Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever (18 page)

Until I did a bit of research, I did not realize there are two different states that claim Brunswick Stew as their own. Many maintain that Brunswick, Georgia, is the home to Brunswick Stew, where it is made with meat rather than chicken. Others insist that Brunswick County, Virginia, is the true home of Brunswick Stew, where it is made with chicken. One thing that all agree on is that the original was probably a hunter’s stew made with game, such as squirrel or other small animals. The other ingredients have remained the same for years: corn, lima beans, tomatoes, onion, and okra; additions to the stew are determined by the cook. We will use meaty chicken thighs and ham to flavor this all-American stew. Serve the stew with spoon bread or cornbread.

½ cup all-purpose flour

Salt

¼ teaspoon sweet paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper

8 chicken thighs, skin removed

3 tablespoons olive oil

One 1-pound ham steak, cut into

1-inch pieces

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

One 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup chicken broth

6 medium red potatoes, quartered

One 10-ounce package frozen lima beans, defrosted

One 16-ounce package frozen corn, defrosted

2 cups fresh okra, cut into ½-inch slices

6 drops hot sauce (see savvy)

Freshly ground black pepper

put the flour, 1½ teaspoons salt, the paprika, and cayenne in a large plastic bag. Add the chicken to the bag and toss to coat. Remove the chicken from the bag and shake off any excess flour.

heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken a few pieces at a time and brown on all sides. Transfer the browned pieces to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.

add the ham to the same skillet and sauté for 3 minutes, until it begins to color. Transfer to the slow cooker. Add the onion, bell pepper, and thyme to the skillet and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and Worcestershire, stirring up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

transfer the mixture to the slow-cooker insert. Add the broth, potatoes, lima beans, and corn to the cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook the stew on low for 6 hours.

remove the cover and add the okra and hot sauce. Cover and cook an additional 1 hour, until the potatoes and chicken are tender.

season with salt and pepper before serving.

serves 6–8

hot-sauce savvy

We all have favorite hot sauces, whether it’s Tabasco, Cholula, Crystal, or Frank’s, so I leave it up to you. My favorites are Tabasco, which has more of a vinegar flavor and is traditionally Southern, and Frank’s, which has a more pronounced pepper flavor.

The Basque region is in the western Pyrenees, which run along the border between France and Spain. Its cuisine varies from place to place, but this chicken dish can be found on many restaurant menus in the region. Chicken with sausage, bell peppers, onions, and paprika is braised until the chicken is falling off the bone, and a sauce coats the chicken and vegetables. It’s delicious served with crusty bread and a green salad with avocados and oranges.

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

10 chicken thighs, skin removed

1½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 medium onions, cut into half rounds

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and cut into ½-inch-thick slices

1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch-thick slices

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 cup chicken broth

4 ounces Spanish chorizo or sopressata (see savvy), cut into ½-inch dice

heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with the salt and pepper.

add the chicken to the skillet and brown on all sides. Transfer the browned meat to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the onions, garlic, bell peppers, paprika, and thyme to the skillet and sauté until the vegetables are softened, 7 to 8 minutes.

deglaze the pan with the vinegar and broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow-cooker insert. Add the chorizo and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

skim off any fat from the top of the sauce and serve the stew from the cooker set on warm.

serves 8

salami savvy

Spanish chorizo may be difficult to find in your area, but sopressata, a salami that is cured with wine, makes a nice substitute.

I love lettuce wraps at Asian restaurants—the cooling lettuce against the warm and spicy chopped chicken and vegetables is great combination. This wrap pairs the spicy chicken with Napa cabbage, and braises the cabbage like traditional stuffed cabbage rolls. These wraps make a delicious dinner, served over stir-fried noodles.

1 head Napa cabbage

2 cups chicken broth

½ cup soy sauce

4 slices fresh ginger

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

6 canned water chestnuts, finely chopped

2 chicken breast halves, skin and bones removed, finely chopped

4 green onions, finely chopped, using the white and tender green parts

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with

2 tablespoons water

core the cabbage and separate the leaves, being careful not to tear them. Put the broth, soy sauce, and ginger in a large stockpot and bring to a boil.

blanch the cabbage leaves, one at a time, for 30 seconds until limp. Drain the leaves and set aside. Add the broth mixture to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Cover and set on warm while preparing the filling.

heat the oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and water chestnuts and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken turns white, 3 to 5 minutes.

transfer the contents of the pan to a bowl and stir in the green onions and hoisin sauce. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling at the stem end of a cabbage leaf and roll up, tucking in the sides of the leaf as you go. Place the cabbage wraps on a rack in the slow cooker.

cover and cook on high for 1½ to 2 hours, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the wraps and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch mixture and bring back to a boil.

serve the wraps with the sauce on the side.

serves 8

If you need a lot of chicken meat for a salad luncheons or casseroles, then this is your recipe. Load up the cooker with boneless chicken breasts and then let the cooker do its work. In five hours, you can have enough chicken to shred and store in your freezer for months to come.

2 cups chicken broth

3 whole black peppercorns

½ teaspoon dried thyme

12 chicken breast halves, skin and bones removed

mix together the broth, peppercorns, and thyme in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker, stacking them in an even layer.

cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Let the chicken cool and remove it from the slow cooker. Refrigerate for 2 days or freeze for up to 10 weeks.

serves 8

This is a simple supper that is not only delicious, but also good for you! Miso broth poaches the chicken and steams the broccoli that rests on top of it, preventing it from being overcooked. The chicken can be served in shallow bowls on udon or soba noodles with some of the broth and broccoli.

2 cups chicken broth

¼ cup white miso paste

1 clove garlic, sliced

2 thin slices fresh ginger

6 chicken breast halves, skin and bones removed

1 pound broccoli, stalks trimmed and peeled and cut into florets

pour the broth into the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the miso, garlic, and ginger and stir to combine.

place the chicken in the broth and place the broccoli on top of the chicken. Cover and cook on high for 1½ to 2 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and the broccoli is tender.

remove the chicken from the broth and arrange it on a serving platter, surrounded by the broccoli. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and serve in bowls. The chicken can also be served in bowls.

serves 6

Though they require a bit more work than most chicken dishes, these stuffed chicken breasts will garner rave reviews from your family and friends. The tasty spinach-and-Boursin combination bursts from the interior when the breasts are sliced, and the white wine sauce, finished off with a bit of cream, takes it over the top.

6 chicken breast halves, skin and bones removed

2½ teaspoons salt

1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup finely chopped shallot

One 16-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry (see savvy)

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teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

One 2-ounce package Boursin cheese

½ cup dry white wine or vermouth

1½ cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives

spinach savvy

Another use for your potato ricer is for squeezing spinach dry. If you don’t have a potato ricer, put the spinach in a colander and press the extra moisture out with your hands.

place the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and pound until the chicken is a uniform thickness. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with some of the salt and pepper.

heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add the spinach and sauté until it is wilted and dry. Season with the remaining salt and pepper, add the nutmeg, and stir to blend. Let the filling cool, then add the Boursin and stir to blend.

spread the stuffing over the chicken breasts and roll up each one from the top of the breast, tucking in the sides to enclose the filling. (I find that if you roll these and then lay them into the cooker seam-side down, without stirring them, there is no need to secure them: they remain rolled during the cooking. If you would like to secure them, use 4-inch skewers and lace the skewer through the meat on the underside of the roll, or use kitchen string or silicone loops.)

place the stuffed breasts in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker, wedging them in to fit. Pour the wine and chicken broth into the slow cooker.

cover and cook on high for 2½ to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through (170°F on an instant-read thermometer). Carefully remove the chicken from the cooker and cover with aluminum foil. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and boil until reduced by half. Reduce the heat, stir in the cream, and bring it to serving temperature. Stir in the chives. Remove the skewers, kitchen string, or loops before using a serrated knife to cut each chicken breast crosswise into 4 pieces.

serve the chicken in a pool of the sauce and nap with additional sauce.

serves 6