The Mediterranean Slow Cooker Cookbook (16 page)

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4 and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking liner or parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, remaining garlic, ¼ cup/15 g of the parsley, and the remaining ¼ cup/60 ml oil. Spread out the crumb mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crumbs are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool.

When the cassoulet is finished, the duck should be tender, the pork falling apart, and the beans creamy. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce and remove the bay leaves. Taste the sauce, add salt and pepper if needed, and the remaining ¼ cup/15 g parsley. Sprinkle the toasted bread crumbs over the cassoulet and serve.

SLOW COOKER SAVVY

You can make the crumb topping in advance and store in a zipper-top plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

If you have a slow-cooker insert that is safe under the broiler (check your manufacturer’s instructions), you can slide the cassoulet under the broiler to brown the crumb topping instead of toasting the crumbs in the oven.

Braised Duck Legs with Wild Mushrooms and Almonds

Duck is luxurious, a treat for those of us who love to eat it. That said, make this dish when you know that your guests feel the same way. And seek out some exotic mushrooms for this dish; they enhance the finished sauce. Emerging succulent, juicy, and full of flavor from the slow cooker, the duck is delicious served with rice or buttered noodles. The veal demi-glace enriches the mushroom-studded sauce.

SERVES 6

6 duck legs (about 5 to 6 lb/2.3 to 2.7 kg total), skin removed

2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

¼ cup/60 ml extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup/160 g finely chopped shallots

1½ lb/680 g mixed mushrooms, such as chanterelles, oyster, cremini, shiitake, lobster, morel, and hen of the woods, in any combination

½ cup/120 ml Madeira wine

2 cups/480 ml veal demi-glace

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

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

½ cup/55 g toasted sliced almonds

Lay the duck on a cutting board, and sprinkle evenly with the salt, pepper, and thyme, rubbing them into the duck. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the duck on all sides, a few pieces at a time, turning frequently. Transfer the browned meat to the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker. Add the shallots to the skillet, and sauté for 3 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes to release some liquid. Stir in the Madeira, bring to a boil, and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker, and add the demiglace and bay leaf. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 hours, until the duck is tender and registers 160°F/71°C on an instant-read meat thermometer.

Using tongs or a large spatula, transfer the duck to a serving platter and cover with aluminum foil. Pour the mushroom sauce into a large saucepan, remove the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Knead the butter with the flour in a small bowl. Whisk into the sauce, 1 tsp at a time, and continue whisking until the sauce returns to a boil and is thickened to your liking. Stir in the parsley and the almonds and pour some of the sauce over the duck on the serving platter. Serve the duck with the remaining sauce on the side.

Game Hens Braised with Coriander and Apricot Rice Stuffing

The rice stuffing contains coriander seeds, which were found in the tomb of King Tutankhamen, and were mentioned in the biblical story of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. According to the Bible, coriander seeds flavored the manna from heaven, which the Jews ate while traveling in the desert. Fragrant and strong, coriander pairs well with the dried apricots and rice and gives the game hen meat a smoky quality.

SERVES 6

FOR THE SAUCE

2 tbsp unsalted butter

¼ cup/40 g finely chopped shallots

1 tsp sweet paprika

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

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1½ cups/360 ml chicken broth

½ cup/120 ml apricot nectar

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup/170 g coarsely chopped dried apricots

FOR THE STUFFING AND HENS

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup/80 g finely chopped sweet yellow onion, such as Vidalia

1 tsp coriander seeds

½ cup/85 g finely chopped dried apricots

2 cups/430 g cooked basmati rice

1 large egg

Six 1-lb/455-g Cornish game hens

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water

½ cup/30 g finely chopped fresh cilantro

TO MAKE THE SAUCE / In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt the butter and sauté the shallots, paprika, and saffron for 3 minutes, or until the shallots begin to soften. Add the flour and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the flour is cooked. Slowly add the broth, apricot nectar, and lemon juice and bring the liquid to a boil. Stir in the apricots and transfer the mixture to the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker. Cover and turn the slow cooker on low.

TO MAKE THE STUFFING AND HENS / Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and sauté the onion, coriander seeds, and apricots until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and allow to cool slightly. Add the rice and egg and stir until blended.

Lay each game hen breast-side down on a cutting board. Using kitchen shears, cut through the rib bones on either side of the backbone to free the bone, and remove. Sprinkle the cavity generously with salt and pepper and sprinkle the skin liberally with salt. Pack some of the stuffing into each bird, and tie up with butcher’s twine or silicone bands. Lay the hens, breast-side up, in the slow cooker. Cover and cook the hens on low for 7 to 8 hours, basting twice with the sauce during cooking. The hens will be tender and register 170°F/77°C on an instantread meat thermometer.

Carefully remove the hens from the sauce, transfer to a serving platter, and cut the butcher’s twine. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Skim any excess fat from the sauce, transfer the sauce to a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce, and continue whisking until the sauce returns to a boil and is smooth and thickened. Taste for seasoning and correct with salt and pepper. Stir in the cilantro. Spoon some of the sauce over the hens and serve, passing the remaining sauce on the side.

Pomegranate-Glazed Turkey Breast with Bread Stuffing

For years I have been teaching a sell-out do-ahead Thanksgiving class to students all over the country, and many times, students want to cook only a turkey breast for the big day, since their family will eat only white meat. A turkey breast cooked in the slow cooker emerges tender and succulent, never dry or overcooked. This gorgeous, red-glazed turkey breast has a luscious bread stuffing with leeks, dried apple, and smoky ham, which is a delicious complement to the tangy pomegranate-and-apple sauce. Don’t wait for Thanksgiving to cook this winner!

SERVES 8

FOR THE STUFFING

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 leek (white and tender green parts), cleaned and finely chopped

½ cup/85 g dried apples, finely chopped

½ cup/85 g finely diced smoked ham

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried sage (not rubbed)

4 cups/400 g dried bread cubes, cut into ½-in/12-mm pieces

½ cup/120 ml chicken broth

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE TURKEY

4 tbsp/60 ml extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

2 medium Gala apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

One 4- to 5-lb/1.8- to 2.3-kg turkey breast, preferably boneless (see Slow Cooker Savvy)

¼ cup/60 ml pomegranate molasses

¼ cup/60 ml apple cider

2 cups/480 ml chicken broth or reconstituted demi-glace

2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water

TO MAKE THE STUFFING / In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat, and sauté the leek, dried apples, ham, thyme, and sage until the leek is softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, and allow to cool slightly. Add the bread cubes and drizzle in the broth, a bit at a time, to moisten the bread. The mixture should hold together when pinched between your fingers. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

TO MAKE THE TURKEY / Pour 2 tbsp of the olive oil into the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker, add the onion, carrots, and apples and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat the vegetables.

Season the turkey with salt and pepper. Spread out the stuffing on the turkey breast, leaving about a ½-in/12-mm border on all sides. Roll the turkey around the stuffing, beginning on one side, and tucking in the ends. Tie with butcher’s twine or silicone bands at 1-in/2.5-cm intervals. Sprinkle the turkey with salt and pepper.

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, and brown the turkey on all sides. Transfer to the insert of the slow cooker. Pour the molasses, cider, and broth into the skillet, and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour the liquid over the turkey in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, basting twice during the cooking time with the pan juices. The stuffing in the turkey should register 170°F/71°C on an instant-read meat thermometer.

Using tongs, carefully remove the turkey from the insert, and transfer to a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil while making the sauce. Using an immersion blender, purée the sauce and transfer to a saucepan. Bring the sauce to a boil. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture, and continue whisking until the sauce returns to a boil and is smooth and thickened. Remove the twine from the turkey, peel off the skin, and carve into ½-in-/12-mm-thick slices. Serve the turkey in a pool of the sauce.

SLOW COOKER SAVVY

If you prefer to Leave the sauce chunky, there is no need to use the immersion blender. The apples and vegetables can be mashed with a potato masher if desired.

In most poultry recipes, I recommend removing the skin before cooking, but for this dish the skin helps to keep the turkey moist in the cooker.

Many full-service grocers will bone the turkey breast for you, but you can also do it yourself: Lay the turkey on a cutting board, skin-side down. Using a flexible boning knife, slice through the cartilage in the center of the breast. Withdraw the knife, and from the skin side, push the center bone (keel bone) toward you. With your knife, push the breast meat away from the center bone, following the curvature of the bone, and remove the bone from the meat. On either side of the breast, slip the knife under the rib bones, and carefully slide the knife toward the center, until you are able to pull the ribs away from the breast. Repeat on the other side. Remove the wishbone if it is still attached, slipping the knife underneath, and scraping the meat from the bone to remove it.