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remove the skewers, silicone loops, or kitchen string. Using a serrated knife, cut each chicken breast on the diagonal into 4 pieces, and serve the meat in a pool of the sauce, with any additional sauce on the side.

serves 6

Chicken Breasts in Port Wine Smothered with Leeks

This extraordinary dish, made from the simplest of ingredients, is one from famed chef Fredy Girardet of the restaurant Girardet in Crissiér, Switzerland. I have made this dish as a braise on the stovetop for years, but it really does well in the slow cooker. I think the sauce is even more intense and flavorful. Girardet would serve this on a bed of potato and turnip gratin, but my family loves it with Potatoes Boulangerie.

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

4 large leeks, finely chopped, using the white and tender green parts

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 chicken breast halves, boned and skinned

1 cup Ruby Port

½ cup double-strength chicken broth

½ cup heavy cream

melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Sauté until the leeks are fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the leeks to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.

sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and place atop the leeks in the slow-cooker insert. Pour in the port and broth. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through.

transfer the chicken to a ser ving platter and cover with aluminum foil. Pour the leeks and liquid into a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper if needed.

cut each chicken breast on the diagonal into 4 pieces. Ladle some of the leek sauce onto a plate and top with the chicken. Spoon over some of the remaining sauce.

serves 6

The Best Thanksgiving Turkey Breast You’ll Ever Eat

This turkey breast is for all those occasions when you want to serve only white meat turkey. I use this method to cook turkey breasts when I need meat for casseroles or salads as well. If you want a dark gravy, you will need to use demi-glace, because the drippings don’t get very dark in the slow cooker.

2 medium onions, quartered

2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch lengths

2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch lengths

2 large sprigs thyme leaves

1½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup double-strength chicken broth

4 strips thick-cut bacon

One 3- to 4-pound bone-in turkey breast

2 teaspoons Wondra or other instant blending flour (optional)

arrange the vegetables and thyme in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and pour in the broth.

arrange the bacon on top of the turkey breast and place in the slow-cooker insert on top of the vegetables. Cover and cook on high for 3½ to 4 hours, until the turkey registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer. Carefully transfer the turkey breast to a serving platter and discard the bacon.

cover the turkey breast with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk in the flour (if using) and bring back to a boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning. slice the turkey breast and serve with the gravy.

serves 8

Stuffed Turkey Breast Braised in Pinot Grigio

Turkey breast is a great dish for a company dinner, but all too often it comes out of the oven dried out. The slow cooker braises the turkey to perfection and ensures that it is tender and juicy. This turkey breast is boned (your butcher can do this for you, but boneless breasts are also available at the supermarket), braised in white wine, and has a sensational cornbread and prosciutto stuffing. When the breast is sliced for serving, it has a spiral of the stuffing in the middle, a perfect complement to the delicious wine sauce.

CORNBREAD AND PROSCIUTTO STUFFING

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

6 thin slices prosciutto, cut into julienne strips

1 teaspoon