Slow Cooker Harira Soup

Slow Cooker Harira Soup
From Canadian Living: The Slow Cooker Collection

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Slow Cooker time: 6 hours

5-6 quart/litre slow cooker
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large (or 2 small) onion, chopped
1 tsp each: ground cumin, ground ginger, turmeric & black pepper
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 large bunch each: fresh cilantro and flat leaf parsley
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed
1 can (19oz/540ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups cooked chickpeas)
1 can (28oz/796ml) diced tomatoes (I ran out so I used pureed roasted tomatoes)
¼ cup lemon juice
Garnish:
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 lemon, thinly sliced
12 pitted dates, sliced

Directions:
1. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the cumin, ginger, turmeric and pepper, stirring for 1 minute, until fragrant. Scrape into the slow cooker.

2. Pour 1 cup of broth into the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Scrape into the slow cooker.

3. Chop enough cilantro and parsley to make ¼ cup of each and set aside for garnish. Tie together the remaining cilantro and parsley with the cinnamon stick. Add to the slow cooker along with the remaining broth, lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes and stir to combine.

4. Cover and cook on the low setting until the vegetables and lentils are tender (6 hours). Discard the herb bundle.
Note: you can make ahead up to this point. Let cool for 20 minutes uncovered before placing in airtight containers. Let stand on the counter until completely cold. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

5. Stir in the lemon juice and reserved chopped herbs into the hot soup and ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with ground cinnamon, top with a lemon slice and sliced dates.

Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon

Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon
From Canadian Living: The Slow Cooker Collection

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 45 minutes
Slow Cooker time: 7-8 hours

Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 pkg(0.5oz/14g) dried porcini, morel or shitake mushrooms (I ran out so I used dried Portobello)
3lb/1.5kg boneless beef cross rib pot roast cut into 1½” cubes
4 oz/125g thickly sliced bacon, chopped
3-4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp each, salt & pepper
1 ½ cups robust red wine (I used a Cabernet Shiraz blend)
½ cup beef broth
3 sprigs fresh parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cups pearl onions
1 tbsp butter
3 cups button mushrooms (I used fairly large cremini, so I quartered them)
2 tbsp brandy
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced

Directions:
1. Soak the dried mushrooms in ½ cup hot water for 30 minutes and set aside.

2. In a large skillet sauté the bacon over medium high heat until crisp. Transfer to the slow cooker.

3. Drain fat from the skillet, add 1 tbsp oil and brown the beef in batches, adding oil as needed. Remember to sear on all sides. Transfer to the slow cooker.

4. Using the same skillet, sauté the chopped onion, carrots and garlic with the salt and pepper over medium heat until the vegetables soften – about 4-5 minutes. In the meantime, drain the soaked mushrooms, reserving their liquid and chop the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms, soaking liquid, wine and broth to the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Scrape into the slow cooker

5. Tie parsley and thyme sprigs with the bay leaves together with string. Add to the slow cooker.

6. Prepare the pearl onions: In a pot of boiling water, boil the pearl onions for 1 minute. Drain and chill in cold water. Peel and trim, leaving the root in tact (admittedly, this still took me about 10-15 minutes to do). In the skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat and brown the onions (about 4-5 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the slow cooker.

7. Cover and cook on the low setting until the beef is fork tender (6-8 hours). Skim off any fat.

8. In the same skillet, melt the remaining butter and sauté the mushrooms over medium high heat until browned (about 5 minutes). Scrape into the slow cooker along with the brandy. Move the meat and vegetables to one side of the slow cooker and discard the bundle of herbs.

9. Whisk flour with ½ cup water until there are no lumps. Whisk into the liquid in the slow cooker. Stir to redistribute the ingredients.

10. Cover and cook on high until the sauce thickens (about 15 minutes).
Note: you can make ahead up to this point. Let cool for 20 minutes uncovered before placing in airtight containers. Let stand on the counter until completely cold. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Serving suggestions: Over mashed potatoes (always a winner) or as I did here, with parsley buttered pasta….something short and twirly to catch all the wonderful gravy…farfalle is always pretty!

It’s great served with mashed potatoes or root vegetables to sop up the delicious gravy.

Slow Cooker Sunday Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Sunday Roast
From Slow Cooker Comfort Food

Printable Recipe

Hands-on time: 40 minutes
Total Cooking time: 6 hours
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 beef pot roast about 4lb/2kg, patted dry (I used inside round)
2 large onions, thinly sliced (the book said on the vertical, but I guess I didn’t read that part – oh well, still delicious)
2 large or (I used 6 small fresh from the market) carrots, peeled and diced
8oz/225g cremini mushrooms, quartered
2 stalks celery, diced
4 large cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped (they seem to melt in the slow cooking process anyway)
1 tsp each salt & cracked black peppercorns
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef stock
10 small new potatoes, skin on parboiled and quartered (the book also suggests steamed potatoes with parsley butter on the side as an option)
2 tbsp steak sauce (optional, and I didn’t bother, the gravy was so tasty without it)
¼ cup chopped parsley (which naturally, I forgot)

Directions:
1. In a large heavy bottomed skillet, heat some of the olive oil over medium high heat and sear the roast on all sides. This takes about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the roast to the slow cooker stoneware.

2. Using the same skillet, add a little more olive oil and add onions, carrots, celery and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables are soft (about 8 minutes). Add the garlic, salt, peppercorns, and thyme, toss and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the flour and tomato paste, stir and cook for another minute or so. Add the wine and bring to a boil (the mixture will be very thick). Cook for 2 minutes or so, scraping any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the stock and return to a boil.

3. Transfer the vegetables and sauce to the slow cooker.

4. In the meantime, I parboiled small new potatoes in their skins for about 5 minutes, drained them and cut them into quarters and added them to the slow cooker as well. Another option is to boil potatoes about 15 minutes or so before you are ready to serve the roast and then season them with salt, pepper and parsley butter.
5. Back to the skillet, add a little more olive oil and sauté the mushrooms until golden (3-5 minutes). Add the mushrooms to the slow cooker and toss with all the other vegetables and gravy, keeping them around the roast.

6. Cover with lid and cook on LOW for 6 hours or until done. The book says 8-10 hours on low or 4-5 hours on HIGH. But after 5 hours, my meat thermometer read that it was already very well done.

7. Carve the roast just before serving.

Serve the sliced roast with vegetables on the side or spoon the vegetables and gravy over top of the slices. Sprinkle with parsley before serving - if you remember.