Slow Cooker Split-Pea Soup

[fairly unappetizing pic that doesn't do justice to the taste forthcoming]

As per what passes for an editorial policy here, I'm just acknowledging a dearth of recent posts then moving on. Hi!

Seeing that it's finally fall, we pulled out our trusty copy of Slow Cooker Revolution and mostly followed the split pea soup recipe -- albeit with more ham hocks, carrots and garlic. It turned out quite well -- smoky and rich, though I may try it with less salt and a bit less liquid next time. Happy soup and stew weather, everyone.

• 2 onions, minced (about 2 c)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced (about 1-1/2 T)
• 1/8 t red pepper flakes
• 1-1/2 T fresh thyme, minced
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 4 c beef broth
• 3 c water
• 1 lb. split peas
• 6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. pieces (about 2 c)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 smoked ham hocks, rinsed and scored
• 1 T lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Place onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme and oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for five minutes, stirring occasionally, till onions are softened; transfer to slow cooker.

Add broth, water, split peas, carrots, ham hocks and bay leaves to slow cooker. Cover and cook till peas are tender, 9-11 hours on low or 5-7 hours on high (everything was super soft at five hours on high with our cooker).

When done, remove bay leaves, stir in lemon juice and season to taste. Skim fat and remove meat from bone, then return to soup if you want; we didn't bother.

Navy Bean Stew with Chicken and Sausage

From our trusty copy of Slow Cooker Revolution. I used dried beans instead of canned and made a couple of other tweaks. Though I was worried about the adjustments to liquid level and cooking time, the tweaks worked out fairly well; in the interests of boosting flavor, I increase the stock-to-water ratio or decrease the liquid altogether, as well as adjust the levels of  spices and aromatics. The recipe itself is a bit fussy, but as far as I can tell, all steps are worth it.

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• salt and pepper
• 3 T vegetable oil
• 1 lb. Italian sausages, sliced 1 in. thick
• 2 onions, minced
• 1 fennel bulb, tops discarded; bulb halved, cored and sliced thin
• 6 plump garlic cloves, minced (about 3 T)
• 1 T tomato paste
• 1 T fresh thyme, minced (halve for dried)
• 1/8 t red pepper flakes (may increase this in the future)
• 1/3 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 c chicken stock
• 3 c hot water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lb. dried navy beans 
• 6 oz. baby spinach
• grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Dry chicken with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown half the chicken lightly on both sides, working in batches if necessary (5-8 min.), then transfer to a bowl. Add 1 more tablespoon of oil and repeat with the rest of the chicken; move to bowl.

Add the last tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Brown the sausage well (3-5 min.); transfer to a bowl with the chicken.

Pour off all but 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Add onions, fennel, garlic, tomato paste, thyme and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-high heat till vegetables are soft and lightly browned (8-12 min.).

Stir in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in wine; scrape up any browned bits and smooth out any lumps (whisk in a cup of the broth if necessary). Transfer the vegetables and liquid to the slow cooker.

Stir the remaining liquid and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Add the beans (skipped the initial soaking, but they seemed fine) and the meat (as well as any accumulated juices) to the slow cooker as well.

Cover and cook till beans are done and chicken is tender. I had success with 3 hours on low and 2 hours on high.

Let stew settle, then remove fat from surface using large spoon (skipped this step). Remove chicken, shred and return to the pot, if you like (I left it whole, as it was falling-apart soft later).

Stir in spinach, cover, and cook on high till heated through, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve with grated Parmesan.

Seared Tuna with Greens and Ginger Dressing

John and I had no idea what we wanted for dinner. He got some lovely fish and salad greens at the market. The former was a really nice tuna steak, which he marinated in white whine, Bragg's and brown sugar; the latter we mixed with some onion and shaved carrots. When I got home, I was tasked with making the dressing, and decided on a ginger vinaigrette. Have since lost the bookmark, but I remember the proportions. The tang and sweetness of the dressing complemented the salad and perfectly-seared tuna wonderfully. Unfortunately I used some off corn oil, which tasted a bit plasticky, but more vinegar and ginger corrected it. Next time, veg oil for sure, and perhaps some experimentation with garlic and such.

• 1 tbsp. ginger, finely grated
• 1-1/2 tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix the first three ingredients till blended, then drizzle in the oil, whisking all the while, till emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve over greens and/or fish.

Pasta With Leek Sauce

Mr. Bento bears two helpings of this treat today (accompanied by John's delicious parsnip and Parmesan soup -- recipe courtesy of one version of the New Covent Garden Soup Co. Book of Soups -- and 5 oz. of sardines in tomato sauce). It's a riff on a recipe from Chowhound, which in turn riffs on a recipe from Marcella Hazan. While I initially balked at the amount of butter and the lengthy cooking time, this turned out wonderfully -- this and the soup made for sweet, earthy dinner on a near-winter night (and of course, there were leftovers for today). My version below:

5 medium-sized leeks, white and light-green parts cut into 1/4" rounds (will use 1-2 more next time)
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 tbsp. butter
6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/4 cup half and half (original recipe called for 1/2 cup heavy cream)
1 (13.2 oz) box whole wheat pasta (used penne this time)
salt and freshly-ground pepper
2-4 oz. (or more to taste) freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Clean leeks by soaking in a bowl of water or using a salad spinner. Remove excess water, but don't dry them too thoroughly.

Put oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic till it's just starting to brown. Remove garlic (I saved mine for roasting and having separately, but may try leaving it in next time).

Add leeks to the skillet. Sprinkle them with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, till they're extremely soft and almost meltingly tender (about 45 minutes - 1 hour). If they start looking dry, add 2-3 tablespoons of water at a time, then stir. Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water till al dente.

NOTE: Since my leeks were already turning brown and we were getting hungry, I skipped this step. Turn the heat to high and cook the leeks till they're a pale nut color, flipping them occasionally.

Add half-and-half to the skillet and reduce for about a minute. Season liberally with pepper. Add cooked pasta to skillet (or transfer sauce mixture into pasta pot, whichever you prefer) and mix everything together; then, add a generous amount of grated cheese (enough to ensure a clingy, non-liquidy sauce) and mix again. Correct seasoning and serve.

Tinolang Manok (Chicken Ginger Soup)

This is probably one of my favorite dishes. It can be delicate, with minimal amounts of ginger and patis (as with the recipe in Filipino Cooking Here and Abroad). Or it can be intense and flavorful enough to survive being eaten cold from Mr. Bento when I'm too lazy to head downstairs to the microwave. The recipe below is the latter type, with a high broth-to-cluck ratio and more greens (but alas, no chayote or unripe papaya); the original recipe's proportions are in italics.

NOTE: For some odd reason, saltiness seemed to keep fluctuating. A day after, 3 tbsp. patis + 1 tsp. salt seemed too salty; the day after that, it tasted fine. May go back to little/no salt and see how that goes.

• 2 tsp. cooking oil (I use vegetable)
• 3-4 tbsp. (or about a 3 in. by 1-1/2 in. piece) ginger, julienned (original: 2 tsp.)
• one medium onion, sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, lightly smashed (original: 1 clove)
• 1-1/2 lbs. chicken (original: 3 lbs.)
• 3 tbsp. patis (original: 2 tbsp.)
• salt to taste (original: 1 tsp.)
• 5 cups water
• 10 oz. spinach, roughly chopped (original: 8 oz.)
• 1 unripe papaya or 2 chayote, peeled and sliced (alas, didn't have these)

Place oil in a pot. Saute ginger, onion and garlic over medium heat for a couple of minutes.

Add chicken pieces and saute till chicken colors slightly, about 3-4 minutes each side. Season with patis and salt.

Add water. Bring to a boil, then simmer till chicken is done (about 20-30 minutes). If using chayote/green papaya, add and cook till tender but still firm, 5-7 minutes.Correct seasoning.

Add spinach. Cover and remove from heat. Serve in 4-5 minutes.