The Mediterranean Slow Cooker Cookbook (3 page)

Keep a lid on it! Every time you lift the lid of your slow cooker, you lose 20 minutes of cooking time. I’ve factored two lifts into the cooking time for each recipe. If you have a stainless-steel cover, you won’t be able to see what’s going on, and curiosity is a natural instinct in a cook. Or you may want to turn the ingredients.

Never fill your slow cooker more than two-thirds full; many cookers have a maximum fill line, but you can figure this out by looking at the insert. On the other hand, always fill the cooker at least halfway so your ingredients don’t burn.

Sauté meats, poultry, and aromatics such as garlic, onion, dried herbs, and spices before adding them to the slow cooker. Sautéing allows them to release some oil and bloom. If you just toss raw garlic and onion into the cooker, they will taste raw in the final dish.

Meats and poultry should be sautéed so that the caramelized bits on the bottom of the skillet can be added to the slow cooker to enhance the flavor of the sauce. Raw meats tend to foam when simmer-ing, and the foam is not only unsightly in the finished dish but also unappetizing.

Never put frozen food into a slow cooker, which could cause your dish to breed bacteria. If you think about it, your food would have to defrost, then get back to a safe temperature, and cook to doneness.
It’s a risk I won’t take, although there are lots of books that recommend that you put frozen meats into the slow cooker.

To prevent food from sticking to the cooker, use a slow-cooker liner, which is available in supermarkets and gourmet stores. Some dishes, such as casseroles, have a tendency to stick to the inside of your insert, making it difficult to clean. If you prefer, you can use a nonstick cooking spray. Either one will make cleanup simpler, which is why they’re essential in my kitchen.

Some slow cookers may cook hotter than others, so keep extra broth or liquid on hand in case the liquid in the cooker evaporates too quickly.

Make sure you read your slow cooker manufacturer’s instructions for operation and cleaning.

When shopping for a slow cooker, look for a good-quality cooker, which should give you even heating. You do get what you pay for with electric cooking utensils. If you bought a slow cooker at your local discount store, chances are it will cook at the same temperature on low as it does on high. I recommend that people use inexpensive cookers only on low because they tend to cook at hot temperatures, and I have had dishes burn in them. My preference is to get a programmable slow cooker that will switch from high to low or low to warm after a designated period of time has elapsed. Three of the high-end manufacturers now offer slow cookers with an insert that can be used on the stove top, eliminating the need for a large skillet. After you sauté your flavor base ingredients or meat in the insert, you place it in the slow cooker, and you are good to go.

CONVERTING A FAVORITE RECIPE FOR A SLOW COOKER

If you would like to convert a recipe you make on the stove top or in the oven for your slow cooker, follow the suggested times below and use only half the amount of liquid in the recipe.

A Mediterranean Pantry

Chances are if you are reading this book, you already have some Mediterranean ingredients in your pantry. Following is an annotated list of ingredients with suggestions for what to buy, which I hope will help you produce the best possible food in your slow cooker.

ANCHOVIES /
Salty, tiny fish with a strong flavor, anchovies come canned in oil. Buy small tins of imported Spanish or Italian anchovies and drain off the oil before using.

BLACK PEPPER /
Grind your pepper in a pepper mill, or grinder; the fresh taste is essential for this type of cooking. I own a set of gravity-operated pepper mills that will grind either salt or pepper when I turn them over. They make it so much easier, especially when you have sticky hands in the kitchen!

BROTHS AND HOMEMADE STOCKS /
Many dishes will call for broth or stock, and you can use your favorite brand of broth or your own homemade stock. There are many choices, so pick what appeals to your taste. Some dishes call for a soup base or a demi-glace for a punch of flavor. I like to use Superior Touch Better Than Bouillon soup base, which comes in a variety of flavors; More Than Gourmet demi-glace; and Provimi demi-glace, which comes frozen.

CANNED TOMATOES /
I prefer the San Marzano imported Italian tomatoes. They have a consistently good flavor, and I never seem to get just the stem ends, which happens frequently with American brands. Experiment to find a tomato brand that you like. Each growing season is different, and some years, one brand will be better than the others. If you are growing fresh tomatoes in your garden, plant a plum tomato plant. When harvesting, cut the tomatoes in half and freeze them. Peel and seed them to add to sauces and slow-cooker dishes (frozen tomatoes are easier to peel than fresh).