Photography by Donovan Roberts Witmer
Forget what you thought you knew about the Crock-Pot. Not just your mother’s favorite small kitchen appliance, the slow cooker is now a means for even the
most sophisticated (not to mention the busiest) of home cooks to experience flavors from around the world. Read along as local blogger Ann Fulton of Fountain Avenue Kitchen (www.fountainavenuekitchen.com) shares with us some of her favorite “low and slow” dishes.
DON'T HAVE A SLOW COOKER?
A recipe that is cooked on the low setting in your slow cooker will take about a quarter to a third as long in a Dutch oven in a 325-degree oven. For example, if it cooks for six to eight hours on low in a slow cooker, it will take two to three hours in the Dutch oven.
EASY SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA
YIELD: 6 servings
Ingredients:
• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
(or about 2 cups homemade)
• ½ cup light or regular coconut milk (see notes)
• 1 large onion, chopped or sliced
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (see notes)
• 2 teaspoons garam masala (see notes)
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8-10, depending on size; could substitute chicken breasts)
• Cooked rice for serving
• Optional garnishes: cucumber, fresh mint or cilantro
Directions:
1. In a slow cooker, combine the tomato sauce, coconut milk, onion, garlic, tomato paste, garam masala, sugar, salt (I use about 3/4 teaspoon) and several turns of the pepper mill.
2. Place the chicken on top, flipping to moisten with the sauce. I put a few of the onion slices on top of the chicken as well.
3. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender, 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 7 hours on low.
4. Remove the chicken to a plate, and shred the meat with 2 dinner forks. Stir the shredded meat back into the sauce and rewarm for a few more minutes.
5. Serve over the cooked rice and garnish with cucumbers and fresh herbs, as desired.
Notes:
If you prefer to use cream in place of the coconut milk, or that is simply what you have on hand, stir it in at the end of the cooking time.
Tubes of tomato paste are handy when using small amounts. If using a can, you may freeze the unused portion in 1-tablespoon portions or in an ice cube tray for future use.
This recipe is designed to be kid-friendly and not overwhelm with spices. For more of a kick, you may add an extra teaspoon or so of the garam masala and a minced jalapeno pepper for heat.
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This speedy version of an Indian classic has become a go-to dinner for me on a busy day. The prep can be completed in a flash, and then the slow cooker takes over. The incredible aroma belies the ease of this comforting meal.
The complexity of tikka masala comes from a spice that may be new to many: garam masala. Like curry powder, garam masala is not just one spice, but a blend of many, including cumin, coriander, cardamom and cloves. It can be found in the spice aisle of most large grocery stores.
I have made this recipe using curry powder in place of the garam masala, and it is also delicious. You may further adapt this recipe by adding a cup or so of canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and well drained.
Sometimes, I garnish with mint instead of the more commonly used cilantro. A bit of chopped cucumber adds a crisp, cool finish and a nice counterbalance in texture.
SLOW COOKER DULCE DE LECHE
Ingredients:
• 2 (14-ounce) cans of sweetened
condensed milk
• 3 half pint (8-ounce) canning jars
Directions:
1. Open the cans of sweetened condensed milk, and pour into 3 half pint jars, dividing evenly. Put on lids and rings.
2. Place the jars in the slow cooker, and add water to just reach the bands of the jars.
3. Cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours (for caramel sauce consistency) or 10 hours
(for a consistency more like pudding; see
note below).
4. Carefully remove the jars from the slow cooker and enjoy. Unopened jars will keep for several months in the refrigerator. Opened jars will keep for a few weeks.
Notes:
Depending on cooking time, the dulce de leche will be soft-set like custard or pourable like caramel sauce. Choose the cooking time based on which consistency you prefer, and don’t hesitate to open a jar early and test it until you get to know what works in your slow cooker. All models vary based on size and age. The dulce de leche will continue to thicken as it cools and may be reheated prior to using.
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Over the years, I had read that simmering a can of sweetened condensed milk on the stovetop for several hours would magically transform the contents into dulce de leche, a rich, caramel-like sauce. After all, dulce de leche, translated, means sweet milk. Yet the claim seemed too good to be true.
Last year, I posed the question on The Fountain Avenue Kitchen Facebook page and the comments amazed me. Scores of people, many from South America and England, told of doing this regularly and raved about how delicious it is. Some also shared stories of the can exploding, resulting in a major mess on the ceiling. Others were concerned that the coating on the inside of the can would leach into the milk.
Curious, but wanting to avoid a kitchen disaster, I transferred the condensed milk into Mason jars and reached for my slow cooker. The result was exactly what was claimed, without the mess. After 10 hours on low, the condensed milk turned the color of caramel and was the consistency of a thick pudding.
My kids love using it as a dip for apple slices or a spread on toast. It works well as a speedy icing for a yellow or spice cake, too.
The next time, I checked the jars at varying increments several hours earlier and found a thinner consistency that could be drizzled over desserts or even made into a coffee creamer.
Mason jars are not only perfect for cooking and storing; they make a jar of this dulce de leche into a wonderful gift.
O’BRIEN IRISH STEW
YIELD: 6 servings
Ingredients:
• 2 pounds boneless lamb for stew (may substitute boneless chuck roast)
• 2 large onions, peeled, thickly chopped
• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled if desired and cut into big chunks (or small new potatoes)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped, leaves included
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 turnip, diced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1½ cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• Chopped flat leaf parsley
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Cut lamb or beef into 1-inch cubes, removing large pieces of fat. Layer vegetables and meat in a 2½-quart, lightly greased casserole dish or Dutch oven, beginning and ending with vegetables. (See note below for slow cooker adaptation.) Add some of the salt and pepper to each layer. Add the chicken broth and bay leaf; cover tightly.
3. Bake at 325 degrees F for 2 hours. Stir and sprinkle with parsley. Remove bay leaf and check for seasoning before serving.
Note:
This traditional Irish stew is typically cooked in the oven for 2 hours. To adapt the recipe to a slow cooker, simply cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours. While this stew may certainly be eaten right away, it tastes even better as leftovers. As an added benefit, any fat that cooks out of the meat can be easily removed once the stew has cooled in the refrigerator overnight. If you are a fan of peas in your stew, you may add a cup or two in the final 15 minutes of cooking.
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Most Americans think of stew as having a thick gravy base. But traditional Irish stew is more broth-like and began as a hearty peasant dish made with what were the most readily available ingredients. The primary sources of sustenance for the Irish were root vegetables and sheep. Prior to the potato famine, potatoes were the main food crop. Sheep provided wool for warm clothing, milk for drinking and cheese making, and eventually meat. As the Irish immigrated to the United States and brought with them their hearty food traditions, these dishes evolved to include various local offerings.
The following stew recipe is a typical peasant version, simple to prepare with basic root vegetables that are stewed slowly with tougher cuts of meat in a basic stock. This recipe was a staple in the Irish kitchen of one of my childhood friends, and it has become a regular with my family. The starch from the potatoes provides a bit of thickening power, but the absence of thick gravy makes this filling meal surprisingly light and quite easy to prepare.
SLOW COOKER TIP
In general, if you are cooking in your slow cooker on high, the recipe will take approximately half as long as it would take on low.
Bonus Recipes
BROWN SODA BREAD WITH STEEL CUT OATS
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups sifted, whole wheat flour (11 1/4 ounces, see note)
1/2 cup sifted, all-purpose flour (2 ounces)
1/2 cup steel cut oats, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling on top
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flax meal (could substitute pecan meal or wheat germ if you don’t have flax)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups low-fat buttermilk, well shaken
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 F and grease a 1 1/2-quart round baking dish or 9-by-5-inch loaf pan very well. (I like to also line with parchment paper. The pan needs to be well oiled for easy removal the bread.)
2. As I mentioned, when baking, I really like to weigh ingredients, especially flour. It really makes the process go so much faster; just pour into mixing bowl and there are fewer dishes to wash. Importantly, it also eliminates the tendency to get too much flour in the measuring cup, leading to a heavier baked good. So, weigh or carefully measure the flours into a large mixing bowl. Add oats, sugar, flax meal, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix thoroughly, then make a little well in the middle to pour your wet ingredients. Combine buttermilk and egg. Pour into well in dry ingredients and blend, folding carefully until mixture is just combined. Avoid over-mixing: this will improve the texture of the finished product.
3. Spoon mixture into prepared pan, then sprinkle with reserved steel cut oats. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. The last time I made this, I used a round casserole and it took exactly 55 minutes in my oven. All ovens vary a little, so I always check on baked goods a few minutes early so I don’t overcook and dry them out. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then remove to a wire rack.
4. Bread tastes great warm or cooled, with or without butter. I also adore it leftover, toasted and topped with strawberry jam.
Notes:
When I weigh the flour in this recipe, I don’t bother sifting anymore. The simple weight chart provides conversions for sifted and non-sifted flour, and since you can just pour the flour, it stays light and fluffy.
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When I experiment with recipes, I am never 100 percent sure how they will turn out. Sometimes, a new recipe takes repeated tries, especially in the baking department.
I aim to limit white flour and sugar in breads and muffins, but it isn’t altogether easy to come up with homemade, whole grain bread that tastes great and has just the right texture. Add quick and easy to the list of requests, and you have a tall order.
So, I was delighted when this whole grain version of the traditional Irish soda bread yielded a delightful texture, somewhere in the perfect mid-range of light and dense with a nice crumb and a little chew to it. How is that for a description? This isn’t sandwich bread, but rather a tasty loaf to serve alongside soup or salad or with a little jam for breakfast. I have even made French toast with it.
Below, I have added some of my tricks for making great baked goods. My favorite tip is using a kitchen scale to weigh ingredients. Once you start using one of these gadgets, you will never go back. You can simply and accurately pour or scoop ingredients right into the mixing bowl, saving precious time and messy cleanup. Most scales come with a handy, well-organized flip chart with weights of common ingredients and increments starting at one tablespoon. Plus, food packages usually list the weight of the product.
DULCE DE LECHE LATTE
Ingredients:
1 cup of strong, hot coffee
3/4 cup non-fat milk (could use 2% or whole for a richer latte)
1-2 tablespoons dulce de leche, or to taste
whipped cream, optional
Directions:
1. Heat milk in microwave or on stovetop until very hot.
2. Pour into brewed coffee along with the dulce de leche.
3. Stir well, top with whipped cream if using, and enjoy.
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Since I stumbled upon the overwhelming hit of Crock Pot Dulce de Leche, the kids have been enjoying the caramel-like dip on sliced apples. I, however, have concocted a home version of a coffee house favorite. Usually, I skip the whipped cream, but every once in a while it really hits the spot. If you have an espresso maker, you can use espresso instead of the strong coffee.
