The Everything Kosher Slow Cooker Cookbook (20 page)

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cup dried apricots, cut into halves

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teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

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teaspoon black pepper

3 cups cooked couscous

4 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds (for garnish)

Saffron

Saffron is the dried stigma of a crocus flower cultivated in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. It is the world’s most expensive spice, taking about 5,400 flowers to produce one ounce of saffron. Luckily, a little goes a long way!

1. Lightly spray inside of a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
   
2. In a heat-safe bowl, mix the chicken broth with the crushed saffron threads. Heat the mixture for 30 seconds in a microwave at full power.
   
3. Place the lamb, onion, raisins, and apricots in the prepared slow cooker. Sprinkle with the remaining spices. Pour the broth mixture over spices. Cover and cook on low for 8–10 hours.
   
4. Serve over couscous and garnish with almonds, if desired.
   

Stuffed Cabbage

This is the traditional version of a wonderful dish to serve to guests. Although there is some advance preparation to do, you will have plenty of time to clean up before your guests arrive.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

Water, as needed

1 large head cabbage

1 teaspoon margarine

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cup sliced onions

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in purée

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cup minced onions

1 egg

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cups cooked long-grain rice

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tablespoon garlic powder

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tablespoon sweet paprika

1 pound lean ground beef

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, using a knife, make 4 or 5 cuts around the core of the cabbage and remove the core. Discard the core and 2 layers of the outer leaves. Peel off 6–8 large whole leaves. Place the leaves in a steamer basket and allow them to steam over the boiling water for 7 minutes. Allow the leaves to cool enough to handle. Dice the remaining cabbage to equal
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2. In a nonstick skillet, melt margarine. Add sliced onions and diced cabbage, and sauté until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
   
3. Add the tomatoes. Break up tomatoes into small chunks using the back of a spoon. Simmer for about 10–15 minutes. Ladle a third of the sauce over the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker.
   
4. In a medium-sized bowl, add the minced onions, egg, rice, spices, and beef and mix to distribute all ingredients evenly.
   
5. Place a cabbage leaf with the open side up and the stem part facing you on a clean work area. Add about
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   cup filling to the leaf, toward the stem. Fold the sides together, and then pull the top down and over the filling to form a packet. It should look like a burrito. Repeat until all the filling is gone.
   
6. Arrange the cabbage rolls, seam side down, in a single layer in the slow cooker. Ladle about half of the remaining sauce over the rolls and repeat with a second layer. Ladle the remaining sauce over the rolls. Cover and cook on low for up to 10 hours.
   

Shredded Beef for Sandwiches

Due to the long cooking time, you might want to prepare the meat late the night before serving so it will be ready to eat for lunch.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 16

4 pounds boneless beef roast, excess fat removed

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

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teaspoon celery seed

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teaspoon dried tarragon

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teaspoon dried mustard

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teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 tablespoon hickory liquid smoke

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cup water

Ask the Butcher

If the beef sitting on the shelf of the local store is too fatty, ask the butcher to cut a fresh, leaner cut. You won’t have to do fat removal at home, which can be tricky depending on the cut of meat. The butcher can also suggest lean beef alternatives to fattier cuts.

1. Place all ingredients into a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 10–12 hours. The meat should be easily shredded with a fork.
   
2. Remove the meat from the slow cooker to a plate. Shred with a fork. Mash the contents of the slow cooker with a potato masher. Return the beef to the slow cooker and stir to distribute the ingredients evenly.
   

Barbecue Ribs

At the end of the 8-hour cooking time, the meat will be tender and falling off of the bones. You can stretch this recipe to 8 servings if you serve barbecue beef sandwiches instead of 4 servings of beef. Add potato chips and coleslaw for a delicious, casual meal.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 cup barbecue sauce

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cup orange marmalade

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cup water

3 pounds beef ribs

1. Add the barbecue sauce, marmalade, and water to a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to mix. Add the ribs, ladling some of the sauce over the ribs. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. To thicken the sauce, if desired, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat and bones; cover and keep warm.
   
2. Skim any fat from the sauce in the cooker; increase the heat setting to high and cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until the sauce is reduced and coats the back of a spoon.
   

Beef Biryani

Biryani is an Indian one-pot meal that is well spiced but not spicy.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6

1 pound London broil, cut into 1/4 inch thick strips

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

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teaspoon ground cloves

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teaspoon ground cardamom

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teaspoon ground coriander

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teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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teaspoon cinnamon

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teaspoon cumin

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teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, minced

1 cup pareve yogurt or sour cream

1 cup frozen peas

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cups cooked basmati or brown rice

1. Place the beef, spices, garlic, and onion into a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low for 7–8 hours.
   
2. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the pareve yogurt, peas, and rice. Cook for 30 minutes. Stir before serving.
   

Tavas

Tavas is a simple Greek lamb stew named for the crock in which it is traditionally cooked. Since it is usually cooked at a low temperature for many hours, this dish is perfect for the slow cooker.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

Cooking spray

1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

2 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 1" cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon cumin seeds, lightly crushed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

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teaspoon black pepper

2–3 cups cooked brown or white rice

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cup parsley leaves (for garnish)

1. Spray the inside of a 4- or 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients except the rice and parsley and stir. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours.
   
2. If sauce is not thickened, uncover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Serve over rice and garnish with the parsley.
   

Unstuffed Cabbage

Give this a quick sauté at breakfast, then ignore until dinner time.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ground beef

1 (12-ounce) bag coleslaw mix

1 small onion, peeled and diced

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

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teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef; break up chunks using the back of a spoon. Sauté for about 4–5 minutes or until no pink remains. Drain and add to a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
   
2. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
   

Lamb in Curry Sauce

The ingredients list seems long, but once the onions and garlic are sautéed the entire recipe comes together quickly.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

Cooking spray

1 large potato, peeled and diced

2 carrots, peeled and julienned

2 teaspoons curry powder

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teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

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teaspoon ground black pepper

1" piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)

2 packages (about 3 pounds total) lamb shoulder, cut into 2" pieces

1 (10- to 12-ounce) can coconut milk (regular or light)

1 cup water

2 cups cooked rice, any variety

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cup packed coriander leaves

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is the water extracted from grated coconut. It can substitute in many recipes where cow’s milk or cream is used. Since coconut milk has a tendency to harmlessly separate in storage, shake the can prior to opening.