Around the World in Your Slow Cooker E-Book

Victoria Shearer

• Herausgeber: Fox Chapel Publishing
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Seitenzahl: 197

Beschreibung

People have braised meat to get mouthwatering meals for centuries. And in today's busy society, there is nothing better than coming home from work and dinner is already done. Perfect for those busy days, Around the World in Your Slow Cooker joins the ease of crock pot, slow cooker, Dutch oven, or Instant Pot cooking with worldwide culinary tastes for family dinner, Sunday football watch parties, card night, or a romantic dinner for two. Around the World in Your Slow Cooker features 85 delectable recipes from around the world including Beef and Onion Potpie from Africa, Russian Beef Stew, Stuffed Sweet Onions from Cuba, Stuffed Grape Leaves with Lemon Sauce from Greece, Chicken Marengo from Italy, Black-eyed Peas with Tomatoes, Mushroom, and Onions from India, Beef Penang Curry from Thailand and so much more! Your family's tastebuds won't know what hit them, and it's a great way to introduce new flavors! If you love to taste new cuisines or have an adventurous palette, Around the World in Your Slow Cooker is the book you need to create masterpiece mouthwatering meals.

Leseprobe

© 2024 by Victoria Shearer and Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc.

Around the World in Your Slow Cooker is an original work, first published in 2024 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holders.

ISBN 978-1-4971-0471-6 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-4971-0472-3 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-63741-375-3 (e-pub)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024935763

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INTRODUCTION

Who doesn’t crave a tasty restaurant quality meal that practically cooks itself? As a former travel writer, I’ve had the opportunity to visit myriad countries throughout the world and experience the unique flavor combinations brought forth in the cuisines of a wide variety of cultures. In developing this book, I set out to revisit global slow-cooked culinary classics and convert them for use in the modern-day slow cooker, which has enjoyed a renaissance in the twenty-first century. Today’s home cooks have never been busier, their lives filled with careers, families, friends, and hobbies. But that doesn’t mean they don’t long for the flavors experienced on their last vacation in Europe or that they aren’t curious about undiscovered culinary treats from foreign lands they’ve only read about. Whether you are an armchair traveler or a seasoned globe-trotter, pairing your adventurous palate with a slow cooker and this book will take your whole family on a flavor-packed journey.

Since the discovery of fire, humans have been slow cooking. A time-honored technique, this moist heat cooking—cooking in a constantly moving environment of liquid or steam—is now known as braising (from the French word braise, meaning ember). A good braise relies on the combination of dry and wet heat: dry—a good browning sear first put on the meat in a frying pan; and wet—long, slow cooking at a low temperature in a small amount of liquid. From the South African potjiekos, the Persian khoresh, the Moroccan tagine, and the Indian curry to the first American hearth-cooked stew, braised food has been a culinary staple the world over for centuries.

The Rival Company’s 1970 release of the Crock Pot® slow cooker revolutionized this slow cooking process. Today, all slow cookers, no matter the brand, are based on the same simple design. Low-wattage heating coils are sandwiched between inner and outer metal walls, wrapping around the sides and bottom of the slow cooker. A stoneware, metal, or clay insert, which holds the food, fits inside the slow cooker cavity. The coils heat up, the space between the inner and outer walls heats up, and the indirect heat is transferred to the insert, which cooks the ingredients slowly and steadily. These devices make traditional braising techniques accessible in every kitchen.

So get ready, get your passport, and go around the world in your slow cooker: to the Middle East for Lebanese Orange-Apricot Chicken (here); South Africa for Cape Malay Lamb Curry (here); or India for Rogan Josh (here); or perhaps to France for Beef Bourguignon (here); Asia for Chinese Red Cooked Beef (here); or Great Britain for Currant-Glazed Corned Beef (here). Then head back to North America for some Autumn Harvest Pork Roast (here), Chuckwagon Cowboy Chili (here), or a sweet Strawberry-Blueberry Crumble (here).

Tagine cookware slowly cooks a meal over wood charcoal. You can achieve similar textures and flavors in your slow cooker.

Bon Appétit! Buon appetito! Guten Appetit! ¡Buen provecho! Enjoy your meal!

CONTENTS

Introduction

Slow Cooker Savvy

Slow Cooking Tips

Dos and Don’ts

Hearty Soups and Starters

Beef, Lamb, and Veal

Poultry and Pork

Pasta, Sauces, and Sides

Desserts

Index of Recipes by Country/Region

Index

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Today’s slow cookers come in a wide variety of sizes and styles.

SLOW COOKER SAVVY

I used four different models of slow cookers in developing and testing the recipes in this book:

• 6-quart (5.7L) programmable cooker with a temperature probe and spoon lid

• 5½-quart (5.2L) cooker with a stove-top searing insert

• a slow cooker with 2-quart (1.9L) and 4-quart (3.8L) interchangeable inserts

• 1½-quart (1.4L) cooker with a lid latch

The two larger slow cookers were great when cooking for six or more or when cooking a roast, ribs, or whole chicken or making soup. The small slow cooker worked wonderfully well for small amounts and sauces. The most versatile, however, and my personal favorite, was the slow cooker with the interchangeable inserts. The 4-quart (3.8L) insert was perfect for many recipes serving four to six; the 2-quart (1.9L) insert worked well for servings for two people, and also for vegetarian dishes. (Both of the smaller slow cookers also are great for dips or desserts to accompany your entrées.)

In my extensive testing, I found that the slow cookers all cooked much faster than the manufacturer’s stated times for recipe conversions. I found that in most cases, one hour of conventional cooking equaled about four to five hours in the slow cooker on the “low” setting. If meat or poultry cooked for more than six hours, it was likely “falling off the bone” or shredding, both of which are fine for many recipes, like Pulled Pork Tenderloin (here) or Russian Beef Stroganoff (here) but are undesirable for Greek Pork Chops (here) or Herbed Chicken Dijon (here).

When it comes to slow cookers, size matters. The cooking insert should be a minimum of one-half full and a maximum of three-quarters full to allow the ingredients to cook in the amount of time stated in a recipe. Filling a slow cooker less than this will cause the ingredients to cook much faster, so it is important that you choose the right size slow cooker when making a recipe. Small slow cookers are offered in 1½-quart, 2-quart, 2½-quart, and 3-quart (1.4L, 1.9L, 2.4L, and 2.8L) sizes. Medium cookers come in 3½-quart, 4-quart, and 4½-quart (3.3L, 3.8L, 4.3L) sizes. Large slow cookers have 5-quart, 5½-quart, 6-quart, 7-quart, 8-quart, and 10-quart (4.7L, 5.2L, 5.7L, 6.6L, 7.6L, and 9.5L) capacities. Most of the appliances are reasonably priced. If your budget allows and you have the storage space, invest in a couple sizes of slow cookers for maximum versatility.

Multicookers have also become very popular in recent years because they allow you to execute a number of different cooking methods, including slow cooking. They are often significantly more expensive, however.

My interchangeable 4-quart/2-quart slow cooker is no longer manufactured, but newer models perform similar functions. For example, some 6-quart slow cookers accept two 2½-quart inserts to allow greater versatility.

Slow Cooking Tips

These slow cooking tips will help ensure culinary success every time.

•When converting recipes for use in a slow cooker, use half the liquid called for in the original recipe. Liquids do not evaporate in a slow cooker and the condensation under the lid adds ½ to 1 cup (120 to 240mL) of liquid during the cooking process.

•If you double one of the recipes in this book, use twice as many dry ingredients but only 50 percent more liquid. Make sure you use a slow cooker that is half to two-thirds full when all the ingredients are added. The cooking time will remain the same.

•Use fresh vegetables unless the recipe advises otherwise, cut them into uniform pieces, and add them at the proper times. Canned or frozen vegetables will overcook. Cutting your vegetables into uniform pieces will ensure that they cook consistently and evenly. Put tender vegetables, like asparagus or snow peas, into the slow cooker during the final hour of cooking. Root vegetables cook more slowly than meat, so put them in the bottom of the slow cooker and around the sides of the meat so they are closer to the heating element in the walls of the slow cooker.

Fresh vegetables hold up better in the slow cooker than canned or frozen.

Buy fresh herbs; rinse, dry, and snip them; then transfer them to labeled zipper bags to freeze them for up to a year.

•Brown ground beef in a skillet on the stove and drain it in a colander before placing it in the slow cooker. This will eliminate excess grease.

•It’s best to use uncooked pasta in your slow cooker and add it at the right time. Cooked pasta doesn’t hold up well in the long slow cooking process. When making lasagna or macaroni and cheese, the uncooked pasta forms the backbone of the dish and should be placed in the slow cooker at the very start. (Make sure you have plenty of liquid.) For a soup, add the uncooked pasta during the final 30 to 45 minutes of the cooking process.

•Use evaporated milk and processed cheese instead of milk or cream and regular cheese when converting recipes for a slow cooker. Dairy products may break down in the slow cooker— prolonged cooking causes fresh dairy to separate and curdle. You can, however, add milk or cream to “finish” a recipe, adding it only in the final 15 minutes of cooking. Use processed cheese instead of regular cheese unless you plan to add the cheese in the final few minutes of cooking.

•Add seafood within the final 30 minutes to 1 hour of cooking. Seafood doesn’t take long to cook.

•Stews and casseroles can be held on warm for up to two hours. Dishes with fragile ingredients, such as seafood, dairy products, or pasta, should not be held.

•Two hours on the “low” heat setting equals one hour on the “high” setting. This conversion is useful if you want to cook recipes faster.

•A well-stocked spice stash is a must, especially when creating ethnic cuisine from around the world. There are many online options for sourcing unusual spices, and many spice manufacturers have brick-andmortar retail locations, as well.

•Use fresh or frozen-fresh herbs where possible. Fresh herbs are used extensively to flavor the unique cuisines around the world. I buy bundles of fresh herbs when they are inexpensive and plentiful in the summer season, then I rinse and dry them, snip them, and transfer them to labeled zipper bags for freezing. Frozen herbs will keep in the freezer for a year, are easy to measure, and add a jolt of flavor freshness that dried herbs simply can’t muster.

•If you do use dried herbs, use one-third to one-half the amount of fresh herbs called for in the recipe. Dried herbs lose their potency over time, so use more if your dried herbs are older.

•Stir-in herb pastes are fantastic time-saving, flavor-boosting ingredients. These finely ground pastes (I most often use Gourmet Garden brand) last for months in the refrigerator and eliminate prep time spent mincing, chopping, and snipping. I always keep garlic and gingerroot stir-in paste in my refrigerator, but there are other single-herb stir-in pastes available, as well as ethnic herb and spice blends like Italian and Thai.

•Store nuts in the freezer to prevent them from becoming rancid. While dried fruits can be kept almost indefinitely in the pantry, only a few roasted nuts should be stored this way. I keep bags of chopped walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pistachios, pine nuts, and sliced almonds in my freezer. If you are using them in a recipe, you can use them frozen. If you want to add them to salads or use them as a garnish, dry-toast them in a skillet over low heat.

•Freeze grated citrus peel and citrus juices from overripe fruits. Fresh citrus juices and grated peel are essential elements in the cuisine of many of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, but they can be expensive to source elsewhere. Your grocery store may sell “overripe” oranges, limes, and lemons for a fraction of the price. If the peel is still unblemished, grate the citrus and then freeze it in a labeled zipper bag. You can also squeeze the fruit and freeze the juice in small plastic containers. Keep small bottles of lemon juice and lime juice in the refrigerator at all times. If a recipe calls for a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, it will always be at your fingertips.

Use ready-made pastes to save time without sacrificing flavor.

Countries in the Middle East and the Mediterranean Rim use alot of dried fruits and chopped nuts, such as apricots, dates, pistachios, and macadamia nuts, in their traditional dishes.

•Freeze unused pastes, sauces, and broths. Many recipes call for small amounts of tomato paste, tomato sauce, or even pesto, leaving a lot unused in the container. I wrap unused portions of tomato paste in cling wrap, form a cigar-shaped roll, and freeze it. When I need another tablespoon of paste, I simply unroll the cling wrap and cut off what I need with a sharp paring knife. I freeze extra tomato sauce and pesto in an ice cube tray and store the cubes in labeled zipper bags. I store unused chicken, beef, and vegetable broth in ½-cup (120mL) plastic containers in the freezer. They defrost in the microwave in seconds.

•Use sweet onions, like Vidalia or Walla Walla, in your recipes. These mild, sweet-tasting onions contain more sugar than the stronger-flavored Spanish yellow onions. Because of the higher sugar content, buy only the amount you’d use within two weeks and keep them refrigerated.

•Store shallots in the refrigerator. Shallots, a distant cousin of the onion, store well for months in the refrigerator. Very important in most cuisines of the world, shallots have a mild flavor with a hint of garlic. If a recipe calls for shallots and you don’t have them, use an equal amount of chopped onion and add a finely minced clove of garlic.

Dos and Don’ts

The following dos and don’ts include some food safety best practices and tips to ensure that your meals are properly cooked and flavorful.

DO defrost foods before cooking so that they reach a safe temperature quickly.

DON’T delay the start time or cook frozen items. Bacteria will form.

DO switch the temperature to the warm setting when food is cooked to hold it for up to two hours.

DON’T hold food on the off setting for more than one hour after cooking.

DO tip the lid away from the food when removing it, so the condensation liquid under the lid doesn’t go into the slow cooker.

DON’T lift the lid during cooking time to see how things are progressing. Each time you do, it takes the slow cooker 20 to 30 minutes to get back up to temperature, thereby increasing the cooking time. (When a recipe in this book indicates lifting the lid, I’ve already planned for increased cooking time.)

DO layer ingredients as directed in the recipe.

DON’T stir ingredients during cooking unless the recipe calls for it.

DO load the slow cooker with ingredients before turning on the heat.

DON’T preheat an empty slow cooker insert.

Proper ingredient preparation will ensure that everything cooks evenly, including in multicookers like this one (which have become more popular in recent years).

DO reheat already cooked food on the stove before transferring it to a slow cooker to keep hot on the low or warm setting.

DON’T reheat cold cooked food in the slow cooker on any setting.

DO use a hot pad when transferring the insert or lifting the lid. It will be hot.

DON’T wash the slow cooker insert until it comes to room temperature.

DO place the slow cooker on an uncluttered countertop.

DON’T use an extension cord to plug in a slow cooker. The power cord is made intentionally short to minimize danger from tangling, tripping, or dumping over the hot contents.

DO transfer cooked food to a covered container before refrigerating.

DON’T refrigerate cooked food in the slow cooker—the insert may crack.

HEARTY SOUPS AND STARTERS

These soups are hearty enough to be the main event.The starters are a great pre-dinner snack.

Chuckwagon Cowboy Chili

INSPIRATION: USA

Wicked Chicken Sausage White Chili with Lime Tortilla Strips

INSPIRATION: Mexico

Puy Lentil Soup

INSPIRATION: France

Chorizo and Split Pea Soup

INSPIRATION: USA

Mulligatawny Soup

INSPIRATION: India and England

Rhode Island Clam Chowder

INSPIRATION: USA

Cioppino

INSPIRATION: Italy and USA

Spanish White Bean Soup

INSPIRATION: Spain

Buffalo Chicken Dip

INSPIRATION: USA

Nacho Dip

INSPIRATION: USA

Black Bean Dip

INSPIRATION: Cuba

Saucy Mini Meatballs with Peach Chutney

INSPIRATION: India

VEGETARIAN ITEMS

Chuckwagon Cowboy Chili

Bison and grass-fed beef make this chili more like the thick and hearty type served on the chuckwagons out on the range in the Wild West. Today, most of the bison consumed in North America is farm-raised in Montana, Western Canada, Colorado, and the Dakotas.

Inspiration: USA | Makes: 14 cups (3.3L) | Slow cooker time: 6 to 7 hours

INGREDIENTS

•  2 tablespoons (30mL) olive oil, divided

•  2 cups (300g) chopped sweet onions, like Vidalia

•  1 red bell pepper, chopped

•  1 green bell pepper, chopped

•  4 teaspoons (18g) garlic paste or finely minced garlic

•  1 pound (454g) grass-fed ground chuck

•  1 pound (454g) ground bison

•  1½ pounds (567g) grass-fed chuck roast, excess fat removed and cut into ¾-inch (2cm) pieces

•  One 14-ounce (397g) can petite-diced tomatoes

•  2 cups (480mL) beef broth

•  One 11.5-ounce (326g) can vegetable juice (I used V8 Original)

•  One 6-ounce (170g) can tomato paste with basil, garlic, and oregano

•  One 4-ounce (113g) can mild green chilies

•  3 tablespoons (18g) chili powder

•  2 tablespoon (12g) ground cumin

•  1 tablespoon (6g) onion powder

•  2 tablespoons (30mL) Worcestershire sauce

•  3 tablespoons (45mL) soy sauce

•  ¼ cup (60g) minced jalapeño peppers with seeds

•  Shredded cheddar cheese

•  Crispy tortilla strips

1. Place 1 tablespoon (15mL) of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic and sauté them, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes, until the onions are sweated. Add the ground chuck and ground bison and sauté them until the meat has browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and vegetables to a 5-quart (4.8L) slow cooker.

2. Discard the meat juices and wipe out the skillet with paper towels. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15mL) of oil to the skillet. Add the beef pieces and sauté them until browned, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the slow cooker.

3. Add the tomatoes, broth, vegetable juice, tomato paste, green chilies, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and minced jalapeños to the slow cooker. Stir to mix the ingredients.

4. Cover the slow cooker and cook the chili on the low setting for 6 to 7 hours. Top each serving with shredded cheese and tortilla strips.

Try a variety of toppings for this hearty chili, such as shredded pepper jack cheese, minced onions, diced fresh tomatoes, or diced avocados.

Wicked Chicken Sausage White Chili with Lime Tortilla Strips

Wickedly spicy, wickedly tasty, this brothy chili is unlike its tomato-based cousins. The secret lies within the special chicken sausages.

Inspiration: Mexico | Serves: 8 | Slow cooker time: 4 hours

INGREDIENTS

•  One ½-pound (227g) package spicy chicken sausage (see the tip box below).

•  1 teaspoon (5mL) olive oil

•  2 cups (300g) chopped sweet onions, like Vidalia

•  1¾ pounds (227g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch (1.5cm) pieces

•  One 15.8-ounce (448g) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained

•  1½ cups (83g) frozen gold and white corn

•  3 cups (720mL) chicken broth

•  1 teaspoon cumin

•  1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

•  ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

•  ¼ teaspoon salt

•  1 large burrito-size flour tortilla

•  Olive oil spray

•  Fresh lime juice

•  Fresh cilantro, optional

1. Cut the casings off the sausages and chop them into ½-inch (1.5cm) pieces. Set them aside. Place the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté them for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until they’re soft. Add the chicken and sauté the mixture for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat is browned. Add the sausage and sauté for 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Transfer the mixture to a 5-quart (4.8L) slow cooker.

2. Stir in the beans, corn, broth, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and salt. Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 4 hours.

3. While the chili is cooking, make the lime tortilla strips. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Coat the flour tortilla with olive oil spray and sprinkle it with fresh lime juice. Use a pizza cutter to cut the tortilla into thin strips. Place the strips on a nonstick baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Turn the strips with a firm spatula and bake them for 5 minutes more. Cool the strips and store them in a freezer-weight zipper bag at room temperature.

4. Serve the chili with lime tortilla strips and sprinkled with snips of cilantro.

The type of sausage used will influence your dish greatly. In this recipe, I used sausage made with smoked mozzarella cheese, roasted garlic, artichokes, and an array of spices. Mine came from a club store but you’ll be able to find many similar varieties at your local butcher’s shop or grocery store.

Chicken sausage gives this chili a wickedly tasty kick.

Puy Lentil Soup

Peppery French green lentils are the most delicate type of lentils. Originally grown in the Puy region of France, the lentils are actually small, dark, and speckled. They hold their shape well without becoming mushy but must cook longer than other types of lentils.

Inspiration: France | Serves: 8 | Slow cooker time: 9 hours

INGREDIENTS

•  1 pound (454g) French green lentils, rinsed and picked over

•  1 ham bone

•  1 cup (150g) chopped baby carrots

•  1 cup (150g) chopped sweet onions, like Vidalia

•  1 cup (225g) chopped celery

•  3 tablespoons (12g) minced curly parsley

•  1 teaspoon garlic paste or finely minced garlic

•  8 cups (2L) water, divided

•  Two 14.5-ounce (411g) cans petitecut diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil, with juices

•  2 tablespoons (24g) sugar

•  ½ teaspoon oregano leaves

•  ½ teaspoon salt

•  ¼ teaspoon black pepper

•  2 tablespoons (30mL) white wine vinegar

•  2 cups (60g) small croutons

1.