The Great American Slow Cooker Book (81 page)

1
Stir the corn, bell pepper, broth, onion, parsley, vinegar, sugar, and butter in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until the butter melts and the sauce is bubbling.

2
Nestle the fillets in the sauce. Cover and continue cooking on high for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until the fish is firm and opaque.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
A juicy corn relish makes an excellent poaching sauce for fish fillets, particularly thick ones that need a little extra cooking and so can stand up to the time it takes to get the relish to the right consistency.

•
For heat, add up to 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes with the corn kernels.

Serve It Up!
Transfer the fillets to serving plates, then spoon the sauce into hot, split-open baked potatoes.

1
Mix the cabbage, apple, chickpeas, onion, salt, pepper, and thyme sprigs in the slow cooker. Pour the wine over the top. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or until the mixture is like a thick stew.

2
Nestle the fish in the cabbage mixture. Cover and continue cooking on high for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the fillets are firm and opaque.

3
As the fish cooks, whisk the olive oil, shallot, cumin seeds, vinegar, and lime juice in a small bowl. Transfer the fillets and the cabbage mixture to serving plates; drizzle the vinaigrette over each serving.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
Here’s a slow cooker fish that’s good enough for a Christmas Eve dinner. The drizzled aromatic dressing takes the whole thing right over the top.

•
Shred the apple through the large holes of a box grater. The shredding blade of a food processor can “juice” the apple, making it dry in the sauce.

•
Crush the cumin seeds on a cutting board under a large saucepan or heavy pot.

1
Heat a large skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Swirl in the oil, then add the celery, carrots, and onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent and softens a bit, between 4 and 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for a few seconds, until aromatic.

2
Scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker. Stir in the tomatoes, capers, oregano, marjoram, and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

3
Stir in the fish and parsley. Cover, set the heat on high, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the fish bits are cooked through and the flavors have blended. Serve the ragù over the cooked pasta in bowls.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
This rib-sticking ragù would be great over wide noodles of almost any sort, or even over soba noodles.

•
For a richer finish, replace half the stated olive oil quantity with unsalted butter.

•
Because of the lack of evaporation, don’t expect a reduced ragù. The sauce will be thinner than a ragù simmered on the stovetop. If that bothers you, you can partially drain the tomatoes before adding them.

•
Chopping fish can be a chore; make sure your blade is sharp. If you notice any sticking, coat the blade with nonstick spray before continuing.

•
Wider noodles are better here—no angel hair pasta, please, because it will just clump without melding with the sauce.

1
Pour the oil into the slow cooker. Slip the salmon into it to let the oil cover the fillet generously and fully. If it does not cover, add more oil until it does. Lift the fillet out of the oil, letting any excess oil drain back into the cooker. Set the fillet on a plate, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

2
Stir the garlic, lemon zest, and thyme into the oil in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.

3
Slip the fillet skin side down back into the oil. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours in a small slow cooker, 2½ hours in a medium one, or 3 hours in a large model, or until the thickest part of the fillet will flake when pricked with a fork. Use a wide spatula (or two) to lift the fillet from the oil and onto a serving platter.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
There’s no better method for poaching salmon—and no richer fish dinner. You can serve it warm with a simple vinaigrette or even
aïoli
; or you can refrigerate it, covered, for up to 2 days for a cold lunch or quick dinner.

•
You place the oil and salmon in the slow cooker first to measure the exact amount of oil you’ll need to keep the salmon submerged while it cooks.

•
Don’t use an expensive olive oil; instead, select a sturdy, first-cold-pressed version that has the distinct aroma of tart olives. Unfortunately, the poaching oil won’t be much good afterward.

•
Serve the salmon by lifting portions off the skin (which has a compromised, squishy texture after poaching).

•
For olive oil–poached halibut, substitute an equivalent amount of skinless halibut fillet.

Serve It Up!
For the best-ever salmon salad for sandwiches or wraps, flake some of the meat into a bowl and mix with mayonnaise, minced shallot, thinly sliced celery, and a dash of pickle relish.

1
Stir the wine, broth, onion, salt, pepper, and celery seeds in the slow cooker. Tuck in the tarragon, then cover and cook on high for 2 hours.

2
Slip the salmon pieces into the sauce. Cover and continue cooking on high for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the flesh is opaque and easily flakes with a fork. Use a large, slotted spatula to transfer the pieces to serving plates or a serving platter. Discard the poaching liquid.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
With this easy preparation, the fillets come out moist every time. Leaving the skin on the salmon not only adds a lot of flavor but also helps the sections hold together as they poach.

•
There’s a range of time here because salmon fillets have a range of thickness: very thin ones, no more than ½ inch thick, will certainly be done in 20 minutes; thicker portions may take a bit longer. In no case should you walk away from the cooker to do much more than set the table.

Serve It Up!
The poaching liquid will be a tad too fishy to make a good sauce, so prepare a creamy, homemade
Aïoli
(
ay-OH-lee
): Whisk 2 large egg yolks, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper in a medium bowl until creamy and smooth. Press one or two peeled garlic cloves through a garlic press and into the mixture, then begin drizzling in olive oil as you whisk. The exact amount will be determined by the density of the egg yolks and even ambient factors like humidity and temperature. However, you’ll probably end up adding about 1 cup. Whisk all the while, dribbling the oil in the smallest stream, until you get a thick, rich, mayonnaise-like sauce. Save back any leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can even chill the salmon and serve it cold with the aïoli on the side.