Slow Cooker #5: Lamb Tagine with Dried Fruits

So this slow cooker recipe comes from the LA Times and I am not modifying at all, except that I didn't have shallots!!! and used extra onion instead.

I'll update to give the verdict on this one!

Thanks to my lovely assistant Marc for taking pictures today!

Recipe for Lamb Tagine with Dried Fruit

Ingredients

4 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground tumeric

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp finely ground chile powder

3 lbs boneless, trimmed lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes

1/4 cup flour

2 TBL oil

1 TBL butter

2 large onions, cut into 1/2-inch slices lenghthwise

10 shallots

4 tsp chopped garlic

1 TBL minced ginger

1 cup dried apricots

1/2 cup raisins

1 TBL honey

2-3 cinnamon sticks

1 1/2 cup vegetable broth, more as needed

1 cup pitted dates

1. In a large bowl, stir together the cumin, turmeric, slat, pepper, paprika, and chile. Add the cubed lamb and toss until the pieces are evenly coated with the spice mix. Sprinkle with the flour and toss to give the lamb a light coating of flour(you may have a little flour left in the bottom of the bowl; save this to thicken the tagine.

2. Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the lamb pieces in a single layer(this may be done in more than one batch) and sear until the pieces are browned on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Remove the lamb with a slotted spoon back to the large bowl.

3. Add the onions and shallots to the pan. Saute the onion and shallots until the onions are just softened and slightly golden, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat.

4. Place the onions and shallots in an even layer in the slow cooker insert. Stir in the garlic, ginger, apricots, raisins, honey, cinnamon sticks and broth. Place the lamb pieces over the onion mixture in an even layer. Gently sprinkle any remaining flour over the lamb.

5. Cover the insert and place it in the slow cooker. Set to HIGH. After 2 hours, remove the lid and sprinkle the dates over the lamb. Replace the lid quickly and cook an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the lamb is fork-tender.

6. Remove the insert from the heat and briefly prop the lid open to allow the mixture to cool slightly. Gently stir the lamb with the vegetables and fruit; the apricots and dates will crush easily if stirred to hard.

7. Serve with couscous and lemon wedges.

Holiday Pumpkin Roll

Wish I could take credit for this one, but this is a recipe straight out of the Kitchen Aid Instructions Manual. Still, it is a win win dessert during the holidays so I am posting. Impress your friends and family with this very easy to make Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling.

When I can't get the best pumpkin roll ever from Auntie Jackie, this is the best substitute!

BRENDA'S PUMPKIN CAKE ROLL

Ingredients

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Cream Cheese Filling

1 package(8 oz) cream cheese(don't try to be healthy! Use the real thing!), softened

4 teaspoons butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

______________________________________

Place eggs in bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater. Turn to Speed 6 and beat 1 minute. Continuing on Speed 6, gradually sprinkle in sugar and beat for 4 minutes. Reduce to Stir Speed and add pumpkin. Stop and scrape bowl.

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger. Turn to Stir Speed and gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, about 1 minute.

Line 9 X 13 X 3/4 inch jelly roll pan with waxed paper and grease well. Pour mixture into pan and bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 13 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately turn onto a towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Remove waxed paper and roll cake and towel together; cool completely.

When cool, unroll cake and spread with CREAM CHEESE FILLING. Reroll and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Yield: Nine 1-inch servings.

CREAM CHEESE FILLING

Place all ingredients in bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater. Turn to Speed 4 and beat until thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes.

ENJOY!

Slow Cooker #4: Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ahhh, pulled pork sandwiches. The reason why I went searching for a slow cooker in the first place. I was first introduced to the pulled pork sandwich in elementary school, where it was a regular part of our school lunch menu. At the time, I thought it was the most disgusting sandwich on our menu and would never have another PPS until I was about 25.

Too bad for me. Looking back, I think my taste buds just weren't ready for the zingy vinegar

tang OR maybe elementary school PPS just aren't quite like the real thing. Either way, it wasn't until my boyfriend at the time, a jazz musician

from New York, had come to Richmond to visit me. He had read an article in Gourmet magazine about Bill's Barbecue, a family-run restaurant that has been specializing in pulled pork since the 1930s.

It was a memorable fast food experience, and ever since, I have a been a huge fan of pulled pork sandwiches. I have never been crazy about super sweet tomato-y texas style BBQ. Here is a recipe for slow-cooked pulled pork that is more in the Eastern North Carolina style. A spicy vinegar/chili sauce is made and then used to smother the pork after it has cooked for 7-8 hours.

Recipe for Pulled Pork

Ingredients for Vinegar Sauce

1 Cup White Vinegar

1 cup cider vinegar

1 TBL brown sugar

1 TBL cayenne pepper

2 TBL crushed red pepper

1/2 TBL salt

1 Tsp black pepper

In a medium sauce pan, combine all ingredients except black pepper, over high heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-high. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Add black pepper. Pour in a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for 1-2 days before using to blend flavors. Shake occasionally and store up to 2 months in refrigerator.

For the Pork:

Ingredients

1 fresh pork butt, bone-in

kosher salt

1/2 cup of vinegar sauce

6 cloves of garlic

Season pork with salt and then place in slow cooker. Add garlic and pour vinegar sauce over pork. Cover the insert and cook for 6-8 hours on LOW, until meat is tender and falls apart easily.

Chop and pull the pork coarsely and mix in vinegar sauce and salt to taste. Serve on a potato bread roll or kaiser roll and definitely enjoy with cole slaw!

Slow Cooker #3: Chicken Noodle Soup

Now, that I had lots of shredded chicken left over from the Poached Chicken, I decided to make soup for a cold 55 degree evening in LA.

The broth that was left over from the Poached Chicken recipe was pretty amazing- I stuffed the cavity of the chicken with garlic, ginger, lemongrass, star anise, cilantro stems, and garlic chives. The ingredients made for a rich flavorful broth.

I cooked some rice noodles, heated up the broth, and then added the chicken and noodles to the soup.

After heated through, I topped with thai basil, jalapenos, lime wedge, and green onion. For even more heat, I put a dollop of garlic chili sauce on top.

Yum!

Slow Cooker #2: Chinese Poached Chicken

The first pot roast turned out to be delicious, but I really went simple. I didn't use any seasoning other than salt and pepper and now I'm ready to start kicking it up a notch....but slowly.

Today's recipe is for a Chinese Poached Chicken, which can be used for salads and summer rolls. I am going to alter a bit so I think it may be more like a South East Asian Poached Chicken. Ingredients to be stuffed inside the 5-lb. bird include:

1 bunch green onions

2-3 garlic cloves

1/2 cup cilantro stems

5 ginger slices

1 whole star anise

(my additions- lemongrass and bird chillies)

The chicken will sit in a broth of 1/4 cup light soy sauce, 3 TBL. vermouth, and 1/4 water.

Into the pot:

This will be my first time using the slow cooker when I'm not home. Thank goodness I won't have to sit around and wait for it to be done.

Looking forward to dinner tonight!

PS Already started hunting for a North Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich recipe and think I'm going to try Emeril's this weekend. Very excited!

***Chicken Update- Chicken was great after shredding(prefer the roasted chicken texture for dark meat on bone). I made a thai vinaigrette for salads yesterday and tonight will use the broth(which is AMAZING) and shredded chicken breast for Pho!

Initiation Into the World of Slow Cooking

So, I had another amazing dinner at Czarina's last night. She made a Morrocan Leg of Lamb in her slow cooker. This isn't the first time she's slow-cooked for us. Each time, I considered getting a slow cooker for myself, but somehow just kept putting it off.

After last night's feast, I was at Target at 9 this morning, ready to buy. When buying kitchen appliances, I usually do a few days of research to make sure that I get the model that is right for me. But I was hasty today. Fortunately, I think I got the right model; I bought the the Hamilton Beach 6- quart programmable slow cooker.

I had no idea what I have been missing until I posted a comment on Facebook about getting the slow cooker. Friends wrote in to say they liked my post and to offer suggestions for dishes to cook. I asked for recipes and think that I will begin posting my results in the upcoming weeks.

Tonight I'm making a very simple pot roast that I found in the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook. I'm afraid it might be too simple, but the idea of chopping veggies up and throwing the rest of the ingredients into my new slow cooker-literally setting and forgetting- is what this is all about. With one hour to go, I'm hoping it will be a great first dish.

Anyway, here's what my SC looks like. Is that too big for two people?

Rivera Downtown gets 3 1/2 stars in LA Times Review!

Read the review! Then go eat!

Back in the Saddle

So, thanks to my friend, Katy(who just happened to stumble across my blog) I'm back on after taking a long break to pursue my other interest, music.  My band, Monte Carlo, just played a fundraiser at the Henry Ford Theater in Hollywood last Saturday. We got to play with Guitar Hero, Slash, which was awesome. During our break we ran across the street and got our Middle Eastern on at a little hole in the wall, Al Wazir Chicken, at 6051 Hollywood Blvd.

Cheap and cheerful, the lamb shwerma was tasty. On Yelp, it looks like everyone compares it to Zankou Chicken. Very tasty stuff and great garlic sauce.  Anyway, I'll try to drop in more often. There's a few places that I need to add now that I'm living on the Westside.