The Everything Kosher Slow Cooker Cookbook (14 page)

Cacciatore

In Italian,
cacciatore
means “hunter.” Food prepared in the cacciatore style therefore includes foods that might be gathered from the forests and fields: mushrooms, herbs, tomatoes and peppers. Sometimes wine is also added.

1. Spray the inside of a 4- or 6-quart slow cooker with the nonstick spray.
   
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and bell pepper; cook until the vegetables are just tender, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes.
   
3. Add the thyme, garlic, and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are almost cooked through, about 5 minutes.
   
4. Add the tomatoes, pepper, and white wine; bring the sauce to a simmer.
   
5. Pour about half the sauce into the prepared cooker. Arrange chicken parts over sauce, overlapping them to fit. Pour remaining sauce over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4–6 hours or until chicken is cooked through. Garnish with parsley just before serving.
   

Chicken Makhani

Chicken Makhani is commonly known as Butter Chicken, a bit of a misnomer as the dish traditionally includes only a tablespoon or so of butter. This recipe uses margarine in place of the butter.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

2 shallots, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

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knob ginger, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon ground cumin

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teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

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teaspoon ground cloves

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teaspoon fenugreek

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teaspoon salt

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teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon margarine

1 tablespoon tomato paste

³
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cup pareve yogurt or sour cream

1. Place the chicken, shallots, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, spices, margarine, and tomato paste into a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low for 5 hours.
   
2. Stir in the pareve yogurt or sour cream. Serve immediately.
   

Moroccan Chicken

Serve this dish with couscous and mint tea for an authentic Moroccan meal. If you are rushed for time, skip the sautéing; simply combine the ingredients in step 2
in a 2-quart saucepan and heat to a simmer before proceeding with the remaining steps.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

Nonstick spray

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 2 teaspoons minced fresh)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

2 bay leaves

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cup raisins

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cup dried apricots, halved

1 (10-ounce) can chicken broth, low-sodium preferred

1 chicken, cut up into quarters or eighths, most of the skin removed

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Spray the inside of 4-quart slow cooker with the nonstick spray.
   
2. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. When hot, add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic, coriander, and paprika. Cook the vegetables for another minute, then add the bay leaves, raisins, dried apricots, and chicken broth; bring the mixture to a simmer.
   
3. Pour about a third of the sauce into the prepared cooker. Arrange the chicken on top of the sauce, overlapping the pieces if necessary to fit. Pour remaining sauce over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours or until chicken is cooked through.
   
4. Uncover and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Remove bay leaves. Serve hot.
   

Sweet and Spicy Pulled Chicken

Make this recipe after breakfast and it will be ready by lunchtime.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1
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pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

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cup chili sauce

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cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons ginger preserves

2 tablespoons pineapple juice

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon ground cayenne

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teaspoon ground chipotle powder

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teaspoon hot paprika

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1. Place all ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 3
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   hours, or for 1
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   hours on low and then turn up the heat to high for an additional hour.
   
2. When done, the meat should shred easily with a fork. Thoroughly shred the chicken. Toss to coat the meat evenly with the sauce.
   

Chicken Chili

A tasty alternative to beef chili. Save leftover barbecued or roasted chicken from another meal to use here.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

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cup onion, diced

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cup bell pepper, diced

1 cup shredded roasted chicken

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups Vegetable Broth (see
Chapter 4
)

1 tablespoon chili powder

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tablespoon chipotle powder

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tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon oregano

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

1. In a 4-quart slow cooker, add all ingredients. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 hours.
   

Chicken Meatballs in Tropical Sauce

This is a festive appetizer for a party! Serve leftovers with hot cooked rice for a quick and easy meal.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 15

Nonstick spray

Sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, minced

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 cup pineapple juice

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cup packed dark brown sugar

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cup teriyaki sauce

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cup ponzu sauce

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 cups frozen pineapple chunks

Meatballs

2 pounds ground chicken breast

1 teaspoon ground ginger

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cup bread crumbs

1 egg

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cup minced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Spray the inside of 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray.
   
2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. When hot, add the onion, jalapeño, and ginger. Cook, stirring often, until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.
   
3. Add the pineapple juice, brown sugar, teriyaki sauce, and ponzu sauce. Mix the lime juice together with the cornstarch and whisk into the sauce. Stir in the pineapple chunks and bring the sauce to a boil.
   
4. While sauce is heating, mix the chicken, ground ginger, bread crumbs, egg, minced onion, and garlic together in a large bowl. Form the mixture into 1" balls and place in prepared cooker. Pour sauce over meatballs. Cover and cook on low for 4–6 hours or until meatballs are no longer pink in the center.
   

Teriyaki Chicken

With the use of packaged chicken nuggets, this is a very simple dish to make. Serve this dish with hot cooked rice and a green salad.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6

1 pound frozen chicken nuggets, defrosted

5–6 ounces teriyaki sauce

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1. In a 4-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients and cook over low heat for 1 hour. Serve hot.
   

Thai-Influenced Braised Chicken Thighs

A flavorful poaching liquid ensures a flavorful chicken thigh. If shallots are not available in your area, add another garlic clove.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 knob ginger, minced (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)

1 shallot, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

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teaspoon white pepper

1. Place all ingredients into a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on high for 2
   ¹
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   hours. Discard the cooking liquid before serving.
   

Goan Chicken Curry

This Indian dish is made easily in the slow cooker. Try it over rice or with some naan.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 10

1 teaspoon canola oil

2 medium onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 cups toasted unsweetened coconut

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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teaspoon ground nutmeg

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teaspoon ground cloves

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teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

2 tablespoons red pepper flakes

1
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cups water

How to Toast Coconut

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Arrange shredded coconut in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10–15 minutes or until light golden brown. Stir the coconut and check it frequently to prevent burning. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool before using.