Braised garlic chicken

Chicken, cut into eight serving pieces, trimmed of excess skin and fat	3 to 4 pounds
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Canola oil	2 tablespoons
Garlic, separated into cloves, unpeeled	4 heads
Wine, dry white such as chardonnay	¼ cup
Thyme, chopped	1 tablespoon

1. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. 
2. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the oil. 
3. Working in batches, if necessary, add the chicken. 
4. Cook, turning frequently, until well browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. 
5. Remove from the pan and set aside. 
6. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pot. 
7. Add the garlic cloves, and sauté over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. 
8. Add the wine, and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. 
9. Sprinkle with the thyme, and return the chicken to the pot. 
10. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender and opaque throughout, about 45 minutes. 
11. Transfer the chicken to a platter, and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. 
12. Using a fine-mesh sieve over a saucepan, strain the juices. 
13. Press on the garlic cloves to extract as much liquid and pulp as possible; discard the solids. 
14. Bring the saucepan to a simmer over medium-high heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper. 
15. Top the chicken with the sauce, and serve. 

Note: There was not enough juices left to call a sauce when I followed the recipe. I took the garlic pulp, stirred in 1/2 cup more wine, and let simmer until it reduced and thickened.

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking.

Fettuccine buffalognese

Olive oil	2 tablespoons
Onion, yellow, chopped	1
Celery, thinly sliced	1 rib
Garlic, minced	1 clove
Beef chuck, ground	½ pound
Buffalo, ground	½ pound
Pork sausage, mild Italian	½ pound
Wine, dry white such as chardonnay	½ cup
Beef broth	2 cups
Tomato paste	2 tablespoons
Parsley, Italian, chopped	2 tablespoons
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Fettuccine, cooked	1 pound
Parmesan cheese, shaved or grated	½ cup

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil.
3. Add the onion and celery, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute.
5. Stir in beef, buffalo, and pork, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until it has evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Pour in the broth, stir in the tomato paste and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
8. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 1 ½ hours.
   If the sauce looks too dry after 1 hour, add ½ cup water.
9. About 20 minutes before the sauce is done, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
10. Add 2 tablespoons salt and the pasta, and cook according to the package directions until al dente.
11. Drain the pasta and return to the pot.
12. Add ½ cup of the sauce, and toss gently to coat.
13. Divide the pasta among warmed bowls, and top with additional sauce.
14. Sprinkle with some Parmesan, and serve at once.

Adapted recipe from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking.

Angel cake

Egg whites, fresh, room temperature	1 ½ cups
Sugar, superfine	¾ cup + ¾ cup
Cake flour, sifted	1 cup
Cream of tartar	¼ teaspoon
Salt	¼ teaspoon
Vanilla extract or paste	2 teaspoons
Almond extract	1 teaspoon

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together ¾ cup sugar and the flour; set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy, and then add the cream of tartar and salt.
4. Beat until fully incorporated, and then add the remaining ¾ cup sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time.
5. Beat egg mixture to soft peaks. (A soft peak is when the egg whites look like soft waves, and when you lift the beater, the peaks droop back down into the batter. Avoid beating too long and forming stiff peaks.)
6. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, and beat for a few seconds to evenly distribute.
7. Sift the flour and sugar mixture over the egg whites in six to eight additions, and gently fold it in after each addition. (A gently touch is necessary, which cannot be rushed.)
8. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 9-inch tube pan with a removeable bottom.
9. Smooth the top with a spatula, and tap the pan on the counter once or twice to ensure that there are no large bubbles lurking beneath the batter’s surface.
10. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly pressed.
11. Cool on a wire rack for at least an hour.
12. Gently run a thin knife around the sides (including the center), and then around the bottom of the pan to release the cake when you are ready to serve.

Note: As an experiment, I've tested this recipe with both plain and roasted sugar. Hubby claims the roasted is less sweet tasting while being more caramel flavored from an initial taste test.

Chicken cacciatore

Served with creamy polenta.

Chicken, cut into eight serving pieces, trimmed of skin and fat	3 ½--4 pounds
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Olive oil	3 tablespoons
Lemon juice, fresh	1 tablespoon
Garlic, minced	1 clove
Thyme, fresh, chopped	1 tablespoon
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons
Onion, yellow, thinly sliced	1
Mushrooms, fresh, brushed clean, stems removed, halved or quartered	1 pound
Tomatoes, whole plum Roma	28 ounces
Capers, rinsed, drained, chopped	2 tablespoons
Anchovy paste (optional)	1 teaspoon
Chicken broth	¼ cup

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. In a nonreactive bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, garlic, and thyme.
3. Add the chicken pieces, and turn to coat.
4. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, turning the chicken frequently, for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
5. Remove the chicken, and pat dry with paper towels; discard the marinade.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F.
7. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
8. Working in batches, if necessary, brown the chicken on all sides, turning frequently, about 10 minutes.
9. Transfer the chicken to a Dutch oven.
10. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan, and return to medium-high heat.
11. Add the onions, and sauté until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
12. Add the mushrooms, and continue cooking, stirring often, until they begin to soften, about 6 to 8 minutes.
13. Stir in the tomatoes, capers, anchovy paste (if using), and broth.
14. Raise the heat to high, and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
15. Bring to boil.
16. Add tomato mixture to the chicken in the Dutch oven.
17. Cover and cook in the oven until the chicken is tender and opaque throughout, about 45 minutes.
18. Transfer the chicken to a platter, and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.
19. Bring juices in the pot to a boil over high heat on the stove top.
20. Boil rapidly until reduced and thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
21. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking.

Creamy polenta

Chicken broth	3 ¾ cups
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Cornmeal, medium or coarse grind	1 cup
Butter, unsalted, room temperature	2 tablespoons
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)	3 tablespoons

1. In a saucepan, bring the broth to a boil over high heat.
2. Whisking constantly, very slowly pour the cornmeal into the boiling water.
3. Bring just to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook, whisking constantly, for 5 minutes.
4. Cover and continue to cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon and taking care to scrape the bottom of the pan, until the polenta is thick and creamy, about 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Stir in the butter and cheese, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking.

Vindaloo

Pork or lamb loin roast, trimmed of fat, cut into 1-inch cubes	2 ½ to 3 pounds
Salt	1 teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	1 teaspoon
Canola oil	½ cup
Onions, yellow, finely chopped	2
Garlic, minced	8 cloves
Ginger, peeled, grated	2-inch piece
Cayenne pepper	1 ½ teaspoons
Yellow mustard seeds	1 ½ teaspoons
Cumin, ground	1 ½ teaspoons
Paprika, hot, ground	1 ½ teaspoons
Turmeric, ground	1 ½ teaspoons
Cinnamon, ground	½ teaspoon
Cloves, ground	Pinch
White wine vinegar	1/3 cup
Chicken broth	1 cup

1. Place the pork in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
2. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil.
3. Working in batches, add the pork, and cook until well browned on all sides, about 6 to 7 minutes.
4. Transfer to a Dutch oven, and set aside.
5. Add the onions to the pan, raise the heat to high, and sauté until browned, about 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Add the garlic, ginger, cayenne, mustard seeds, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and cloves, and sauté until the spices are fragrant and evenly coat the chopped onion, about 1 minute.
7. Pour in the vinegar, and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
8. Stir in the broth, and bring to a boil.
9. Pour broth over pork in the Dutch oven.
10. Partially cover, and cook over low heat until the pork is very tender, and the sauce has thickened, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking.

Thai red curry beef

Beef chuck or round, cut into 1 ½-inch chunks	2 ½ pounds
Salt	1 teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	1 teaspoon
Canola oil	3 tablespoons
Onion, yellow, thinly sliced	1
Garlic	4 cloves
Thai red curry paste	¼ cup
Coconut milk, unsweetened	28 ounces
Thai fish sauce	2 tablespoons
Lime juice, freshly squeezed	2 tablespoons
Sugar, dark brown	2 tablespoons
Bamboo shoots, sliced, drained	16 ounces
Mint, chopped	3 tablespoons
Rice, cooked

1. Place the beef in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
2. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil.
3. Working in batches, if necessary, brown the beef on all sides, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer beef to Dutch oven.
5. Add the onions and garlic to the pan, and sauté over medium-high heat for 1 minute.
6. Add the curry paste, and stir until it is fragrant and coats the onion and garlic, about 30 seconds.
7. Add the coconut milk, and deglaze the pan, stirring and scrapping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
8. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar, and bring a boil.
9. Pour coconut milk mixture over the beef.
10. Partially cover, and cook over low heat until the beef is tender and the sauce is thick but still fluid, about 2 hours.
11. About 15 minutes before the beef is done, stir in the bamboo shoots.
12. Spoon over rice, and garnish with the mint.

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Slow Cooking.