As I told you recently (here), I have been trying out some of the recipes from the Ultimate Slow Cooker Cookbook that Morphy Richards sent me and this time, I went for the exotic-sounding Greek-Style Lamb, Potato & Thyme Kleftiko. As I told you in a previous blogpost, I love my slow cooker but feel like I always cook the same dishes - beef in beer or boeuf bourgignon, chicken casseroles and sausage casseroles - so I've been loving the chance of trying out totally different recipes (included the whole butter-basted chicken that I blogged about here).
The recipe calls for a whole shoulder of lamb but, having asked my friendly local butcher which meat he would recommend for my slow cooker, he suggested these smaller pieces of lamb. That was what was in the fridge so that was what went in the pot !
I gathered together the other ingredients - garlic, onions, tomatoes and potatoes. I decided to vastly increase the quantities of vegetables originally given in the recipes.
First of all, I decided to brown off the meat, sprinkling over a hefty shake of Schwartz Special Blend for Lamb, to give it a lovely minty, herby flavour (and to replace the sprigs of rosemary which I didn't have).
This is the first time I've used fresh tomatoes in the slow cooker so I was keen to see how they would turn out.
I placed the meat on top of the vegetables and left it to get on with it all by itself for five hours.
The lamb was absolutely divine - so tender it literally slipped off the bone when I took it out of the pot - and the vegetables were really soft but still whole. This is the first time I've cooked lamb in the slow cooker and the first time using tomatoes and potatoes with less sauce and it was a resounding success. I've been asked to make it again which says it all !
I'm joining in with the World Cup recipe challenge over on the Cooking Around The World blog
I'm joining in with the World Cup recipe challenge over on the Cooking Around The World blog
Other blogposts you may be interested in :
Yummy this sounds divine!
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I'm definitely going to try this, sounds yummy! x
ReplyDeleteI love our slow cooker!
ReplyDeleteI tend to do my main shop on a Friday night after we've been to archery, so I try to see if there are reduced bit & pieces. Was lucky last night got some pork chops, so I've took the meat off them & its in the pot cooking, along with some reduced swede, carrots & potatoes, I'll add some peas & brocolli to the plates when serving it for tea later.
But the slow cooker is great as you can buy cheaper cuts of meat & they taste just as delish as the more expensive ones when they come out of the cooker.
Its also fab if we are out for the day at a competition or whatever, we all come home to a lovely hot cooked meal to warm us up especially in this lovely weather we are having at the moment.
I ,ve never really been into Greek food but I may try this.
ReplyDeleteI'm always on the look out for one pot dishes so that scores highly. The only problem with the slow cooker is it makes me feel hungry if I'm in the house all day.
ReplyDeleteYes, I totally agree !!
DeleteThat looks sooo nice! We haven't had the slow cooker out for a while, you've inspired me! Perfect on these wintry evenings :-)
ReplyDeleteWow sounds lovely! I'm doing the Slimming World diet and everything in this recipe is free food so definitely going to try this!
ReplyDeleteWe eat it a lot in our house but not done in a slow cooker and we do not use meat on the bone :-/ Our recipe is a cypriot one my mum was given from friends. It's funny how things change slightly when given a personal one.
ReplyDeleteOur's is slow cooked but just a couple of hours in a large pot on the hob. xx
ooh, this looks very similar to a meal I have fond memories of on the top of a cliff in Zakynthos - brings back lots of warm, yummy thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI am going to get some lamb and try this for Sunday lunch next week it looks great i adore Greek food.Thanks for sharing the recipe.
ReplyDeleteThis looks a fab recipe..... must try it!
ReplyDeleteThis looks great - I really should use my slow cooker more - I was really keen when I first got it, and now it's mostly gammon or chilli! Really should be more adventurous!
ReplyDeleteWould like it if i could get rest of family liking lamb too
ReplyDeleteReally fancy a slow cooker i had one years ago !
ReplyDeletefab recipe don't you just love the slow cooker!
ReplyDeleteThat looks lovely, we don;t have a slow cooker, our kitchen is tiny, no room on the surface or in the cupboard
ReplyDeleteLooks divine, I am going to give this recipe a go. I love my slow cooker especially as the pot dish comes out of the slow cooker and I can use on my hob to brown meat. Thanks
ReplyDeleteTold you I would give it a go! Smelling delicious in the slow cooker as we speak x
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoyed it !
DeleteMmmm this sounds and looks really yummy! I've had lamb kleftiko in Greece in the little clay pots and it was lovely so I shall try and remember to get my slow cooker out and give this a try!
ReplyDeleteI am going to give this recipe a go
ReplyDeleteyummy that sounds lovely. i love my slow cooker and use it all the time, this is one recipe i will be trying out, thanks x
ReplyDeleteI will definitely be trying this as it's one of my all time favourite dishes, and I'm always looking for new recipes for the slow cooker.
ReplyDeleteI was given a slow cooker for Christmas, so I'm browsing the archives for inspiration, and this looks right up my street, we love Greek food.
ReplyDeleteHmmm haven't made this for a while, I might have to rustle one of these up very soon :)
Deletea couple questions. I assume temp in slow cooker was LOW. Did you add any liquid to the veggies & lamb?
ReplyDeleteSorry, I've only just seen your comment - I tend to assume that all anonymous comments are spam with the huge numbers of spam comments lately !
DeleteNo extra liquid was added, it all came from the meat. I used high, but that can be adjusted depending on how long you want to cook it for.
That does look very authentic, even the potatoes look like greek potatoes! Popping over from slow cook sunday.
ReplyDeleteI love Kleftiko! Thank you so much for the recipe! Have added it to my list of recipes to try. Thanks for joining into Slow Cooker Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI always love a good lamb dish and this looks like one. However, I don't have lamb too often.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fab recipe, I do love lamb but like Chris don't cook it very often.
ReplyDeleteSame here - Madhouse Daddy always buys it for Easter and that's about it !
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