THE ELECTRIC KITCHEN
'Tis the season to whip up those warm, savory dishes
THE ELECTRIC KITCHEN
Hawaiian Electric Co.
WHILE there's still a hint of winter in the air, it's the perfect time to cook up some warm and savory dishes. To save time and energy, these Braised Short Ribs and Chicken Cacciatore recipes can be adapted to the slow-cooker, which uses 20 percent less energy than simmering on the stove.
The Chicken Cacciatore recipe makes a lot (leftovers taste great the next day!), so be sure your slow-cooker is large enough to accommodate it.
If you'd like to convert your recipes for the slow-cooker, the Rival Co., manufacturer of the original Crock-Pot, offers this general rule for adapting cooking times:
» For a conventional recipe that takes 15 to 30 minutes, four to six hours on low in a slow-cooker, or 1-1/2 to two hours on high.
» For a 35- to 45-minute recipe, six to 19 hours on low; three to four hours on high.
» For a 50-minute to three-hour recipe, 8 to 18 hours on low; four to 6 hours on high.
Don't bother trying to make the Beef Stroganoff in a crock pot, though -- sour cream breaks down over long cooking.
Braised Short Ribs with Vegetables
3 pounds short ribs
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
2 onions, sliced
1 cup water
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 carrots, diced
2 potatoes, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
Cut the meat into serving portions. Dredge with flour.
Heat oil in large pot and brown meat in oil. Add salt, pepper and onions and cook until onions are clear. Combine water, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce and pour over meat. Cover; bring to boil, lower heat and simmer 1 hour. Add vegetables and simmer 30 minutes longer, until vegetables are tender. Serves 6.
For a slow-cooker: Place carrots, potatoes and celery into cooker. Add browned short ribs and cooked onions. Pour catsup mixture over all. Cook on low about 8 hours or high 4 hours.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 420 calories, 17 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 55 mg cholesterol, 850 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 23 g protein.
Chicken Cacciatore
5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs and breasts
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup minced onions
3/4 cup minced green pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (1 pound, 13 ounces) tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup chianti wine
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Dash of ground red pepper
In large skillet, brown chicken. Add onions, green peppers and garlic; brown lightly. Add remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered 30 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Serves 10.
For a slow-cooker: Place browned chicken, onions, green peppers and garlic in slow-cooker; add remaining ingredients. Cook on low about 8 hours or on high 4 hours.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving (using half thighs and half boneless breasts): 450 calories, 14 g total fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 200 mg cholesterol, 1,000 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 62 g protein
Beef Stroganoff
2 pounds sirloin steak
1/2 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups beef bouillon
1-1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 can (4 ounces) mushrooms
Cut steak into 1/2-inch strips. Combine 5 tablespoons flour and salt. Dredge meat in flour.
Heat oil in skillet; sauté onion and garlic. Add steak and brown well. Remove from pan.
Add remaining 3 tablespoons flour to drippings in pan. Stir in bouillon and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in sour cream. Add steak, onion, garlic and mushrooms. Heat thoroughly. Serve with rice or noodles. Serves 6.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 440 calories, 25 g total fat, 8 g saturated fat, 100 mg cholesterol, greater than 1,000 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 36 g protein.
Hawaiian Electric Co. presents this weekly collection of recipes. Many are drawn from HECO's database of recipes, accessible online at
www.heco.com.