The Chef and the Slow Cooker

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. (Oct.)