| Recipes Slow Cooking - March 2011 Recipes |
 |
 |
 |
Recipes Slow Cooking - March 2011Creamy Slow Cooker Stroganoffadapted from Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking by Stephanie O’Dea
 Serves 6
1 kg stewing beef 30 g butter 50 ml milk 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 onion, diced 225 g mushrooms, quartered or sliced 50 ml broth 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence or thyme 100 g cream cheese, diced egg noodles, for serving Put the meat into the slow cooker (frozen is fine). Add the butter, milk, Worcestershire sauce, onion, mushrooms, broth, salt, pepper and dried herbs. Cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, or until the meat is tender. Stir in the cream cheese and cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cream cheese is fully incorporated into the sauce. Taste and add more salt or pepper if necessary. Serve over cooked egg noodles.
adapted from Giada De Laurentiis at Food Network
 Serves 6
1 x 2 kg pot roast salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 onions, sliced 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 250 ml dry red wine 400 ml beef stock 15 g dried porcini mushrooms 1 bunch carrots, peeled and halved if large, and cut into 3-inch pieces egg noodles or mashed potatoes, to serve Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes total cooking time. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, until tender, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the wine and boil for 1 minute. Stir in the broth and mushrooms. Bring the liquid to a boil. Carefully pour the liquid into the slow cooker. Add the carrots. Cook on low for 8 hours, or until the meat and carrots are tender.
Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots to a serving bowl. Tent the beef with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, spoon any excess fat off the top of the sauce in the slow cooker. Using a hand-held blender, blend the sauce, onions, and garlic into a smooth puree. (If you don’t have a hand-held blender, transfer the sauce and vegetables to a blender and puree.) Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
Cut the beef across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange the sliced beef on a platter and spoon the sauce over. Serve with egg noodles or mashed potatoes, passing the remaining sauce in a sauceboat.
Slow Cooker Cassouletadapted from Thomas Keller
 Serves 8 to 10 450 g dried cannellini or haricot beans, or 2 x 400 g tins of beans 1.5 kg boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces (you can ask your butcher to do this for you) salt and freshly ground black pepper olive oil 3 medium onions, coarsely chopped 500 ml dry white wine (or use stock or water if you prefer not to use alcohol) 60 ml tomato puree 2 x 400 g tins whole plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped 500 ml chicken stock 450 g fully cooked or smoked chorizo or garlic sausage links, sliced on the diagonal 1 garlic head, halved crosswise 100 g breadcrumbs a handful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish crusty bread, to serve If you’re using dried beans, soak the beans in plenty of cold water overnight. Drain the beans and put them in a large pot with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch (see above if you want to add some aromatics). Bring to the boil and skim off any scum that rises to the surface, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are tender but still retain their shape, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, season the pork generously with salt and pepper and set aside.Heat a large frying pan and add a splash of olive oil. Add half of the pork to the pan and brown on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to the slow cooker and repeat with the remaining pork.
Add the onions and 1 teaspoon coarse salt to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, about 7 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Transfer the onion and wine mixture to the slow cooker, then stir in the tomato puree, tomatoes, stock, cooked beans, chorizo and garlic.
Set the cooker to low and cook, covered, until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork, about 8 hours (though it could be as much as 10 hours). Skim off any fat and remove and discard the garlic. Fold in the breadcrumbs and the parsley. Taste and season as needed.
Let the cassoulet stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle each serving with parsley and serve with warm crusty bread.
You can find these recipes and more family favourites on our blog, www.dinnerdujour.org. |