A Week of Winter Warmers Review-Led Article

Reviewed by Claire Giles

I can honestly say that winter is not my favourite time of the year. Cold, wet weather and it getting dark early evening makes it hard to get motivated like in summer. After a busy day juggling work, family commitments and the kids the last thing I usually want to do when getting home in winter is start cooking a large family meal, and to be honest who wants a salad in winter! Whilst in an ideal world I would come home every night and cook a healthy, nutritious meal for all the family in real life this isn’t what always happens. Even after getting home there is still housework to do, kids to sort out with clubs and homework and much more. Far too often we end up eating convenience food which is quick and easy to make or even takeaway. Even when I have good intentions to prepare a meal in advance and pop it in the slow cooker before leaving the house for the day so it will be ready when I get home. Nine times out of ten this probably doesn’t happen as morning disasters with the kids just doesn’t leave time for this actually to happen. So who wouldn’t like kitchen gadgets that will help this actually happen with minimum effort and time.

I was sent two time saving kitchen gadgets from Highstreettv.com, the Drew & Cole CleverChef Pro and the Drew & Cole SoupChef Pro. Also I received the Spice Kitchen Indian Spice Tin and Redloon Seasoning and Spicirub. Together I used these to create a week of winter warmers meals that would be warm and filling, ideal for winter months yet easy and quick for me to make. As a family of five, with kids who can be fussy eaters, I chose some recipes that were variations on already family favourites and some recipes I hadn’t tried before.

The CleverChef Pro is a 50-in-1 digital pressure cooker and multicooker. It has a 4.8L capacity so ideal for families as it produces 6+ servings. It comes with a large inner pot, stainless steel basket and stainless steel trivet. These can all be stored inside when not in use. The power cord is removable and can also be stored inside. It cooks up to 90% faster than conventional cooking methods enabling you to create healthy, delicious meals in minutes. It has a digital menu with pro precision technology that gives the ideal cooking time and temperature for 50 pre-set cooking programs making it so easy to use.

Once you turn it on, on the main screen are six cooking style options:
Pressure Cook, Slow Cook, Multicook, Steam, Saute, Sous Vide and DIY.
You simply turn the control knob to highlight the cooking style you want and press the start button that is located in the centre of the control knob to select it. The display then shows you all the programs available under that cooking style. Again you turn the control knob to scroll through the programs and highlight the one you require and press the start button to select it. The display then shows the details of the program you have selected such as ideal cooking time and temperature which are pre set. On this screen you can amend the cooking time or temperature if necessary ( NB you cannot adjust the cooking temperature for pressure, steam or keep warm programs). Once any adjustments are made, if necessary, you scroll to highlight start on the display and then press the start button. Then simply leave it to cook and walk away. It really is that quick and simple. Using the DIY cooking style allows you to customise and adapt your favourite recipes. There is a timer delay function on the program screen that allows you to delay the start time for up to 24 hours so that you can have meals hot and ready at a time that suits you. After each program ends the CleverChef Pro automatically switches to keep warm function to keep your food hot for when you’re ready to serve.

The only other button on the CleverChef Pro apart from the control knob is a back button which you use to go back on the digital display screens or to cancel cooking. In the User Manual there is a program list for each cooking style which shows the ideal pre set cooking times and temperature for each program. The digital display cleverly changes colour from blue which it is when you are selecting programs to orange once the cooking / heating process has started. It turns blue again once cooking is complete and the keep warm function starts. The inner pot is made of premium non-stick coating and can be washed in a dishwasher for easy cleaning. The basket and lid can also be placed in a dishwasher.

Locking the lid in place is easy. A padlock symbol on the lid lines up with an arrow on the pot so you can tell when it’s locked and unlocked. The pressure release valve is located on the lid. It has a switch to easily open and close the valve, though it is recommended that oven gloves and tongs are used to open the valve after cooking due to the hot steam that will be released. There are two ways to release the steam depending on what you are cooking. Either slow release where you leave the valve shut after cooking is complete to slowly let the steam release or fast release where you open the valve and let the steam just release quickly. On fast release a lot of steam is released quickly so I would recommend opening it near your kitchen’s cooker extractor hood if you have one.

It comes with a user manual which is very thorough and easy to understand. No recipes are included in the user manual. You either have to go to the Drew & Cole website or download the Drew & Cole Recipe app for recipes. I downloaded the recipe app which was really user friendly and filtered it to CleverChef Pro recipes. You can make so many things in it from soups, cakes, stews, curries, meat, potatoes, veg, lasagne, eggs, pasta, rice and so much more.

Along with the above item I received the Drew & Cole SoupChef Pro. Again this was sleek and sophisticated and charcoal colour to match the CleverChef Pro. It has a large 1.6L capacity making up to 5 bowls of soup so is ideal for families or batch cooking and freezing for a later date.

To remove the lid you simply pull up on the handle on the lid and just push it down back into place to replace the lid. The non-stick heating element base allows you to saute some of your ingredients, like onion, carrots, celery, prior to starting the soup program for tastier flavoured soup. There is a saute button on the jug handle which illuminates red when the SoupChef Pro is turned on. Once pressed the light on the saute button turns green and starts the saute program. The saute program remains on for 5 minutes once pressed unless you press the button again to cancel. If after the 5 minutes are finished you want to saute your ingredients more, simply press the saute button again.

The control panel is on the lid of the SoupChef Pro. It is simple and easy to use. The three main option are:
Smooth – makes smooth soups. This program is 19 minutes long.
Chunky – makes chunky soups. This program is 25 minutes long.

Smooth+ – works like a pulse blender and can be used to further blend your soup to your preferred consistency.

Once you have chosen the type of soup you want to make you simply put all your ingredients in the jug (after using the saute program if needed) and replace the lid. The soup maker defaults to the smooth program on the control panel. To change the program you just press the mode button to change it to chunky and press it again for smooth+. Once the program is selected, press the select button and the program will start. The LED display on the lid will show the cooking time and will countdown to show the time remaining, The LED display also shows the programs progress. When it is heating red LED bars will scroll vertically up the display. When it is blending red LED icons will switch from left to right. When it is resting six LEDs will be permanently on showing the heating element is off.

You can turn the soup maker off at any point by pressing the select button. The SoupChef Pro has a clever memory function that means during the program you can remove the lid to add any seasoning, to taste or add more ingredients and when you replace the lid it will continue the remainder of the programme, rather than reset. After cooking is complete it automatically goes to keep warm function which will keep your soup warm for up to 2 hours.

There is a timer function that you can use to delay the start of the cooking program for up to 12 hours so you can have fresh hot soup ready for when you want it.

A user manual is included. Recipes again can be found on the Drew & Cole website or by downloading the Drew & Cole app.

The smooth+ function can also be used to make smoothies, chilled soups, cold drinks and milk shakes as it does not heat the contents when using the smooth+ function.

You can use the SoupChef Pro to make other things such as bolognese sauce, gravy, italian pasta soup, bhal, chocolate soup and much more.

There is an auto clean function. Add water to the max level and add a small amount of detergent. Use the mode button to select the auto clean program on the control panel and press select to start. Auto clean takes 3 mins and then you discard the water and then wipe any remaining food away with a damp sponge and dry with a soft towel.

The power cord is removable from the jug making it easy to pour and serve.

I was highly impressed by the look of both items, though a little apprehensive about the CleverChef Pro as I had never used a pressure cooker before, after reading through the instruction manuals though I couldn’t wait to try them. As I had been sent the Spice Kitchen Indian Spice Tin the first recipe I tried was a family favourite chicken masala substituting the normal glass jar spices I normally buy from the supermarket with the ones from the spice tin.

The Spice Kitchen Indian Spice Tin contains 9 fragrant spices in a stainless steel storage tin. The tin is wrapped in a lovingly handmade silk sari gift wrap which gives it a very authentic look.

Spice Kitchen is a “family run artisanal spice and tea company run by a mother and son team Sanjay & Shashi Aggarwal. Started over a kitchen table, and centred around Shashi, who has over 50 years of cookery expertise and knowledge”

On opening the storage tin lid, which has a perspex lid to ensure freshness, the first thing that hit me was the amazing smell from all the spices. It smelt simple divine. Inside are seven removable tins for you to store your different spices in. The actual spices are in little resealable packs placed inside the tins.

The Indian Spice Tin (or Masala Dabba as it is traditionally known) is a staple in every Indian kitchen and contains the core spices needed to make virtually every Indian curry. I had never seen something like this before. Spices in mainstream supermarkets just tend to be bought individually. The tin is such a good idea especially as an Indian cookery starter pack. Each spice blend is made fresh in small batches and then sealed for optimum freshness and flavour. Also included is a small metal spoon to help you accurately measure out the spices with.

Spices included are:
Garam Masala 20g
Chilli Powder 20g
Cumin Seeds 20g
Ground Coriander 20g
Turmeric Powder 20g
Mustard Seeds 20g
Cassia 5g
Cardamom 2g
Cloves 1g

A little label on each spice bag explained a bit more about each spice, where it comes from and what its best used for which was really useful to know.

Included was a small Indian Recipe Guide with 12 recipes inside to get you started. More recipes could be found on the Spice Kitchen website.

The recipe for chicken masala on the Drew and Cole app lists the ingredients needed and the cooking method. Usually to create this I would use 2 / 3 pans and cook a lot of the ingredients separately then continually stir and check on it whilst it was cooking. It was so much simpler in the CleverChef Pro. Firstly I selected the saute cooking style and then chose the chicken breast program and saute the onions, garlic and spices for a few minutes. I used the back button to cancel the saute program and go back to the main menu. I then locked on the lid, closed the pressure valve and selected the pressure cook cooking style, then chicken curry program and started the program. I just left it to cook and in just 14 minutes it was ready. I allowed the steam to slow release for 15 minutes after cooking and then opened the valve carefully to release any remaining steam before opening the lid. I added cream and lemon juice to thicken the sauce slightly as it was a bit runny and served. I was surprised at how tender the chicken was after just 14 minutes of cooking in the sauce.

As it was all cooked in one pot and pressure cooked the flavours were amazing. Think this was a combination of it being pressure cooked and the amazing fragrant spices I used.

I also cooked chicken korma in the same way using the CleverChef Pro with the same amazing results.

Again using the spices from the Indian Spice Tin I cooked my daughters favourite Indian dish chicken biryani. This is a dish that I have tried before but never seem to get quite right. I can honestly say after following the method in the recipe guide included in the Spice Kitchen Indian spice tin that this time it was a resounding success. It was honestly so tasty and flavoursome. I made this using pans and the cooker as I wanted to see if the spices were just as fragrant without using the CleverChef Pro and I wasn’t disappointed. It was a lot more time consuming without the CleverChef Pro but I made it on a weekend when time wasn’t an issue.

To be honest I had never heard of Redloon Seasoning or Spicirub and was a bit unsure how or what to use them with. They have been made using a traditional family recipe since 1943. It has been passed down from generation to generation.

The seasoning has punchy aromatic flavours and is a perfect alternative to salt. You can use it to flavour up meat, fish, vegetables, eggs, soups, pizza, rice or potatoes. You can also mix it with yoghurt to create a tasty dip. It’s very versatile and adds a delicious taste sensation to your favourite foods.

It is a mixture of salt, paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, black pepper, green cardamom, cassia, fennel, rapeseed oil and clove.

The Spicirub is an aromatic rub you can add to make your food full of flavour. Mix spicirub with a little oil and fresh lemon juice and use to marinate your food an hour before cooking for maximum flavour though you can add directly before cooking. It’s a perfect balance of punchy extra heat together with tasty aromatic spices. Perfect on meat, chicken, fish, seafood, potatoes and vegetables. Ideal for grilling, roasting or bbq food. There are further ideas on how to use the seasoning and spicirub on the Redloon website.

It is a mix of brown sugar, salt, paprika, lemon powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic powder, green cardamom, cassia, black pepper, fennel, vegetable oil and clove.

It’s all in one blend means you don’t need to store loads of different spices in your cupboard to make your own rub. It comes in 100g boxes priced at £2.99 for the spicirub and £2.50 for the seasoning. Use 2-3 tablespoons to every pound of meat, fish, vegetables or potatoes and coat your food well. Rub into meat with your hands to thoroughly coat it or toss and coat anything in a bowl.

I tried the Redloon seasoning with scrambled eggs. I could definitely taste the seasoning and it gave it a more edgier taste. It was very nice and I will definitely be using it in scrambled eggs from now on. I tried adding it to vegetables and potatoes with similar tasty results. I marinated a whole roast chicken with the Spicirub marinate for an hour and cooked it in the CleverChef Pro.

I was intrigued to find out how the CleverChef Pro would handle cooking large pieces of meat. I usually cook an extra large chicken in the oven for Sunday lunch so I cooked it in the CleverChef Pro instead. I found the Roast Chicken recipe on the app to check the method and the cooking time and was surprised to find out it would only take 50 minutes to cook a 2kg chicken. The chicken was rather large and I honestly wasn’t sure it would fit in the inner pot but it actually fitted easily. First, I seasoned the chicken with the Redloon spicirub mariante I had made and pierced the skin several times. I selected the saute cooking style, then chicken breast function and added a small amount of oil to heat. I placed the chicken inside the inner pot breast side down and browned it for several minutes. I then turned the chicken around in the pot, added stock and used the back button to cancel the saute function and return to the main menu. I locked the lid in place and closed the pressure release valve. Then selected the pressure cook cooking style, chicken whole program and adjusted the time based on the weight and started cooking. I was dubious that the chicken would cook in 50 minute which is much faster than in an oven. After cooking ended I used the slow release method for the steam before removing the lid. I checked the chicken juices were running clear and then removed the chicken. I discarded the stock then washed the inner bowl and replaced it. I added boiling water to the pot and put the trivet and basket inside. I added peeled and quartered potatoes to the steamer basket and locked the lid into place with the pressure valve closed. Selected the steam cooking style, then veg potatoes and adjusted time to 8 minutes and started cooking. Once cooking was complete I cancelled the program using the back button and used the quick release method for the steam. I removed the steamer basket and trivet, discarded the water and dried the inner pot. I added oil to the inner pot, added the potatoes. I selected the multicook program, crispy and adjusted the time to 20 minutes and started cooking. After 20 minutes I quick released the steam, opened the lid and shaked the potatoes around in the oil and then using the same program cooked them for a further 20 minutes. I then quick released the steam again and removed the potatoes. Whilst the potatoes were cooking, I carved the chicken which was juicy and tender and perfectly cooked after just 50 minutes!. I served the chicken with the potatoes and it was a residing success with the whole family. The chicken was really tasty and you could taste spices from the spicirub marinate that gave the chicken that extra tasty flavour. The potatoes were slightly crispy on the outside and lovely and soft on the inside. This was all cooked using just the one pot (though i did have to clean it once in between).

The kids didn’t believe you could bake a cake in the CleverChef Pro so they picked the Nutella Brownie recipe to try. It was a simple four ingredients recipe all mixed together in a bowl then added to the inner pot. I simply then closed the lid leaving the pressure valve open and selected the multicook cooking style, bake cake program and adjusted the time to 30 minutes and started the program. 30 mins later I tested it with a skewer. It was a bit too gooey still (personal taste) so put the lid back on, selected the same program again and adjusted time to 5 minutes and started cooking again. After 5 more minutes it was perfectly cooked. It tasted very nice though a bit drier than when cooked in a conventional oven.

After coming home late from the kids after school activities where they often have a snack we usually do a smaller tea of sandwiches or soup. I usually buy fresh soups from the fridges in the supermarket which can be quite expensive. I do occasionally make my own soup but find it quite time consuming. Between cooking everything in pans and blending it, it can be quite messy and bothersome. I do own a couple of soup cookbooks that I keep meaning to cook more recipes from but knowing how long it’s going to take and the mess it’s going to create I never seem to get round to making them so the idea of making fresh home made soup in the SoupChef Pro in minutes really appealed to me.

I chose two kid friendly smooth soup recipes Yummy Tomato and Easy Cheesy from my own cookbook to try first. For both recipes firstly I saute any ingredients like carrots, onion, celery in butter for 5 minutes. I then added the rest of the ingredients and liquid (in this case vegetable stock and milk), replaced the lid, selected the smooth program and pressed select to start the program. Then I left it to cook. In 19 minutes the soup was ready to serve. It really was that simple. Both soups were deliciously smooth and had plenty of hidden vegetables in them that my kids wouldn’t have eaten in chunky soup. It easily served 2 adults and 2 children with some spare that I cooled and put in the freezer for another day.

From the app I tried the chunky vegetable soup recipe which was unbelievably easy. Just add frozen mixed vegetables with vegetable stock in the jug, replace the lid, choose the chunky program and press select to start and leave to cook. After 25 minutes it was cooked. I used the smooth+ function, which works like a pulse blender by holding the select button down, to make the soup slightly smoother (personal preference). I’m not really a massive fan of chunky soup but this was actually very nice.

Finally I made my favourite soup, mushroom soup which I buy regularly fresh in cartons from the supermarket. I wasn’t sure whether homemade mushroom soup would taste as nice as a shop bought but it tasted as nice, if not better. I used the smooth program like detailed above and it took just 19 minutes to be ready. I made 5 portions of soup for nearly the same cost as I normally pay for just one carton. I definitely will be making it myself from now on.

My favourite thing about the CleverChef Pro and SoupChef Pro is that everything is literally cooked in one pan / jug rather than several pots and pans. Once it is cooking you can simply walk away and leave it to cook. No need to keep going back to stir or check on it.

Ideal for families or people with busy lifestyles. Just put everything in the inner pot / jug, choose your program, set timer delay if needed and know you will have a hot meal ready and waiting for whenever you need it. Also great for batch cooking meals.

They honestly were so easy to use, hassle free and produced great tasting meals in minutes. Ideal for an experienced chef or cooking novice alike. The kids ate everything I cooked in them which considering how fussy they can be about their food is high praise indeed. Retailing at £79.99 each on Highstreettv.com they are relatively affordable for what is a good quality product especially with how many different things they cook and how many other pieces of kitchen equipment they replace.

I can’t wait to try more recipes using the spices from the Spice Kitchen Indian Spice Tin and expand my Indian cooking repertoire. Costing £30 it is an affordable luxury that will really take your Indian cooking to the next level.

Using the CleverChef Pro, SoupChef Pro, Spice Kitchen Indian Spice Tin and Redloon Seasoning and Spicirub I have made some amazing fresh, tasty and nutritious meals for the whole family and saved myself a lot of time, effort and money. I already have several more recipes for meals from the Drew and Cole app and the Spice Kitchen website I want to cook. I will definitely be using these products a lot, if not daily.

Rating: 5/5

RRP:
CleverChef Pro £79.99
SoupChef Pro £79.99
Spice Kitchen Indian Spice Tin £30.00
Redloon Seasoning £2.49
Redloon Spicirub £2.99
These products can be purchased from:
highstreettv.com
spicekitchenuk.com
redloon.co.uk