Slow cooker goes back to work
With many returning to the workplace, the appliance shines again
Slow cookers are a busy cook’s blessing. With lots of us returning to away-from-home work after a long shutdown, the gizmos offer an opportunity to come home to a hot, homecooked meal. Most slow cookers offer a stay-warm option, so even if dishes are set to be finished before the ETA, the food can remain at a ready-to-eat temp.
The trick is to find concoctions with ingredients that adapt well to long, gentle heat. Dairy products can curdle and separate when cooked for long periods. Noodles and spaghetti generally will not withstand long periods of cooking; the strands clump together in a sticky mass. Frozen peas and frozen corn are not recommended for long periods of cooking, because they will darken and quickly become overcooked. Soft-flesh fish and shellfish may disintegrate, darken or, in the case of shrimp, become exceedingly tough.
A word of caution: Probably the most common mistake made in slow cooking is adding too much liquid. Excess liquid makes slowcooked dishes taste bland. Liquids don’t boil away as in conventional cooking. Usually, you have more liquid at the end of cooking instead of less. Use about half the recommended amount of a conventionally cooked recipe.
Among my favorite slow cooker recipes is Baked Apples With Cranberries, Pecans, and Brown Sugar. It can serve as a scrumptious breakfast treat or dinnertime dessert. Chicken à la Veracruzana is another standby, which stands on its own as a one-dish meal or serves as a delicious soft taco filling.
Give these recipes a try and I think you’ll be glad you dusted off your slow cooker. They work best with a large (minimum 5 quarts) slow cooker.
Chicken à la Veracruzana
For tacos, cook as directed through Step 2. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred meat, discarding bones. Remove potatoes and coarsely mash. Return chicken and potatoes to sauce. Stir in olives and parsley. Serve with a dozen warm tortillas. Yield: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
4 medium (about 1 pound total) red potatoes, each cut into 6wedges, or 1 pound baby Dutch Yellow potatoes, cut in halves
6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin pulled off and discarded 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice, drained 3-5canned pickled whole jalapeños, stemmed, seeds removed, cut into strips
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1⁄8 teaspoon dried thyme
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Salt
1⁄4-1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped green olives (Manzanilla preferred) 1⁄4 cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped Italian parsley
Cook’s notes: Manzanilla olives are sold at my supermarket stuffed with pimientos. They are small and have a welcome perky edge; I cut them in half, throw the occasional pimiento into the mix and stir the remaining red bits into seasoned cream cheese for a tasty spread.
PROCEDURE
1: Spread potatoes over bottom of slow cooker and top with skinned, bone-in chicken.
2: In a medium bowl, mix tomatoes, jalapeños, garlic, Worcestershire, thyme, cloves, cinnamon and scant 2 teaspoons salt. Pour evenly over chicken. Cover and cook on low setting for 6hours (the dish can be held in the slow cooker’s “keep warm” function for 2 additional hours).
3: Using a large slotted spoon, carefully transfer a portion of chicken and potatoes to each of 6 rimmed dinner plates, leaving as much sauce behind as possible. Mix olives and parsley into sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Spoon sauce over chicken. Source: Adapted from “Mexican Everyday,” by Rick Bayless (Norton, $29.95)
Rigatoni With Riblet-Enriched Sauce
This tasty pasta dish serves a crowd when accompanied by a selection of salads.
Yield: 6generous servings
INGREDIENTS
3pounds St. Louis-style pork spareribs, see cook’s notes Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced 8 large garlic cloves, minced 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
8 whole cloves enclosed in cheesecloth tied with string
1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
1 pound dried rigatoni, rigatoni rigate (ridged surface) preferred Garnish: finely chopped Italian parsley, grated Parmesan cheese Cook’s notes: St. Louis-style pork spareribs are the meatier ribs cut from the belly of the hog. I buy them at Costco, where they are cut into 1 1⁄2-2-inch slabs. If you don’t see them at your supermarket, ask the butcher for St. Louis ribs cut across the bones.
PROCEDURE
1: Turn ribs over on the side where you can see the bones. Cut between the bones to make individual riblets. Season with coarse salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
2: Place canned tomatoes along with their juice in food processor. Process until smooth with some small pieces of tomatoes; set aside.
3: Heat oil in large, deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add ribs and sauté to brown on top and bottom (you may need to do this in two batches). Remove ribs to a slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Add onions to skillet and cook until softened, about 3-4minutes. Add garlic, thyme, cloves and nutmeg, Stir and simmer for 1minute. Stir in tomatoes from the food processor, tomato paste and wine. Boil mixture until reduced in volume by one-third, about 6minutes. Pour mixture into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low setting for 6hours or high setting for 3hours, until pork is tender and falling off the bones.
4: Discard cheesecloth bag that contains the cloves. Place cooked and drained pasta on large, deep platter and spoon ribs and sauce over all. Top generously with parsley and pass the Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
Baked Apples With Cranberries, Pecans and Brown Sugar
These baked apples are delicious served for breakfast or as a homey dessert.
Yield: 4 breakfast servings, 8for dessert
INGREDIENTS
1⁄4 cup melted butter
1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped pecans 1⁄2 cup dried cranberries
1⁄2 cup (packed) light brown sugar 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 medium Granny Smith apples, cored
1 cup apple juice
For serving: whipped cream or heavy whipping cream
PROCEDURE
1: In a microwave-safe container, melt butter in the microwave (about 25 seconds). Stir to melt any unmelted bits. Stir in pecans, cranberries, brown sugar and cinnamon. Using your fingers, pack filling into apples and make a small mound on top. Place in slow cooker. You will have about 1⁄3 of the filling left; set this aside. Pour juice around (not on) apples.
2: Cover and cook on low setting for 6hours or high setting for 3 hours, until apples are tender. Transfer each apple to a shallow serving bowl. If serving for breakfast, pour a nice puddle (about 1⁄3 cup) cream around each apple and sprinkle cream with reserved fruit-sugar mixture. If serving for dessert, cut each apple in half and place each half in a shallow bowl. Garnish with whipped cream. Sprinkle each serving with reserved fruit-sugar mixture. Source: Adapted from “175Essential Slow Cooker Classics,” by Judith Finlayson (Robert Rose, $24.95)