The Great American Slow Cooker Book (52 page)
Read The Great American Slow Cooker Book Online
Authors: Bruce Weinstein
2
Pour the wine over the lamb. Sprinkle the garlic, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, pepper, and salt on and around the leg of lamb.
3
Cover and cook on low for 7 hours in a small slow cooker, 8 hours in a medium cooker, and 9 hours in a large cooker, or until the meat is fork-tender.
4
Transfer the roast to a cutting board; let stand for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Fish the garlic cloves out and set them on a serving platter. Skim or strain the fat from the sauce. Carve the lamb, place the slices on the serving platter, and serve with the sauce on the side.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
If you love garlic, this is the recipe for you! The lamb also braises in lots of aromatic herbs, yielding a rich sauce.
•
The garlic softens so much, you can squeeze it out of its husks onto the finished meat, and serve it like a condiment, or have slices of toasted bread on hand and use that soft garlic pulp as the spread.
•
While some of the thyme or rosemary can sit up on top of the roast, make sure the bay leaves are submerged in the wine.
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
7 TO 9 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
3 HOURS
•
SERVES:
4 TO 12
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 tblsp unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground mace
½ tsp mild paprika
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
pinch cayenne
1½ pounds boneless leg of lamb, tied into a roast
4- TO 5½-QUART
2 tblsp unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 tsp olive oil
4 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground mace
1 tsp mild paprika
½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp cayenne
3 pounds boneless leg of lamb, tied into a roast
6- TO 8-QUART
3 tblsp unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp minced garlic
1½ tsp Kosher salt
1½ tsp ground cardamom
1½ tsp ground mace
1½ tsp mild paprika
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp cayenne
5 pounds boneless leg of lamb, tied into a roast
1
Melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the onion, drop the heat down further if possible, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and very sweet, 15 to 20 minutes. If the onion begins to brown, reduce the heat still further and stir even more often. Scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker.
2
Make a paste of the olive oil, garlic, salt, cardamom, mace, paprika, cinnamon, and cayenne in a small bowl. Smear the paste all over the leg of lamb; set it on top of the onion in the cooker.
3
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours in a small slow cooker, 8 hours in a medium cooker, or 10 hours in a large cooker, or until the meat is fork-tender, easily cut into thin slices.
4
Transfer the meat to a carving board; let stand for 10 minutes to become even juicier.
Carve against the grain
into thin slices or small chunks and serve with the softened onion on the side.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
The spice rub here mimics that on Middle-Eastern
shawarma
—except with the flavors bumped up a bit to match the way the slow cooker works without much browning.
•
Make sure you get the spice rub into the cracks and crannies of the roast—however, remember that the rub is
hot
. Don’t touch your eyes or nose before you rub the oil all over your hands and wash up well with warm water and soap.
Serve It Up!
Serve the slices in pita pockets with chopped lettuce and tomato. Make an easy
Tzatziki Sauce:
Mix a diced cucumber, a little lemon juice, minced dill, salt, and pepper into Greek yogurt.
with ginger and peanuts
NOT MUCH
•
PREP TIME:
15 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
8 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
3 HOURS
•
SERVES:
3 TO 10
2- TO 3½-QUART
1¼ pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 tblsp roasted unsalted peanuts
3 tblsp julienned peeled fresh ginger
½ tblsp minced garlic
⅓ cup soy sauce
3 tblsp black bean chile sauce
2 tblsp rice vinegar
1½ tblsp creamy natural-style peanut butter
1½ tblsp packed dark brown sugar
4- TO 5½-QUART
2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup roasted unsalted peanuts
¼ cup julienned peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp minced garlic
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup black bean chile sauce
3 tblsp rice vinegar
2 tblsp creamy natural-style peanut butter
2 tblsp packed dark brown sugar
6- TO 8-QUART
4 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
½ cup roasted unsalted peanuts
½ cup julienned peeled fresh ginger
1½ tblsp minced garlic
1 cup soy sauce
½ cup black bean chile sauce
6 tblsp rice vinegar
¼ cup creamy natural-style peanut butter
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1
Combine the lamb chunks, bell pepper, onion, peanuts, ginger, and garlic in the slow cooker.
2
Whisk the soy sauce, chile sauce, vinegar, peanut butter, and brown sugar in a bowl until smooth. Pour over the ingredients in the slow cooker; toss well.
3
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
This Asian-inspired sauce mellows dramatically as it cooks. Consider it an easy wok-style braise from the slow cooker.
•
It’s important that the chunks of lamb be fairly small, about 1 inch each. That way, you’ll need only spoons at the table, not an entire place setting.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED
Black bean chile sauce is an Asian condiment prized for its salty heat. Not the same as Chinese black bean sauce, black bean
chile
sauce can be quite red and looks more like a chile sauce with some preserved black beans added to the mix for a musky pop. Look for this condiment in jars in the Asian aisle; keep it refrigerated for up to 6 months after opening.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW
To julienne fresh ginger, peel a 2-inch chunk with a vegetable peeler, then cut the piece into very thin slices no wider than a matchstick. Slice each of these pieces into very thin strips.
Serve It Up!
Yes, you can offer it over cooked rice (white or brown). But also try this very aromatic stew over cooked white or red quinoa that has been mixed with finely diced cucumber and seasoned with a splash of rice vinegar.
NOT MUCH
•
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
8 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
4 HOURS
•
SERVES:
4 TO 12
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 pound boneless leg of lamb, diced into ½-inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, chopped
⅔ cup chopped carrots
2 tblsp minced fresh sage leaves
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
⅔ cup dry vermouth
6 tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
1 tsp all-purpose flour
8 ounces dried rotini, cooked and drained
4- TO 5½-QUART
1½ pounds boneless leg of lamb, diced into ½-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
3 tblsp minced fresh sage leaves
4 tsp minced garlic
1 tblsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 cup dry vermouth
½ cup plus 2 tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
2 tsp all-purpose flour
1 pound dried rotini, cooked and drained
6- TO 8-QUART
3 pounds boneless leg of lamb, diced into ½-inch pieces
2 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cups chopped carrots
5 tblsp minced fresh sage leaves
2 tblsp minced garlic
1½ tblsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups dry vermouth
1¼ cups no-salt-added tomato paste
1½ tblsp all-purpose flour
1½ pounds dried rotini, cooked and drained
1
Mix the lamb, onion, carrots, sage, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper in the slow cooker.
2
Whisk the vermouth, tomato paste, and flour in a bowl until the flour dissolves and the mixture is fairly smooth. Pour over the other ingredients; stir well.
3
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the flavors have mellowed and the meat is incredibly tender. Serve the ragù over the cooked pasta.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
The real effort here is dicing the meat: it needs to be in tiny bits so they form a ground-beef-like sauce when long cooked.
•
The flavors of this ragù are more intense than the standard ground-beef version. For an even more intense bump, add up to ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon with the herbs.
Serve It Up!
Ladle the stew over spinach fettuccini, then sprinkle with crumbled feta—or go really over the top and use an aged crumbly goat cheese.
with white wine and tomatoes
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
9 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
4 HOURS
•
SERVES:
2 TO 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
½ tblsp almond or olive oil
2 lamb shanks, about 12 ounces each
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ cup peeled small fresh pearl onions, or frozen, thawed
½ pound ripe tomatoes, chopped
½ cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
2 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves
1 bay leaf
4- TO 5½-QUART
1 tblsp almond or olive oil
4 lamb shanks, about 12 ounces each
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 cup peeled small fresh pearl onions, or frozen, thawed
1 pound ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves
1 bay leaf
6- TO 8-QUART
2 tblsp almond or olive oil
8 lamb shanks, about 12 ounces each
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups peeled small fresh pearl onions, or frozen, thawed
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 cups dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
½ cup minced fresh basil leaves
2 bay leaves
1
Heat a large skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes, then swirl in the oil. Season the shanks with salt and pepper, set them in the skillet, and brown them on all sides, up to 12 minutes per shank. (Do this task in stages if you can’t fit all the shanks comfortably in your skillet; divide the almond oil among the batches as necessary.) Transfer the browned shanks to the slow cooker.
2
Scrape the pearl onions into the skillet, still set over the heat. Cook, stirring often, until softened and barely translucent but not yet browned, about 3 minutes. Pour the onions from the skillet into the slow cooker.
3
Add the tomatoes, wine, basil, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 9 hours, or until the meat is pulling away from the bones and quite tender.
4
Discard the bay leaf. Use a slotted spoon to transfer a shank and some vegetables to each serving bowl. Skim the sauce for fat and pour it over the shanks.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
Almond oil offers a sweet, velvety finish to the stew, but you can substitute olive oil at will.
•
Lamb shanks are big-time comfort food. In a slow cooker, the meat takes on a luxurious quality, an almost confit-like texture.
•
Lamb shanks work better in an oval slow cooker than a round one. Stack them so they lean on each other without one sitting in the liquid and the others resting above it. It may help to alternate them, one meat side down, another meat side up. If so, swap them around halfway through cooking to make sure everything takes a plunge in the liquid below.
with red wine and carrots
A LOT
•
PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
9 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
4 HOURS
•
SERVES:
2 TO 8