Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever (6 page)

I remember this soup from childhood, with its warm inviting aroma and stick-to-your-ribs quality. One bowl of this soup and I could return to playing with my friends filled with energy! I like to use brown lentils in this soup because they are easy to find and make a very nice soup. My grandmother’s roots in Umbria account for the large amount of celery in this dish. In Umbria, they grow a lot of celery, and the most prized is the
sedano nero
, or black celery. It’s not black at all but has a milky white base from being covered while growing, and very dark, almost black, green leaves and stalks. The celery in this dish not only adds flavor but also texture to our soup.
Buon appetito!

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

6 stalks celery with leaves, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons dried whole sage leaves or 2 whole fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

One 14- to 15-ounce can chopped plum tomatoes, drained

2 cups brown lentils

6 cups vegetable broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and sage leaves and sauté until the garlic and onion are fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.

add the tomatoes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to evaporate some of the juices. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.

stir in the lentils and broth. Cover the cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours, until the lentils are tender. Check the soup at around 3 or 6 hours to make sure there is enough broth and the soup isn’t sticking to the pan; add more broth if it is sticking.

season with salt and pepper before serving.

serves 6–8

My Italian
nona
, Aleandra, used to make this soup with garbanzo beans. As a kid I found it warm, filling, and a delight to the senses. The aroma of its inviting flavors of rosemary, garlic, and tomato mingled with garbanzo beans, vegetables, and pasta were more than I could resist. The slow cooker does a great job with this soup and will keep it warm for those who come in from the cold at different times. The vegetables can go directly into the slow cooker, but sautéing them first gives the soup a much richer flavor.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia, finely chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

One 14- to 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes, with their juice

4 cups vegetable broth

Two 14- to 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups cooked small pasta, such as ditalini or tubetti

½ cup freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese for garnishing

heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and rosemary and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften and are fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.

add the tomatoes and sauté for another minute to incorporate. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker and add the broth and garbanzo beans.

cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours. Remove the cover, stir in the pasta, and cook for an additional 20 minutes on low or 10 minutes on high.

serve the soup garnished with the cheese.

serves 8

cheese savvy

If you have rind from Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, add it to this soup to simmer all day; it becomes soft and chewy and rounds out the flavor of your soup.

A soup with tropical influences that will warm you with its spicy flavors, serving black bean soup is also a terrific way to get your family to eat legumes. We like to serve this soup over steamed rice with cornbread on the side.

Quick-soak method for beans: Dried beans are typically soaked overnight in cold water, but you can jump-start them by quick soaking. This method works well if you want to use any type of dried beans in your preparations. Cover dried beans with cold water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover the pan, and let the beans soak for 1 hour. Drain the beans and use in any preparation. The beans may be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze the cooked beans for up to 2 months.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large white onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped

½ teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

4 cups presoaked black beans (see savvy)

1 bay leaf

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

heat the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.

add the onions, garlic, jalapeños, allspice, and cumin and sauté until the onion are softened.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5-to 7-quart slow cooker and add the beans, bay leaf, and broth.

cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Serves 8–10

bean savvy

Although I prefer to soak the beans overnight for this soup, you may substitute four 14- to 15-ounce cans black beans (drained and rinsed), and cook on low for 4 hours instead of the 6 called for.

This is a favorite soup with my students. It goes together in 5 minutes, and at the end of the day you have a hearty vegetarian main course. Don’t let the chiles scare you away; they are there for flavor and not heat!

¹
/
₃
cup vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

4 Anaheim chiles, seeded and chopped

1½ teaspoons chili powder

One 14- to 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes, drained

Two 14- to 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

6 cups chicken broth

2 cups cooked chorizo sausage, crumbled (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups broken fried tortilla strips

½ cup shredded mild Cheddar or Monterey

Jack cheese

½ cup sour cream for garnishing

4 green onions, chopped, using the white and tender green parts for garnishing

½ cup finely minced fresh cilantro for garnishing

heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chiles and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until fragrant.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, beans, broth, and sausage (if using).

cover the slow cooker and cook the soup on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.

season with salt and pepper. Add the tortilla strips to the soup, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes, until the strips just begin to soften.

divide the cheese among 8 bowls and ladle the soup over.

Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onion, and minced cilantro.

serves 8

This simple vegetable soup gets its rich flavor from escarole, creamy white beans, and the rind from Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Although you can put everything directly into the slow cooker, I recommend the sauté at the beginning to develop the flavors of the onion and garlic.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped

3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

2 carrots, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 heads escarole, tough outer leaves removed, cut into 1-inch pieces (see savvy)

2 cups small white beans, picked over for stones, soaked, or two 15-ounce cans small white beans, drained and rinsed (see savvy)

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

¼ cup chopped rind from Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for garnishing (optional)

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt

heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and sauté until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic and continue to cook for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables are fragrant but not soft.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Top the vegetables with the escarole, stir in the beans, and pour the broth over the escarole. Add the cheese rind (if using) and ½ teaspoon of pepper and stir to combine.

cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours. Remove the cover and season with salt and pepper. serve the soup garnished with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, if desired.

serves 8

bean savvy

If you are in a hurry and don’t have time to soak the beans overnight, canned beans will work. Make sure to rinse and drain them in a sieve before adding them to the cooker.

escarole savvy

If escarole is pricey or not available, Swiss chard or Savoy cabbage are nice replacements. Chop the chard, including the stems, which will become tender during the long cooking process.

slow-cooker addition

Add 2 cups cooked chicken with the other ingredients and proceed as directed.

This hearty soup requires soaking the beans overnight and then putting everything in the slow cooker for the day. It’s a colorful, flavorful, and healthful choice for dinner, and your slow cooker makes it a no-brainer for a day when you want to come home to a bowl of comfort food. A loaf of crusty bread or freshly baked cornbread makes the perfect accompaniment.

The choice of beans is up to you; it’s really more about color, texture, and the beans that you like. (You can double up on one type if that appeals.) I like to buy my beans at health food stores where they have bulk-food bins, so that I only buy what I need. Many markets sell a blend of beans for this soup, so you can keep a bag of beans in your pantry just in case of a soup emergency!

¼ cup dried red beans

¼ cup dried small white beans

¼ cup dried pinto beans

¼ cup dried kidney beans

¼ cup dried cranberry beans

¼ cup dried baby lima beans

¼ cup dried black-eyed peas

¼ cup dried green split peas

¼ cup dried yellow split peas

¼ cup dried red lentils

¼ cup dried brown lentils

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 medium carrots, chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 bay leaf

One 15-ounce can chopped plum tomatoes, with their juice

1 smoked ham hock or ham bone

8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

soak the red, white, pinto, kidney, cranberry, lima beans, and black-eyed peas overnight in water to cover. Drain and rinse thoroughly.

add the soaked beans, split peas, and lentils to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients up through the broth and stir to combine.

cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the beans are tender and the ham is falling off the bone.

remove the ham hock or bone from the soup, chop any meat, removing the fat, and return the meat to the slow-cooker.

season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

serves 8–10

slow-cooker savvy

When I have ham for a holiday dinner, I will generally freeze the bone after we have cleaned off most of the meat. Then when I want to make soup, I’ll defrost it and place it in the slow cooker with the other ingredients. Ham hocks and smoked hams tend to be salty, so I recommend not salting the soup until close to the end of the cooking time.