The mind is like a parachute...

No, I haven't completely lost the plot, this is the first half of a quotation from the wise Charlie Chan, Chinese Detective. The full quotation is as follows:

"The mind if like a parachute; it only works when it is open."

Never a truer word was spoken. And where food is concerned, there are some deep-seated fears and habits which take some effort to overcome. When you do overcome them though, and open your mind to something out of your comfort zone, you are often generously rewarded!

The inspiration for this post is a conversation I had with a friend yesterday, and the deep-seated fear in question is not of a particular ingredient or flavor, but rather a method of cooking. My friend mentioned that she is loathe to use her slow cooker because she doesn't like the idea of having food bubbling away for 8 hours, when she can put together a dinner in half an hour anyway. Hmmmm... Don't get me wrong, I love me a half-hour dinner, but I also LOVE my slow cooker, so this is a dish designed to win over the doubters! And win them over it will, by showing that not only can the crockpot create a wonderful main dish, in need only of a few sides and perhaps some carbohydrate to soak it up, but sometimes, the slow cooker can do ALL the work, with just 15 minutes of prep time thrown in of a morning. Ha! Beat that!

This recipe is a great example of just that kind of slow cooker winner, since it has some great filling grains in there (pearl barley), some hearty beef, which is the meat I think most benefits from the slow cooker, as even the cheapest cuts become lusciously tender, and plenty of vegetables. All you need do to accompany this, is cut some crusty bread up, so that those around the table can mop up the juicy goodness in their bowls.

So come on - open your mind, embrace simplicity, dust off the slow cooker, and let it bubble :-)

Crockpot Irish Stew
Adapted from Family Fresh Meals
Serves 6

1.5-2lbs stew beef, trimmed of fat and cubed
1 14 oz can low-sodium diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 cups carrots cut into 1/2" pieces
2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
3/4 cup pearl barley
5 cups beef broth
1 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp fresh chopped sage (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 bunch Lacinato/Green Kale, stems removed, leaves rolled up and finely sliced

1. Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker except for the kale.
2. Mix well, cover and cook on LOW for 7 1/2 hours.
3. Add the sliced kale and continue to cook on LOW for a further 1/2 hour.