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The French Slow Cooker
Plug it in and Cook with French Flair
“I’d bet that if French cooks could get their hands on Michele Scicolone’s French Slow Cooker , which is filled with smart, practical, and convenient recipes, they’d never let it go.” — Dorie Greenspan, author of Around My French Table
With a slow cooker, even novices can turn out dishes that taste as though they came straight out of the kitchen of a French grandmère . Provençal vegetable soup. Red-wine braised beef with mushrooms. Chicken with forty cloves of garlic. Even bouillabaisse. With The French Slow Cooker , all of these are as simple as setting the timer and walking away. Michele Scicolone goes far beyond the usual slow-cooker standbys of soups and stews, with Slow-Cooked Salmon with Lemon and Green Olives, Crispy Duck Confit, and Spinach Soufflé. And for dessert, how about Ginger Crème Brûlée? With The French Slow Cooker , the results are always magnifique .
“I’d bet that if French cooks could get their hands on Michele Scicolone’s French Slow Cooker , which is filled with smart, practical, and convenient recipes, they’d never let it go.” — Dorie Greenspan, author of Around My French Table
With a slow cooker, even novices can turn out dishes that taste as though they came straight out of the kitchen of a French grandmère . Provençal vegetable soup. Red-wine braised beef with mushrooms. Chicken with forty cloves of garlic. Even bouillabaisse. With The French Slow Cooker , all of these are as simple as setting the timer and walking away. Michele Scicolone goes far beyond the usual slow-cooker standbys of soups and stews, with Slow-Cooked Salmon with Lemon and Green Olives, Crispy Duck Confit, and Spinach Soufflé. And for dessert, how about Ginger Crème Brûlée? With The French Slow Cooker , the results are always magnifique .
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
126 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
Michele Scicolone
30 books16 followersMichele Scicolone is a cookbook author and writer who specializes in food, wine and travel. She is the author of 16 cookbooks, the latest being The BLT Cookbook co-authored with chef Laurent Tourondel, and Essentials of Italian Cooking (Williams-Sonoma). Entertaining with the Sopranos was published by Warner Books in 2006. Her previous book, The Sopranos Family Cookbook, co-authored with Allen Rucker, was a number one New York Times bestseller published in 9 languages. She was also one of the editors of the 75th Anniversary edition of the classic Joy of Cooking.
Her book 1,000 Italian Recipes, was nominated for a 2004 James Beard Award and was a main selection of The Good Cook book club. Italian Holiday Cooking (Morrow) was chosen as one of the Top Ten Cookbooks of the year 2001 by Food & Wine magazine. Michele is also the author of Savoring Italy, published in 1999 by Williams Sonoma and Time Life. Pizza—Anyway You Slice It! was co-authored with her husband Charles Scicolone and published in 1998 by Broadway Books. The book received high praise in a New York Times review. A Fresh Taste of Italy was nominated for a Julia Child Award as the Best Italian Cookbook of 1997 by the International Association of Culinary Professionals and was chosen as one of the ten best cookbooks of the year by Amazon Books. La Dolce Vita, a collection of recipes for “life’s sweet pleasures” Italian desserts, has been released in a paperback edition from Harper Perennial. It was nominated as the Best Dessert Book of 1994 by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Her previous book, The Antipasto Table, was nominated by the James Beard Foundation as Best Italian Cookbook of 1991. Michele is also the author of two books on fish cookery published by Harmony Books. Michele’s articles have appeared in Bon Appetit, The Wine Spectator, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Wine Spectator, The New York Times, Gourmet, Food Arts, and many other publications.
Television appearances include Emeril Live, The CBS Morning Show, Good Morning America, and Cooking Live, as well as many local television and radio programs. She has served as a judge for both the Julia Child and James Beard Foundation Book Awards. She teaches cooking at schools around the country including De Gustibus at Macy’s, Sur La Table, The Institute for Culinary Education, and Ramekins. Michele has been a spokesperson for Williams Sonoma and the Italian Trade Commission and has lectured on Italian culture and cuisine at The Smithsonian Institute, Hofstra, and Henderson State Universities.
Her book 1,000 Italian Recipes, was nominated for a 2004 James Beard Award and was a main selection of The Good Cook book club. Italian Holiday Cooking (Morrow) was chosen as one of the Top Ten Cookbooks of the year 2001 by Food & Wine magazine. Michele is also the author of Savoring Italy, published in 1999 by Williams Sonoma and Time Life. Pizza—Anyway You Slice It! was co-authored with her husband Charles Scicolone and published in 1998 by Broadway Books. The book received high praise in a New York Times review. A Fresh Taste of Italy was nominated for a Julia Child Award as the Best Italian Cookbook of 1997 by the International Association of Culinary Professionals and was chosen as one of the ten best cookbooks of the year by Amazon Books. La Dolce Vita, a collection of recipes for “life’s sweet pleasures” Italian desserts, has been released in a paperback edition from Harper Perennial. It was nominated as the Best Dessert Book of 1994 by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Her previous book, The Antipasto Table, was nominated by the James Beard Foundation as Best Italian Cookbook of 1991. Michele is also the author of two books on fish cookery published by Harmony Books. Michele’s articles have appeared in Bon Appetit, The Wine Spectator, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Wine Spectator, The New York Times, Gourmet, Food Arts, and many other publications.
Television appearances include Emeril Live, The CBS Morning Show, Good Morning America, and Cooking Live, as well as many local television and radio programs. She has served as a judge for both the Julia Child and James Beard Foundation Book Awards. She teaches cooking at schools around the country including De Gustibus at Macy’s, Sur La Table, The Institute for Culinary Education, and Ramekins. Michele has been a spokesperson for Williams Sonoma and the Italian Trade Commission and has lectured on Italian culture and cuisine at The Smithsonian Institute, Hofstra, and Henderson State Universities.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
May 31, 2012
Most cookbooks are pretty bad.
Most "device" cookbooks are worse, where by device I mean for a specific appliance or technique, such as "on the grill", microwave, or in this case the worse offender: The noble slow cooker, or "crock pot".
This book is terrific. Most GOOD cookbooks are lucky if there's 2-3 good ideas to scrape together like fond off a crusty pan. This cookbook is filled with good ideas and recipes that would convince even the most stalwart skeptic of the slow cooker to sneak it out of the basement for another whirl.
In fact, as I type this, I've got the classic "Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic" going in my cooker.
Prep time: 2 mins.
Ok, 5, because I DID have to go in the basement.
For the wine.
Most "device" cookbooks are worse, where by device I mean for a specific appliance or technique, such as "on the grill", microwave, or in this case the worse offender: The noble slow cooker, or "crock pot".
This book is terrific. Most GOOD cookbooks are lucky if there's 2-3 good ideas to scrape together like fond off a crusty pan. This cookbook is filled with good ideas and recipes that would convince even the most stalwart skeptic of the slow cooker to sneak it out of the basement for another whirl.
In fact, as I type this, I've got the classic "Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic" going in my cooker.
Prep time: 2 mins.
Ok, 5, because I DID have to go in the basement.
For the wine.
November 24, 2012
Interesting concept: use a slow cooker to replicate the cooking process in many French recipes. I'm not sure I'd trust myself to make edible fish dishes in the slow cooker, but the rest of the recipes look solid. I appreciate that this isn't just a book full of the standard soups/stews that so many slow cooker cookbooks seem to be. I haven't made any of the recipes yet, but I've bookmarked these:
Garlic Soup
Cook on low for 6 hours: 1 garlic head (cloves separated and peeled), 8 C. water, 3 2" strips orange zest, 2 bay leaves, 6 sage leaves, 4 thyme sprigs, and 2 tsp. salt. Strain soup, pushing garlic through. In a large bowl, whisk together 3 egg yolks and 1/4 C. olive oil. Slowly beat the hot soup into the egg mixture. Top with shredded Emmental or Parm.
Chicken with Tarragon, Mustard, and Cream
Place 1/2 C. chicken broth and 2 TBSP red wine vinegar in slow cooker. Stir together 3 TBSP Dijon mustard with salt + pepper. Brush 8-12 chicken thighs with mustard mixture. Place in slow cooker. Sprinkle with 2 cloves minced garlic, 3 TBSP chopped parsley, and 1 tsp. tarragon. Cook on low for 5 hours. When done, remove chicken. Strain pan juices and skim off excess fat. Bring to a simmer in a saucepan. Stir in 1/3 C. heavy cream and return to a simmer. Pour sauce over chicken.
Spicy Curried Pork
Brown 3 1/2 lbs. boneless pork in olive oil, in batches. Place pork in slow cooker. Spoon off all but 2 TBSP fat in skillet. Add 1 chopped onion and 1 chopped carrot; cook ~10 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1 TBSP curry powder. Cook ~2 minutes more. Add 1/2 C. beef broth and stir well. Pour sauce over pork in slow cooker. Stir in 1 1/2 C. tomato puree (1 10.75oz can), 1/2 tsp. cayenne, and salt. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
Braised Red Cabbage with Apples [and Chestnuts]
Shred 1 head red cabbage. Add to slow cooker, along with 1 peeled/chopped apple, 1/2 C. apple cider vinegar, 2 TBSP veggie oil, 2 TBSP sugar, 1 bay leaf, and salt + pepper. Cook on low 5-6 hours, stirring occasionally. [Stir in 2 C. peeled/cooked chestnuts and cook for another 30 minutes.]
Polenta with Cheese and Creme Fraiche
In slow cooker, stir together 1 1/2 C. cornmeal, 1 tsp. salt, and 4 C. water. Cook on high for 2 hours. Stir well. Cook 30-60 minutes more, until polenta is thickened. (If too thick, then add a bit more warm water.) Remove from heat. Stir in 8oz sheep's milk cheese [ex: brebis] and 4oz creme fraiche.
Garlic Soup
Cook on low for 6 hours: 1 garlic head (cloves separated and peeled), 8 C. water, 3 2" strips orange zest, 2 bay leaves, 6 sage leaves, 4 thyme sprigs, and 2 tsp. salt. Strain soup, pushing garlic through. In a large bowl, whisk together 3 egg yolks and 1/4 C. olive oil. Slowly beat the hot soup into the egg mixture. Top with shredded Emmental or Parm.
Chicken with Tarragon, Mustard, and Cream
Place 1/2 C. chicken broth and 2 TBSP red wine vinegar in slow cooker. Stir together 3 TBSP Dijon mustard with salt + pepper. Brush 8-12 chicken thighs with mustard mixture. Place in slow cooker. Sprinkle with 2 cloves minced garlic, 3 TBSP chopped parsley, and 1 tsp. tarragon. Cook on low for 5 hours. When done, remove chicken. Strain pan juices and skim off excess fat. Bring to a simmer in a saucepan. Stir in 1/3 C. heavy cream and return to a simmer. Pour sauce over chicken.
Spicy Curried Pork
Brown 3 1/2 lbs. boneless pork in olive oil, in batches. Place pork in slow cooker. Spoon off all but 2 TBSP fat in skillet. Add 1 chopped onion and 1 chopped carrot; cook ~10 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1 TBSP curry powder. Cook ~2 minutes more. Add 1/2 C. beef broth and stir well. Pour sauce over pork in slow cooker. Stir in 1 1/2 C. tomato puree (1 10.75oz can), 1/2 tsp. cayenne, and salt. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
Braised Red Cabbage with Apples [and Chestnuts]
Shred 1 head red cabbage. Add to slow cooker, along with 1 peeled/chopped apple, 1/2 C. apple cider vinegar, 2 TBSP veggie oil, 2 TBSP sugar, 1 bay leaf, and salt + pepper. Cook on low 5-6 hours, stirring occasionally. [Stir in 2 C. peeled/cooked chestnuts and cook for another 30 minutes.]
Polenta with Cheese and Creme Fraiche
In slow cooker, stir together 1 1/2 C. cornmeal, 1 tsp. salt, and 4 C. water. Cook on high for 2 hours. Stir well. Cook 30-60 minutes more, until polenta is thickened. (If too thick, then add a bit more warm water.) Remove from heat. Stir in 8oz sheep's milk cheese [ex: brebis] and 4oz creme fraiche.
December 27, 2024
Eh. Couple good ideas that I copied out but really, most slow cooker recipes are pretty much the same: dump it all in there and wait 6 hours
February 17, 2023
The Chicken Liver Mousse. It worked. It worked very well. Worth the price and time right there.
Caveats:
1. it is not a pate.
2. it is not super full of flavour, so better on toast or seasoned afterwards.
3. mine came out a little soggy. I drained it and put it in the frig and it was certainly better than store-bought.
4. yes. You will need to clean your chicken livers. It is nowhere near as bad as cleaning the beards off of mussels. I even get a little heave from potato eyes. this is not as bad as you might think.
5. It looks REALLY wet going in. Maybe it was my eggs? But, it did come out firm and moose-like. Sort of like a steamed pudding. Referring the the above: the wetness was on the bottom. It could have been partially melted butter?
At any rate: it was damn good, even with no port.
Caveats:
1. it is not a pate.
2. it is not super full of flavour, so better on toast or seasoned afterwards.
3. mine came out a little soggy. I drained it and put it in the frig and it was certainly better than store-bought.
4. yes. You will need to clean your chicken livers. It is nowhere near as bad as cleaning the beards off of mussels. I even get a little heave from potato eyes. this is not as bad as you might think.
5. It looks REALLY wet going in. Maybe it was my eggs? But, it did come out firm and moose-like. Sort of like a steamed pudding. Referring the the above: the wetness was on the bottom. It could have been partially melted butter?
At any rate: it was damn good, even with no port.
May 6, 2017
I am obsessed with recipe boiks and, at the moment, particularly slow cooker recipes that differ from the usual chicken and rice or beef stews. this book certainly provided that. took a number of yummy recipes from it.
June 3, 2019
Beautiful and practical book with great pictures. I've tried many of the recipes and they are fabulous.
April 5, 2020
Wow. The recipes look delicious and many are low-carb. The simplicity of using the slow cooker takes the intimidation out of French cooking.
May 22, 2021
Some really good recipes.
September 23, 2021
A little too meaty to be super useful in my household.
September 24, 2021
Some interesting recipes worth trying.
July 29, 2022
Nice short cookbook with good idea
March 23, 2017
Definitely one to own -- great recipes. Not sure cookbooks really count but I do read them all so am adding them at least for now.
August 24, 2012
This is currently my favorite cookbook. It has really opened up my understanding and perceptions of what can be created with a slow cooker. This week we tried a butternut squash bisque and an herb baked chicken. All ingredients came from the local farmers market.
Most of the recipes in this book take less than 10 minutes of prep time, which can be done in the morning, or the night before. I love that the recipes recommend all fresh ingredients. Leave the cooker on low for 6-8 hours and you have a wonderful meal ready to go.
It is really great for summer cooking, or just simply having a meal prepared and ready when you return home from work. I now have two slow cookers. One 4 quart and one 2 quart. With the two we can prepare an entire meal.
The slow cookers use less electricity than a 75 watt bulb and don't put off a lot of heat in the kitchen. They are completely self contained, mine you just take out the ceramic insert and it is ready to serve. No extra dishes to clean up.
Bottom line... wonderful food, fresh ingredients, environmentally friendly cooking method, conveniently ready at the end of the day. What is there not to like?
Most of the recipes in this book take less than 10 minutes of prep time, which can be done in the morning, or the night before. I love that the recipes recommend all fresh ingredients. Leave the cooker on low for 6-8 hours and you have a wonderful meal ready to go.
It is really great for summer cooking, or just simply having a meal prepared and ready when you return home from work. I now have two slow cookers. One 4 quart and one 2 quart. With the two we can prepare an entire meal.
The slow cookers use less electricity than a 75 watt bulb and don't put off a lot of heat in the kitchen. They are completely self contained, mine you just take out the ceramic insert and it is ready to serve. No extra dishes to clean up.
Bottom line... wonderful food, fresh ingredients, environmentally friendly cooking method, conveniently ready at the end of the day. What is there not to like?
July 24, 2011
A copy of this book was provided for review.
The French Slow Cooker makes my mouth water -- the pictures, the stories, the tricks, and the recipes. Not to mention, it highlights one of the unsung heroes of the kitchen: the slow cooker. Oh la la!
The author does a wonderful job of providing tips and techniques for successful slow cooking. She reviews staples of a French pantry and dives right into the recipes with French inspired soups. The author also does a fabulous job of providing a little introduction to each recipe -- these set the atmosphere for each of the recipes.
Recipes that caught my attention include:
Alsatian Lentil and Bratwurst Soup
Beans a la Francaise
Apricot Bread Pudding
This collection of recipes inspires me to run to turn on the slow cooker and create a wonderful meal. Merci, Michele Scicolone!
December 19, 2014
This is my favorite cookbook. I feel as though the author has converted all of my grandmother's recipes so that I have time to make them.
Originally, I checked this book out of the library; which I liked so much that I purchased the Kindle edition.
The recipes often require browning meat, or other preparations that take fifteen to thirty minutes. So if you want to throw everything in the pot and leave for work immediately these recipes will not be practical for you. Also, the recipes produce large quantities. I freeze leftovers in individual portions or reduce the ingredient sizes to fit a small slow cooker.
That said, these recipes produce rich, tasty, aromatic food. I love walking into the house to the smell of chicken braising in wine and garlic.
Originally, I checked this book out of the library; which I liked so much that I purchased the Kindle edition.
The recipes often require browning meat, or other preparations that take fifteen to thirty minutes. So if you want to throw everything in the pot and leave for work immediately these recipes will not be practical for you. Also, the recipes produce large quantities. I freeze leftovers in individual portions or reduce the ingredient sizes to fit a small slow cooker.
That said, these recipes produce rich, tasty, aromatic food. I love walking into the house to the smell of chicken braising in wine and garlic.
February 5, 2015
so far I've tried a couple of recipes and they are really good. We are carefully having meat in our diet so I appreciate cooking thoughtfully and slowly at home. I can't wait to try the chicken with tarragon,mustard, and cream. The garlic soup was delicious. I appreciate slow cooker recipes that don't call for "a packet of something" that is usually filled with salt or msg. This book uses real ingredients. Also, I'm now a complete fan of duck confit and it's uses. I was already in love with my slow cookers (I own one of those pea green slow cookers from the 70's passed down from my mother), and this book also inspired me to revisit some French flavors.
November 28, 2014
There are many recipes I'm excited to try (and to elevate my slow cooker cooking from dumping a few canned items into a pot and calling it a day). I also appreciated all the technical tips.
Recipes to try:
butternut bisque
Soupe au Pistou
Chicken pan bagnat
Provencal spinach meatballs
red-wine braised pot roast
spiced beef brisket with carrots and turnips
short ribs with dark beer and shallots
meatballs boyaonnaise with spicy tomato and pepper sauce
tomato and goat cheese flan
bacon and gruyere pain perdu
polenta with ham, cheese and tomato sauce
lemon pots de creme
Recipes to try:
butternut bisque
Soupe au Pistou
Chicken pan bagnat
Provencal spinach meatballs
red-wine braised pot roast
spiced beef brisket with carrots and turnips
short ribs with dark beer and shallots
meatballs boyaonnaise with spicy tomato and pepper sauce
tomato and goat cheese flan
bacon and gruyere pain perdu
polenta with ham, cheese and tomato sauce
lemon pots de creme
October 27, 2015
I wish slow cookers were more practical for me. The main problem is quantity. I love how they don't overheat the house, how they permeate the house with good smells and the way the food turns out. But eight portions of meat? Even frozen. You never want to eat it again once you're done with it. I prefer the American Test Kitchen slow cooker books in terms of accuracy in what you need to do to avoid hot spots in the crock, reduce acidity or watery broth, etc. This book seems to have oversimplified recipes.
January 20, 2012
Scicolone takes the art of French cuisine and implements simplicity. The Garlic Soup, Dijon Style Cornish Hens, Red Wine Braised Pot Roast, and Normandy Pork with Apples are a few dishes that are elegant yet simple to cook in your slow cooker. The history of dishes and regions they reign from are fascinating tidbits through out the book.
July 28, 2012
This recipe book uses fresh ingredients, no boxed or canned items. For instance the Butternut Squash Bisque, Tomato-Fennel Soup, Creamy Zucchini Soup & Potato Leek Soup are all very simple easy recipes, not overly spiced, allowing for the clean flavor of the beautiful vegetables to dominate the dish. Many lovely full paged photographs.
April 5, 2012
While an interesting book to glance at, I am afraid I was not motivated to try any of the recipes. If I had a larger slow cooker, I might have tried the souffles which needed a dish to be placed in the slow cooker.
January 13, 2016
The French Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2012)(641.5944) has some great ideas and made me hungry, which is rare for a crockpot cookbook. My rating: 6/10, finished 10/10/12.
April 1, 2013
I love my crock pot and I love food with layers and flare and this wonderful book incorporates all of these elements. It's possible that I may even purchase (gasp) this book rather than trying my luck at borrowing it when I need it; although I did copy down several recipies. Bon appitite!
January 8, 2017
Covers a lot of the basics of French cooking with the added (obvious) twist of doing them in a slow cooker. Some of the recipes, like the confit, cassoulet, and rillettes are actually easier/better this way than the traditional way.
March 9, 2012
This was okay. I prefer easier recipes, some sounded a little odd to me.
July 22, 2012
I want to make every recipe in this book. They all look and sound so deliciously easy!
February 19, 2012
I wouldn't mind owning this.
April 18, 2012
Had the pork and apples last night--yummy! very accessible French recipes. Good "peasant" food.
July 29, 2012
I'm dying to try the Rillette recipe! I stole a few recipes from this cookbook.
July 5, 2012
Yum! I love how some of my favorites I already cook with a zillion of pots & pans have been converted for the slow cooker! I'm so pumped up!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews