Chef in Residence
Crockpottery
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
DUST OFF THAT CROCK POT AND PUT IT TO WORK!
With the warmer weather and longer daylight hours keeping us busy outdoors, who really wants to go inside to heat up the kitchen by turning the stove on? A grill may not be an option for some of us, so dust off the crockpot that has been stored away in your cabinet and put it to work for you. Crockpots are the ultimate slow food cooking tool. These recipes take about 15 minutes or less to prep before pressing the "on" button. That means you can assemble the ingredients the night before, store them in the fridge or next to the slow cooker and in the morning, throw everything together and go about your day. I would advise making full size servings even if only feeding one or two people, this way, you can freeze or use the recipe in other ways during the week. I've given some examples below each recipe. This means only cooking three or four times a week, how sweet is that??
Crockpot Brisket (Pot Roast)
Serves 8
5 minutes prep – 8-10 hours cooking
3-4 pounds grass-fed beef brisket
2 onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
5 small red potatoes, halved
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
1 cup organic, low-sugar barbeque sauce
1/2 cup natural beef stock or homemade turkey stock or water
2 Tb. organic brown sugar
1 Tb. thyme leaves (optional)
several sprig of fresh rosemary (optional)
Himalayan or sea salt and pepper to taste
1.Place onions in bottom of crockpot, then place brisket, fat side up, on top of onions. Sprinkle garlic on top.
2.Add carrots, potatoes, liquid, herbs, sugar, salt and pepper and cover. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
3.To serve, slice the brisket against the grain and pour crockpot juices over the slices.
4.Serve with a healthy salad for a complete meal. Use leftovers for great sandwiches during the week!
Crock-pot BBQ Pork Sandwiches
Serves 6
5 minute prep – 8-9 hours cooking time.
1 boneless, pastured pork shoulder roast, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
1 cup chopped onion
1 jar of bone-sucking sauce-or any bbq sauce w/o hydrogenated oils, MSG or corn syrup.
3 to 4 tablespoons honey, or to taste
dash hot pepper
brioche hamburger buns
coleslaw or any other cold salad
1.Place pork roast in a lightly greased 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker. Combine onion, barbecue sauce, honey, and hot pepper; pour over roast. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 7 to 9 hours.
2.Remove roast, let cool, and shred with fingers or forks.
3.Serve on buns. Delicious with beans and coleslaw!
4.Turn leftovers into a pot pie by smoothing mashed potatoes, cornbread topping or buscuit dough over the top then baking 15 minutes. You can also wrap leftovers in homemade pizza dough and bake, then serve with dipping sauce of your choice.
Squash, Chickpea and Red Lentil Bowl
8 servings
30 minutes prep –
6 hours cooking (+ overnight soaking for chickpeas)
3/4 cup dried chickpeas
2 1/2 pounds squash of any kind-seeded, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
2 large carrots - peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion - chopped
1 cup red lentils
4 cups vegetable broth
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger - minced or grated
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon saffron or turmeric
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup lime juice - from approximately 4-6 limes
1/2 cup roasted peanuts – chopped for garnish
1/4 cup cilantro leaves - chopped for garnish
1.Soak chickpeas in enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches for 6 hours or overnight. (Alternatively, use the quick-soak method: Place beans in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.) Drain when ready to use.
2.Combine the soaked chickpeas, squash, carrots, onion, lentils, broth, tomato paste, ginger, cumin, salt, saffron and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker.
3.Put on the lid and cook on low until the chickpeas are tender and the lentils have begun to break down, 5 to 6 1/2 hours.
4.Stir in lime juice. Serve sprinkled with peanuts and cilantro. Serve hot or room temperature.
5.To get another meal out of this wonderful dish, layer lentils between pre-made polenta and dot with goat cheese. Bake about 15 minutes to blend all the ingredients together.
Simple Crockpot Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4-6
10 minute prep – 6-8 hours cooking.
1 whole chicken, preferably organic and free-range (about 4 pounds)
2 cups water or chicken stock
3 sweet potatoes, left whole and scrubbed to remove any dirt
Himalayan or sea salt and pepper to taste
1.Rinse the chicken inside and out. Sprinkle with salt and pepper inside and out.
2.Place sweet potatoes in a 5-6 quart crockpot and place chicken on top. Turn crockpot on low and cook for 6-8 hours.
3.Test chicken by checking that juices run clear when a knife or toothpick is inserted into thickest portion. Remove and pour out broth (use in other soups)
4.Serve chicken with potatoes on the side along with a healthy, fresh salad or store for use in meals over the next few days.
5.Reserve bones in the freezer to make chicken stock.
Lisa Caccamise is Chef and Owner of Simple Earth Cuisine, Personal Chef Service, LLC.
Chef in Residence of SuzySaid, Rockland Edition.
find her here on her website
or email her at
or for the traditionalist - call her at (917) 6961284
With the warmer weather and longer daylight hours keeping us busy outdoors, who really wants to go inside to heat up the kitchen by turning the stove on? A grill may not be an option for some of us, so dust off the crockpot that has been stored away in your cabinet and put it to work for you. Crockpots are the ultimate slow food cooking tool. These recipes take about 15 minutes or less to prep before pressing the "on" button. That means you can assemble the ingredients the night before, store them in the fridge or next to the slow cooker and in the morning, throw everything together and go about your day. I would advise making full size servings even if only feeding one or two people, this way, you can freeze or use the recipe in other ways during the week. I've given some examples below each recipe. This means only cooking three or four times a week, how sweet is that??
Crockpot Brisket (Pot Roast)
Serves 8
5 minutes prep – 8-10 hours cooking
3-4 pounds grass-fed beef brisket
2 onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
5 small red potatoes, halved
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
1 cup organic, low-sugar barbeque sauce
1/2 cup natural beef stock or homemade turkey stock or water
2 Tb. organic brown sugar
1 Tb. thyme leaves (optional)
several sprig of fresh rosemary (optional)
Himalayan or sea salt and pepper to taste
1.Place onions in bottom of crockpot, then place brisket, fat side up, on top of onions. Sprinkle garlic on top.
2.Add carrots, potatoes, liquid, herbs, sugar, salt and pepper and cover. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
3.To serve, slice the brisket against the grain and pour crockpot juices over the slices.
4.Serve with a healthy salad for a complete meal. Use leftovers for great sandwiches during the week!
Crock-pot BBQ Pork Sandwiches
Serves 6
5 minute prep – 8-9 hours cooking time.
1 boneless, pastured pork shoulder roast, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
1 cup chopped onion
1 jar of bone-sucking sauce-or any bbq sauce w/o hydrogenated oils, MSG or corn syrup.
3 to 4 tablespoons honey, or to taste
dash hot pepper
brioche hamburger buns
coleslaw or any other cold salad
1.Place pork roast in a lightly greased 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker. Combine onion, barbecue sauce, honey, and hot pepper; pour over roast. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 7 to 9 hours.
2.Remove roast, let cool, and shred with fingers or forks.
3.Serve on buns. Delicious with beans and coleslaw!
4.Turn leftovers into a pot pie by smoothing mashed potatoes, cornbread topping or buscuit dough over the top then baking 15 minutes. You can also wrap leftovers in homemade pizza dough and bake, then serve with dipping sauce of your choice.
Squash, Chickpea and Red Lentil Bowl
8 servings
30 minutes prep –
6 hours cooking (+ overnight soaking for chickpeas)
3/4 cup dried chickpeas
2 1/2 pounds squash of any kind-seeded, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
2 large carrots - peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion - chopped
1 cup red lentils
4 cups vegetable broth
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger - minced or grated
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon saffron or turmeric
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup lime juice - from approximately 4-6 limes
1/2 cup roasted peanuts – chopped for garnish
1/4 cup cilantro leaves - chopped for garnish
1.Soak chickpeas in enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches for 6 hours or overnight. (Alternatively, use the quick-soak method: Place beans in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.) Drain when ready to use.
2.Combine the soaked chickpeas, squash, carrots, onion, lentils, broth, tomato paste, ginger, cumin, salt, saffron and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker.
3.Put on the lid and cook on low until the chickpeas are tender and the lentils have begun to break down, 5 to 6 1/2 hours.
4.Stir in lime juice. Serve sprinkled with peanuts and cilantro. Serve hot or room temperature.
5.To get another meal out of this wonderful dish, layer lentils between pre-made polenta and dot with goat cheese. Bake about 15 minutes to blend all the ingredients together.
Simple Crockpot Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4-6
10 minute prep – 6-8 hours cooking.
1 whole chicken, preferably organic and free-range (about 4 pounds)
2 cups water or chicken stock
3 sweet potatoes, left whole and scrubbed to remove any dirt
Himalayan or sea salt and pepper to taste
1.Rinse the chicken inside and out. Sprinkle with salt and pepper inside and out.
2.Place sweet potatoes in a 5-6 quart crockpot and place chicken on top. Turn crockpot on low and cook for 6-8 hours.
3.Test chicken by checking that juices run clear when a knife or toothpick is inserted into thickest portion. Remove and pour out broth (use in other soups)
4.Serve chicken with potatoes on the side along with a healthy, fresh salad or store for use in meals over the next few days.
5.Reserve bones in the freezer to make chicken stock.
Lisa Caccamise is Chef and Owner of Simple Earth Cuisine, Personal Chef Service, LLC.
Chef in Residence of SuzySaid, Rockland Edition.
find her here on her website
or email her at
or for the traditionalist - call her at (917) 6961284
