Warming up to slow cooker soups
Just as fall arrives and you think of dusting off your slow cooker, along comes a good reason to do so. “50 Simple Soups for the Slow Cooker,” by Lynn Alley (2011 Andrews McMeel), is a small book, but it's packed with recipes that save time, money and anxiety.
What's interesting about this book is that while all the recipes qualify as vegetarian and/or vegan, this fact is not mentioned in the title. Probably a good call. Why trumpet “vegetarian” or “vegan” labels when some narrow-minded cooks might attach a social/political agenda to what is, essentially, just a bunch of tasty recipes?
You could be the world's most enthusiastic carnivore and still enjoy the Black Bean Chili With Cornbread Crust, the Enchilada Soup or the Minestrone. Generally speaking, the recipes in this book are kinder to the planet (raising animals for food takes a lot more resources than raising plants) and kinder to your wallet. So it's all good.
Every year, when I dig my slow cooker out of storage, I try to review the tips I've accumulated for using it. They include:
Ÿ For easier cleanup, spray the interior of the slow cooker stoneware with cooking spray.
ŸResist the temptation to peek. It takes about 20 minutes for the slow cooker to get back to cooking temperature every time you lift the lid.
ŸDo not reheat cooked food in the slow cooker. Leftovers can generally be microwaved or heated in a saucepan on the stove.
ŸChop ingredients the night before and store them, covered, in the fridge. Spices or other ingredients also can be assembled or combined in advance.
ŸRaw root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots should be cut no thicker than 1 inch and placed in the bottom of the pot, since they take longer to cook.
ŸTo convert a conventional recipe to a slow cooker recipe, decrease the amount of liquid called for by half. When making soup, add only enough water to cover the ingredients. If needed, you can thin the soup by adding more water or broth toward the end of the cooking time. If doing this at the last minute, first heat the water or broth in a microwave or on the stove.
ŸAccording to the Rival Co., maker of the Crock-Pot, a conventional recipe that cooks for 30 minutes on the stove will cook in four to six hours on LOW and about two hours on HIGH.
A recipe that takes 45 minutes on the stove will cook in six to 10 hours on LOW and three to four hours on HIGH. A recipe that takes one to three hours on the stove will take eight to 18 hours on LOW and four to six hours on HIGH.
Ÿ More tips and recipes for the slow cooker, visit marialisacalta.com