egg and golden syrup together.
5. Add to the mix and stir together to form a dough.
6. Knead until smooth.
7. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge to rest for 15 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to Gas 4 or 180C.
9. Roll out the dough, using flour to prevent sticking.
10. Use cutters to make gingerbread shapes (Ikea sell gingerbread house cutters to make a gingerbread house!).
11. Place on greaseproof paper on a baking tin and bake for 15 minutes until golden.
12. Leave to cool on tray for 10 minutes.
13. Decorate with icing and sweets.