Slow Cooker_ The Best Cookbook Ever - Diane Phillips [117]
Saffron Rice
I’ve always been partial to the flavor of saffron, which is a spice from the stigma of the crocus plant. It takes a lot of these to make an ounce of saffron, but the flavor is sublime and it colors rice (and risotto) a bright yellow. Buy your saffron from Penzey’s or a local gourmet retailer because what you get in your supermarket is typically an inferior product.
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup finely chopped shallots
About 1 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed in the palm of your hand
3 cups converted white rice
4½ to 5½ cups chicken broth (see savvy)
2 cups frozen petite peas, defrosted
spray the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.
melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and saffron and sauté until the shallots are softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the slow-cooker insert.
add the rice and 4½ cups of the broth and stir to combine. cover and cook on high for 2 hours, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Uncover the cooker and stir in the peas.
serve from the cooker set on warm.
serves 8–10
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broth savvy
Depending on the brand of rice and size and shape of your slow cooker, you may find that you need to add more broth to the rice. I find it’s a good idea to be prepared and have additional broth on hand. If you don’t use it, label and freeze it in zippertop plastic bags.
Bulgur with Basil, Mint, and Tomato
This simple dish is a terrific side for lamb, with its tomato and mint flavors mingling with the chewy bulgur. Serve this mounded on a platter, surrounded by lamb or gyros for a delicious meal. Once the bulgur has been cooked, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat in the slow cooker for another meal.
2 cups medium bulgur
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
One 14- to 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes, drained but juice reserved
3½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint
coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray and add the bulgur. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and sauté until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the drained tomatoes and cook until there is no liquid left in the pan.
pour the broth in the skillet and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow-cooker insert and stir in the reserved tomato juice and the salt. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, until the bulgur is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
stir in the basil and mint and serve from the cooker set on warm.
serves 8
Polenta
Polenta is a fine Italian dish that up until now required constant stirring to become creamy, but with your slow cooker, you can have delicious polenta any day of the week. The slow cooker does all the work.
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups cornmeal for polenta
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.
pour the broth, cornmeal, salt, and butter into the slowcooker insert and stir to blend. Cover and cook on high for 1½ to 2 hours, until the polenta is smooth and creamy.
serve from the cooker set on warm.
serves 6
GORGONZOLA POLENTA stir in 1½ cups crumbled Gorgonzola cheese just before serving.
SAGE AND PARMESAN POLENTA stir in 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage and 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese just before serving.
PORCINI POLENTA add 4 ounces dried porcini