Ray's Allotment Cassoulet

Ok, I'll admit I'm not sure what a "cassoulet" is, but it sounded right for the "thing" that's happening in the slow cooker right now!

Here's what's in it:

3 medium beetroots from Ray's Allotment, peeled and cubed
About 8 runner beans from Ray's Allotment, cubed with the snaggy ends chopped off
A large tin of red kidney beans
A large onion, peeled and chopped into large pieces
A carrot, cubed, not peeled
A large tin of thick cut chopped tomatoes in their own juice
Water - I refilled the tin from the tomatoes
A chicken stock cube
A heaped teaspoon of fennel seeds

...and some Savoy cabbage is going in after about 2 hours

I fried off the onion and fennel seeds in olive oil in a pan to soften them up and release some flavour, before adding the whole lot to the slow cooker. I'm planning on adding some cabbage in a couple of hours - I think the whole thing will cook for about 4 hours so adding the cabbage after two seems reasonable.

I'm so excited - the beetroot was in the ground only an hour ago! Eek!

Ray is our lovely neighbour, who grows the most incredible veg on his allotment, which is in the next village from ours. He grows cucumbers, tomatoes, marrows, courgettes, lettuce, beetroot, runner beans, and I'm sure much more than that too! He's very generous in keeping me in veg for the small price of an occasional bottle of wine and parcel of lavender shortbread (although he always says not to give him anything).

Sort of restores your faith in people when you meet someone so willing to take care of you for nothing in return. Oh, and he also waters my pot plants when I'm too busy too!

Thank you, Ray!

It turned out really well! Tasty yum yum! Very pink though!