The Everything Kosher Slow Cooker Cookbook (5 page)

Middle Eastern Eggplant Salad

Serve warm as a side dish, cold alongside mixed greens, or as a dip with toasted pita triangles.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6 AS A SIDE DISH, OR 12 AS A DIP

Cooking spray

2 (1-pound) eggplants, peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lemon, juiced

2 teaspoons kosher salt

¹
⁄
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teaspoon black pepper

¹
⁄
₄
cup sliced black olives

1. Lightly spray interior of a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
   
2. Combine all ingredients except the black olives in the slow cooker.
   
3. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours, or until eggplant is very tender.
   
4. Gently mash mixture with a potato masher. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
   
5. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and chill if serving cold. Just before serving, garnish with the sliced black olives.
   

Eggplant Caponata

Serve this on small slices of Italian bread as an appetizer or use as a filling in sandwiches or wraps.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8

2 (1-pound) eggplants

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 red onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons nonpareil capers

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

¹
⁄
₄
cup red wine vinegar

Caponata

Caponata is an eggplant spread thought to have originated in Sicily. It is usually made with vegetables such as eggplant, onion, celery, tomatoes, green olives, and yellow or white onions. It is traditionally served cold, making it perfect for hot summer days, but is enthusiastically welcomed by guests all year round.

1. Pierce the eggplants with a fork. Place into a 4- or 6-quart slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours.
   
2. Allow to cool. Peel off the skin. Slice each in half and remove the seeds. Discard the skin and seeds.
   
3. Place the eggplant pulp in a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Set aside.
   
4. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet. Sauté the onion, garlic, and celery for about 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened.
   
5. Add the eggplant and tomatoes. Sauté for 3 additional minutes.
   
6. Return the mixture to the slow cooker and add the capers, pine nuts, red pepper flakes, and vinegar. Stir. Cook on low for 30 minutes. Stir prior to serving.
   

Baba Gannouj

Baba Gannouj (also spelled
ganoush
) is a very tasty Middle Eastern dip. Serve it chilled with toasted pita chips or as a vegetable dip.

INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 1
¹
⁄
₂
CUPS

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large eggplant, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

¹
⁄
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cup water

3 tablespoons fresh parsley

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Tahini

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. It is sold in cans or jars, but can easily be made by combining
¹
⁄
₄
cup toasted sesame seeds,
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon sesame or olive oil in a food processor. Thin if necessary by drizzling in water, a teaspoon at a time, while the processor is running. Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Discard if it develops an “off” or rancid smell.

1. In a 4-quart slow cooker, add the olive oil, eggplant, garlic, and water and stir until coated. Cover and cook on high heat for 4 hours.
   
2. Strain the cooked eggplant and garlic and add to a food processor or blender along with the parsley, salt, lemon juice, and tahini. Pulse to process.
   
3. Scrape down the side of the food processor or blender container if necessary. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and process until smooth. Cover and chill before serving.
   

Caramelized Onion Dip

Caramelized onions give this dip an amazing depth of flavor.

INGREDIENTS | YIELDS ABOUT 2 CUPS

²
⁄
₃
cup Caramelized Onions (see
Chapter 10
)

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

8 ounces reduced-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon white pepper

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon flour

Make It Pareve

Make this recipe pareve by using Toffuti Better Than Cream Cheese (vegan cream cheese) and Tofutti Sour Supreme (vegan sour cream) instead of the dairy versions. Note: most brands of Worcestershire sauce contain fish (anchovies).

1. Place all ingredients into a 1
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   - to 2-quart slow cooker.
   
2. Heat on low for 2 hours. Whisk before serving.
   

Party Sausage Bites

For a milder “bite,” reduce the horseradish by half and substitute sweet sausages.

INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 32 SERVINGS

2 (12-ounce) packages Andouille sausages

1 cup packed brown sugar

¹
⁄
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cup ketchup

¹
⁄
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cup prepared horseradish

1. Cut each sausage diagonally into 4 segments. Place sausages in a 4-quart slow cooker.
   
2. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, ketchup, and horseradish; pour over sausages. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. To serve, arrange on serving platter with decorative toothpicks.
   

Bean Dip

A football-watching party favorite! This dip tastes best hot or warm. Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 12

2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1
¹
⁄
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cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium tomato, seeded and diced

1 teaspoon chipotle powder

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
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cup packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems, finely chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 cup grated Monterey jack or Cheddar cheese

How to Seed and Dice a Tomato

To seed a tomato, first take a paring knife and core out the green stem. Cut the tomato into quarters. Scoop out the interior from each piece. Then, holding a piece flat against the cutting board, slice from top to bottom into thin strips about
¹
⁄
₄
" in width, then crosscut across the strips.

1. In a 4-quart slow cooker, add the beans, water, olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour.
   
2. Using a potato masher, partly mash the bean mixture. Let about half remain chunky.
   
3. Uncover the slow cooker and stir in diced tomato, chipotle, cumin, cilantro, and kosher salt. Re-cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed.
   
4. Scoop out dip into a serving bowl. Top with grated cheese; let sit for 5 minutes for cheese to partially melt, then serve immediately.
   

Fabulous Fondue

For six servings, cut the recipe in half and prepare in a small (1
¹
⁄
₂
-quart) slow cooker. To make it easier for your guests to access the fondue and to ensure that it is maintained at the proper temperature to prevent the cheese from separating, transfer the prepared fondue to an electric fondue pot.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 12

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half

2 cups evaporated milk

1 cup dry white wine or sparkling white grape juice

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste

¹
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cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon dry mustard

4 cups Swiss cheese, cubed

4 cups Muenster cheese, cubed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Fabulous Fondue Serving Suggestions

Cheese fondue is traditionally served with bread cubes that are each pierced with a fondue fork and dipped into the fondue. Steamed or roasted asparagus spears, raw or cooked baby carrots, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, cucumber or pickle slices, radishes, snow peas, and sweet bell pepper strips are also delicious dipped in a savory fondue sauce.

1. Rub the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with the cut cloves of garlic. (For a stronger garlic flavor, leave the garlic in the cooker and use a slotted spoon to remove the pieces just before serving.) Add the milk, wine or sparkling grape juice, and hot pepper sauce to the slow cooker.
   
2. Add the flour and dry mustard to a large zip-top bag. Seal and shake to mix well. Add the cheese cubes to the bag; seal the bag and shake well to coat the cheese cubes in the flour. Pour the contents of the bag into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until heated through and the cheese has melted.
   
3. Whisk the fondue to incorporate the melted cheese fully into the liquid. Taste for seasoning and add more hot sauce and/or salt and freshly ground pepper if desired.
   

Plum Sauce

Plum sauce is often served with egg rolls, but it’s also delicious if you brush it on chicken or ribs; doing so near the end of the grilling time will add a succulent glaze to the grilled meat.

INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 4 CUPS

8 cups (about 3 pounds) plums, pitted and cut in half

1 small sweet onion, peeled and diced

1 cup water

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced

³
⁄
₄
cup granulated sugar

¹
⁄
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cup rice vinegar or cider vinegar

1 teaspoon ground coriander

¹
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teaspoon salt

¹
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teaspoon cinnamon

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teaspoon cayenne pepper

¹
⁄
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teaspoon ground cloves

1. Add the plums, onion, water, ginger, and garlic into a 4-quart slow cooker; cover and, stirring occasionally, cook on low for 4 hours or until plums and onions are tender.
   
2. Use an immersion blender to pulverize the contents of the slow cooker before straining it, or press the cooked plum mixture through a sieve.
   
3. Return the liquefied and strained plum mixture to the slow cooker and stir in sugar, vinegar, coriander, salt, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and cloves. Cover and, stirring occasionally, cook on low for 2 hours or until the sauce reaches the consistency of applesauce.