Customer Reviews

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

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Our book discussion group recently met at the home of a member who can't often attend our meetings because of her demanding work schedule. We entered her home to be welcomed by the delicious aroma of PORK STEW WITH TOMATILLOS, prepared from The Gourmet Slow Cooker cookbook. After an outstanding meal, we shelved our scheduled discussion book and spent the evening looking through and discussing this wonderful cookbook and how it has simplified and enhanced dinnertime for a working woman and her family.
This is NOT your typical crockpot cookbook filled with 90% chicken recipes where you add frozen vegetables and canned soup (yuck!). The ingredients are fresh meat and vegetables, seasonings and spices. The international cuisine is a exciting change from the beef stew and cheese dip mindset we had long associated with slow cooker food preperation.
I am looking at my slow cooker with new enthusiasm, one friend is resurrectiong her THREE slow cookers from the basement and sharing two of them with other bookgroup members. The six of us without it are purchasing THE GOURMET SLOW COOKER and looking forward to ready-when-you-get-home gourmet meals for our families. And, of course, a make-ahead treat for the Wild Women of Wednesday Book Discussion Group when we are the hostess of the month.

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.