The Everything Kosher Slow Cooker Cookbook (28 page)

1 cup red onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

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teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced (or
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teaspoon dried)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced (or
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teaspoon dried)

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cup white wine (optional)

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cup flat-leafed parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Flat-Leaf Parsley

Flat-leaf parsley, also known as Italian parsley, is more flavorful than curly-leaf.

1. Grease a 3- or 4-quart slow cooker with
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   tablespoon of olive oil. Add remaining oil and remaining ingredients except parsley and balsamic vinegar.
   
2. Cook on low for 4–6 hours. Uncover; add parsley and balsamic vinegar. Re-cover and increase heat to high for 15–30 minutes. Serve hot or warm.
   

Eggplant and Spinach with Red Curry Paste

Despite the long list of ingredients, this is an easy dish to whip up. Serve with brown or white rice.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 teaspoons ground cumin

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teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste

4 Japanese eggplants cut into 1" chunks

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

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cup light coconut milk

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more if needed

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teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more if needed

Thai Red Curry Paste

Kosher red curry paste is a combination of chili peppers, garlic, lemongrass, and other herbs and spices. Despite its name, there is no curry powder in it. It is available at large supermarkets, Asian grocery stores, and by mail order. Or you could use a mixture of 1 teaspoon of lime juice and 1
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tablespoons of chili-garlic sauce (such as Huy Fong), which is not exactly the same thing but will be delicious nonetheless.

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and stir for 30 more seconds.
   
2. Add the ginger, garam masala, cumin, coriander, and red curry paste; stir for another 30 seconds.
   
3. Add eggplant and spinach. Stir to coat with the spices. Stir in the diced tomatoes. Transfer to a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4–6 hours.
   
4. Stir in the coconut milk, salt, and cayenne pepper. Cook for an additional 15 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
   

CHAPTER 10

Side Dishes

Rice-Stuffed Peppers

Spiced “Baked” Eggplant

Savory “Creamed” Spinach

“Creamed” Spinach

Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk

Scalloped Winter Vegetables

Broccoli Amandine

Corn Bread

Spiced Cauliflower, Potatoes, and Peas

Citrusy Beets

Cauliflower Curry

Rosemary Fingerling Potatoes

Rosemary-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Dill Red Potatoes

Sweet Potato Salad

Maple-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Garlic-Parsley Potatoes

Mediterranean Chickpeas

Caramelized Onions

Orange-Glazed Carrots

Spicy Eggplant

Acorn Squash with Walnuts

Marsala Glazed Mushrooms

Rice-Stuffed Peppers

Try a mixture of green, red, orange, and yellow peppers for this dish.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

4 large bell peppers of uniform size

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teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

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teaspoon hot Mexican chili powder

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teaspoon black pepper

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teaspoon kosher salt

1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic

1 cup cooked long-grain rice

1
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cups broccoli florets

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cup finely diced onion

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cup water

Cooked Rice Shortcut

Next time you cook up a batch of rice, double the amount needed. Spoon cooled leftover rice into a freezer bag. Flatten bag, label the quantity and freeze. Next time a recipe calls for cooked rice simply defrost in the microwave and continue with the recipe.

1. Cut the tops off of each pepper to form a cap. Remove the seeds from the cap. Remove the seeds and most of the ribs from inside the pepper.
   
2. Place the peppers, open side up, in a 4- or 6-quart slow cooker.
   
3. In a medium bowl, mix the spices, tomatoes, rice, broccoli, and onion. Spoon the mixture into each pepper until it is filled to the top. Replace the cap.
   
4. Pour the water into the bottom of the slow cooker insert. Cook on low for 6 hours.
   

Spiced “Baked” Eggplant

Make this a main dish by serving over rice.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 pound eggplant, cubed

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cup onion, sliced

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teaspoon red pepper flakes

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teaspoon crushed rosemary

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cup lemon juice

1. Place all ingredients in a 1
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   - to 2-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 3 hours, or until the eggplant is tender.
   

Cold Snap

Take care not to put a cold ceramic slow cooker insert directly into the slow cooker. The sudden shift in temperature can cause it to crack. If you want to prepare your ingredients the night before use, refrigerate them in reusable containers, not in the insert.

Savory “Creamed” Spinach

Fresh spinach reduces greatly when cooked, so to get a bigger bang for your buck, use frozen spinach when possible.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6

1 tablespoon margarine

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup unsweetened rice milk or soymilk

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teaspoon salt

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teaspoon crushed red pepper

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teaspoon dried sage

2 (12-ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained well

1. Melt the margarine in a 2-quart slow cooker over low heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes before stirring in the flour.
   
2. Slowly pour in the rice milk or soymilk and whisk until all lumps are removed.
   
3. Add all remaining ingredients. Stir and cook over low heat for 1–2 hours. If desired, purée with an immersion blender before serving.
   

Variations

Make this savory dish even richer by adding a sprinkling of pareve cheese such as Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds.

“Creamed” Spinach

Finally! A great-tasting pareve version of a side dish traditionally served alongside roast beef or with Thanksgiving dinner.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6

2 pounds baby spinach, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped

1 cup soy or rice milk

1 small onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

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teaspoon nutmeg

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teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

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teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste

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cup pareve sour cream or cream cheese

Slurry of 1 tablespoon flour mixed with 1 tablespoon water

1. Combine everything except the sour cream or cream cheese and flour slurry in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
   
2. Uncover and stir in pareve sour cream or cream cheese and flour slurry. Re-cover and continue to cook on low for another 15–30 minutes or until heated through.
   
3. Taste and add additional salt and/or pepper if necessary. If too watery, continue to cook, uncovered, for up to an additional 30 minutes. If desired, purée the mixture using an immersion blender before serving.
   

Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk

This is an alternative to that marshmallow-studded side dish. The peanuts can be omitted if there are allergy issues.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

Nonstick cooking spray

3 pounds sweet potatoes

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packed cup brown sugar

1 cup coconut milk

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cup shredded coconut

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cup chopped peanuts

Yams versus Sweet Potatoes

Yams and sweet potatoes are so close that they can be used interchangeably in cooking. Sweet potatoes are a rich orange inside and have a deeper brown skin. They’re also by far the sweeter of the two. Both tubers are very high in soluble fiber. To add extra fiber, sprinkle them with nuts, cook them with apples, or mix them with sweet green peas.

1. Spray the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray.
   
2. Peel sweet potatoes and slice them into
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   "-thick rounds.
   
3. Overlap the sweet potato slices in prepared cooker. Sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar.
   
4. Pour the coconut milk over the sweet potatoes, then sprinkle them with shredded coconut.
   
5. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours. Serve hot, topped with chopped peanuts.