Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever (7 page)

Split pea soup is a favorite at my house, but it usually has a base of smoked sausage or a ham bone to give it flavor and punch. When I decided to try a vegetarian version, I added yellow split peas and red lentils to give the soup beautiful color and flavor.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 medium carrots, diced

4 stalks celery, diced

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 bay leaf

2 cups dried green split peas

1 cup dried yellow split peas

½ cup dried red lentils

8 cups vegetable broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaf and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker and add the split peas, lentils, and broth, and stir to combine.

cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours; check the soup at 3 or 7 hours to make sure that it isn’t sticking to the pot. If it appears too thick, add more broth.

season with salt and pepper before serving.

serves 8

Split pea soup is one of my family’s favorites. I’m not sure if the thyme or the smoked sausage flavors the thick soup more—either way, it’s nice for lunch or dinner, and leftovers freeze well. I like to use yellow and green split peas as well as red lentils, but it’s also fine to only use green split peas.

1½ pounds smoked sausage, cut into

½-inch rounds

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 medium carrots, finely chopped

3 stalks celery with leaves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1½ cups dried green split peas

½ cup dried yellow split peas

¼ cup dried red lentils

8 cups chicken or vegetable broth (see savvy)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

cook the sausage in a large skillet over high heat. Render the fat and remove all but 2 tablespoons from the skillet.

add the onion, carrots, celery, and thyme and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 or on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the peas have split and the soup is thick. Check the soup several times during cooking to make sure there is enough broth and the soup isn’t sticking to the pan.

season with salt and pepper before serving.

serves 8

slow-cooker liquid savvy

As I said in the introduction, all slow cookers are different and their temperatures vary a bit. The cooking time and amount of liquid that evaporates may vary. Just to be on the safe side, check the soup during the day to make sure that it’s not sticking to the pan and that there is enough liquid.

Comfort food doesn’t get much better than this creamy soup brimming with chunks of moist chicken (or turkey), vegetables, and crunchy wild rice. If you have leftover chicken or turkey, this is a great way to use it. Wild rice is actually a grain and takes quite a while to cook, which is where your slow cooker comes in—you literally set it and forget it.

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 medium carrots, finely chopped

4 medium stalks celery with leaves, finely chopped

1 pound cremini mushrooms, cut into

½-inch slices

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed in the palm of your hand

1½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 cups chicken broth

3 cups bite-size pieces cooked chicken or turkey, either shredded or diced

2 cups wild rice, rinsed several times with cold water

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley (optional)

heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, thyme, and sage to the pan and season with the salt and pepper.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to

7-quart slow cooker. Stir in the chicken broth, chicken, and wild rice.

cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until the wild rice is tender and the soup is thickened.

stir in the cream and parsley (if using), turn the cooker to warm, and serve the soup.

serves 6–8

slow-cooker savvy

Vegetarian wild rice soup? Omit the chicken or turkey and substitute vegetable or mushroom broth for the chicken broth.

Many cuisines have a basic mixture of vegetables that starts a variety of dishes. In France, a
mirepoix
is a mixture of onion, celery, and carrot; New Orleans has its trinity—onion, bell pepper, and celery; Italy has
battuto
—onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and tomato; and Spain has its
sofrito
, which is generally olive oil, garlic, onions, and tomatoes.

Vibrantly colored spinach gives this beautiful soup its color, while garlic and ginger add to its personality. This soup is terrific as a starter before a meal, but it’s also nice served in mugs for a warm-up after playing in the snow.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

3 chicken breast halves, skin and bones removed, cut into ½-inch dice (see savvy)

¼ cup soy sauce

6 cups chicken broth

Three 10-ounce packages baby spinach

Toasted sesame oil for garnishing

Chopped green onions for garnishing

heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

add the chicken and sauté until the chicken is white on the outside. Add the soy sauce and cook until the soy sauce is almost evaporated.

pour some of the chicken broth into the skillet and transfer the mixture to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the remaining broth and the spinach to the cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

serve the soup in bowls garnished with a dot of sesame oil and a few pieces of green onion.

serves 8

chicken savvy

If you would like to use leftover cooked chicken, toss the chicken with the garlic and ginger, add the soy sauce as directed, and proceed with the recipe.

Mom’s comfort food, this noodle soup is filled with veggies and chunks of chicken to make even the worst day seem bearable. Pair this with Cheddar cheese biscuits or scones.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups finely chopped celery

2 cups finely chopped carrot

2 small zucchini, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

12 cups chicken broth

4 cups bite-size pieces cooked chicken

Two 10-ounce packages fresh baby spinach

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces medium-width egg noodles, cooked al dente

heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, zucchini, and thyme and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 7 minutes.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Stir in the broth, chicken, and spinach.

cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

season with salt and pepper. Add the noodles to the soup, stir, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

serves 8–10

Barley is a natural thickener for soups, and it becomes creamy in a slow cooker. This soup is thick with chicken, chewy barley, and meaty cremini mushrooms; the added infusion of sherry and dried porcini mushrooms give it personality. It is also a great way to use the leftovers from that rotisserie chicken you bought earlier in the week. If you don’t have leftover cooked chicken, it’s easy enough to sauté chicken before adding it to the pot.

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 leeks, chopped, using the white and some of the tender green parts

3 stalks celery with leaves, chopped

3 medium carrots, chopped

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cup pearl barley

6 cups chicken broth

¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms

¼ cup dry sherry

2 cups bite-size pieces cooked chicken

heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, celery, carrots, cremini mushrooms, thyme, and bay leaf and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker and stir in the barley, broth, dried mushrooms, sherry, and chicken.

cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until the barley is tender.

remove the bay leaf before serving.

serves 8

A bit of Southwestern spice flavors this warm and hearty soup. Make sure to serve some condiments on the side for everyone to make their own special bowl.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

2 medium sweet onions, such as Vidalia, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

¼ cup gold tequila (optional)

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

4 cups chicken broth

3 cups shredded cooked chicken

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fried corn tortilla strips

Grated Colby or Monterey Jack cheese for garnishing

1 bunch cilantro, stems removed, leaves chopped for garnishing

Avocado Garnish (recipe follows)

heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and onions and sauté for about 2 minutes, until softened.

add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the tequila (if using) to the pan and cook until it is almost evaporated.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, broth, and chicken.

cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours. Season with salt and pepper.

place the tortilla strips in bowls, ladle in the soup, and top with the cheese, cilantro, and the avocado garnish.

serves 8

1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped

½ cup fresh corn kernels or defrosted frozen corn

¼ cup chopped green onions

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 hours or serve immediately.

makes 1 cup