Read The Great American Slow Cooker Book Online
Authors: Bruce Weinstein
The Great American Slow Cooker Book (111 page)
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Slice the leeks thin enough so that they almost melt into the sauce. If you like, substitute thinly sliced onions, softened in a skillet over low heat in a little butter, for the leeks. (If you’re substituting onions, omit the unsalted butter at the end of the recipe.)
from a slow cooker
NOT MUCH
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PREP TIME:
12 HOURS (INCLUDES SOAKING THE GRAINS)
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COOK TIME:
5½ HOURS (AT MOST)
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KEEPS ON WARM:
2 HOURS
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SERVES:
2 TO 20
2- TO 3½-QUART
6 cups water
Up to 1½ cups wheatberries, spelt berries, Kamut, triticale berries, rye berries, whole-grain farro, sorghum, or oat groats
4- TO 5½-QUART
10 cups water
Up to 3 cups wheatberries, spelt berries, Kamut, triticale berries, rye berries, whole-grain farro, sorghum, or oat groats
6- TO 8-QUART
16 cups water
Up to 5 cups wheatberries, spelt berries, Kamut, triticale berries, rye berries, whole-grain farro, sorghum, or oat groats
1
Mix the water and grain of choice in the slow cooker. Cover and soak overnight, at least 12 hours or up to 16 hours.
2
Keep covered and cook on high for 4½ to 5½ hours, until the grains are tender. Drain in a colander set in the sink, then rinse with cool tap water until room temperature. Drain thoroughly before using.
TESTERS’ NOTES
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Whole grains are so easy in a slow cooker—especially since you can set them to soak, then turn the machine on the next day.
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Although the cooking time is set at 4½ hours, it may not tell the tale, given the way whole grains lose moisture as they sit on the shelf (and may then take longer to get tender). Check the grains after 4 hours—bite into one and see if it’s tender. From there, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time, checking about every 30 minutes until done.
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We’ve listed a range of whole grains, some of which will turn rather sticky (like oat groats) and some which will stay separate and firm (like hard red winter wheatberries). Choose any you like. However, it’s best not to mix-and-match, since cooking times may vary.
Serve It Up!
Once drained, store the whole grains, covered, in the fridge for up to 4 days. Toss them into salads with any number of chopped vegetables: fennel, tomatoes, celery, carrots, asparagus, or peas; add your favorite dressing to taste. Or add these grains to soups, stews, and braises for a savory pop among the other ingredients. (We particularly like them in marinara sauce with meatballs—and then hold the pasta.)
NOT MUCH
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PREP TIME:
15 MINUTES
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COOK TIME:
8 HOURS
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KEEPS ON WARM:
2 HOURS
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SERVES:
3 TO 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
1¾ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
¾ cup shredded carrots
½ cup frozen shelled edamame (soy beans), thawed
⅓ cup wheatberries, hard red winter or soft white spring
¼ cup
pearled barley
¼ cup medium-grain brown rice, such as brown Arborio
¼ cup minced yellow onion
¼ cup minced celery
½ tsp dried sage
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
4- TO 5½-QUART
3½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1½ cups shredded carrots
1 cup frozen shelled edamame (soy beans), thawed
⅔ cup wheatberries, hard red winter or soft white spring
½ cup
pearled barley
½ cup medium-grain brown rice, such as brown Arborio
½ cup minced yellow onion
½ cup minced celery
1 tsp dried sage
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
6- TO 8-QUART
5¼ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2¼ cups shredded carrots
1½ cups frozen shelled edamame (soy beans), thawed
1 cup wheatberries, hard red winter or soft white spring
¾ cup
pearled barley
¾ cup medium-grain brown rice, such as brown Arborio
¾ cup minced yellow onion
¾ cup minced celery
½ tblsp dried sage
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp ground black pepper
1
Stir the broth, carrots, edamame, wheatberries, barley, brown rice, onion, celery, sage, salt, and pepper in the slow cooker.
2
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the grains are tender. Fluff with a fork, then cover and set aside for 10 minutes before serving.
TESTERS’ NOTES
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The wheatberries will determine the final texture of this grainy side dish: hard winter wheatberries are firm and chewy; soft white ones, luxurious and silky.
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If you can’t find edamame, substitute frozen peas, thawed.
NOT MUCH
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PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
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COOK TIME:
8 HOURS
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KEEPS ON WARM:
2 HOURS
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SERVES:
3 TO 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 pound green cabbage, cored and chopped
¼ pound leeks (white and pale green part only), halved lengthwise, washed well for internal sand, and thinly sliced
⅓ cup
pearled barley
¼ cup chopped golden raisins
½ tsp dried dill
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground white pepper
¼ tsp caraway seeds
1 cup beer, preferably a pale ale or a lager
4- TO 5½-QUART
1½ pounds green cabbage, cored and chopped
½ pound leeks (white and pale green part only), halved lengthwise, washed well for internal sand, and thinly sliced
½ cup
pearled barley
6 tblsp chopped golden raisins
1 tsp dried dill
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground white pepper
¼ tsp caraway seeds
1½ cups beer, preferably a pale ale or a lager
6- TO 8-QUART
2½ pounds green cabbage, cored and chopped
¾ pound leeks (white and pale green part only), halved lengthwise, washed well for internal sand, and thinly sliced
¾ cup plus 2 tblsp
pearled barley
⅔ cup chopped golden raisins
½ tblsp dried dill
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp ground white pepper
½ tsp caraway seeds
2½ cups beer, preferably a pale ale or a lager
1
Mix the cabbage, leeks, barley, raisins, dill, salt, pepper, and caraway seeds in the slow cooker. Pour the beer over everything.
2
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Stir well. Cover and continue cooking on low for 4 more hours, or until the cabbage is tender and the dish is stew-like.
TESTERS’ NOTES
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This rib-sticker has flavors influenced by traditional German or Jewish cooking—and so might be best alongside roasted or grilled sausages, sauerbraten, or a stewed brisket.
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To keep the beer from foaming, pour it slowly down the inside wall of a large glass measuring cup, tilted to meet the bottle. Pour the beer very slowly over the ingredients in the slow cooker, a slow drizzle to keep the froth from building.
A LOT
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PREP TIME:
1 HOUR
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COOK TIME:
6 HOURS
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KEEPS ON WARM:
2 HOURS
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SERVES:
3 TO 8 AS A MAIN COURSE
2- TO 3½-QUART
6 large leaves from green cabbage
1¼ cups boiling water
¾ cup plus 2 tblsp quick-cooking barley (instant barley, not pearled)
⅓ cup chopped dried apple
3 tblsp minced red onion
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp ground allspice
⅛ tsp ground black pepper
1⅓ cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
3 tblsp unsweetened frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1½ tsp dried dill
⅛ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
10 large leaves from green cabbage
2¼ cups boiling water
1½ cups quick-cooking barley (instant barley, not pearled)
½ cup chopped dried apple
¼ cup minced red onion
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground black pepper
2½ cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
¼ cup unsweetened frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
2 tsp dried dill
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
16 large leaves from green cabbage
3½ cups boiling water
2⅓ cups quick-cooking barley (instant barley, not pearled)
¾ cup chopped dried apple
½ cup minced red onion
½ tblsp dried thyme
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground black pepper
2¾ cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
½ cup unsweetened frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1 tblsp dried dill
½ tsp salt
1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Drop the cabbage leaves in the water; submerge them by pressing down with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook until slightly softened, not quite tender, about 5 minutes. Use tongs to transfer them to a cutting board. Cool the leaves a few minutes and slice out the tough, thick stem at one end if necessary. Dump out the water.
2
Bring the precise amount of water for your size slow cooker to a boil in a second saucepan set over high heat. Stir in the barley, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly until the water has been absorbed and the barley is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the dried apple, onion, thyme, cinnamon, allspice, and pepper. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes.
3
Lay a prepared cabbage leaf on your work surface. Scoop up ⅓ cup of the barley filling and plop it near the bottom center of the leaf. Roll the leaf up, enclosing the filling, then fold the sides closed as well. Set the stuffed cabbage roll seam side down in the slow cooker and continue making more as required and stacking them neatly in layers as necessary.
4
Whisk the tomatoes, apple juice concentrate, dill, and salt in a large bowl. Pour over the stuffed leaves.
5
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the dish is aromatic and the leaves are quite tender. Lift the stuffed cabbage leaves gently out of the slow cooker into individual bowls, spooning the sauce over them.
TESTERS’ NOTES
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Yep, this vegan main course is labor-intensive—which is why these sorts of recipes are probably a lost art, made by our grandmothers. But the results are also wholesome and hearty.
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Not every cabbage leaf needs its center vein removed. After they’ve all cooled a bit, see if the center vein will easily roll with the leaf. If so, there’s no need to remove it. If not, cut it out in a triangular shape, leaving as much of the leaf intact as possible.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED
Quick-cooking barley is not pearled barley; rather, it’s rolled and steamed, about like rolled oats. It cooks in no time and is the preferred type of barley for a filling like this one.
We’ll admit it: when we started writing this book, we had never once made any dessert in a slow cooker. Sure, we were schooled in the short rib curriculum, the chicken thigh program, even the shrimp seminar. But cakes? Or puddings?
We couldn’t figure it out. For one thing, most of these treats are not set-it-and-walk-away affairs, the way soups and braises are. Most get done in around 2 hours, maybe more quickly. So what’s the point? Why not make these things stovetop and in the oven?
Then we tested the first recipes: a buttery pudding, a steamed banana chocolate chip cake. Bingo: we knew what we’d been missing—ridiculously luxurious desserts that need a bit less fat than the old-fashioned recipes because of the way the moist environment under the lid protects them. The treat stays moist not because it’s larded with butter; it doesn’t dry out because of the way the appliance works.
We were hooked. We started taking slow cooker cakes just about everywhere we went: to book groups, to knitting classes, to social events. And our fare was always met with the same reaction: “From a slow cooker?” It seems we weren’t the only ones who didn’t know. So we invite you into the club. After an easy cobbler, a decadent lemon ricotta bread pudding, and an incredibly delicious dulce de leche, you’ll wonder why you didn’t join years ago.
A note up front: the stated cooking time in these recipes does not include an often mandatory cooling period, sometimes 2 hours, sometimes more. You can’t necessarily make a dessert and eat it the moment it comes out of the crock. Some cakes must condense to build structure; some puddings must continue to set. Read the recipe through completely before you begin, especially if you have easily disappointed, little faces at the counter, already eager with forks or spoons in hand.
At the end of this chapter, we’ve got another great reason to break out the appliance: mulled cider, hot cocoa and mulled wine, and with some pretty potent libations. The slow cooker is actually the perfect tool for creating these winter warmers: they stay at just the right temperature, no boiling over, no cooling off. Better yet, they can sit out all night at a party, the drinks ready for your guests as the night goes on.
So welcome to the treats, the things you probably shouldn’t make every day but just when you want them. Which may indeed be every day.
No, we can’t fashion a three-layer cake from a slow cooker. Or we shouldn’t. For that matter, we can’t make a proper sponge cake. But we can craft some pretty fine steamed puddings, more like ultra-moist cakes, all in the tradition of figgy pudding and other holiday desserts. And we can use that basic formula to bring back a slow cooker version of sticky date bread, popular when we were kids, almost always slathered in cream cheese and served at cocktail parties. Using the natural steaminess inside the canister, we can also turn out some pretty fudgy brownies as well as a very moist carrot cake. It’s all about going with what works. We have to take the machine’s capabilities and limitations in hand. Cheesecake? Great! Meringue layers for a dacquoise? Not so much.
Beyond that, we’ll insist on only one fussy step: mixing the dry ingredients together first in their own bowl, rather than dumping them one by one into a wet batter and stirring away. We want the leavenings—baking soda, baking powder—distributed throughout the batter, rather clumped in one spot. The latter leads to uneven, tilted cakes—and in fact even more dramatic ones than emerge from the oven, since the moist heat can speed up the chemical reactions that give cakes loft. So yes, you have to dirty another bowl. Isn’t cake worth it?
You’ll also need one specific tool beyond the slow cooker: a 1-quart, high-sided, round ceramic soufflé or baking dish. Yes, some batters can be scraped right into the slow cooker; but many need to be formed in this specialty dish—or need to be kept away from direct contact with the (relatively) hot walls. Look for this sort of baking dish at almost any kitchenware store or some online outlets. Don’t spend a fortune; get a sturdy baking
dish to insulate the batter. The sides should also be about 3 inches tall so the batter can have some stability as it rises.
Cakes baked right in the slow cooker canister without this baking dish have a range of timings because of the varying shapes of cookers. A cake in a 4-quart narrow, round slow cooker will take a little longer than the same batter in a 5-quart wide, oval slow cooker. In all cases, the very center of the cake may not look set—however, if you touch it, you’ll realize the batter has indeed firmed up, despite a sheen on the cake’s surface. In oval cookers, the cake will not dome up but will be flat, even a little sunken at the center. Watch carefully: the sides will cook more quickly and so can dry out. As for all baking, even in a slow cooker, timings are mere suggestions. Your 6-quart is certainly different from our 8-quart. So pay attention to visual and physical cues more than stated timings. This chapter is the only one in the book where such detail matters—and it matters greatly.
You’ll also need a few, standard tools: a mixer, bowls, a rubber spatula, a wooden spoon. Nothing fancy is required for these recipes—no pastry bags or brushes. After all, these are slow cooker cakes and steamed puddings. We don’t have to go crazy. We just have to make them.