Slow Cooker_ The Best Cookbook Ever - Diane Phillips [12]
Roasted Tomato Soup with Spinach Pesto
Roasting tomatoes in the slow cooker intensifies their flavor and gives them a whole new personality. Flavored with aromatic herbs and garlic and simmered with chicken broth, ricotta, and Parmigiano cheese, this soup is sure to please even the fussiest eaters. If that isn’t enough, a dollop of garlicky spinach pesto tops it all off! This soup is another candidate for that grown-up grilled cheese sandwich, the panini, or accompanied with bruschetta.
SOUP
Two 28-ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes, drained
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
½ cup chopped red onion
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1½ teaspoons salt
Pinch red pepper flakes
½ cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1½ cups heavy cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Spinach Pesto (recipe follows)
SPINACH PESTO
Two 10-ounce packages baby spinach
½ cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Grated zest of 1 lemon
½ cup packed fresh basil leaves
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
combine the tomatoes, olive oil, basil, marjoram, onion, garlic, salt, pepper flakes, and broth in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.
cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours, until the tomatoes and onion are softened. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup, or cool the soup and purée it in a blender or food processor. Whisk in the ricotta, cream, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
cover the cooker and turn it to warm. Allow the soup to come to serving temperature (the retained heat in the cooker will heat the cheese and cream, without it separating).
serve the soup garnished with the spinach pesto.
serves 8
* * *
Spinach pesto retains its bright green color and adds zip and color to roasted tomato soup, but it can also be tossed with pasta or as a sauce for pasta or potato salad.
put the spinach, pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest, basil, and Parmesan cheese in the work bowl of a food processor or a blender. Pulse the food processor on and off until the leaves are chopped and the mixture is chunky. With the machine running, slowly pour in the oil and process until the mixture comes together.
season with salt and pepper. Store the pesto, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
makes about 3 cups
Creamy Broccoli Soup
This beautifully colored soup is open to a lot of variations, and the secret to keeping the broccoli bright green is the addition of baking soda to the pot. Try all the variations; they are a great way to serve your family vegetables.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, cut into ½-inch dice
2 bunches broccoli (about 1½ pounds), stems trimmed, cut into florets
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream (to lower the fat, use whole milk, or add more broth)
turn a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker on high, add the butter to the insert, and cover until the butter is melted. Add the onion, carrots, and broccoli and toss the vegetables in the butter. Dissolve the baking soda in the broth and add to the vegetables.
cook on high for 2½ to 3 hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours.
Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cream. Turn off the slow cooker and let the soup rest for 15 minutes to come to serving temperature.
serves 6–8
CURRIED BROCCOLI SOUP add 2 teaspoons curry powder to the vegetables and butter before adding the broth. Proceed as directed.
CHEESY BROCCOLI SOUP with the heavy cream, add 2 cups finely shredded sharp or mild Cheddar cheese.
BROCCOFLOWER SOUP use 2 medium heads broccoflower in place of the broccoli.
Creamy Loaded Baked-Potato Soup
Whenever I order baked-potato soup in a restaurant, I am invariably