The Chef and the Slow Cooker

Starred review from July 17, 2017
Georgia restaurateur and James Beard Best Chef–winner Acheson (A New Turn in the South) transforms the venerable slow cooker into a versatile countertop workhorse capable of high-end culinary feats. The 100 recipes here present a world of flavors based on cooking with whole ingredients and speak to busy modern cooks seeking mindful, sophisticated eats. Dishes span the globe and include osso buco with a lavender-citrus gremolata; Mexican lobster tacos; and Korean-, Thai-, and Middle Eastern–inspired recipes; along with Acheson’s signature Southern fare, such as low country shrimp pilau, collard greens, catfish stew, and barbecue ribs. Poultry goes upscale with duck and quail, and there’s a chapter dedicated to lamb and goat. Classics such as corned beef brisket and braised short ribs get amped up, and there are recipes for suggested sides such as salads, pickles, and potatoes. Ten basic stocks, jams and chutneys, and desserts are also included. While some recipes begin with skillet browning or oven roasting, the set-it-and-forget-it spirit of traditional slow-cooker cuisine still holds up as Acheson pushes Crock-Pot cookery to new heights, capitalizing on a reliable “shortcut that doesn’t sacrifice quality or taste” for convenience.

December 1, 2017

People who want to use their slow cookers in the traditional way--loading them up in the morning and coming home to dinner already cooked--may be frustrated by Acheson's (A New Turn in the South) latest book. Some dishes, such as halibut poached in sherry-pimenton broth, have cooking times as low as an hour and twenty minutes. Others, such as classic braised short ribs, run between 12 and 15 hours. Many of the featured recipes have cooking times of about four hours. Home cooks interested in exploring the possibilities presented by the slow cooker's ability to hold a consistent simmer may welcome recipes for duck confit, peach butter, Spanish rice, and pho broth. Recipes for non-slow cooked accompaniments run throughout. The author's voice is chatty, occasionally bordering on snarky, and head notes provide tips and suggestions. VERDICT Cooks with flexible schedules looking to experiment with their slow cookers will enjoy.--Stephanie Klose, Library Journal

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