The Gourmet Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the World (Paperback)

by Lynn Alley (Author)
Key Phrases: sort through the beans, slow cooker, discard the thyme, Sauvignon Blanc, British Isles, Sonoma County (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In this volume, Alley (Lost Arts: A Celebration of Culinary Traditions) provides a montage of surprising and intriguing recipes-everything from White Truffle Risotto to Chocolate Chip Cookies-all of which are made in a slow cooker. Chapters are divided by country, and include France, Great Britain, India, Italy, Mexico and the U.S. According to Alley, signature meals, side dishes and even desserts from each of these countries, such as Chicken Mole from Mexico, Eggplant and Pea Curry from India, Pork with Prunes from France and Anise Biscotti from Italy, can be made simply in one pot. Alley includes drink recommendations with each recipe. These are generally wine pairings (with Provencal Beef Stew, "a Cotes de Provence rose or medium-bodied red table wine would do well") but the author refrains from going over the top to underscore the sophistication angle. For chocolate chip cookies, she writes, "milk is the only proper accompaniment."
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"Go ahead and sneer. I love my slow cooker.... Even food snobs like me are realizing their potential, albeit a little later than the more than perhaps 100 million Americans who already own one."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 108 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press; illustrated edition edition (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580084893
• ISBN-13: 978-1580084895
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,180 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

343 of 344 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a Slow Cooker Book That Works!, March 20, 2004

By A Customer

I've tried three recipes so far from this collection, each one more complex than the last, as I gain my trust in this author. The Baked Eggplant was ridiculously easy (just cut the eggplants into cubes and cook on low for 4-6 hours, then add the seasonings after the cooking is done.) Next I tried the Tuscan White Bean Soup, which was excellent and not at all watery, like most crock-pot soups. Finally, I made a pot of Mexican Chicken in Peanut and Ancho Chili Sauce, and I can finally say that I've found a crock pot book that really does work.

The author encourages crock-pot users to lift the lid and stir while the food is cooking; I heartily agree, because the food ends up well cooked and NOT the watery, insipid mess I usually got. These are recipes that will not taste like a well-meaning, "good-for-you" home economics project. But this means you can't start your supper in the morning and have it done when you're back from work: the result may be watery. That's been my experience with other books, like Judith Finalyson's.

So if you're going to be home and willing to keep an eye on your slow cooker while it's doing its thing, you will be very satisfied with the recipes in this book.

202 of 202 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Slow Cooking for flavor rather than convenience, May 2, 2005

By	H. Mccartor (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Judging from reviews of slow cooking cook books there seem to be two distinct groups of users - those who work all day and need something ready when they get home and those whose interest in slow cooking is the quality that slow cooking adds to many foods. This is a book for the latter group. The recipes are delicious but may require attention during the cooking. When I bought my slow cooker I read the Amazon reviews and bought 4 slow cooker cook books. This is the only one I have used and the results have been great. The recipes in the other books seemed uninspired and except for the Betty Crocker book were not accompanied by photos to entice me. The Greek lamb shanks were a snap and delicious. The Moussaka was a little more complex and required adding the topping after 3 hours but tasted great. The recipes are organized by country of origin and include French, Greek, Indian, Mexican, Italian, English and American. If you need a dinner ready when you get home from work this is probably not the book for you but if you want to have dishes that you will be proud to serve to guests this it the best of the 4 books I purchased.

84 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You will still have to do prep work, October 29, 2005

By	Jay P. Francis (Houston, Texas United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

We think of slow cookers as labor saving devices, and they are. However this book focuses on utlilizing the slow cooker as another tool in the kitchen, one that, by its design, results in tender cooked meats. This is not a book for those who want to be able to throw stuff into the cooker and come back 8 hours later. There is a lot of prep work, and, the three recipes I have prepared so far, require sautee skills, blender skills, roaster skills. Excellent, flavorful end results though. I have tried chicken and dumplings, tamale pie, and pork stew with tomatillos. The winner is the pork stew. Honestly I have never tried a recipe that required 3 lbs of tomatillos. But it worked. Also I haven't ever used my broiler before to roast chiles, onions, tomatillos, etc. I always used my comal on top of the stove. But the broiler method worked great.

Of the tamale pie and chicken with dumplings recipes, neither the dumplings nor the cornbread were spectacular, but the flavor was very good.

For the way I cook, and because I enjoy prep work, I can recommend this book.

But be warned.

Supplemental: The artichoke risotto was a complete bust. It just didn't work. I don't know what kind of crockpot she was testing this recipe in, but I followed the directions to the letter, and after two hours on high, the risotto was inedible. I moved it over to a rice cooker to finish off. So my rating goes down to 3 stars with this experience.