For my friends on a cold day----heart warming

I love comfort food and when it’s cheap, even better.

Buy a bolar roast---it is a cheaper cut of meat and it really cooks well in a slow cooker.

First cut up some mushrooms and onion---remember, my recipes are not an exact science.

Shove them in the bottom of a slow cooker with some grainy mustard. I used the scrapings of a bottle with some water, shook it up and poured it in.

Now place your roast in a heated pan with some oil. Brown it on all sides. Place that on top of the roast in the slow cooker and then deglaze the pan with some balsamic vinegar and some soy sauce. Yes I used a Gluten-free one and it was a mushroom one. Any will do tough but watch the salt levels. Pour the sizzling mixture all over the roast and leave it on low for about 6-8 hours. You can check after 6 hours.

When you are almost ready to serve (remember to rest the meat for a while first), thicken the juices with some corn flour. Test for taste and if you are wanting it with less fat, just use one of those plastic jugs with the spout coming from the bottom and you can then pour off the less-guilty stuff from the bottom, leaving that scrumptious fatty mixture at the top. When no one’s looking go back and grab some for yourself.

Enjoy with anything you like. I had Kumara (Sweet potato) and parsnip wedges along with winter greens.