The Gourmet Slow Cooker Volume II (7 page)

Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, until the potatoes are very tender.

A half hour before serving, pour in the cream evenly over the fish.

Divide the fish and vegetables among 4 shallow bowls and garnish each with 5 green olives and a dusting of Parmesan cheese. Serve hot with a loaf of crusty bread.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Gewürztraminer.

Spring greens are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which makes them all the better to eat after a long winter. Tender arugula or baby spinach enrich the corn, making a perfect accompaniment to chili, grilled steak, or a vegetarian main dish.

Serves 4

1 Anaheim chile, or 2 tablespoons canned diced jalapeño chiles

1 cup coarse grits

4 cups chicken stock or water

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 cup loosely packed baby arugula or spinach

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces Monterey Jack, grated

Preheat the broiler. Slice the chile in half, discarding its veins and seeds, and arrange skin side up on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler and grill for about 10 minutes, until the skin is blackened. Cover the chile with a damp kitchen towel and let rest for about 20 minutes. Peel off the skin or scrape it off using a paring knife. Chop the chile.

Place the grits, water, salt, and butter in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 3 hours, until the water is absorbed and the grits are tender. Thirty minutes before serving, stir in the onion, arugula, roasted chile, and cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle into bowls and top each portion with a sprinkling of cheese. Serve at once.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A light-colored beer.

This recipe comes from the grandmother of Mike Thompson, the U.S. congressman who represents the California counties of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino—wine country. Home to many Italian immigrants, the region inspires this red wine and sun-dried tomato risotto. The grandmotherly way to prepare it is, of course, to use a ladle rather than a measuring cup to add stock.

Serves 4

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1½ cups Arborio rice

1 cup red wine

5 to 6 cups chicken stock

¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and minced

About ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the butter and olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for about 7 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and rice and sauté for 5 minutes, until the rice is slightly translucent.

Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker and add the wine, stock, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Just before serving, stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
Since you already have a bottle of red wine open to prepare this unusual risotto, it’s a natural pairing. I suggest a Napa Cab.

Shredded meat is a staple in both Mexican and southwestern kitchens, and is a perfect side to make in a slow cooker. It can be used to fill tacos, burritos, and tostadas or can just be tossed with scrambled eggs for breakfast. The following simple recipe can be made with beef, pork, or even turkey. Cooking times may vary according to type and cut of meat, but in general, when your desired result is meat that can easily be shredded, anything cooked for 6 to 8 hours ought to work out fine.

Makes 3 pounds of shredded meat

2 pounds beef chuck or brisket, pork butt or shoulder, or turkey breast or leg

1 teaspoon salt

1 yellow onion, cut into large chunks

4 cloves garlic, whole

1 quart water

Trim the meat of all fat. Place the meat, salt, onion, garlic, and water in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, until the meat is very tender. Remove the meat from the cooker, allow it to cool, and then shred it using your fingers or 2 forks. The stock can be frozen for later use in soups or stews.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A blond beer.

This bread pudding is savory, not sweet. A melding of the delicious southwestern flavors of corn, chiles, coriander, cumin, and cheese, it makes a wonderful side dish to a roasted loin of pork or beef.

Serves 4

Cornbread

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

⅓ cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil

1½ cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 long green Anaheim or poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, and diced

½ cup chopped green onions, white and light green parts

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups very coarsely chopped fresh chard leaves and stems or spinach

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed

2 cups buttermilk or milk

4 eggs

2 cups canned green enchilada sauce

To make the cornbread, preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour the batter into a greased 9 by 9-inch baking pan and bake for about 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove the cornbread from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

When cool enough to handle, cut or break the cornbread into 1½-inch cubes and place in a bowl. Using your hands, mix in the corn kernels, chile, green onions, cheddar, Monterey Jack, chard, coriander, and cumin. Transfer to the slow cooker.

In a blender, combine the buttermilk, eggs, and enchilada sauce and mix well. Pour over the ingredients in the cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 3 hours, until the pudding is set. Serve immediately.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A southwestern beer, or even a lighter style, fruity red wine.

Exactly what makes this rice Spanish has never been clear, but with this collection of tasty Tex-Mex ingredients, it is clear why it’s such a delicious dish. It also easily becomes vegetarian if you omit the shredded meat and stock. Please note that rice prepared in the slow cooker will not retain the shape and individuality of each grain as it would in a rice cooker.

Serves 4

3 poblano chiles, halved, stemmed, and seeded

6 tomatoes, halved

3 cloves garlic

1 large white onion, cut into 6 pieces

1½ cups Shredded Beef

2 cups uncooked rice

3 cups beef stock or water

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup grated Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese

½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish

Sour cream, for garnish

Preheat the broiler. Place the chiles, tomatoes, and onion skin side up on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler and grill for about 10 minutes, until the skins are blackened. Cover the vegetables with a damp kitchen towel and let rest for about 20 minutes. Peel off the chile and tomato skins or scrape them off using a paring knife. Slice the chiles into ¼-inch strips and coarsely chop the tomatoes, garlic, and onion.

Spread half of the shredded meat in a layer in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour the rice on top of the meat. Spoon in a layer of the roasted chiles, tomatoes, and onion. Add the remaining meat and the rice. Spoon on the remaining chiles, tomatoes, and onion.

Combine the water or stock and salt in a small bowl and stir until the salt is dissolved. Pour into the cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.

About 15 minutes before serving, sprinkle the cheese over the top of the casserole. Serve hot sprinkled with parsley and a dollop of sour cream.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A good Mexican beer or Mexican red wine. If you’d like a special treat and can find it, try Vino de Piedra, a superb blend of Cab and Tempranillo from the Guadalupe Valley’s Casa de Piedra.

Although this dish has its origins in the Caribbean, it can be found in Florida and any other area in which there are Jamaican or Caribbean immigrants. It makes a hearty side and a good accompaniment to roasted pork loin.

Serves 4

2 cups dried red or pink beans

4 cups chicken stock or water

2 tablespoons barley

1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, undrained

1 bay leaf

6 cloves garlic

10 allspice berries, crushed

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 Scotch bonnet chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes

½ pound spicy sausage, cut into rounds

Salt

1 lean bacon slice

2 green onions, white and light green parts only, finely chopped, for garnish

Combine the beans, water, barley, tomatoes, bay leaf, garlic, allspice, ginger, brown sugar, and chile in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Add the squash and sausage and continue to cook for 2 hours, until the flavors meld. (The squash and sausage can be added when you first put the dish on to cook, but I prefer the more distinctive shape and flavors that remain with the shorter cooking time.) Season to taste with salt.

Place a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, turning, until crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain, and then crumble.

Spoon the beans into bowls and serve hot, garnished with the bacon and green onions.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A good Jamaican beer such as Red Stripe.

Stewed Tomatoes

In the South, a Blue Plate Special was historically a quick and inexpensive meal for travelers served on popular Blue Willow china. The term came into common usage in the early 1900s at diners, where it was used to refer to the special of the day. Serve stewed tomatoes as a side to your own Blue Plate Special, such as fried chicken or chicken-fried steak.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 celery stalks, cut into ½-inch dice

1 yellow onion, cut into ½-inch dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 large ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

Pinch of ground allspice

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the butter. Add the celery and onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, sugar, and allspice and cook for 10 minutes, until heated through.

Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours, until the tomatoes have broken down. Just before serving, add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
Since stewed tomatoes are likely to be a side dish, you’re better off matching your drink with your main course.

Serves 4

Lima beans and ham hocks are true southern soul food. The beans supply protein and energy-rich carbohydrates, and the ham adds delicious flavor.

1 pound dried lima beans, thoroughly rinsed

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, diced

2 small carrots, diced

8 cups chicken stock or water

1 ham hock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Place the lima beans in the slow cooker.

Place a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and sauté for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned.

Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker and add the water and ham hock. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours. Remove the ham hock and strip it of as much fat as you can. Return the meat to the pot and continue to cook for 1 hour, until the beans are very tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve hot, garnished with the parsley.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A hearty red wine (commonly drunk with bean dishes in Italy and France) or a good beer.