There’s nothing more comforting or celebratory than a proper Sunday lunch with all the trimmings. But to lay on a three-course dinner and sides is no small undertaking. Frankly, it can be exhausting, so we’ll take all the help we can get. Fortunately, help is at hand thanks to the Thermomix® TM6, a clever all-in-one kitchen gadget. It slow-cooks, it stirs, it chops, it weighs and it simmers. It’s essentially your very own sous chef.
Here’s how it can help you create the ultimate feast, whether you’re celebrating Easter Sunday or just fancy treating yourself.
The starter
Normally, we probably wouldn’t attempt to make our own soup alongside a complicated main, but the TM6 makes it effortless. It will chop the veg for you, before sautéing in butter or a little oil to release the flavour. All you have to do is add some stock or water and leave it to simmer away. If you fancy adding extra toppings, like smoked fish for a tasty chowder, the TM6 will steam while the soup cooks. Yes, this gadget can multitask. And it’s also a powerful blender for those who like a smooth, velvety finish.
What to read next
You’ll find all the recipe inspiration you need on the integrated Thermomix® recipe platform, Cookidoo®, which you can access via the TM6’s wi-fi-enabled touchscreen. We love this delicious spring-fresh pea soup, and this aromatic cucumber soup with prawn skewers.
The main event
Whether you want a traditional roast or prefer to slow-cook a pork shoulder or lamb shank, the TM6 can help with that. For example, it can help you prep a tasty topping for your Easter rack of lamb. This simple recipe shows how to blitz garlic, parsley, thyme and lemon zest, along with some olive oil and butter, to create a tasty lamb coating. After searing and seasoning the lamb, brush all over with mustard, then add the topping before a quick roast in the oven.
Thanks to its slow-cooking mode, the TM6 is also great for trickier cuts of meat, cooking them low and slow so they melt in the mouth. You can start off by browning your meat and vegetables using a high heat, then switch to the slow-cook mode. This keeps all the flavour in one bowl, so you can just leave it to simmer away. We recommend trying these delicious slow-cooked lamb shanks with roasted garlic and parmesan mash.
The fancy extras
Speaking of sides… Whether you’re all about the smooth celeriac mash, a fresh green pea purée, or a red wine jus to die for, you can always add a little MasterChef flourish thanks to this smart gadget. Mash is made easy, as you can cook and cream your potatoes in the same mixing bowl, adding butter and seasoning to taste.
Rich sauces and gravy are also fuss-free, because you can just put all the ingredients in and leave the sauce to caramelise and simmer away while you get on with pouring yourself that leftover glass of red wine.
The showstopper dessert
Every great feast needs its big finale. Over Easter, you may want to go for something really indulgent like this salted caramel and chocolate brownie cake. The Thermomix® is ideal for challenging bakes like this – the built-in scales are a huge time-saver and guarantee accuracy, which is essential for light, fluffy sponges. The machine will mix the chocolate sponge, whip up the cream and create a delicious salted caramel sauce by heating together liquid caramel, butter, cream and salt.
Or, with the help of the kneading mode, you could make your own pastry from scratch in minutes, including gluten-free options. These pecan pie tarts will round off your meal in style.
The Thermomix® TM6 is available for £1,149, including the Simple Ideas Welcome Book and six months’ free Cookidoo® membership, with access to over 60,000 recipes – book a demo or shop online
Alison is head of content for the Good Housekeeping Institute, responsible for product reviews across homes, beauty, wellness, family and food & drink. She lives by the William Morris quote that you should “have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
Alison has over 15 years' experience as a lifestyle editor and has written features on everything from misophonia to how to dress like Claudia on The Traitors. She has also interviewed everyone from Dame Joanna Lumley to the Kardashians.
In her spare time, you'll find her hanging out with Monty the cocker spaniel and refreshing the Sezane website every five seconds.
