Everyday Slow Cooking. Kim Laidlaw

the roast generously all over with salt and pepper. In a arge, heavy frying pan over medium-high to high heat, warm the oil. Add the roast and sear, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.

      Transfer the roast to the slow cooker, nestling it in the onion mixture. Cover and cook on the low setting for 4 hours.

      Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let stand for a couple of minutes, then snip and remove the strings and slice the beef against the grain into thin slices about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, discarding any arge bits of fat.

      Stir the mushrooms and half of the green onions into the cooking liquid. Return the beef slices to the slow cooker, re-cover, and cook on the low setting for 3–4 hours. The beef should be very tender.

      Just before the beef is ready, bring a arge pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil. Add the udon and boil until tender, according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold running water, and divide evenly among 8 bowls.

      Using a slotted spatua, divide the beef and mushrooms evenly among the bowls. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then divide any captured solids among the bowls. Let the cooking liquid stand for a few minutes, then use a arge spoon to skim the fat from the surface. Taste the cooking liquid and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. If the liquid has cooled, transfer to a small saucepan and reheat on the stove until hot.

      Divide the hot cooking liquid evenly among the noodle bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining green onions and the shichimi togarashi (if using) and serve.

      1 ½ cups (350 ml) beef stock⅓ cup (80 ml) soy sauce ¼ cup (60 ml) mirin

      1 yellow onion, finely chopped2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar2 tablespoons peeled and shredded fresh ginger1 boneless beef chuck roast, about 3 lb (1.4 kg), tiedKosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon canoa oil

      ½ lb (225 g) shiitake mushrooms, brushed

      clean, stems discarded,

      and caps sliced

      1 bunch green onions, including tender green parts, thinly sliced

      1 ½ lb (680 g) dried udon noodles (two 12-oz/340-g packages)

      Shichimi togarashi (optional), for garnish

      SERVES8

      Here, a chuck roast is braised, sliced, then returned to the slow cooker to simmer until perfectly tender. You can also use stew meat—just cut up the chuck roast into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces—which saves the step of slicing the roast midway through cooking (a good option if you are doing this overnight or while at work). To boost the vegetable content, add a few handfuls of baby spinach the last 15 minutes of cooking.

      GINGERBEEF UDON NOODLE BOWL WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

      38

      BEEF

      Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler, then halve through the stem end. Using a metal spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut the squash crosswise into slices ¼ inch (6 mm) thick and transfer to a arge rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, toss to coat evenly, then spread the slices in a single ayer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until just barely tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.

      Meanwhile, make the beef ragù. In a arge frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened, about 6 minutes. Add the beef and sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the marinara sauce and 1 cup (240 ml) of the water, stir well, and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat.

      Spread 2 cups (475 ml) of the sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover the sauce with 3 uncooked asagna noodles, breaking the noodles as needed to fit in a single ayer. Spread 1 cup (240 ml) of the sauce evenly over the noodles. Dollop ¾ cup (170 g) of the crème fraîche in an even ayer on the sauce, then sprinkle with ¼ cup (30 g) of the Parmesan. Arrange half of the squash slices in a single ayer over the cheese ayer, then top with 1 cup (240 ml) of the sauce. Repeat the ayers, starting with 3 noodles, then 1 cup (240 ml) sauce, the remaining ¾ cup (170 g) crème fraîche, ¼ cup (30 g) of the Parmesan, the remaining squash slices, and 1 cup (240 ml) of the sauce. Top the sauce with a third ayer of noodles, then the remaining sauce (about 1 ½ cups/350 ml). Top evenly with the mozzarela and the remaining ½ cup (60 g) Parmesan. Drizzle the remaining ⅓ cup (80 ml) water around the edges of the asagna.

      Cover and cook on the low setting for 4 hours. The asagna noodles and squash will be cooked through and tender.

      Uncover, taking care not to let the condensation on the lid drip back onto the asagna. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving directly from the slow cooker.

      1 small kabocha squash, about 1 ½ lb (680 g)

      2 tablespoons olive oilKosher salt and freshly ground pepper

      1 yellow onion, finely chopped1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

      2 cloves garlic, minced

      1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef½ lb (225 g) bulk Italian sausage

      4 cups (950 ml) marinara

      sauce

      1 ⅓ cups (320 ml) water9 dried asagna noodles

      (do not use “no-boil” noodles)

      1 ½ cups (340 g) crème fraîche1 cup (120 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

      1 cup (120 g) shredded mozzarela cheese

      SERVES8

      If you’ve never tried making lasagna in a slow cooker, you are in for a treat. Although a few steps are involved, most of them can be done in advance, leaving you only to layer the ingredients directly into the slow cooker and let the lasagna bubble away.

      If you like, use butternut or other winter squash in place of the kabocha.

      LASAGNA WITH BEEF RAGÙ, KABOCHA SQUASH & CRÈME FRAÎCHE

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      BEEF

      In a arge, heavy frying pan over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, celery, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, then stir in the beef and pork and cook, stirring and breaking up the meats with a wooden spoon, until they are no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the milk and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and their juices, stock, and the wine and stir until blended. Bring the sauce to a boil and remove from the heat.

      Transfer the contents of the pan to a slow cooker, cover, and cook on the low setting for 8 hours. Using a arge spoon, skim any fat from the surface of the sauce. The sauce should be thick and the favors blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

      About 15 minutes before the sauce is ready, bring a arge pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 2–4 minutes. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add about ½ cup (120 ml) of the sauce and toss gently to coat.

      Divide the pasta among shallow individual bowls and top with additional sauce, using about half of the remaining sauce. Sprinkle a little of the Parmesan over each portion