Read The Great American Slow Cooker Book Online
Authors: Bruce Weinstein
The Great American Slow Cooker Book (19 page)
2
Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours or on low for 5 hours, or until the meat is cooked through and the potato is tender.
3
Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board. Puree the remaining soup: use an immersion blender right in the cooker; or ladle the soup in batches into a large blender, cover, and blend until smooth, pouring the soup back into the slow cooker. Keep the slow cooker set on low or turn to low heat.
4
Chop the chicken into bite-size bits; stir these into the soup along with the cream. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes to blend the flavors.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
A salve for a rainy day, this creamy soup may be even better as leftovers, after the flavors have melded. (So make it the day before the storm blows in.) Save leftovers in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
•
Although chicken thighs are certainly sturdier and can cook longer, we like the more delicate taste of chicken breasts in this soup.
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
7 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
2 HOURS THROUGH STEP 1
•
SERVES:
4 TO 10
2- TO 3½-QUART
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
¾ pound smoked turkey, skinned and deboned if necessary, then chopped
¾ cup wild rice
½ cup chopped carrot
1 whole medium scallions, thinly sliced
2 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ cup evaporated milk (regular or low-fat)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tblsp dry vermouth
4- TO 5½-QUART
7 cups (1 quart plus 3 cups) low-sodium chicken broth
1¼ pounds smoked turkey, skinned and deboned if necessary, then chopped
1 cup plus 2 tblsp wild rice
¾ cup chopped carrot
2 whole medium scallions, thinly sliced
1 tblsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
¾ tsp ground black pepper
¾ cup evaporated milk (regular or low-fat)
6 tblsp all-purpose flour
3 tblsp dry vermouth
6- TO 8-QUART
11 cups (2 quarts plus 3 cups) low-sodium chicken broth
2 pounds smoked turkey, skinned and deboned if necessary, then chopped
2 cups wild rice
1¼ cups chopped carrot
2½ whole medium scallions, thinly sliced
1½ tblsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp ground black pepper
1¼ cups evaporated milk (regular or low-fat)
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup dry vermouth
1
Stir the broth, smoked turkey, wild rice, carrot, scallions, rosemary, and pepper together in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the wild rice is tender.
2
Whisk the evaporated milk, flour, and vermouth in a bowl until smooth, every speck of the flour dissolved. Stir the flour mixture into the soup until well combined. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, or until slightly thickened.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
Look for smoked turkey at the deli counter, but avoid the processed, extruded turkey hunks that look something like footballs. If possible, buy a large chunk of breast meat, then chop it at home into ½-inch pieces.
•
The intense nuttiness of wild rice balances the smokiness in the turkey more effectively than brown (or certainly white) rice.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED
You can find wild rice in two varieties: the dark black grains that are grown on commercial farms (particularly in California) or the pale brown grains that are hand-harvested from lakes (particularly in the Upper Midwest). Either will do here—although the hand-harvested varieties often take longer to cook (and are quite a bit more costly).
Serve It Up!
Offer this soup alongside thick-sliced challah bread, toasted and spread with chunky whole-fruit cranberry sauce or cranberry chutney.
with apples and coconut
NOT MUCH
•
PREP TIME:
15 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
6 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
NO
•
SERVES:
3 TO 8
2- TO 3½-QUART
¾ pound boneless skinless turkey breast, diced
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
1 large (about 1¼ cups) green apple (Granny Smith are best), cored, peeled, and diced)
½ cup coconut milk (regular or low-fat)
½ cup chopped yellow onion
½ cup chopped carrot
¼ cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 tsp curry powder
⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp ground cloves
⅛ tsp ground mace
⅛ tsp salt
pinch cayenne
4- TO 5½-QUART
1¼ pounds boneless skinless turkey breast, diced
6 cups (1½ quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
2 medium (about 2 cups) green apples (Granny Smith are best), cored, peeled, and diced
¾ cup coconut milk (regular or low-fat)
¾ cup chopped yellow onion
¾ cup chopped carrot
6 tblsp uncooked long-grain white rice
½ tblsp curry powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground mace
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp cayenne
6- TO 8-QUART
2 pounds boneless skinless turkey breast, diced
10 cups (2½ quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
1 large and 2 medium (about 3¼ cups) green apples (Granny Smith are best), cored, peeled, and diced
1¼ cups coconut milk (regular or low-fat)
1¼ cups chopped yellow onion
1¼ cups chopped carrot
⅔ cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 tblsp curry powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground mace
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cayenne
1
Mix the turkey, broth, apple, coconut milk, onion, carrot, rice, curry powder, cinnamon, cloves, mace, salt, and cayenne in the slow cooker.
2
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the turkey is cooked through, the rice is tender, and the soup is thickened a bit.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
A simplified take on mulligatawny, this soup is even better the next day, after the flavors have mellowed.
•
Double the cayenne at will.
•
Although standard yellow curry powder will do the trick for a quick weeknight meal, you can up your game by searching out the astounding array of curry powders at East Indian markets.
Or make your own
.
with fennel and spinach
NOT MUCH
•
PREP TIME:
15 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
3 HOURS/5½ HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
3 HOURS THROUGH STEP 1
•
SERVES:
3 TO 9
2- TO 3½-QUART
¾ pound boneless skinless turkey breast, such as turkey London broil or turkey breast cutlets, diced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1¾ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
6 ounces
fennel bulb
, trimmed and chopped
2 tsp Herbes de Provence
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
3 ounces (about 2 cups) baby spinach leaves, chopped
4- TO 5½-QUART
1½ pounds boneless skinless turkey breast, such as turkey London broil or turkey breast cutlets, diced
6 cups (1½ quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
3½ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
10 ounces
fennel bulb
, trimmed and chopped
1½ tblsp Herbes de Provence
½ tsp salt
½ tsp red pepper flakes
6 ounces (about 4 cups) baby spinach leaves, chopped
6- TO 8-QUART
2¼ pounds boneless skinless turkey breast, such as turkey London broil or turkey breast cutlets, diced
9 cups (2 quarts plus 1 cup) low-sodium chicken broth
5¼ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes
1 pound
fennel bulb
, trimmed and chopped
2 tblsp Herbes de Provence
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp red pepper flakes
9 ounces (about 6 cups) baby spinach leaves, chopped
1
Mix the turkey, broth, tomatoes, fennel, herbes de Provence, salt, and red pepper flakes in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours or on low for 5 hours.
2
Stir in the spinach. Cover and cook on high for 30 more minutes.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
Cook this simple but rewarding soup during the day, then stir in the spinach when you get home. Dinner will be ready by the time you’ve changed into something more comfortable.
•
If you have the small end of any of the slow cookers, you may think that the cooker is so full that the spinach will never fit. Drop the spinach leaves on top of the soup, perhaps even just a handful of them, stir gently, wait a minute, then add some more. After they wilt to almost no volume, you’ll get them to fit and have a well-stocked soup.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED
Herbes de Provence are a blend of dried seasonings that usually includes savory, fennel seeds, basil, thyme, and lavender leaves. Check the label to see if there’s salt in the mix; if so, omit the additional salt from this recipe.
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
3 HOURS/5 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
2 HOURS THROUGH STEP 3
•
SERVES:
3 TO 10
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 tblsp unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onions, chopped
5 ounces (about 1½ cups) cremini or brown button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ cup dry white wine, such as chardonnay
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
¾ pound boneless skinless turkey breast, chopped
1 tblsp minced fresh sage leaves
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 tblsp (½ stick) unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
9 ounces (about 3 cups) cremini or brown button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tsp minced garlic
½ cup dry white wine, such as chardonnay
5 cups (1 quart plus 1 cup) low-sodium chicken broth
1¾ pounds boneless skinless turkey breast, chopped
2 tblsp minced fresh sage leaves
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 cups heavy cream
6- TO 8-QUART
6 tblsp (¾ stick) unsalted butter
2 large yellow onions, chopped
13 ounces (about 4½ cups) cremini or brown button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tblsp minced garlic
¾ cup dry white wine, such as chardonnay
8 cups (2 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
2½ pounds boneless skinless turkey breast, chopped
3 tblsp minced fresh sage leaves
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp ground black pepper
3 cups heavy cream
1
Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent, between 4 and 8 minutes.
2
Stir in the mushrooms and continue cooking, stirring often, until they give off their liquid and the mixture reduces to a thick glaze, between 5 and 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic; cook for a few seconds.
3
Pour the wine into the skillet; as the liquid comes to a boil, scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the skillet. Scrape the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker. Stir the broth, turkey, sage, salt, and pepper into the slow cooker as well.
4
Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5 hours, or until the flavors have blended and the turkey is cooked through.
5
Stir in the heavy cream just before serving.
TESTERS’ NOTES
•
Buy a turkey cutlet, sometimes called a turkey London broil, for this hearty, well-stocked soup. The meat should be sliced into small bits, the same size as the onion.
•
Hold the cream until you’re ready to serve; it may break down with the wine in the mix. If you’re worried about the cream cooling the soup, warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat just until a few puffs of steam come off its surface.
•
Substitute light cream for the heavy cream, but avoid half-and-half, which will make the soup watery.
A LITTLE
•
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES
•
COOK TIME:
4 HOURS/7 HOURS
•
KEEPS ON WARM:
NO
•
SERVES:
3 TO 10
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 tblsp olive oil
8 ounces mild Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
1 medium red bell peppers, seeded, stemmed, and chopped
⅓ cup uncooked long-grain brown rice
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
6 ounces (about 2¼ cups) kale, stemmed, washed, and chopped
4- TO 5½-QUART
1½ tblsp olive oil
12 ounces mild Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 cups (1½ quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded, stemmed, and chopped
½ cup uncooked long-grain brown rice
½ tblsp fennel seeds
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp ground black pepper
¾ pound (about 4½ cups) kale, stemmed, washed, and chopped
6- TO 8-QUART
2 tblsp olive oil
1½ pounds mild Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
2 medium yellow onion, chopped
11 cups (2 quarts plus 3 cups) low-sodium chicken broth
2 large red bell peppers, seeded, stemmed, and chopped
1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice
2½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tblsp salt
½ tblsp ground black pepper
1 pound (about 7 cups) kale, stemmed, washed, and chopped