The Everything Kosher Slow Cooker Cookbook (41 page)

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 whole chicken, cut into eighths and most of skin removed

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cup dry white wine

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teaspoon black pepper

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tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

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teaspoon dried thyme

40 garlic cloves (about 4 garlic bulbs), peeled

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken for about 4–5 minutes each side.
   
2. Transfer the chicken to a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the wine over the chicken. Sprinkle with the black pepper, rosemary, and thyme. Scatter the garlic cloves around the chicken.
   
3. Cover and cook for 3–4 hours on low or until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a knife.
   

Don’t Be Afraid of All That Garlic!

The long cooking process mellows the taste of the garlic. Mash the cooked garlic to use as a spread or to mix into mashed potatoes.

Lamb Shanks with Lemon

This is a simple yet delicious alternative to the usual chicken or brisket for the Seder table.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 lamb shanks

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teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

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teaspoon kosher salt

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teaspoon ground black pepper

1 lemon, thinly sliced

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cup dry white wine

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cup water

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until onions soften. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and set aside.
   
2. Return skillet to heat and add lamb shanks. Let shanks sear for 3 minutes undisturbed. Carefully turn shanks over and repeat browning for another 3 minutes. Place shanks over onion mixture in slow cooker. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and pepper. Arrange lemon slices over shanks. Pour in white wine and water. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or until shanks are tender. Discard lemon slices before serving.
   

Matzoh Ball Soup

Although it is not strictly traditional, adding dill or parsley to the matzoh balls adds a fresh note to this slow-cooked soup.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6

2 quarts Chicken Stock (see
Chapter 4
)

1 stalk celery, diced

2 carrots, cut into coin-sized pieces

1 parsnip, diced

1 onion, diced

1
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cups diced cooked chicken

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

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cup matzoh meal

2 tablespoons seltzer

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1
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tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley

Matzoh Meal Year-Round

Leftover matzoh meal can be used year-round. Use in place of crushed crackers or bread crumbs to bread fish or chicken before frying, for Chanukah potato latkes, or in meatballs.

1. Put the stock, celery, carrots, parsnip, and onion into a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 6–8 hours. Add the chicken 1 hour before serving.
   
2. About 45 minutes before serving, mix the oil, eggs, matzoh meal, seltzer, salt, and dill (or parsley) in a large bowl until matzoh meal is completely moistened. Refrigerate mixture for 15 minutes.
   
3. Rinse hands in cold water (repeat as necessary), then form mixture into 1" balls. Drop them into the soup, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
   

Tzimmes

This traditional long-cooking sweet vegetable stew is served at Passover as well as other Jewish holidays.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 12–16

Cooking spray

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

5 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 (8-ounce) package pitted prunes, halved

1 cup (4 ounces) dried apricots, halved

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cup raisins

2 tablespoons honey

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teaspoon ground cinnamon

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teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon kosher salt

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teaspoon ground pepper

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cup orange juice

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cup apple juice

1. Lightly spray the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker with the cooking spray. Add the carrots, onion, sweet potatoes, prunes, dried apricots, raisins, and honey to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
   
2. Sprinkle in the cinnamon, ginger, salt, and pepper.
   
3. Pour in the orange and apple juices. Cover and cook on high for 10–12 hours.
   

Passover Potatoes Au Gratin

Serve this dairy dish with a simple salad for lunch.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons margarine, divided

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

1 (5-ounce) box scalloped potatoes (any variety)

2 cups hot water

4 ounces Cheddar or Swiss cheese (or a combination of both), shredded

1. Spray the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
   
2. Melt margarine in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and start to brown, about 5–8 minutes. Transfer to prepared slow cooker.
   
3. Add the potatoes and sprinkle the seasoning mix over the top of them. Dot with the remaining margarine. Pour in the water. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.
   
4. Uncover and sprinkle on the cheese. Re-cover and continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until cheese has melted.
   

Passover Scalloped Chicken

Here’s an easy meal that’s delicious enough to serve year-round.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons margarine, divided

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

1 (5-ounce) box scalloped potatoes (any variety)

1 cup cooked diced chicken

2 cups hot water

1. Spray the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
   
2. Melt margarine in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and start to brown, about 5–8 minutes. Transfer to prepared slow cooker.
   
3. Add the potatoes and sprinkle the seasoning mix over the top of them. Spread the chicken on top of the potatoes. Dot with remaining margarine. Pour in the water. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.
   

Potato Kugel

Kugel means pudding, sweet or savory, with or without noodles. This version is a noodle-free savory version.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8

Cooking spray

6 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and grated

1 medium onion, diced

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cup boiling water

3 eggs

1 teaspoon kosher salt

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teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon pareve chicken bouillon powder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Spray the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
   
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated potatoes, diced onion, and boiling water. Transfer to prepared slow cooker.
   
3. In the same mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, pepper, bouillon powder, and oil. Stir egg mixture into potato mixture.
   
4. Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour, then on low for 6–8 more hours.
   

Balsamic Asparagus with Lemon

This spring vegetable is perfect for the Seder table!

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6–8

2 pounds asparagus, rinsed and tough ends trimmed

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

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cup boiling water

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cup dry white wine

2 teaspoons olive oil

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teaspoon kosher salt

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teaspoon black pepper

1 lemon, thinly sliced

Trimming Asparagus

An easy way to trim asparagus is to simply bend each stalk until it snaps. It will break at the correct spot every time!

1. Place the trimmed asparagus in a 4-quart slow cooker.
   
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, water, wine, olive oil, salt, and pepper; pour over the asparagus. Top evenly with the lemon slices.
   
3. Cook on high for 2–3 hours or until the asparagus is tender. Discard lemon slices before serving.
   

Aunt Carol’s Matzoh Cheese Kugel

Aunt Carol is one of my husband’s aunts. She makes this recipe every Passover, and says even cheese-haters love it. Don’t substitute matzoh farfel for the crumbled matzoh, because the small pieces will “melt” into the cheese.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4–6

Cooking spray

6 matzohs

5 eggs

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cup milk, regular or low-fat

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cup half-and-half

1 pound small-curd cottage cheese

1 teaspoon kosher salt

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cup granulated sugar, plus another
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cup for garnish

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Spray the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
   
2. Coarsely crumble matzohs into small pieces,
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   " or less; place in the slow cooker and set aside.
   
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, the milk, and the half-and-half.
   
4. Then add in the cottage cheese, salt,
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   cup of the sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter and use a spatula to combine. Pour mixture evenly over matzoh pieces. Do not stir. Use a spatula if necessary to make sure the matzoh pieces are moistened.
   
5. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Turn off cooker, set cover slightly ajar, and let center firm up for 15–30 minutes. Serve warm, sprinkled with additional sugar.