Read The Great American Slow Cooker Book Online

Authors: Bruce Weinstein

The Great American Slow Cooker Book (93 page)

BOOK: The Great American Slow Cooker Book

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Serve It Up!
Make a bed for the mussels and their sauce by frying corn kernels and diced zucchini with unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat, just until warmed through but still crunchy.

red curry mussels

EFFORT:
NOT MUCH
•
PREP TIME:
10 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
2 HOURS 40 MINUTES
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
4 HOURS THROUGH STEP 1
•
SERVES:
1 TO 4

2- TO 3½-QUART

½ cup
coconut milk

3 tblsp sweet white wine, such as Spätlese

1 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger

up to 2 tsp
red Thai curry paste

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp
fish sauce

1 tsp fresh lime juice

1 tsp honey

1 pound small to medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded

2 tblsp minced fresh cilantro leaves

4- TO 5½-QUART

1 cup
coconut milk

⅓ cup sweet white wine, such as Spätlese

2 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger

up to 1½ tblsp
red Thai curry paste

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp
fish sauce

2 tsp fresh lime juice

2 tsp honey

2 pounds small to medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded

¼ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

6- TO 8-QUART

2 cups
coconut milk

⅔ cup sweet white wine, such as Spätlese

¼ cup minced peeled fresh ginger

up to 3 tblsp
red Thai curry paste

1½ tblsp minced garlic

1½ tblsp
fish sauce

1½ tblsp fresh lime juice

1½ tblsp honey

4 pounds small to medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded

½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

1
Mix the coconut milk, wine, ginger, curry paste, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, and honey in the slow cooker until the honey dissolves. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the sauce is fragrant.

2
Stir in the mussels and cilantro. Cover and continue cooking on high for 40 minutes, or until the mussels pop open.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
One last mussel stew, and this recipe is the spiciest of the lot.

•
A Riesling or a Spätlese will work wonderfully here—and you’ll love finishing the rest of the bottle as you relish this tongue-spanking meal.

Serve It Up!
Cook short-grain rice in coconut milk (instead of water) for a sweet, aromatic side dish.

oyster étouffée

EFFORT:
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
15 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
2 HOURS 20 MINUTES
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
NO
•
SERVES:
3 TO 6

2- TO 3½-QUART

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 medium celery ribs, chopped

¼ cup stemmed, seeded, and chopped green bell pepper

1 tsp minced garlic

½ tsp dried thyme

⅛ tsp cayenne

1¼ cups low-sodium vegetable broth

½ cup dry vermouth

2 tblsp heavy cream

2 tblsp all-purpose flour

1 pint shucked oysters, with their juices

4- TO 5½-QUART

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 medium celery ribs, chopped

½ cup stemmed, seeded, and chopped green bell pepper

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp cayenne

2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 cup dry vermouth

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1½ pints shucked oysters, with their juices

6- TO 8-QUART

1 large yellow onion, chopped

4 medium celery ribs, chopped

1 cup (about 1 medium) stemmed, seeded, and chopped green bell pepper

1½ tblsp minced garlic

2 tsp dried thyme

½ tsp cayenne

5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cups dry vermouth

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 pints shucked oysters, with their juices

1
Stir the onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, and cayenne in the slow cooker.

2
Whisk the broth, vermouth, cream, and flour in a bowl until the flour has completely dissolved; pour over the vegetables and spices in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, stirring twice, until thickened and bubbling.

3
Stir in the oysters. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 minutes, or until they are cooked through.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
Shucked oysters make a satisfying stew, especially in this Louisiana favorite.

•
Feel free to substitute peeled and deveined medium shrimp, crawfish tail meat, or shucked clams.

Serve It Up!
You need white rice in the bowls to make a bed for this stew. Sprinkle each serving with chopped parsley leaves.

ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW
Shucked oysters are available in pasteurized, refrigerated tins at some fish counters—you can even find cartons of freshly shucked oysters in larger supermarkets. Use these oysters the day you buy them. In all cases, avoid canned unrefrigerated oysters, as they are too strong a taste for this dish.

calamari
in sweet-and-sour chile sauce

EFFORT:
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
2 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
NO
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8

2- TO 3½-QUART

1 tblsp peanut oil

2 Serrano chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced

1 medium garlic cloves, slivered

⅓ cup no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes

⅓ cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth

3 tblsp thinly sliced whole scallions

3 tblsp sugar

½ tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger

1½ pounds frozen calamari rings, thawed

1 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves

1 tblsp minced fresh cilantro leaves

4- TO 5½-QUART

1½ tblsp peanut oil

4 Serrano chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced

2 medium garlic cloves, slivered

⅔ cup no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes

½ cup white wine vinegar

⅓ cup low-sodium chicken broth

⅓ cup thinly sliced whole scallions

⅓ cup sugar

1 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger

2½ pounds frozen calamari rings, thawed

2 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves

2 tblsp minced fresh cilantro leaves

6- TO 8-QUART

3 tblsp peanut oil

8 Serrano chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced

4 medium garlic cloves, slivered

1⅓ cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes

1 cup white wine vinegar

⅔ cup low-sodium chicken broth

⅔ cup thinly sliced whole scallions

⅔ cup sugar

2 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger

4 pounds frozen calamari rings, thawed

¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves

¼ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

1
Set a large skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, then swirl in the oil. Add the chiles and garlic; cook, stirring often, until blistered and even a little browned, about 3 minutes. Scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker.

2
Stir in the tomatoes, vinegar, broth, scallions, sugar, and ginger until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the calamari rings.

3
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the sauce is wonderfully perfumed. Stir in the basil and cilantro before serving.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
By browning the garlic and chiles, you’ll add piquant, slightly bitter notes to the sauce, the better to accent all that vinegar and sugar.

•
Make sure you use plain calamari rings, neither breaded nor seasoned.

INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED
Calamari—squid—is available by the bagful in the freezer case, usually near the shrimp. Thaw them inside their bag in a bowl in the fridge for a day or two. Drain in a colander set in the sink before stirring them into the slow cooker.

cioppino

EFFORT:
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
6 HOURS 45 MINUTES (AT MOST)
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
3 HOURS THROUGH STEP 3
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8

2- TO 3½-QUART

1½ tblsp olive oil

1 small red onion, chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

1⅓ cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes

⅔ cup drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes

½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth

⅓ cups rosé wine

2 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves

2½ tsp minced fresh oregano leaves

⅛ tsp red pepper flakes

¼ tsp fennel seeds

1 bay leaf

⅓ pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined

⅓ pound lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage

⅓ pound sea scallops, quartered, or bay scallops, left whole

⅓ pound frozen calamari rings, thawed

4- TO 5½-QUART

2½ tblsp olive oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

3⅔ cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes

1⅓ cups drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

⅔ cup rosé wine

3 tblsp minced fresh basil leaves

1½ tblsp minced fresh oregano leaves

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp fennel seeds

1 bay leaf

⅔ pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined

⅔ pound lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage

⅔ pound sea scallops, quartered, or bay scallops, left whole

⅔ pound frozen calamari rings, thawed

6- TO 8-QUART

¼ cup olive oil

1 large red onion, chopped

1 tblsp minced garlic

5 cups no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes

2 cups drained no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes

1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 cup rosé wine

¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves

2 tblsp minced fresh oregano leaves

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp fennel seeds

2 bay leaves

1 pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound), peeled and deveined

1 pound lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage

1 pound sea scallops, quartered, or bay scallops, left whole

1 pound frozen calamari rings, thawed

1
Put a large skillet over low heat for a few minutes, then add the oil. Turn and tilt the skillet to slick the hot surface, then add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until softened and
somewhat sweet, between 12 and 17 minutes. If the onion begins to brown at all, reduce the heat even further. Stir in the garlic, cook for 1 minute, then scrape everything into the slow cooker.

2
Stir in the crushed and diced tomatoes, broth, wine, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, and bay leaf.

3
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until bubbling and aromatic.

4
Stir in the shrimp, crab meat, scallops, and calamari. Cover, turn the cooker to high, and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and firm. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
This is a shellfish riot based on the San Francisco stew, sometimes made with ketchup. sweetening the onion over low heat does the trick much better.

•
Most people make cioppino as a soup. We prefer it as a stew, thicker and with less broth. This one calls for a hefty amount of seafood. You can also make some substitutions, like small clams for the scallops, or double up on some seafood, adding twice the amount of shrimp and nixing the calamari rings, for example.

Serve It Up!
Make a
Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette
for a tossed green salad: Stir ¼ cup pepper jelly and ¼ cup cider vinegar in a small saucepan over very low heat until the jelly dissolves. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then whisk in ½ cup olive oil and some salt and pepper. Use this as a dressing for a salad of chopped romaine, toasted walnut pieces, and crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese. Save any remaining dressing in a tightly sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

crab cake casserole

EFFORT:
NOT MUCH
•
PREP TIME:
15 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
2 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
NO
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8

2- TO 3½-QUART

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1 whole large egg plus 1 egg white, well beaten in a small bowl

¼ cup minced yellow onion

¼ cup minced celery

2 tblsp minced fresh parsley leaves

¼ cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)

½ tblsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 pound lump crab meat, picked over for shell and cartilage