Come winter I love a big bowl of my mum's stew. Since I moved out I have tried on many an occasion to recreate it but even though I use the same ingredients as her it never tastes the same. Maybe it's the Irish air or some secret ingredient that she won't tell me about but it is the perfect winter warmer. As I type I've got such a sore throat, I'm feeling pretty run down and miserable and more than anything I would love a big bowl of this - a definite home comfort!

Working full time while pregnant is starting to take it's toll but I'm determined to keep eating as healthy as I can but it can be hard when after a long day at work all I want to do is shove a pizza in the oven. Recently the lovely folks at Prestige kindly gifted me a Pressure Cooker to say congrats on the baby news and the following week Oxo got in touch asking me to review some of their products. I've never used a pressure cooker before and with winter looming I knew it would be great for making speedy suppers. One of the products Oxo sent was their Mini Chopper. Straight away it appealed to me as it sped up the time of dicing onions and spuds and I can use it one handed too as it grips to the work surface (see already thinking ahead about chopping veg when holding a baby too).

 With these two products I knew the perfect way to test them out was to make some of mum's stew one evening after work. The mini chopper is great - yes it's as easy to use a knife but it contains mess, stops runny eyes from strong onions and it's all dishwasher safe. Pop the veg in the pot, push down the plunger a few times and all has been chopped - so easy! I'm already thinking it's a good way to get kiddies cooking too if you don't want them using knives yet as everything is contained so no risk of cut fingers.


It also saves me messing with the food processor when I want to cut things up small, the mini chopper does all this for me.

So anyway... back to the stew! Using these gadgets I had dinner on the table in 45mins. Granted there are other speedy suppers you can make but sometimes you need a casserole and don't have two hours or more to wait for it to cook. I'm totally converted by it and I've also made curry in it too. Lamb curry in less than 30mins that was so tender - winner!

Mum's Irish Stew
2 onions diced
3 large carrots sliced
5-7 medium potatoes peeled and quartered
400g braising/stewing steak
1 litre beef stock

Heat some oil in the pressure cooker
Add the diced onions and fry until soft
Add all the other ingredients and season well
Pop the lid on the pressure cooker and bring to the boil
Turn down to medium heat for 30mins
Remove from the heat and carefully release the lid
Give it a good stir and serve with some crusty white bread

Delicious!




Thanks to both companies for sending me out these products, as always all opinions are my own.

PS - forgot to photograph the pressure cooker - doh!