The Mediterranean Slow Cooker Cookbook

by DIANE PHILLIPS
Photographs by Tara Donne

Alla famiglia di Angelini—Roberto, Daniela, Irene, Luca, e Carlo— con la gratitudine per tutto, e per la loro ospitalità graziosa [To the Angelini Family—Roberto, Daniela, Irene, Luca, and Carlo— with gratitude to you all, and for your gracious hospitality]

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As I wrote this book, I was so grateful for the people in my life, who have encouraged and enabled me to follow my passion. They are my superheroes, and I am overwhelmed by their love and support.

I know that this book would not have been possible without the support of my friend and agent Susan Ginsburg, who like any good girlfriend gives you the advice you need and keeps cheering you on; I’m grateful to have Susan in my corner as my agent because she can leap tall buildings in a single bound, but I’m more grateful for her lasting friendship, which is precious.

I’m so grateful to Bill LeBlond for bringing me into the Chronicle family and for his confidence in me and this book. My editor Amy Treadwell’s patience, and her generosity for once more blessing me with Deborah Kops as my copy editor, puts her and Bill in the Super Power Rangers category, along with the rest of the gang at Chronicle; David Hawk, Peter Perez, designer Supriya Kalidas, photographer Tara Donne, managing editor Doug Ogan, and production manager Tera Killip.

At home, I can’t think of having a better partner to test recipes on than my husband, Chuck; many times that I’m away, he will be left at home eating leftover test recipes, and I’m grateful for all the support he has given to this crazy path I’ve traveled. Our children, Carrie, Eric, and Ryan, along with our granddaughter, Poppy, are enthusiastic tasters and supporters, and I’ve always thought of them as the Incredibles, because there is nothing they can’t do!

On the road, I’m very grateful to all the cooking schools, their staff, and students who welcome me and let me play in their kitchens; although the hours are long, the rewards are the friendships I’ve made, that continue to strengthen with each year. It’s a privilege to work with each one of you and to know your students.

The industry professionals who gave me the latest (and greatest) machines to test with were invaluable sources of support and I’m grateful to George Bearden and the people at Breville, as well as Dan Kulp at Rachel Litner Associates and Mary Rodgers at Cuisinart for the use of their new multi-machine.

My love for Italy and the Mediterranean sparked the idea for this book; having an adopted family in a small Umbrian hill town has opened our lives and our hearts in ways I can’t even explain, but I would be remiss for not saying Grazie! to the family I’ve dedicated this book to. Their hospitality, generosity, and love know no bounds; I often tell people I know nothing about hospitality compared to la famiglia Angelini. So, grazie mille, Daniela, Roberto, Irene, Luca, and Carlo for teaching us what it means to be family.

Lastly, thank you to you, dear reader, for buying this book and bringing me into your kitchen; as you cook these recipes, let me know how you are doing by joining me online at my website,
www.dianephillips.com
, or at my blog,
www.cucinadivina.blogspot.com
.

And now, let’s celebrate at the table together!

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Where Are We?

Mediterranean Flavors

Using Your Slow Cooker

A Mediterranean Pantry

CH.01 Soups

Minestrone

Moroccan Chickpea Broth for Couscous

Spanish Meatball Soup

Tunisian Lentil and Lamb Soup

Portuguese Kale and Sausage Soup

Greek Egg and Lemon Soup

Nonna’s Soup for the Soul

Vegetable Soup Prouençal

Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

Creamy French Onion Soup

Slow Cooker Gazpacho

CH.02 Meats (Pork, Lamb, and Beef)

Pork Braised with Dried Fruits and Cipollini Onions

Pork Braised with Pomegranates

Braised Pork in Balsamic Vinegar

Tuscan Milk-Braised Pork

Portuguese White Wine-Braised Pork Loin with Roasted Red Peppers

Stuffed Pork Loin with Prunes and Port Wine

Pork Shoulder Stuffed with Fennel, Garlic, and Rosemary

Lamb-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Green Bean and Lamb Stew Provençal

Shepherd-Style Lamb of Crete

Syrian-Style Lamb with Saffron

Potato-Smothered Lamb from Calabria

Braised Leg of Lamb with Garlic

Braised Lamb Shanks with Red Wine and Oregano

Lamb Stuffed with Artichokes and Braised in Lemon and White Wine

Old-Fashioned French Beef Stew

Moroccan-Style Beef

Beef Bracciole

Beef Pizzaiola

Beef in Barolo

Bolito Misto with Salsa Verde

Short Ribs Bourguignon

Veal Osso Buco

Braised Veal with Forty Cloves of Garlic

Turkish Beef and Veal Meatballs

Two Big Italian Meatballs

Meatballs Languedoc

Bolognese Sauce

CH.03 Poultry (Chicken, Duck, Game Hens, and Turkey)

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives

Braised Basque Chicken

Chicken Hunter’s Style

Saffron-Braised Chicken Thighs Stuffed with Serrano Ham

Chicken Stuffed with Serrano Ham in a Creamy Onion Sauce

Spinach and Feta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts in Lemon-Dill Sauce

Chicken Piccata

Duck Tagine with Dried Fruits

Duck Confit

Duck Cassoulet

Braised Duck Legs with Wild Mushrooms and Almonds

Game Hens Braised with Coriander and Apricot Rice Stuffing

Pomegranate-Glazed Turkey Breast with Bread Stuffing

Turkey au Vin

CH.04 Seafood

Slow-Cooked Salmon with Sorrel

Smothered Tuna Siciliana

Olive Oil-Poached Tuna

Swordfish Piccata

Braised Swordfish in the Style of the Greek Isles

Monkfish Braised with Peppers

Salt Cod and Potatoes

Pesto-Glazed Cod on a Bed of Risotto

Halibut Provençal

Shrimp with White Beans, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Basil

Paella Valenciana

Seafood Stews

Grecian Seafood Stew

Italian Seafood Stew

Portuguese Seafood Stew

Moroccan Seafood Stew

Bouillabaisse

CH.05 Pasta, Rice, and Other Grains

Pastitsio

Lasagna Bolognese

Seafood Lasagna

Wild Mushroom and Truffle Lasagna

Spinach and Ricotta Manicotti

Veal Manicotti

Polenta

Farro

Farro Risotto

Risotto alla Milanese

Pilaf

Couscous

Simple Pita Bread

CH.06 Vegetables and Legumes

Slow-Roasted Stuffed Tomatoes

Roasted Potatoes with Cherry Tomato Salad

Fennel-Potato Gratin

Timpani of Potatoes

Potato Tagine with Lemon and Olives

Spanish Potato Tortilla

Ratatouille

Peperonata

Briami

Eggplant Moussaka

Turkish Stuffed Eggplants

Braised Baby Artichokes with Dill Aioli

Stuffed Artichokes

Frittata

Portuguese Sausage and Eggs

Braised Green Beans, Tomatoes, Feta, and Mint

Egyptian Lentils and Rice

Falafel in Saffron Tomato Sauce

Pancetta and Rosemary Beans

White Beans in the Slow Cooker

White Beans Smothered with Tomatoes and Garlic

CH.07 Sauces and Condiments

Basic Marinara Sauce

Caponata

Roasted Garlic

Balsamic Caramelized Onions

Périgord Fig and Onion Jam

Oranges Poached in Port and Honey

Pears in Honey and Muscat

Resources

Index

About the Author

Copyright

INTRODUCTION

The Mediterranean region produces some of the most varied cuisines on the planet—from Málaga, Spain, to Istanbul, Turkey, to Tunis, Tunisia. And many of the foods from this part of the world rely on a slow-cooked method to bring out the flavors of the ingredients and produce meltingly tender dishes.