The Mediterranean Slow Cooker Cookbook (23 page)

When fresh vegetables are not available in the Mediterranean, or they are too costly, dried legumes are used to stretch the family food bud-get. Slow cookers produce the creamiest dried white beans with their slow, daylong simmer. Lentils and beans are usually served with rice, and flavored with traditional local spices.

Slow-Roasted Stuffed Tomatoes

My
nonna
, ALeandra, made these tomatoes in the summertime from her incredibly delicious homegrown tomatoes and homemade bread. She would cook her version on the stove top in a covered cast-iron skiLLet. Like my grandmother's, these tomatoes are flavored with garlic, pecorino cheese, fresh basil, and parsley. These are terrific as a light lunch, but we Love to eat them with porter- house steaks cooked on the grill.

SERVES 6

½ cup/120 ml extra-virgin olive oil

3 large vine-ripened tomatoes, halved

1½ tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 cups/165 g fresh bread crumbs

1½ cups/175 g freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup/15 g finely chopped fresh basil

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

½ cup/120 ml chicken or vegetable broth

Pour ¼ cup/60 ml of the olive oil into the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker, and brush the sides with some of the oil. Arrange the tomato halves in the insert, cut-side up, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, basil, and parsley. Mound the mixture onto each of the tomato halves (it's okay if some of it falls off onto the bottom of the insert), and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Pour the broth into the slow cooker (but not directly over the tomatoes). Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, and baste with the pan juices.

Re-cover and cook for another 1 hour on high, until the tomatoes are tender. Allow the tomatoes to rest for 10 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

SLOW COOKER SAVVY

In the winter, when tomatoes are not looking or tasting so great, you can make a version with three 28- to 32-oz/800- to 910-g cans of plum tomatoes. Make the stuffing and set aside. Cut the tomatoes in half, drain, and mix with ¼ cup/60 ml extra-virgin olive oil, 5 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, and sprinkle the tomatoes with the stuffing. Cover and cook for another 2 hours on high. Remove the cover, cook for another 30 minutes, uncovered, and serve.

Roasted Potatoes with Cherry Tomato Salad

I have never met a potato I didn't Like. Red-skinned, russets, Peruvian purple, Yukon golds-whether creamers freshly dug out of the ground or mature, they all call my name. I could probably write a book just on the potatoes I've loved. This dish is similar to many served in southern Italy and Greece. It's flavored with garlic, lemon zest, and cured pork, which gives it a smoky flavor. I love to accompany it, on the same plate, with a cooling cherry tomato and basil salad. The potatoes and tomatoes are a light meal in themselves, but they taste great with grilled meats or seafood in the summertime.

SERVES 6

3 lb/1.4 kg small Yukon gold, red-skinned, fingerling, or white creamer potatoes (see Slow Cooker Savvy)

¼ lb/115 g pancetta, coarsely chopped

8 garlic cloves, sliced

2 tsp dried oregano, or 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (see Slow Cooker Savvy)

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup/180 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 cups/440 g cherry, grape, or pear tomatoes, halved

¼ cup/10 g packed fresh basil leaves, torn

¼ cup /60 ml red wine vinegar

In the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker, toss together the potatoes, pancetta, garlic, oregano, 1½ tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, ½ cup/120 ml of the olive oil, and the lemon zest. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or on low for 6 hours.

In a small salad bowl, toss together the tomatoes and basil. In another bowl, whisk together the vinegar and remaining ¼ cup/60 ml olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and pour the dressing over the tomatoes. (The tomato salad can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours or refrigerated for up to 24 hours. The oil in the salad may solidify, so bring the salad to room temperature about 1 hour before serving.)

When the potatoes are ready, spoon off any excess oil, and accompany each serving with some of the tomato salad.

SLOW COOKER SAVVY

I particularly like the taste and coloring of this dish when it's made with Yukon gold potatoes, but you can use any low-starch potato you have on hand.

Oregano and rosemary are two strong herbs that pair well with potatoes. But in some regions of the Mediterranean, you might find thyme, saffron, or marjoram in potato recipes, and those work well, too.

Fennel-Potato Gratin

Fragrant fennel and golden potatoes pair up in this delicious gratin filled with cheese, Leeks, and a creamy sauce. Terrific to serve alongside your holiday ham, pork, or roast beef, it's equally good with grilled seafood.

SERVES 6 TO 8

1 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 fennel bulbs, wispy fronds removed, thinly sliced

2 leeks (white and tender green parts), thinly sliced

1 tsp salt

½ tsp Tabasco

2 cups/480 ml heavy cream

1 cup/240 ml whole milk

1½ lb/680 g Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced

1½ cups/175 g shredded Gruyère cheese

½ cup/60 g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Coat the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil and sauté the fennel and leeks for 5 minutes, until the leeks begin to soften. Add the salt, Tabasco, cream, and milk to the skil- let, and stir to blend. Add the potatoes and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until they are tender but not falling apart.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Spread half the potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with ½ cup/60 g of the Gruyère cheese. Layer the remaining potatoes on top, and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère and the Parmigiano. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours, or on low for 6 hours, until the potatoes are tender and bubbling.

Allow the potatoes to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Timpani of Potatoes

This is a big production, along the lines of the pasta dish served in the Stanley Tucci film
Big Night.
Like their northern counterparts, the cooks of southern Italy don't waste food, and this dish probably came about when someone had too many leftover mashed potatoes. Layered with prosciutto or salami, cheeses, garlic, and herbs, the dish bubbles away in the slow cooker, emitting aromas that will make your mouth water. Serve it directly from the slow cooker with grilled meat, poultry, or seafood, or as a luncheon main dish with fresh tomatoes from your garden, dressed with oil and lemon juice.

SERVES 8 TO 10

8 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-in/2.5-cm chunks

2 to 3 tbsp olive oil

1¾ cups/175 g freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

½ cup/130 g ricotta cheese

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp/55 g unsalted butter, softened

¼ cup/60 ml milk, or more as needed

½ cup/30 g chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

¹
/
₃
lb/140 g thinly sliced prosciutto, large pieces of fat removed, and cut into narrow strips

One 5-to 6-oz/140- to 170-gjar marinated artichoke hearts, drained, patted dry, and quartered

1 lb/455 g fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced ¼ in/6 mm thick

¾ cup/45 g fresh bread crumbs

3 garlic cloves, minced

Boil the potatoes in salted water to cover until tender, and drain. Coat the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray, or line with a slow-cooker liner and brush the inside with 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Sprinkle ¼ cup/30 g of the Parmigiano over the inside of the insert, tilting to cover it with the cheese.

Combine the hot potatoes, ricotta, 1 cup/115 g Parmigiano, 1½ tsp salt, ¾ tsp pepper, 2 tbsp of the butter, the milk, and ¼ cup/15 g of the parsley in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until smooth. Fold in the prosciutto and artichokes, blend- ing until well combined. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

Spread half the potatoes in the prepared insert, cover with half of the mozzarella, and sprinkle with ¼ cup/30 g of the remaining Parmigiano. Add the remaining potatoes and mozzarella in layers.

In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, garlic, remaining Parmigiano, remaining parsley, and 2 tbsp olive oil, tossing until the crumbs are evenly moist- ened. Sprinkle this mixture over the mozzarella, and dot with the remaining but- ter. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 2½ hours, until the cheeses are melted and the casserole is bubbling.

Remove the cover from the slow cooker and allow the timpani to rest for 10 min- utes before serving.

SLOW COOKER SAVVY

Other meats such as, smoked ham, salami, or mortadella, can be substituted for the prosciutto. Just make sure to slice them thinly. Or, if you wish to make this vegetarian, omit the prosciutto, and fold ½ lb/225 g asparagus tips, blanched; caramelized onions; or sautéed mushrooms into the potatoes.

Potato Tagine with Lemon and Olives

A vegetarian tagine is a superb meatless supper, or it can be served as an exotic side with roasted or grilled meats, or seafood. A good amount of aromatic spices transforms the multicolored potatoes into savory and delicious nuggets in the sauce. I love the sweetness of the cipollini onions in this dish, but if you can't find them, quarter sweet yellow onions and use them instead. You can make your ouun preserved Lemons, or Look for them in Middle Eastern markets, gourmet shops, or online
Resources
.

SERVES 6 TO 8

¼ cup/60 ml canola oil

½ tsp saffron threads, crushed in the palm of your hand

2 tsp sweet paprika

4 garlic cloves, chopped

¼ cup/25 g finely chopped preserved lemon rind
Slow Cooker Savvy

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cumin

3 lb/1.4 kg mixed medium potatoes, such as Yukon gold, purple, red-skinned, and white creamer potatoes, quartered

12 cipollini onions, peeled

1 cup/120 g picholine green olives, cracked and pitted

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint, for garnish

In the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker, combine the canola oil, saffron, paprika, garlic, preserved lemon, ginger, and cumin. Add the potatoes and onions, and stir to coat them. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, or on low for 4 to 5 hours. The potatoes should be tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.