Read The Great American Slow Cooker Book Online
Authors: Bruce Weinstein
The Great American Slow Cooker Book (109 page)
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For a sweeter dish, substitute a dry white wine such as Chardonnay for the broth—or use half broth and half wine.
Serve It Up!
This stew could also become the bed for grilled or pan-fried sausages. Drizzle some cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil over each bowl.
NOT MUCH
•
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
10 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
3 HOURS
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 ounces slab bacon, diced
1⅓ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup plus 2 tblsp no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
⅔ cup dried pinto beans
⅓ cup minced whole scallions
1 ripe medium peaches, pitted and finely chopped
2 tblsp packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp molasses, preferably unsulfured
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
¾ tsp dried oregano
¾ tsp ground cumin
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 ounces slab bacon, diced
2⅔ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2¼ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
1⅓ cups dried pinto beans
⅔ cup minced whole scallions
1½ ripe medium peaches, pitted and finely chopped
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
4 tsp molasses, preferably unsulfured
4 tsp Dijon mustard
4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
½ tblsp dried oregano
½ tblsp ground cumin
6- TO 8-QUART
6 ounces slab bacon, diced
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium vegetable broth
3½ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
2 cups dried pinto beans
1 cup minced whole scallions
2½ ripe medium peaches, pitted and finely chopped
6 tblsp packed dark brown sugar
2 tblsp molasses, preferably unsulfured
2 tblsp Dijon mustard
2 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tblsp minced garlic
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
1
Mix the bacon, broth, tomatoes, pinto beans, scallions, peaches, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, cumin, and chile powder in the slow cooker until the brown sugar dissolves and the beans are evenly distributed throughout.
2
Cover and cook on low for 10 hours, or until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened to a chili-like, but still somewhat soupy, consistency. Serve in bowls.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
There’s no need to brown the bacon or soak the beans. The whole mélange slowly melts into a wonderful side dish, hearty enough for a main course meal if you’ve got something like
Loaded cornbread
on the side.
•
Make sure the peaches and the bacon are in fairly small chunks, no larger than ½ inch.
SHORTCUTS
Thaw frozen sliced peaches, then dice them into pieces no larger than ½ inch.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED
Pinto beans are moderately sized, mottled brown beans the same color as a pinto horse. The beans have a long history in the Americas as a staple food; they’re a favorite in chilis and soups, particularly in the American South.
A LOT
•
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
3 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
NO
•
SERVES:
4 TO 10
2- TO 3½-QUART
2¼ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
2¼ cups drained and rinsed canned black beans
⅔ cup canned chopped mild green chiles
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
2½ tblsp chili powder
½ tblsp ground cumin
¼ cup milk
2 tblsp corn kernels, thawed frozen, or fresh cut from cobs
1 yolk large egg/yolk, at room temperature
2½ tsp canola oil
¼ cup fine- or medium-ground yellow cornmeal
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ tblsp sugar
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
3½ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
3½ cups drained and rinsed canned black beans
1 cup canned chopped mild green chiles
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
¼ cup chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
½ cup milk
¼ cup corn kernels, thawed frozen, or fresh cut from cobs
1 white large egg/yolk, at room temperature
1½ tblsp canola oil
½ cup fine- or medium-ground yellow cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tblsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
6 cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
6 cups drained and rinsed canned black beans
1¾ cups canned chopped mild green chiles
2 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 large red onion, chopped
7 tblsp chili powder
4 tsp ground cumin
¾ cup milk
6 tblsp corn kernels, thawed frozen, or fresh cut from cobs
1 whole large egg/yolk, at room temperature
⅓ cup canola oil
¾ cup fine- or medium-ground yellow cornmeal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1½ tblsp sugar
½ tblsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
1
Stir the tomatoes, beans, chiles, bell pepper, onion, chili powder, and cumin in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours.
2
After 1 hour and 40 minutes have passed, start the cornbread. Puree the milk, corn kernels, egg, and oil in a large blender, scraping down the inside of the container once or twice, until smooth.
3
Mix the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until a loose batter forms. Let stand for 10 minutes.
4
Spoon the batter over the stew in tablespoon-size blobs. Use the back of a wooden spoon to connect those blobs into a single top layer as well as you can without submerging them.
5
Lay long, overlapping strips of paper towels over the top of the slow cooker, with excess hanging down over the sides. Cover and cook for 1 additional hour, or until the cornbread is set and somewhat firm to the touch. Serve by scooping up heaping spoonfuls of the cornbread with the stew underneath.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
Not a straightforward casserole, but rather cornbread over a bean-rich stew, this slow cooker dinner needs nothing except a green salad on the side.
•
Use either thawed frozen corn kernels or corn kernels cut right off the cob. Since you’re pureeing them with the milk, their texture is not as important as in some other recipes.
•
The batter is fairly loose with just enough stiffness to float. If you need help connecting those blobs of batter in the stew, wet the back of the wooden spoon occasionally.
with tomatoes and dill
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
10 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
2 HOURS
•
SERVES:
4 TO 10
2- TO 3½-QUART
3 tblsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1¼ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
1¼ cups dried
gigante beans
1 cup dry vermouth
3 tblsp honey
2 tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
1 bay leaf
¼ cup chopped fresh dill fronds
2 tblsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
4- TO 5½-QUART
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
2 cups dried
gigante beans
1¾ cups dry vermouth
¼ cup honey
3 tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
1 bay leaf
⅓ cup chopped fresh dill fronds
3 tblsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
6- TO 8-QUART
6 tblsp olive oil
2 medium yellow onion, chopped
3½ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
3½ cups dried
gigante beans
3 cups dry vermouth
⅓ cup honey
¼ cup no-salt-added tomato paste
2 bay leaves
½ cup chopped fresh dill fronds
¼ cup white wine vinegar
½ tblsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1
Set a large skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, then swirl in the oil. Add the onion, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the onion is soft, golden, and sweet, about 10 minutes, stirring often.
2
Scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, vermouth, honey, tomato paste, and bay leaf until the tomato paste dissolves. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.
3
Stir in the dill, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cover and continue cooking on low for an additional 5 hours, or until the beans are tender but still slightly firm to the bite. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
Here’s a side dish often served as part of a meal of small plates in Turkey or Greece. The beans become incredibly silky in the slightly sour tomato sauce.
•
There’s no heat here, partly because we feel any spiciness can obscure the tart dash of the sauce. If you would like a little fire, add up to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes with the tomatoes.
•
A sweet Vidalia onion would work even better in that tomato sauce.
Serve It Up!
If you want to put together your own spread of small plates for dinner, serve this with hummus, baba ganoush, and tabbouleh, as well as pita bread wedges.
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
12 HOURS 20 MINUTES (INCLUDES SOAKING THE PEAS)
•
COOK TIME:
7 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
NO
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 cup dried black-eyed peas
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned diced tomatoes with chiles, such as Rotel
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 medium whole scallions, minced
1½ tblsp stemmed, seeded, and minced fresh jalapeño chile
2 tsp minced garlic
⅔ cup uncooked long-grain white rice
4- TO 5½-QUART
1¾ cups dried black-eyed peas
1¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1¾ cups canned diced tomatoes with chiles, such as Rotel
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 medium whole scallions, minced
2 tblsp stemmed, seeded, and minced fresh jalapeño chile
1 tblsp minced garlic
¾ cup plus 2 tblsp uncooked long-grain white rice
6- TO 8-QUART
3 cups dried black-eyed peas
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups canned diced tomatoes with chiles, such as Rotel
2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
5 medium whole scallions, minced
¼ cup stemmed, seeded, and minced fresh jalapeño chile
2 tblsp minced garlic
1¾ cups uncooked long-grain white rice
1
Pour the black-eyed peas into a large bowl and fill it about two-thirds full with water. Set aside to soak overnight, for at least 12 hours, or up to 16 hours.
2
Drain the peas in a colander. Pour them into the cooker, then stir in the broth, tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions, jalapeño, and garlic. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
3
Stir in the rice, making sure the grains are submerged in the liquid. Cover and continue cooking on low for an additional 3 hours, or until the rice and peas are tender and quite a bit of the liquid has been absorbed (although the final consistency is more stew than pilaf).
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
This Southern dish of rice, black-eyed peas, and tomatoes may well stand in for a main course on its own.
•
Since the rice can get a little gummy if the dish sits too long on
warm
, it’s best to eat this side dish when it’s ready.
for pasta
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
6 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
3 HOURS
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8 OVER COOKED PASTA
2- TO 3½-QUART
1½ tblsp olive oil
½ cup minced yellow onion
⅓ cup drained and rinsed canned cannellini or white beans
2½ tblsp almond milk
2¼ cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
¾ cup plus 2 tblsp dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
⅔ cup brown lentils
⅓ cup minced carrot
⅓ cup minced celery
1½ tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
½ tblsp minced garlic
4- TO 5½-QUART
2 tblsp olive oil
¾ cup minced yellow onion
½ cup drained and rinsed canned cannellini or white beans
¼ cup almond milk
3½ cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
1½ cups dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
1 cup brown lentils
½ cup minced carrot
½ cup minced celery
2 tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
1 tblsp dried oregano
1 tblsp dried basil
2 tsp minced garlic
6- TO 8-QUART
3 tblsp olive oil
1¼ cups minced yellow onion
¾ cup drained and rinsed canned cannellini or white beans
7 tblsp almond milk
6 cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
2⅓ cups dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
1⅔ cups brown lentils
¾ cup minced carrot
¾ cup minced celery
3½ tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
1½ tblsp dried oregano
1½ tblsp dried basil
1 tblsp minced garlic