The Great American Slow Cooker Book (18 page)
Read The Great American Slow Cooker Book Online
Authors: Bruce Weinstein
1
Mix the broth, potatoes, beef, quinoa, fava beans, leek, salt, and pepper in the slow cooker.
2
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the potatoes, quinoa, and beef are tender.
3
Stir in the parsley, cilantro, and vinegar before serving.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
Here’s an honest meat-and-potatoes meal that uses less beef than you might expect, thanks to the quinoa in the mix.
•
Frozen fava beans are better than canned because they retain more of their texture during all this cooking. That said, if you can’t find frozen, the canned ones will work fine so long as you add them
after
5 hours of cooking.
We didn’t want you to get worried, what with all those vegetable and grain soups. We still had chicken, beef, pork, red snapper, shrimp, and scallops in our (apparently messy) back pockets. And it’s not surprising we did, given what a slow cooker does for protein of all sorts.
Yes, slow cooker recipes often skip the browning, that essential method for complex flavors. And yes, the two of us think it’s sometimes best to compensate by skillet-browning a cut before it gets tossed into the appliance. But even without that preliminary step, slow cookers still work their magic on the natural sugars in meat and fish of all sorts, breaking them down, if not into quite the wide range of flavors browning affords, nonetheless into cleaner, elemental flavors that sweeten a soup without the need for additional sugar. Strange to say but slow cooker soups end up brighter and even lighter than their stovetop kin, partly because the lack of browning lets less assertive, more floral notes come to the forefront. think of it like this: slow cooker soups are more like woodwind quartets than stadium rock bands.
These recipes run the gamut from some done in a few hours to others that take a good long while. That’s because we’re working with the largest range of protein in this section, from quick-cooking shrimp to long-cooking beef bottom round. And since this is our first chapter focusing on animal protein, we need to caution you: do
not
put frozen or even partially thawed meat, poultry, fish, or shellfish in the slow cooker. Although it’s great to stock up on these things at the supermarket when you see sales, you need to make sure that all these proteins are thoroughly thawed before you use them. If not, their lower temperatures will slow the cooking time dramatically—long enough, in fact, that food safety
will become a concern. Even if bad bugs are killed off when the cooker finally hits its higher temperatures, their residue will lurk, a real-time nightmare soon enough.
To thaw protein of all sorts, unwrap it and set it in a bowl in the fridge for at least 24 hours, maybe 48 hours, depending on its size. Easy enough, but let’s dispel one cooking myth straight off: if you’ve thawed any cut of meat or poultry (but not fish or shellfish) and you decide, on the spur of the moment, that it really doesn’t suit your fancy, you can indeed refreeze it—
so long as
it has not left your fridge, your fridge has been set at 40°F or colder, and the protein has not been fully thawed for more than 24 hours. Drain off the liquid in the bowl, seal the meat or poultry in a plastic bag, and toss it back into the freezer. It may not be good for grilling or sautéing (it will have lost quite a bit of moisture), but it’ll be perfect for the slow cooker on another day when you’re more in the mood for soup.
NOT MUCH
•
PREP TIME:
15 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
9 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
4 HOURS THROUGH STEP 1
•
SERVES:
3 TO 10
2- TO 3½-QUART
5 cups (1 quart plus 1 cup) low-sodium chicken broth
¾ pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
¾ cup thinly sliced carrots
½ cup chopped yellow onion
1 medium celery rib, thinly sliced
½ tblsp dried dill
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
6 ounces dried egg noodles, preferably narrow ones
4- TO 5½-QUART
8 cups (2 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
1¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1¼ cups thinly sliced carrots
¾ cup chopped yellow onion
1½ medium celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 tsp dried dill
½ tblsp dried thyme
¾ tsp finely grated lemon zest
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp ground black pepper
10 ounces dried egg noodles, preferably narrow ones
6- TO 8-QUART
12 cups (3 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1¾ cups thinly sliced carrots
1¼ cups chopped yellow onion
2 medium celery ribs, thinly sliced
1½ tblsp dried dill
2½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 pound dried egg noodles, preferably narrow ones
1
Mix the broth, chicken, carrots, onion, celery, dill, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the meat is very tender.
2
Use a wooden spoon to break the chicken thighs into smaller pieces right in the soup. Stir in the noodles; cover and continue cooking on low for 1 additional hour, or until the pasta is tender.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
Nothing could be easier than this favorite, especially since you can use boneless skinless thighs. Skip the chicken skin; the vegetables offer most of the body.
•
You can make the soup through step 1, then seal and freeze it in 1-quart containers for up to 4 months. Add the noodles when you reheat servings on the stovetop, simmering them in the soup for about 10 minutes. Break up the chicken pieces before serving.
A LOT
•
PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
3 HOURS 15 MINUTES/6 HOURS 15 MINUTES
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
NO
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 medium carrots, peeled
1 small yellow onions, halved and peeled
1 bay leaf
⅔ cup uncooked long-grain white rice
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
1 whole large egg plus 1 yolk
3 tblsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp cornstarch
3 tblsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
4- TO 5½-QUART
¾ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 medium carrots, peeled
2 small yellow onions, halved and peeled
2 bay leaves
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
6 cups (1½ quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
2 whole large eggs
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tblsp cornstarch
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
6- TO 8-QUART
1¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 medium carrots, peeled
3 small yellow onions, halved and peeled
3 bay leaves
1⅔ cups uncooked long-grain white rice
10 cups (2½ quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
3 whole large eggs plus 1 yolk
7 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1½ tblsp cornstarch
½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1
Lay the chicken, carrots, onions, and bay leaves in the slow cooker; sprinkle the rice on top. Pour in the broth, making sure the grains of rice are fully submerged.
2
Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours, or until the rice is tender. Discard the onions, carrots, and bay leaves.
3
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board; cool for 5 minutes. Keep the slow cooker covered and on low.
4
Whisk the eggs, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a big bowl until frothy. Whisk at least a third of the hot soup into this egg mixture until smooth.
5
Whisk this egg-and-lemon mixture back into the remaining soup in the slow cooker. Chop the chicken and stir it in with the parsley. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until hot.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
This flavorful soup is based on a traditional Greek one, enriched with egg yolks and lemon juice. It’s sour and bright, great on a spring evening.
•
Use tongs or a slotted spoon to fish out the vegetables in step 2. Toss any rice grains back into the soup.
•
When whisking the soup into the egg yolk mixture, pour in a slow, steady stream, whisking all the while, so the eggs don’t scramble as they meet the hot liquid.
NOT MUCH
•
PREP TIME:
15 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
3 HOURS/5 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
4 HOURS
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
1¾ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
1½ cups (about ½ pound) peeled and diced russet or other baking potatoes
1 medium green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 tblsp mild paprika
½ tblsp minced garlic
1 tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
5 cups (1 quart plus 1 cup) low-sodium chicken broth
1¾ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
3 cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
2½ cups (about 14 ounces) peeled and diced russet or other baking potatoes
2 medium green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 tblsp mild paprika
2½ tsp minced garlic
½ tblsp caraway seeds
¾ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
8 cups (2 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
2¾ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
4¾ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
4 cups (about 1¼ pounds) peeled and diced russet or other baking potatoes
2 large green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
5 tblsp mild paprika
1½ tblsp minced garlic
1 tblsp caraway seeds
1 tsp salt
1
Mix the broth, chicken, tomatoes, potatoes, bell pepper, onion, paprika, garlic, caraway seeds, and salt in the slow cooker.
2
Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5 hours, or until the vegetables are tender.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
A bit of whimsy, this Old-World-braise-morphed-into-a-soup skips the traditional sour cream since it might break in the cooker over the long haul. Dollop it onto servings as a garnish.
•
Even if you’re a fan of chicken thighs, don’t swap them for boneless skinless chicken breasts. The thighs will not get tender in the time stated.
•
Replace your paprika every 18 months or so, after which it becomes nothing but a red food-coloring agent.
•
For more heat, cut the amount of mild paprika by one-fourth and add enough hot paprika to make up the difference.
•
For more heft, ladle the soup over serving bowls of cooked and drained egg noodles.
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
2 HOURS 45 MINUTES/5 HOURS 15 MINUTES
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
2 HOURS THROUGH STEP 2
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
10 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts
2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
2½ cups corn kernels, freshly cut off the cob, or frozen, thawed
⅔ cup (about 5 ounces) thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green part only), washed to remove interior grit, thinly sliced
⅔ cup peeled and diced russet or other baking potato
⅓ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio, or dry vermouth
½ medium celery ribs, chopped;
1½ tblsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp dried thyme
½ cup heavy cream
4- TO 5½-QUART
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
4 cups corn kernels, freshly cut off the cob, or frozen, thawed
1 cup (about ½ pound) thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green part only), washed to remove interior grit, thinly sliced
1 cup peeled and diced russet or other baking potato
½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio, or dry vermouth
1 medium celery ribs, chopped
2 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp dried thyme
¾ cup heavy cream
6- TO 8-QUART
1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 cups (1½ quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
6 cups corn kernels, freshly cut off the cob, or frozen, thawed
1½ cups (about ¾ pound) thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green part only), washed to remove interior grit, thinly sliced
1½ cups (about ½ pound) peeled and diced russet or other baking potato
¾ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio, or dry vermouth
1½ medium celery ribs, chopped
3 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
¾ tsp dried thyme
1¼ cups heavy cream
1
Lay the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Add the broth, corn, leeks, potato, white wine, celery, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Stir well.