Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders - Emeril Lagasse [84]
5. Serve the meat hot, on toasted buns or rolls, with your favorite barbecue sauce. (Alternatively, adjust the setting on the slow cooker to the “keep warm” setting and remove about half of the cooking juices from the crock. Return the pulled pork to the remaining juices in the slow cooker and allow guests to serve themselves from the slow cooker. This is especially useful for parties or tailgating. The extra cooking juices make a great addition to soups, stews, or posole.)
12 to 14 sandwich servings
RED BEAN AND RICE SOUP
This throw-it-all-in-the-pot soup is heartwarming and satisfying … try it on a chilly winter’s day when you need something to warm you through and through. If you make it ahead of time, the flavor will only improve, but keep in mind that you’ll likely need to thin it with a bit of water or stock, as it will thicken as it sits.
1 pound dried kidney beans, rinsed and picked over
6 cups water
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro stems
1 to 2 jalapeño chiles, to taste, seeded and minced
2 bay leaves
One 14.5-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
½ cup tomato puree
1 teaspoon dried Mexican or regular oregano, crumbled between your fingers
1¼ pounds fresh chorizo or other fresh hot sausage, removed from the casings and broken into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon cayenne
3 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth, heated
½ cup converted rice
3¼ teaspoons salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Louisiana hot sauce, to taste (optional)
1. Place the kidney beans in a large pot with the water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, cover, and remove from the heat. Set the beans aside to soak while you assemble and prepare the remaining ingredients.
2. Place the onion, celery, bell pepper, cilantro stems, jalapeño(s), bay leaves, tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, chorizo, olive oil, and cayenne in the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the hot beans and their soaking liquid into the slow cooker and stir gently to combine. Cover and cook on high until the beans are very tender but still hold their shape, about 4 hours, stirring once after 2 hours. Add the hot stock, rice, and 3 teaspoons of the salt and continue cooking, stirring once midway, until the rice is just tender, 20 to 30 minutes longer.
3. While the rice is cooking, mash the garlic to a paste using the side of a chef’s knife and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Once the rice is cooked, add the garlic paste and the cilantro leaves to the soup. Stir well; taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove the bay leaves from the soup and discard. Serve the soup hot, with hot sauce to taste if desired.
4½ quarts, 8 to 10 servings
CHICKEN SAUCE PIQUANTE
Here’s a traditional New Orleans dish for the slow cooker in all its peppery glory. Hence, piquante. You’ll enjoy its pungency, tempered with tomatoes and herbs and spooned over white rice.
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
1 tablespoon Emeril’s Original Essence or Creole Seasoning (Creole Seasoning)
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
¾ cup chopped celery
½ jalapeño chile, minced
1½ teaspoons chopped garlic
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon cayenne
2 bay leaves
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and juice reserved
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Steamed white rice, for serving
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1. Add the chicken pieces to a large mixing bowl and season all over with the Essence. Add the flour and mix well until the chicken is evenly coated. Shake the chicken to remove any excess flour, then set it aside on a plate.
2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch or larger