The Mediterranean Slow Cooker Cookbook (13 page)

Meatballs Languedoc

This recipe hails from the French province of Languedoc-Roussillon, which borders Spain. The Spanish influence is certainly evident in these delicious meatballs, which are made from pork and veal and braise in a tomato sauce flavored with saffron and lardons (crispy pieces of bacon). Serve these with lots of crusty bread for dipping.

SERVES 6

FOR THE SAUCE

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

6 strips thick-cut bacon, finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

6 saffron threads, crushed in the palm of your hand

Pinch of hot paprika

2 cups/480 ml chicken broth

Two 28- to 32-oz/800- to 910-g cans chopped tomatoes, with theirjuice

FOR THE MEATBALLS

1 lb/455 g lean ground pork

½ lb/225 g ground veal

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Cooked noodles, potatoes, or polenta, for serving

½ cup/30 g finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

TO MAKE THE SAUCE / In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the bacon until crisp. Drain all but 1 tbsp of the oil and add the onion, saffron, and paprika. Sauté for another 3 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/ 4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker. Stir in the tomatoes, cover the slow cooker, and cook on high while making the meatballs.

TO MAKE THE MEATBALLS / In a large mixing bowl, stir together the pork, veal, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir in the egg to bind the mixture. Using a small portion scoop, roll the balls into 1-in/2.5-cm portions.

Drop the meatballs into the sauce, and cook on high for 3 hours, or on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into a meatball registers 170°F/77°C.

Skim off any excess fat from the sauce. Serve the meatballs over noodles, potatoes, or polenta, sprinkled with the parsley.

Bolognese Sauce

Bologna is home to many culinary riches in the north-central region of Italy, but Bolognese sauce has to be one of my favorites. It’s made with milk and cream to give it richness, along with ground pork, veal, and tomatoes. Although the recipe makes quite a bit, it freezes beautifully into 2-cup/480-ml packages; each one will sauce 1 lb/455 g of pasta nicely. Bolognese is the basis for
Lasagna Bolognese
, and is frequently ladled over tortellini, another specialty of the region.

MAKES ABOUT 10 CUPS/2.4 L

1 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large sweet yellow onion, such as Vidalia, finely chopped

1 cup/100 g finely diced carrots

1 cup/100 g finely diced celery

1 garlic clove, minced

1½ lb/680 g lean ground pork

1 lb/455 g ground veal

⅛ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

⅛ tsp ground cinnamon

½ cup/120 ml whole milk

½ cup/120 ml heavy cream

1 cup/240 ml dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, or dry vermouth

Two 28- to 32-oz/800- to 910-g cans crushed plum tomatoes (San Marzano are best)

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Pappardelle, tortellini, or another pasta, cooked until al dente, for serving

In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are softened. Add the pork and veal and sauté until the meats are no longer pink in color, breaking up any large chunks with a wooden spoon. Spoon off any excess fat or water so the pan is dry. Add the nutmeg and cinnamon and sauté for another 2 minutes, to allow the flavors to blend.

Add the milk and cream, bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until the milk and cream have just about evaporated. Transfer the mixture to the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker, add the wine and tomatoes, and stir to blend. Cover and cook the sauce on high for 6 to 7 hours, until the sauce is thickened.

Taste for seasoning and adjust by adding salt and pepper. Serve some of the sauce immediately over al dente pasta, and store the rest in airtight containers in the freezer.

CH.03
POULTRY (CHICKEN, DUCK, GAME HENS, AND TURKEY)

Poultry served in the Mediterranean is always highly flavored, tender, and delicious. The flavor palate runs wild, from
chicken stuffed with Serrano ham and Manchego cheese
, to a
duck tagine with dates and dried apricots
. Turkey, game hens, duck, and the barnyard chicken are all elevated to five-star status when cooked in your slow cooker, yielding tender, juicy meat with Mediterranean flavors-surefire winners for your dinner table.

For most recipes, I advise you to remove the skin from the poultry before cooking in the slow cooker. The skin adds fat, and it will also buckle around the meat, making it difficult to serve. I like boneless cuts in many cases since the meat does fall off the bone at the end of the cooking time. Stuffed chicken breasts, which can become dry and tasteless in the oven, emerge succulent, juicy, and infused with the saucy flavors added to the cooker, giving you a great meal to serve to special friends and family.

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives

A tagine is a vessel with a conical top that is traditionally used in Morocco to slow-cook meat and spices into succulent bits. A dish produced in this cook- ing vessel is also called a tagine. A tagine typically contains preserved lemons, which are cured with salt. They can be found in Middle Eastern markets, packed in brine. Or you can make your own (see Slow Cooker Savvy). Green picholine olives give this dish a special flavor, but you can substitute your favorite type of green olive, should picholines not be available. Tagines are almost always served with a starch of some sort to soak up the scrumptious juices. Couscous, flatbread, or rice works well.

SERVES 6

4 tbsp/60 ml extra-virgin olive oil

2 large onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp saffron threads, crushed in the palm of your hand

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp ground ginger

4 drops Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce

4 lb/1.8 kg bone-in chicken pieces (such as 3 leg quarters and 3 breast quarters), skin removed

1½ cups/360 ml chicken broth

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1½ cups/180 g pitted picholine or other green olives

¼ cup/30 g finely chopped preserved lemon rind (see Slow Cooker Savvy)

½ cup/30 g finely chopped fresh cilantro

Salt (optional)

Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Cooked rice or couscous, or flatbreads such as pita, for serving

Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and sauté the onions, saffron, paprika, coriander, and ginger for 3 minutes, or until the onions begin to soften. Transfer the contents of the pan to the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker, and stir in the Tabasco sauce.

In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, and brown the chicken on all sides, a few pieces at a time, transferring the browned chicken to the slow-cooker insert. Pour the broth and lemon juice into the skillet, bring to a boil, and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the liquids to the slow-cooker insert. Cover the slow cooker and cook for 3 hours on high, or 5 to 6 hours on low.

Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker with tongs or a large spatula. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce, and stir in the olives, lemon rind, and cilantro. Taste for seasoning and add salt or pepper if needed. Return the chicken to the slow cooker. Serve the tagine from the slow cooker with rice, couscous, or flatbread.

SLOW COOKER SAVVY

Making your own preserved Lemons is simple and satisfying. The quantity of lemons and salt you will need depends on the size of your jar. For a 2-qt/2-L jar, use about 5 to 6 medium lemons and ½ to 1 cup/105 to 205 g sea salt. Cut an end off each lemon and stand on its flat end and cut into quarters, leaving ½ in/12 mm still attached at the bottom. Pushthe lemons into the jar, and sprinkle with the salt. Push two 3-in/7.5-cm cinnamon sticks, 1 bay leaf, 5 whole cloves, and 5 black peppercorns into the jar. Pour in ½ cup/120 ml fresh lemon juice to cover the lemons. Seal the jar, and leave in a cool, dry place for 1 month. When ready to use, discard the flesh from a quarter, and chop the rind into small pieces. Store the opened jar in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Braised Basque Chicken

The Basque people live in the northeastern region of Spain and across the border in southwestern France. They are known worldwide for their cuisine, unique language-which resembles neither French nor Spanish-and culture. The Basque people pride themselves on keeping these traditions alive. They also believe in keeping their food simple (I love that!), and do not like to mask the flavors of their ingredients. This one is a typical Basque chicken dish (many of which are cooked in covered casseroles), made with onion, bell peppers, tomato, and a bit of ham. The slow cooker takes good care of the ingredients, and the result is succulent pieces of chicken steeped in the flavors in the pot.

SERVES 6

3 lb/1.4 kg bone-in chicken pieces (3 leg quarters and 3 breast quarters work here), skin removed

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp/60 ml extra-virgin olive oil

¼ lb/115 g Serrano ham, cut into ½-in/12-mm cubes

2 large onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium red bell peppers, cored and cut into ½-in/12-mm strips

2 medium yellow bell peppers, cored and cut into ½-in/12-mm strips

One 28- to 32-oz/800- to 910-g can chopped tomatoes, with theirjuice