Roast Beef and Potatoes

I put two small joints of beef I got on the reduced aisle, and a few potatoes in today.

I wasn't that pleased.

The potatoes were mushy, although they did eventually look kind of golden, and the meat was really over cooked. I think they were in for an hour and fifteen.

I often cook meat badly though, so the remoska hasn't helped in that regard.

Ginger Cake

I made a ginger cake today. It was from a recipe book, but I won't list the ingredients because cake is cake, and I imagine if this one cooked well, then most others will too.

I pre-heated the remoska with a bowl of water while I made the mixture. Not sure why the water, but everybody seems to say you have to, so I did. Anyway, when I'm camping, that hot water can be put to good use in a tea or for washing up!

In went the mixture and on went the lid.

It cooked quicker than in the oven, and I forgot to put the foil over the top, until it was already a shade darker than I would have liked. But I did catch it before it actually burnt.

So, remoska is good for cakes! I think I might try it without preheating it first to see what difference that makes.

Chilled Supermarket Pizza

This Asda chilled supermarket pizza took the same time to cook as it would in the oven, and was just as good. Good electricity saving!

Sultana Scones

I used the Remoska recipe leaflet to make scones today.

Easy mixture to put together but it needed more flour to make it less sticky.

They cooked to more of a thick biscuit rather than a scone, but they cooked nicely. Good and fluffy inside.

However, they don't taste as good as my regular scones, so next time, I'll use my recipe, but cook them in the remoska.

Jacket Potatoes

Three large potatoes took 2 hours.

Could have done with a little longer.

It does take a very long time, but, as long as you remember in advance, and throw them in, it isn't difficult, there's minimal washing up, and it's energy efficient.

Sausage and Hash Browns

I've been in a photographic rush all week, so I haven't cooked alot, much less use the Remoska. But today, I needed to make a quick lunch so I threw some frozen sausages into the remoska, then half an hour later, made a foil pouch and added some frozen hash browns.

I did mushrooms and sweetcorn on the hob.

I do like sausages from frozen in the remoska.

Rice Pudding

I have wanted to make rice pudding for a while, but was really put off by complicated instructions for soaking the rice, then throwing the water away, and then infusing milk with vanilla etc, etc, etc.

I knew there had to be an easier way. So, I looked in the Remoska recipe leaflet that came with, and it was just as complex!

So, I thought, maybe on the back of the packet of rice? And there it was. Easy as pie. Well, easier than pie actually.

60g rice, 1 pint of milk, sugar to taste, flavourings if wanted, and bake in oven for two hours.

Well, knowing that there will be little evaporation in the remoska, I doubled up, but instead of 2 pints of milk, I added 1 and 3/4 pints of milk.

Cooked it for two hours. It was still a little runny, but Heston Blumental said it would continue to absorb milk when cooling. So I turned the lid off, popped on some foil to stop it developing a skin, then went out for an hour.

When we got back, well, to our shame, my daughter and I ate THE LOT!!!! I won't even tell you how little time it took!

She decided it would be even better with some cream and extra sugar, and did that when I was upstairs. And she was absolutely right.

This is SERIOUSLY dangerous food, and FAR too easy.

Chicken Curry

This is a favourite dish I like to make, and I usually do it on the hob. I tried it in the Remoska last night.

Chop a few onions and garlic and soften in olive oil in the remoska.
Add a tablespoon of curry powder and let it cook off.
Add three or four diced chicken breasts and cook until white.
Add two tins of evaporated milk, and cook until the liquid thickens to a curry texture.

On the hob, this takes half an hour, but it's half an hour of continual stirring and my pan is rubbish so it really sticks.

The onion and cooking chicken didn't take that long in the remoska, but I did think, after 90 minutes that the milk would never thicken.

It did eventually, but it was a bit curdled. Maybe the milk was too hot for too long without doing thickening.

It tasted just as good, but the texture wasn't brilliant. I loved the fact that I didn't have to stir it and it slides off the non stick pan.

I think I'd try in again in the remoska, just to see how I could stop it from curdling. Maybe use less milk? I'd be perfectly happy to make it when camping.

Apple Crumble

Yesterday I made apple crumble in the remoska. I peeled and chopped 5 bramley apples, and put them in a pie dish inside the remoska. I added brown sugar and cinammon and let them cook. This took about half an hour.

Then I made a standard crumble mixture, as per delia smiths how to cook book, and put that on top.

That took about 15 mins to cook.

It was a very nice crumble. The children ate it, and they don't ordinarily. Although I don't think that had anything to do with the crumble per se, but that perhaps they're getting more adventurous.

Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins

I used the recipe from an old muffin book I have that is fool proof. The Genuine American Cookie and Muffin Book by Peter Shaffer.

It's too good. Cooked them in the remoska, but I didn't have silicone cases, so I just used paper ones.

Well, it all splurged out into a bit of a mess, but I thought, never mind, I'll just separate them afterwards.

Well, actually, as it turns out, I quite like the mis-shapen muffin style!

I will bake in the remoska again.

Roast Chicken

As everybody says, Roast Chicken is a delight in the Remoska. I have no idea how long it was in for, but it was a 2k one, filled the pot, and I didn't have any burning issues.

I did it right way up for a bit, then upside down for a bit, (at which point I suspect it was cooked) but then turned it right way up again.

Moist and tasty.

Will make again.

Popcorn

Now, I'd love to have a picture here of a gleaming bowl of freshly popped corn done in the remoska, dusted with icing sugar (thanks steph).

But the remoska categorically cannot cook popcorn. We left it in for a hour and it did not pop. It just burnt. I thought I might rescue them by throwing them in a pan and doing it conventionally on the hob, but all I got was a house (or rather garden as I was wise enough not to open the pan indoors) full of burnt kernels and smoke.

Pork Risotto

I pulled a piece of pork fillet out of the freezer yesterday and decided to make a pork risotto today.

I threw the pork into the remoska and let it cook for about 30 mins.

Took it out, and let some olive oil heat up before I put some onions and garlic in.

When that was soft, I added the rice and when that was translucent, I added cold water with liquid chicken stock.

When the rice was cooked (about 40 mins) I added the pieces of pork that I cooked earlier.

I thought the pork tasted horrible. But the rice tasted as good as it does on the hob. It was a no fuss way to do the rice. Normally I have to stand over the hob for 20 mins stirring the whole time, but I'll stick to chicken or gammon in future!

Jam Roly Poly Recipe for Marion

This is taken from the Pudding Club book.

180g self raising flour
pinch salt
90g shredded suet
15g sugar
480g jam
water to mix

Sift flour and salt, add suet and sugar, and then enough water to make a good rolling dough.

Roll the dough out, and spread with a thick layer of jam.

Dampen edges with water to seal, and roll up like a Swiss roll.

Place in ramoska and cook till golden.

Serve with ice cream or custard.

Jam Roly Poly Update

My husband told me today that the Jam Roly Poly was one of the best puddings I've ever made! So, more of a success than I thought! :)

Jam Roly Poly

I've wanted to make this all day, and I did. The sponge is the easiest thing in the world to make, flour, suet, touch of sugar and water.

Mix it up, roll it out, add some raspberry jam, roll it back up again and cook.

Traditionally you are supposed to steam it, and I can see that it would be much better steamed.

Baking it in the remoska was ok, but I should have taken it out 5 mins earlier, it was a bit crisp for me. But it tasted good and the adults didn't leave any which generally means it was good.

I'd make it again, but not in a remoska if I'm at home. Perfectly edible and good if out camping though.

Cheesy Corn Chips II

I did the corn chips again, but this time, remembered to take a photo! Just as good second time around and they were ready in no time at all.

The Superbowl

Tonight is Superbowl Night, and a friend and I thought that we should have some good American food to eat right alongside it.

So, Super Steph guided me in making these great loaded potato skins.

Take some small/medium potatoes and put them to bake in the remoska with their skins on.

When they're baked, half them, and scoop out a little of the flesh.

Put them back in to crisp the cut sides up.

When they're crispy, add some cheese in each half and top with a little crumbed bacon.

Serve with sour cream with added snipped chives.

I liked the idea, but there was something lacking for me. Maybe I needed a sharper cheese. I think the cheddar I used was too sweet. I also think I needed to add more pepper.

My daughter loves sour cream, but I wasn't so keen. I think I might load them with boursin au poivre next time. And there definately will be a next time.

The remoska cooked the potatoes great. I think the ones in the grill came out better, just because the grill is more intense, but for camping, the remoska rises to the challenge and would make a super fancy snack to share with friends in the evening.