The Great American Slow Cooker Book (13 page)
Read The Great American Slow Cooker Book Online
Authors: Bruce Weinstein
TESTERS’ NOTES
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Although butternut squash is very sweet, it’s a tad dull in the slow cooker. Carrots give the soup an earthiness; celery keeps the flavors fresher.
•
For a slightly sweeter but also less earthy soup, add some chopped yellow onion with the other vegetables: ⅓ cup in a small slow cooker, ½ cup in a medium one, and up to ¾ cup in a large model.
NOT MUCH
•
PREP TIME:
15 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
5 HOURS 15 MINUTES
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
4 HOURS
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SERVES:
3 TO 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 pound packaged sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces cremini or brown button mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 ounces carrots, thinly sliced
3 ounces yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), peeled and diced
¾ cup hard cider
2 thyme sprigs
2 tblsp minced fresh dill fronds
2 tblsp cider vinegar
1 tblsp sugar
½ tsp ground black pepper
4- TO 5½-QUART
1½ pounds packaged sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry
4½ cups (1 quart plus ½ cup) low-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces cremini or brown button mushrooms, thinly sliced
7 ounces carrots, thinly sliced
5 ounces yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), peeled and diced
1¼ cups hard cider
3 thyme sprigs
3 tblsp minced fresh dill fronds
3 tblsp cider vinegar
1½ tblsp sugar
¾ tsp ground black pepper
6- TO 8-QUART
2½ pounds packaged sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry
8 cups (2 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
11 ounces cremini or brown button mushrooms, thinly sliced
11 ounces carrots, thinly sliced
8 ounces yellow potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), peeled and diced
2 cups hard cider
5 thyme sprigs
⅓ cup minced fresh dill fronds
⅓ cup cider vinegar
2½ tblsp sugar
1¼ tsp ground black pepper
1
Stir the sauerkraut, broth, mushrooms, carrot, potato, cider, and thyme sprigs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.
2
Stir in the dill, vinegar, sugar, and pepper. Cover and continue cooking on low for 15 minutes to heat through. Discard the thyme sprigs before serving.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
A preserved vegetable, sauerkraut makes a wonderful soup, slightly sour but also fragrantly sweet after hours of cooking. Don’t use the sauerkraut in cans; instead, use the refrigerated kind found near the deli counter or the meat case.
•
Squeezing the sauerkraut by handfuls will help get rid of its overly assertive edge and some of its sodium, as well as a lot of water that can bog down the soup.
•
You can also add sliced smoked, ready-to-eat sausage (like smoked kielbasa) with the other ingredients in step 2: ½ pound for a small batch, 1 pound for a medium batch, or 1½ pounds for a large one. Cover and continue cooking about 30 minutes, until heated through.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED
Hard cider is fermented apple cider, available at most liquor stores and some supermarkets. If you don’t want the alcohol, substitute sparkling nonalcoholic apple cider.
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
3 HOURS/6 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
3 HOURS THROUGH STEP 2
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 tblsp unsalted butter
6 thin strips of bacon
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
4 cups cored and
shredded white or green cabbage
1¾ cups drained and rinsed canned white beans
¾ tsp dried thyme
¾ tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tblsp cider vinegar
4- TO 5½-QUART
2 tblsp unsalted butter
8 thin strips of bacon
6 cups (1½ quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
6 cups (about 1 pound) cored and
shredded white or green cabbage
2½ cups drained and rinsed canned white beans
1¼ tsp dried thyme
1¼ tsp caraway seeds
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp ground black pepper
1½ tblsp cider vinegar
6- TO 8-QUART
3 tblsp unsalted butter
12 thin strips of bacon
10 cups (2½ quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
10 cups cored and
shredded white or green cabbage
4 cups drained and rinsed canned white beans
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp caraway seeds
1¼ tsp salt
1¼ tsp ground black pepper
2½ tblsp cider vinegar
1
Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until crisp and crunchy, between 4 and 8 minutes. Scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker.
2
Stir the broth, cabbage, beans, thyme, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours, stirring once or twice, until the cabbage has wilted and turned tender.
3
Stir in the vinegar just before serving to brighten the flavors.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
The slow cooker will be packed to the brim with this one, but don’t worry; the cabbage will wilt and condense as it cooks.
•
Fry the bacon until it is legitimately crisp. It needs to stand up to the long cooking.
•
Add up to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes for spicy notes in the soup.
A LOT
•
PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
7 HOURS 15 MINUTES
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
3 HOURS THROUGH STEP 2
•
SERVES:
3 to 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 tblsp unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onions, chopped
6 tblsp thinly sliced garlic
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
¾ pound (about 2½ cups) russet or other baking potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tsp chopped fresh sage leaves
2 tsp mild paprika
¼ tsp salt
½ cup heavy cream
4- TO 5½-QUART
2 tblsp unsalted butter
2 small yellow onions, chopped
⅔ cup thinly sliced garlic
6 cups (1½ quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
1¼ pounds (about 4 cups) russet or other baking potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tblsp chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tblsp mild paprika
½ tsp salt
¾ cup heavy cream
6- TO 8-QUART
3 tblsp unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced garlic
10 cups (2½ quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
1¾ pounds (about 6½ cups) russet or other baking potatoes, peeled and diced
1½ tblsp chopped fresh sage leaves
1½ tblsp mild paprika
¾ tsp salt
1¼ cups heavy cream
1
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions; cook, stirring often, until they soften and turn translucent, between 4 and 7 minutes. Add the garlic and
continue cooking, stirring often, until it just begins to brown at the edges of the slivers.
2
Scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker. Add the broth, potatoes, sage, paprika, and salt to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the potatoes are ridiculously soft.
3
Puree the soup with the cream: use an immersion blender right in the slow cooker, or ladle the soup into a large blender, most likely in batches, cover, and blend until smooth before pouring it back into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes to heat through.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
Garlic soup is a ridiculous indulgence, strangely sweet yet very aromatic. You might want to steer clear of human contact afterwards.
•
For some smokiness in the soup, substitute smoked paprika for the mild sweet paprika.
Serve It Up!
For a fancy presentation, omit the sage from the soup, then fry sage leaves in olive oil until crisp and float them on top of the servings.
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
15 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
4 HOURS/8 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
4 HOURS THROUGH STEP 2
•
SERVES:
3 TO 10
2- TO 3½-QUART
2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2½ tblsp no-salt-added tomato paste
1 tblsp red wine vinegar
¾ tsp dried dill
¼ tsp salt
1 pound (about 3 cups) red beets, peeled and chopped
10 ounces (about 1 cup) russet or other baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
4- TO 5½-QUART
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
⅓ cup no-salt-added tomato paste
2 tblsp red wine vinegar
1¼ tsp dried dill
½ tsp salt
2½ pounds (about 8 cups) red beets, peeled and chopped
1⅓ pounds (about 2 cups) russet or other baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
6- TO 8-QUART
7½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup no-salt-added tomato paste
3 tblsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp dried dill
¾ tsp salt
3½ pounds (about 11 cups) red beets, peeled and chopped
2 pounds (about 3 cups) russet or other baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
1
Stir the broth, tomato paste, vinegar, dill, and salt in the slow cooker until the tomato paste dissolves. Mix in the beets, potatoes, and onion. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours, or until the vegetables are very tender.
2
Use an immersion blender right in the cooker to puree the soup, or work in batches as necessary and ladle it into a large blender, cover, and blend until smooth.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
Beets are incredibly sweet, so a touch of vinegar in the mix mellows their assertiveness and curiously makes the earthy taste all the more present.
•
Be careful of your counters and clothes. Beets will stain everything in sight. To avoid beet stains on your hands, wear rubber gloves when chopping the vegetable.
Serve It Up!
There are two ways to eat this soup. For one traditional preparation, heat the puree in the slow cooker, covered, on low, for 15 minutes, then serve with a hot boiled potato in each bowl. Or for an alternative, chill the puree in a covered bowl in the fridge for up to 3 days and serve the cold soup with dollops of sour cream on top.
A LOT
•
PREP TIME:
30 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
4 HOURS 15 MINUTES/8 HOURS 15 MINUTES
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
4 HOURS THROUGH STEP 2
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
½ tblsp unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 medium celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 cup (about 5 ounces) peeled and thinly sliced parsnips
⅔ cup peeled and diced yellow potato
1 garlic cloves, peeled
Up to ⅛ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp salt
⅔ cup heavy cream
1 tblsp finely grated orange zest
4- TO 5½-QUART
1 tblsp unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
6 medium celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 cups (about 10 ounces) peeled and thinly sliced parsnips
1 cup peeled and diced yellow potato
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Up to ¼ tsp cayenne
½ tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
2 tblsp finely grated orange zest
6- TO 8-QUART
2 tblsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
8 cups (2 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
10 medium celery ribs, thinly sliced
3 cups (about 1 pound) peeled and thinly sliced parsnips
1¾ cups (about ½ pound) peeled and diced yellow potato
3 garlic cloves, peeled
Up to ½ tsp cayenne
¾ tsp salt
1¾ cups heavy cream
2½ tblsp finely grated orange zest
1
Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, between 4 and 6 minutes. Scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker.
2
Stir the broth, celery, parsnips, potato, garlic, cayenne, and salt into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours, or until the vegetables are meltingly tender.
3
Puree the soup with the cream and orange zest by using an immersion blender right in the slow cooker, or by ladling the soup (in batches as needed) into a large blender and whirring it until smooth before pouring it back into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes to heat through.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
Although a traditional bisque is thickened with a roux (a flour and butter mixture), there’s none here, because of the way the slow cooker works. But you won’t miss it because of the layered flavors and textural nuance the root vegetables bring to the soup. Frankly, the longer you let it keep warm through step 2 (within reason), the deeper the flavor will become.