The Gourmet Slow Cooker Volume II (9 page)

6 medium onions, any color, peeled and cut into quarters

1 cup chicken stock or water

1 cup tomato sauce

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup golden raisins

¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted, for garnish

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

In a coffee mill or using a mortar and pestle, grind the cinnamon, cloves, and allspice to a fine powder. Place the spices and onions in the cooker and add the water or chicken stock.

Cook on low for 6 hours, or until onions are tender. Add the tomato sauce, salt, and raisins and cook for 30 minutes more. Top with the almonds and parsley and serve immediately.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A Rueda verdejo, a fruity and fresh Spanish wine, like the one from Oro de Castilla, or a light-bodied Côtes du Rhône or pinot noir.

Spicy Chocolate Truffles

The gentle heat supplied by the slow cooker is an effortless way to temper chocolate without having to use a double boiler, standing over the pot to keep careful watch. With the small amount of chocolate required, the recipe works better in a 3-quart slow cooker rather than a 5-quart, for better control over the melting process. The recipe can also be doubled for double the chocolate indulgence.

Makes about 18 truffles

16 ounces bittersweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate chips

⅔ cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup coffee beans, finely ground

2 cinnamon sticks

4 whole cloves

6 allspice berries

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Confectioners’ sugar, for powdering

Combine the chocolate, cream, butter, and coffee in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 40 to 60 minutes, until the chocolate melts. Stir once or twice during the cooking time, just to make sure that the chocolate does not stick to the bottom or sides of the crock. Whisk the mixture vigorously when it is nearly melted.

Pour the melted chocolate onto a plate or into a glass bowl and place in the refrigerator for between ½ and 1 hour, until it is hard enough to form into small balls.

Combine the cinnamon, cloves, and allspice in a coffee mill or using a mortar and pestle and grind them to a coarse powder. Transfer to a small bowl, add the cocoa powder, and mix thoroughly.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Using a spoon or mini ice cream scoop, scoop out spoonfuls of the chocolate mixture and roll with your hands into balls the size of walnuts. (This is a great job for kids. Just have plenty of paper towels on hand!) Roll the balls in the cocoa mixture and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Place the truffles in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Sprinkle the truffles with the confectioners’ sugar and allow to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A good strong cup of espresso or a lovely sparkling wine from Gruet Winery in New Mexico.

Making this rich, delicious dessert is a no-brainer in the slow cooker. Serve with freshly whipped cream.

Serves 4

4 cups half-and-half

⅔ cup sugar

¼ cup good-quality instant espresso powder

½ teaspoon pure maple extract

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

6 eggs

Generously butter the slow cooker insert.

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until thoroughly mixed. Pour into the prepared slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 2½ hours, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If the edges of the custard begin to puff, it’s time to turn off the heat.

Turn off the cooker, remove the insert, and let the custard cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Place in the refrigerator and let cool for at least 4 hours before serving.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A good cuppa Joe, or the Late Harvest White Riesling from Hogue Cellars in Prosser, Washington.

The name of this dessert or breakfast treat comes from colonial settlers in New England who substituted corn, or “Indian meal,” to make English pudding when wheat flour was in short supply. The pudding is sublime when served with clotted cream, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.

Serves 4

4 cups whole milk

½ cup heavy whipping cream or half-and-half

½ cup medium to coarse cornmeal

¼ cup molasses

3 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg or ground ginger

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 eggs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)

Lightly grease the insert of a 2½- to 3-quart slow cooker. Combine all the ingredients in the cooker and whisk together thoroughly. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until set.

Allow to cool slightly, then spoon generous portions into bowls.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A classic dessert wine such as a Canadian ice wine or one from the Greek Samos Co-op.

This is a flavorful variation on the timeless pineapple upside-down cake. Here dried apricots are used, but the cake can be made with a variety of dried or preserved fruits with equally good results. It’s excellent topped with a dollop of whipped cream, ice cream, or creamy Greek-style yogurt.

Serves 6

2 cups dried apricots

½ cup water or apple juice

¼ cup unsalted butter

1½ cups brown sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

½ cup molasses

½ cup warm water

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

In a bowl, combine the dried apricots with the ½ cup water or apple juice and soak overnight.

Place the butter, ½ cup of the brown sugar, and the apricots in the slow cooker and cook on high until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Stir to coat the apricots. Spread the coated apricots evenly over the bottom of the cooker.

In a large bowl, beat together the oil, remaining 1 cup brown sugar, and the egg until thoroughly mixed. Beat in the molasses and the ½ cup warm water. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and ginger and mix well. Gently pour the batter over the apricots and spread evenly.

Cook on high for about 2½ hours, or until a knife or skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Halfway through the cooking, using pot holders, carefully lift the insert out of the slow cooker and turn it around to ensure even cooking.

To unmold the cake, place a large plate over the cooker insert. Tightly gripping them together with pot holders, invert the insert over the plate. The cake should slip out easily. Scoop into bowls and serve immediately.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A Canadian ice wine such as Gray Monk from the Okanagan Valley, which has a lovely note of apricot.

These poached pears are especially luscious with their Pacific Rim accent. Locally grown, in-season, organic pears are far superior for this slow-cooked dessert than store-bought fruit shipped from far away.

Serves 4

3 cups water

2 cinnamon sticks

2 allspice berries

One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1⅔ cups sugar

4 very firm pears, sliced in half lengthwise and seeded

Add the water, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and sugar to the slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour.

Remove and discard the spices and ginger. Place the pear halves in the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours, until the pears are just tender when pierced with a fork. Turn carefully once or twice during the cooking to ensure the flavors are evenly distributed.

To serve, place the pears on a serving platter or individual plates and spoon the poaching liquid over the top. Serve piping hot or chilled.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
Try a Zinfandel port with this.

Georgia Peach Cobbler

Although native to China, peaches have been grown in Georgia since breeders began developing new varieties during the early 1900s. And while pecans are native to Texas, today they too are grown commercially in Georgia. This is a simple cobbler that requires little attention after the ingredients have been assembled and put in to cook, and it tastes simply delicious.

Serves 4

6 large peaches (about 2½ pounds), peeled and sliced

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup rolled oats

½ cup packed brown sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Combine the peaches, cinnamon, and granulated sugar in a large bowl and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, and butter in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture is the consistency of coarse cornmeal. Add the pecans and stir in with a spoon. Spread the crumble evenly over the peaches.

Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours, until the peaches are tender, the juices are bubbling around the sides, and the topping is cooked through.

SUGGESTED
BEVERAGE:
A good dessert wine.

Stock made on the low setting of your slow cooker will be clearer than one that has been brought to a boil on the stovetop. It’s cheaper to make stock than to buy it, and it tastes a whole lot better. And homemade stock can be refrigerated overnight so that most of the congealed fat can be removed the next day.

I always keep bags of frozen poultry, meat, and fish bones in the freezer. Each time I have leftover parts from a recipe, I toss them into the bag, and when I have a sufficient amount of bones, I make a stock. And I always use organic meats, poultry, fish, and vegetables to avoid ingesting concentrations of pesticides.

Makes 8 cups

Chicken or Turkey Stock

2½ pounds chicken or turkey necks, backs, and giblets

8 cups water

Fish Stock

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 pound fish heads and bones

1 celery stalk, cut into chunks

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 whole garlic cloves, peeled

8 cups water

Meat Stock

1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 pound short ribs or bones

1 celery stalk, cut in chunks

1 large carrot, cut in chunks

1 small bunch parsley

4 whole garlic cloves, peeled

8 cups water

For each stock, combine all ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until all the meat has fallen off the bones.

Strain the stock through a medium-meshed sieve into a bowl. Refrigerate overnight, then skim off the congealed fat the next day. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.