50 Simple Soups for the Slow Cooker - Lynn Alley [18]
Using a handheld immersion blender, puree the ingredients to the desired texture. Stir in the cheese and add the salt to taste.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each with cream.
Potato, Cheese, and Asparagus Soup
Serves 4 to 6
If you want to coax extra flavor out of any soup based upon potatoes, onions, or other root vegetables, first cook the potatoes and onions in the slow cooker without the water for a couple of hours to allow for some browning and to give the flavors a chance to develop. After a couple of hours, you can add the liquid and continue to finish cooking the soup. If you are pressed for time, you can add the water when you add the potatoes.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into fat rounds
6 cups water
Dash of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt (preferably smoked) and freshly ground black pepper
12 young asparagus spears, cut into ½-inch pieces, rough ends removed
½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
In a large sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and sauté the onion for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer.
Transfer the mixture to a 7-quart slow cooker and add the potatoes (without the water). Cover and cook on LOW for about 6 hours, or until the potatoes are quite tender.
Add the water, and using a handheld immersion blender, puree the mixture until smooth. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Add the asparagus and cook for 15 to 30 minutes longer, until the asparagus spears are just tender.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve hot, sprinkled with 1 to 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese.
Spanish Potato and Green Olive Soup
Serves 4 to 6
This recipe was inspired by a soup served at a winery in Toro, Spain. Serve with a crusty loaf of French bread and perhaps a hearty red Tinta de Toro (the local name for the Tempranillo grape) from Toro.
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1½ pounds small potatoes
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
6 cups water
1½ cups stuffed green olives, sliced in half vertically
Salt
1 cup cubed Manchego or cheddar cheese
In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil 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, and thyme. Cover and cook on LOW (without the water) for about 4 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.
Add the water and, using a fork or potato masher, smash the potatoes. If you prefer a smooth texture, you can use an immersion blender to puree them.
Stir in the olives and add the salt to taste. Continue cooking for 30 to 40 minutes longer, until the soup is once again hot.
To serve, divide the cheese into bowls, drizzle the remaining olive oil over it, then ladle in the soup and stir.
Pasta e Fagioli
Serves 4 to 6
Also known as “pasta fazool,” this is another rustic Italian favorite, and like minestrone and ribollita, its contents may vary from season to season, region to region, and cook to cook. Perhaps the main difference between pasta e fagioli (which means “pasta and beans”) and the other classic Italian soups is the addition of pasta. While ditalini or small elbow macaroni are traditional, there are many other interesting types of pasta that would also work well. Borlotti (cranberry) beans are also traditional, but I’ve made this soup using pinquitos, white beans, and a 10-bean mixture, all with good results. Use as many Parmesan cheese rinds as you’d like.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dried borlotti (cranberry) beans
5 cups water
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
Parmesan cheese rinds
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
½ cup uncooked ditalini or other small