50 Simple Soups for the Slow Cooker - Lynn Alley [10]
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup grated smoked cheddar or Gouda cheese, divided
Salt (preferably smoked)
¼ cup grated smoked cheddar or Gouda cheese
Chopped chives, for garnishing
In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the onion for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Transfer the onion to a 7-quart slow cooker and add the potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and water. Cover and cook on LOW for about 4 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.
Mash some of the potatoes against the inside of the cooker or use a handheld immersion blender to puree a small amount of potato and thicken the soup slightly.
Add the corn, chiles, half-and-half, and ¾ cup of the cheddar. Add the salt to taste and continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes, or just until all the ingredients are hot.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each bowl with the remaining cheddar and chopped chives.
Countrywild Rice Soup
Serves 4 to 6
Albert and Frances Lundberg, having seen the ravages of poor, shortsighted farming methods on the land of Nebraska in the Depression-era Dust Bowl, moved their family to California’s Sacramento Valley in 1937 and planted rice. They impressed upon their sons the great importance of caring for the soil and went on to pioneer organic rice growing in America, going so far as to develop some of their own unique varieties of aromatic rice. I have enjoyed experimenting with their high-quality traditional rice such as basmati, Arborio, and classic brown, as well as some more unusual varieties, such as their Black Japonica and red Wehani. This recipe calls for my favorite: Countrywild, a blend of Wehani, brown rice, and Black Japonica. The soup has a fairly mild flavor and really depends upon the addition of the freshly grated Parmesan cheese for character and oomph.
⅔ cup uncooked Lundberg Countrywild rice
1 ounce dried mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
½ cup diced carrots
½ cup diced celery
1 bay leaf
Parmesan cheese rind
6 cups water
1 cup cream or half-and-half (optional)
½ cup fresh or frozen peas
¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon or parsley
1 tablespoon Maggi Seasoning sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos (see here)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Thoroughly rinse the rice and the mushrooms in separate containers and set them aside.
In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and rice and cook for 3 minutes longer.
Transfer the mixture to a 7-quart slow cooker and add the mushrooms, carrots, celery, bay leaf, Parmesan rind, and water. Cover and cook on LOW for about 6 hours, or until the rice is quite tender.
Stir in the cream, peas, 2 tablespoons of the tarragon, and the seasoning sauce and continue to cook for 30 minutes longer, until hot. Stir in the salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve topped with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons of tarragon.
Cream of Artichoke Soup
Serves 4 to 6
I’ve made great artichoke soups with frozen artichoke hearts and with canned artichoke hearts. Both have been easy and satisfying. But as the first flowers of spring are emerging after a wonderful, rainy winter, and artichokes are making their appearance in the produce markets, I want to make a soup with the real deal: fresh artichokes. Medium-size mature artichokes can easily stand 4 to 6 hours of cooking and yield a soup of more interesting texture and flavor than soups from frozen or canned varieties.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 pound small Yukon gold potatoes
4 large artichokes (about 1½ pounds) (see Note)
6 cups water
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt
¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon, chervil, or parsley (or a combination)
In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes longer.