Braised Vegetables in a Slow Cooker

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Wash the zucchini under running water, cut it in half lengthwise, and slice it into not-too-thin half-moons. If you cut the zucchini too small, its tender flesh will just melt away in the finished dish. We'll add all the vegetables straight to the slow cooker bowl. No need to oil the bottom first — it's usually nonstick.

2. Step 2:

   

   Wash the carrot. If it's really dirty, scrub the skin with a brush. Peel it with a vegetable peeler. Slice it into half-moons, thinner than the zucchini. That's because carrot is much firmer than zucchini and takes longer to cook — cutting it thinner evens out the timing.

3. Step 3:

   

   Wash the bell pepper, remove the stem and seeds, and cut it into medium cubes. You can use any color — yellow, red, or green — or a Ramiro-type pepper. The bell pepper brings sweetness and good looks to the dish, and it's great for digestion and your whole system too.

4. Step 4:

   

   Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. If you cut them smaller, they'll likely disappear into the finished dish. You can use regular tomatoes if they're in season; otherwise, go with plum-shaped cherry tomatoes, which tend to be sweet and tasty year-round.

5. Step 5:

   

   Rinse the fresh herbs under running water and shake off the excess. I'm adding a nice full bunch of garden herbs — parsley and dill. I'll also add lovage; it's got a distinctive flavor, so that one's optional. The herbs make the dish taste one of a kind. Salt to taste and add a teaspoon of tomato paste. Since the vegetables are juicy on their own, there's no need to add water. Cook on the "Stew" or "Simmer" setting for 15 minutes.