Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever (43 page)

This delicious sweet and savory dish is terrific to serve as a topping for bruschetta and is a delicious complement for grilled meats, seafood, and poultry. The slow-cooked eggplant, onion, tomatoes, and aromatics combine with salty capers, olives, and golden raisins to melt into a sweet, salty, and flavor-packed condiment. The recipe for caponata depends on the region in Italy it is made, so you should feel free to add or subtract ingredients as you like. Just make sure that you keep the liquid measures the same. Caponata is best served at room temperature, actually gets better after a few days, and will keep for one week in the fridge.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 medium purple eggplants, finely diced (see savvy)

2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch of red pepper flakes

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their juice (see savvy)

1 cup golden raisins (see savvy)

¼ cup brined capers, drained

½ cup pitted Kalamata olives (or your favorite olive)

½ cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and celery and sauté until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the eggplants, bell peppers, oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and sauté until the eggplant begins to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and allow it to evaporate a bit, then stir in the tomatoes and raisins.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow-cooker insert and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours. Stir in the capers, olives, and parsley and cook for an additional 1 hour, until the eggplant is tender.

remove the caponata from the slow cooker and serve it cold or at room temperature.

makes about 6 cups

eggplant savvy

I usually leave the skin on the eggplant because it adds color and texture to the dish. Make sure the eggplant you buy has a smooth unblemished skin and isn’t wrinkly at all.

tomato savvy

If you prefer a less chunky version of this dish, use one 15-ounce can tomato purée instead of the diced tomatoes.

raisin savvy

In testing this recipe, I found the flavor of golden raisins much more to my liking than that of dark brown raisins.

Fennel is a delicate anise-flavored vegetable that doesn’t make it to many dinner tables, which is a shame because it is has an unusual and delicious flavor. This simple recipe pairs fennel with onions, potatoes, and Swiss cheese; the result is a spectacular side dish to serve with grilled or roasted meats or poultry.

3 bulbs fennel, stalks and root ends trimmed, cut into ½-inch slices

2 medium onions, cut into ½-inch half rounds

3 medium red or Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

1½ cups heavy cream

1 cup chicken broth

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 cup finely shredded Gruyère cheese

coat the inside of the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.

toss the vegetables together in a mixing bowl, put them in the slow-cooker insert, and press them down. Whisk together the cream, broth, salt, and Tabasco in a mixing bowl and pour over the vegetables.

cover and cook on high for 2 hours, until the potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with the cheese, cover, and cook for another 30 minutes.

serve the gratin from the slow cooker set on warm.

serves 6

There are lots of potatoes to choose from in your supermarket, and each variety has its own special quality. Frankly I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like, but some potatoes are better than others for particular preparations. I’ve made suggestions for each recipe, but these are some of their characteristics.

These potatoes are high in starch. They’re great mashed, baked, stuffed, or fried.

These are lower in starch, and are sometimes labeled as “new” even though they haven’t been new for months. Use these potatoes in dishes, where they will absorb liquids, like gratins; in salads, where they will absorb dressing; or roasted whole or in wedges. You can mash them, but they are waxier than russets and will need more liquid to make them smooth and creamy.

These tiny potatoes look like stubby fingers, hence the name. They can be expensive, but they are perfect to substitute for red and yukon gold varieties.

You may see these labeled as “yams” in the supermarket, when in fact yams are native to Africa and Asia and have a yellow color. Sweet potatoes have orange flesh and a high sugar content. They are terrific roasted, baked, or mashed. Roasting causes the sugars to caramelize, which makes the potatoes delicious with or without that ubiquitous marshmallow topping. If you buy a “yam” that has red-colored flesh, it is probably a Louisiana “yam,” but is still a sweet potato. This is probably more than you wanted to know, but you may need dinner conversation at the next Thanksgiving meal!

Baking potatoes in a slow cooker may not seem like a brilliant idea, but in the heat of the summer, if you don’t have to turn on your oven, you’ll be very happy to have this recipe! A recent magazine article stated that baking potatoes low and slow in the oven yielded a much more delicious potato as compared to conventional high-heat baking. Once the potatoes are baked, they can be kept warm in the slow cooker until you are ready to serve them. These potatoes can be a jumping-off point for twice-baked potatoes, which can be reheated in the slow cooker on high for 1 hour.

8 russet baking potatoes, scrubbed

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons salt

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

prick each potato several times with the tip of a sharp knife. Combine the oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl and rub the potatoes all over the oil mixture.

arrange the potatoes in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.

remove the potatoes from the slow cooker and serve, or serve from the cooker set on warm.

serves 8–10

Coated with olive oil infused with garlic and rosemary, red potatoes become sweet when roasting low and slow for hours. The aromas from the slow cooker will have your family waiting by the cooker for the timer to go off.

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 cloves garlic, sliced

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

16 to 20 small (2-inch) red potatoes, scrubbed

combine all the ingredients in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker cover and cook on high for 4 hours, stirring after 2 hours to bring the potatoes from the bottom to the top.

serve immediately, or keep warm for up to 2 hours in the cooker set on warm.

serves 8

German potato salad is one of the first recipes that was included with slow-cooker instruction books; unfortunately that salad was bland and didn’t have the pizzazz that you would expect from a dish with sausage, onion, vinegar, and mustard. This recipe will give you the zesty flavor, and the tender potatoes will be a crowd pleaser at your next barbecue. I love Yukon gold potatoes for their flavor and color in this dish, but red potatoes or white creamers will work as well.

6 to 8 medium (3-inch) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¼-inch thick slices

1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped

2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

½ pound kielbasa or other smoked sausage, cut into ½-inch dice

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cup rice vinegar

¼ cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon celery seeds

½ cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

combine the potatoes, onion, celery, and sausage in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, oil, sugar, and mustard seeds and celery seeds in a mixing bowl.

pour over the potatoes and toss to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until the potatoes are tender.

remove the cover and sprinkle with the parsley. Reduce the temperature to warm and serve directly from the cooker.

serves 8

I teach this dish to students across the country in my Do-Ahead Thanksgiving classes. Although the entire casserole is prepared outside the slow cooker, you can place it in a slow-cooker liner and refrigerate or freeze it before Thanksgiving Day, then simply pull it out of the fridge or defrost it and add it to the slow cooker when you are ready. The potatoes are whipped into an ethereal mound and garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and butter—heaven on a plate! You’ll be so smug at holiday time when you are able to keep the mashed potatoes warm and delicious for your family and friends.

8 large russet baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.

cook the potatoes in salted water to cover until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.

drain the potatoes thoroughly and put them in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, the cream cheese, and sour cream and beat until fluffy and light. Stir in the chives (if using). Season with salt and pepper.

transfer the potato mixture to the slow-cooker insert and top with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and ¼ cup Parmesan. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, until the butter is melted and the potatoes are heated through.

serve the potatoes from the cooker set on warm.

serves 8

omit the Parmesan and add 1½ cups crumbled blue cheese to the potatoes when beating the potatoes with cream cheese.

cook 6 to 8 strips bacon until crisp, then drain and crumble. Add the bacon when beating the potatoes.

substitute finely shredded white Cheddar cheese for the Parmesan (also great with bacon).

add ½ to ¾ cup caramelized sliced onions while beating the potatoes.

substitute 8 ounces herbed goat cheese for the cream cheese.

substitute one 2-ounce package Boursin cheese for the cream cheese.

Multicolor fingerling potatoes take a bath in butter and seasonings, then receive a dusting of fresh parsley and grated Parmesan. Serve this side dish with roasted meats or poultry. If fingerlings aren’t available, small (about 1 inch in diameter) red potatoes, Yukon golds, or white creamers work well here.

2½ pounds fingerling potatoes (about twenty-four 2½-inch potatoes), scrubbed and cut in half

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

¼ cup olive oil

6 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

1½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnishing

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnishing

put the potatoes in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the butter, oil, sage, salt, and pepper and stir to distribute the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until the potatoes are tender.

combine the parsley and cheese in a small bowl and sprinkle over the top of the potatoes.

serve the potatoes immediately.

serves 6

The story is told that in France, at the end of the day, after the boulangerie had baked its bread, it would make its ovens available to its customers for them to roast their meats. The meat would roast on a top rack, and a gratin of potatoes would bake below, collecting the drippings from the roasts. This dish is similar, with its flavor derived from bacon, leeks, and double-strength chicken broth, and finished with a bit of cream. The low and slow heat cooks the potatoes evenly, and this dish is perfect to serve with roasted meats or poultry. A mandoline or food processor makes short work of the potatoes.

6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

6 strips bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces

3 leeks, thinly sliced, using the white and some of the tender green parts

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 cup double-strength chicken broth

1½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 cup heavy cream

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions. Arrange the potatoes in the cooker and set aside.

cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Cook the leeks and thyme in the bacon drippings until the leeks are soft, 2 to 3 minutes.

add the chicken broth, salt, and Tabasco to the skillet and heat, scr aping up any brow ned bits from the bot tom of the pan. Pour the contents of the skillet over the potatoes and pour the heavy cream evenly over the potatoes. Cover and cook on high for 2½ to 3 hours, until the potatoes are tender.

serve from the slow cooker set on warm.

serves 6–8