The Great American Slow Cooker Book (96 page)

Read The Great American Slow Cooker Book Online

Authors: Bruce Weinstein

BOOK: The Great American Slow Cooker Book

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1
Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent but golden, between 4 and 7 minutes, depending on the size of the batch. Dump in the ginger and garlic; stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in the curry powder and salt.

2
Scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker. Add the cauliflower florets, eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, yogurt, and lime juice. Stir well, until all the veggies are coated in the sauce.

3
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the vegetables are tender, even a little soft.

4
Stir in the tomato paste, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
There’s not much liquid added to this main course mélange; you don’t want a soup or stew. Rather, this mix, moistened only with the yogurt, will slowly give up its essential moisture (and flavors) to create the sauce.

•
Stirring in the tomato paste will also help bring the sauce back together at the end of cooking.

•
This curry is not at all spicy and so is fit for both kids and grown-ups. If you want to knock its heat up, add a little cayenne—or pass bottled sambal oelek at the table.

ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW
Consider making your own
Aromatic curry Powder:
Mix 2 tablespoons ground coriander, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, ½ tablespoon turmeric, ½ tablespoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, and ½ teaspoon ground cardamom. Save what you don’t use in a small glass bottle, sealed, in the spice drawer or pantry for up to 4 months.

root vegetable tagine
with pistachios and dried cherries

EFFORT:
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
8 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
2 HOURS
•
SERVES:
3 TO 10

2- TO 3½-QUART

½ pound parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick slices

6 ounces rutabaga, peeled and cubed

6 ounces carrots, cut into ½-inch-thick slices

5 ounces potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 small yellow onion, chopped

6 tblsp dried sweet cherries

¼ cup shelled unsalted pistachios

Up to 1½ tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp salt

Up to ¼ tsp cayenne

1¼ cups low-sodium vegetable broth

4- TO 5½-QUART

1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick slices

¾ pound rutabaga, peeled and cubed

¾ pound carrots, cut into ½-inch-thick slices

10 ounces potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

¾ cup dried sweet cherries

½ cup shelled unsalted pistachios

Up to 3 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp salt

Up to ½ tsp cayenne

2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth

6- TO 8-QUART

1½ pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick slices

1 pound 6 ounces rutabaga, peeled and cubed

1 pound 6 ounces carrots, cut into ½-inch-thick slices

1¼ pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1¼ cups dried sweet cherries

¾ cup plus 2 tblsp shelled unsalted pistachios

Up to ¼ cup minced peeled fresh ginger

1¾ tsp ground cinnamon

1¾ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

¾ tsp salt

Up to ¾ tsp cayenne

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1
Toss the parsnips, rutabaga, carrots, potatoes, onions, cherries, pistachios, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, salt, and cayenne in the slow cooker until the spices and vegetables are evenly distributed throughout. Pour the broth over the top.

2
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the vegetables are spoon-tender.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
The big chore here is chopping all those vegetables. Perhaps there are some teenagers at home. What else did you have kids for? If you missed this golden opportunity for kitchen help, look for the vegetables peeled, seeded, and chopped in the produce section’s refrigerator case.

•
For a slightly better texture—and definitely more work—chop both the dried cherries and the pistachios so they blend more evenly throughout.

Serve It Up!
Although we often advocate for brown rice because of its better nutritional values, medium-grain white rice would be the best thing for this aromatic braise.

vegetable pot pie

EFFORT:
A LOT
•
PREP TIME:
30 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
5 HOURS 20 MINUTES
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
2 HOURS THROUGH STEP 3
•
SERVES:
3 TO 10

2- TO 3½-QUART

¾ pound (about 2 cups)
fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped

10 ounces (about 2 cups) carrots, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds

10 ounces (about 2 cups) yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 medium celery ribs, thinly sliced

1 tsp dried dill

1 tsp dried thyme

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

1 cup evaporated milk

½ cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup green peas, thawed frozen or shelled fresh

3 4-inch frozen puff pastry squares, thawed

4- TO 5½-QUART

1¼ pounds (about 3 cups)
fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped

1 pound (about 3 cups) carrots, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds

1 pound (about 3 cups) yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 medium celery ribs, thinly sliced

½ tblsp dried dill

½ tblsp dried thyme

¾ tsp salt

¾ tsp ground black pepper

1½ cups evaporated milk

¾ cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay

6 tblsp all-purpose flour

¾ cup green peas, thawed frozen or shelled fresh

6 4-inch frozen puff pastry squares, thawed

6- TO 8-QUART

2 pounds (about 5 cups)
fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped

1 pound 10 ounces (about 5 cups) carrots, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds

1 pound 10 ounces (about 5 cups) yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 large yellow onion, chopped

5 medium celery ribs, thinly sliced

1 tblsp dried dill

1 tblsp dried thyme

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

2½ cups evaporated milk

1¼ cups dry white wine, such as Chardonnay

⅔ cup all-purpose flour

1¼ cups green peas, thawed frozen or shelled fresh

10 4-inch frozen puff pastry squares, thawed

1
Mix the fennel, carrots, potatoes, onion, celery, dill, thyme, salt, and pepper in the slow cooker.

2
Whisk the evaporated milk, wine, and flour in a big bowl until the flour dissolves; pour over the vegetables.

3
Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.

4
Position the rack in the center of the oven; heat the oven to 400°F. While the oven heats, stir the peas into the stew.

5
Lay the pastry squares on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake about 12 minutes, until browned and puffed. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; then ladle the stew into bowls, topping each with a puff pastry square.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
An aromatic but simple stew morphs into a pot pie with those baked puff pastry squares in the bowls. Is that cheating? A bit. But the slow cooker would never brown them properly.

•
Make sure the flour has truly dissolved in the milk and wine. There can be dry pockets lurking at the bottom of the bowl—use a whisk, not a wooden spoon. Stir the stew once or twice as it cooks to make sure no flour can burn—not a necessary step at all, just a safeguard if your machine runs a bit hot.

vegetable stew
with cheddar dumplings

EFFORT:
A LOT
•
PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
6 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
2 HOURS THROUGH STEP 2
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8

FOR THE VEGETABLE STEW

2- TO 3½-QUART

1¾ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes

¾ pound (about 1½ cups) cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets

6 ounces (about 1½ cups) zucchini, diced

¼ pound (about 1 cup) green beans, chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

½ cup green peas, thawed frozen or shelled fresh

½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried marjoram

¼ tsp salt

4- TO 5½-QUART

2⅓ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes

1¼ pounds (about 2½ cups) cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets

¾ pound (about 2½ cups) zucchini, diced

6 ounces (about 1½ cups) green beans, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

¾ cup green peas, thawed frozen or shelled fresh

⅔ cup low-sodium vegetable broth

1 tblsp dried basil

½ tblsp dried marjoram

½ tsp salt

6- TO 8-QUART

4 cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes

2 pounds (about 3¾ cups) cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets

1¼ pounds (about 3¾ cups) zucchini, diced

1 pound (about 3¼ cups) green beans, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1¼ cups green peas, thawed frozen or shelled fresh

1 cup plus 2 tblsp low-sodium vegetable broth

1½ tblsp dried basil

2 tsp dried marjoram

¾ tsp salt

FOR THE CHEDDAR DUMPLINGS

2- TO 3½-QUART

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp
dry mustard

¼ tsp salt

2 tblsp cold unsalted butter, cut into little bits

1 ounce (about ¼ cup) Cheddar cheese, preferably mild, shredded

⅓ cup milk

4- TO 5½-QUART

1⅓ cups all-purpose flour

¾ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp
dry mustard

½ tsp salt

3 tblsp cold unsalted butter, cut into little bits

1½ ounces (about ⅓ cup) Cheddar cheese, preferably mild, shredded

½ cup milk

6- TO 8-QUART

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp
dry mustard

¾ tsp salt

4½ tblsp cold unsalted butter, cut into little bits

2 ounces (about ½ cup) Cheddar cheese, preferably mild, shredded

¾ cup milk

1
Combine the tomatoes, cauliflower, zucchini, green beans, onion, peas, broth, basil, marjoram, and salt in the slow cooker.

2
Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or until the stew is beginning to meld with lots of sauce around the vegetables.

3
Whisk the flour, baking powder, mustard, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or a fork, working the dough repeatedly through the tines until the mixture resembles coarse but dry sand.

4
Stir in the cheese and milk until a wet dough forms. Drop by rounded tablespoons all over the top of the stew.

5
Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, or until the dumplings are set and the sauce is bubbling around them.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
The butter needs to be very cold, right out of the fridge, so that it can be cut into the dry ingredients without squishing or (heaven forfend!) liquefying.

•
Whisk the dry ingredients together as soon as the stew starts bubbling, then cut in the butter and add the wet ingredients just before you’re ready to add the dumplings to the batch.

•
Drop the dumplings into the stew so they’re about half submerged in the liquid. They’ll turn tender as the stew bubbles.

•
There’s no need for expensive aged white Cheddar here. Standard shredded American Cheddar works better. Or substitute Colby, if you like.

mushroom sloppy joes

EFFORT:
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
8 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
2 HOURS
•
SERVES:
4 TO 10 AS SANDWICHES

2- TO 3½-QUART

13 ounces (about 4 cups) cremini or brown button mushrooms, thinly sliced

7 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh portobello mushroom caps, diced

1 cup drained and rinsed canned kidney beans

¾ cup no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes

¾ cup minced yellow onion

½ cup minced celery

½ cup minced carrots