Cooking For One...Or Two: Black Bean. Hearty Beef Stew, Beef Chili, Tomatillo Pork! 🌞

[justaprogressive]

Slow-Cooker Black Bean Soup

SERVES 2

COOKING TIME 6 TO 7 HOURS ON LOW OR 4
TO 5 HOURS ON HIGH

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Black bean soup should be thick, hearty,
and full of flavor. Unfortunately, most
black bean soups from a slow cooker
come out watery and bland. We vowed
to up the flavor while ensuring that it
was a snap to pull together. To give our
stew the thick, rich texture we were
after, we cooked the beans until tender,
then mashed a portion of them with a
potato masher to thicken the broth. A
few slices of bacon infused our soup
with smoky, savory depth, and a good
amount of chili powder provided some
heat. Coating the inside of the slow
cooker with vegetable oil spray before
adding the ingredients prevented our
scaled-down dish from sticking and
burning. Serve with minced red onion,
sour cream, and hot sauce.

1 onion, chopped fine
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1½ cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed
1 cup water
3 slices bacon
1 celery rib, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1. Lightly spray inside of slow cooker
with vegetable oil spray. Microwave
onion, oil, garlic, and chili powder in
bowl, stirring occasionally, until onion
is softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to
prepared slow cooker. Stir in broth,
water, beans, bacon, celery, carrot, ½
teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Cover and cook until beans are tender, 6
to 7 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on
high.

2. Discard bacon. Transfer ½ cup of
bean mixture to bowl and mash with
potato masher until mostly smooth. Stir
mashed bean mixture into soup and let
sit until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Adjust soup consistency with extra broth
as needed. Stir in cilantro and season
with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

From "The Complete Cooking For Two Cookbook"



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Slow-Cooker Hearty Beef Stew

SERVES 2

COOKING TIME 6 TO 7 HOURS ON LOW OR 4
TO 5 HOURS ON HIGH

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

For such a humble dish, beef stew
requires a lot of work. We wanted a
small-batch stew with maximum flavor
for minimum effort.

To start, we swapped the traditional chuck
roast for convenient steak tips, which were
easy to cut into pieces and came out tender
and flavorful. We skipped browning the
meat and instead bolstered the beefy,
savory notes of our broth with tomato
paste and soy sauce. For the vegetables,
we stuck with the traditional lineup of
potatoes, carrots, and peas. Small red
potatoes needed no prep and could be
added to the slow cooker whole; frozen
peas needed just a few minutes to heat
through before serving. Steak tips, also
known as flap meat, are sold as whole
steak, cubes, and strips; look for either
whole steak tips or strips that are easy to
cut into large pieces for this recipe. Use
small red potatoes measuring 1 to 2
inches in diameter; if your potatoes are
larger, cut them into 1-inch pieces to
ensure they cook through.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
2 cups beef broth, plus extra as needed
8 ounces small red potatoes, unpeeled
2 carrots, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
1 tablespoon instant tapioca
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper
1 pound sirloin steak tips, trimmed and
cut into 1½-inch pieces
⅔ cup frozen peas

1. Lightly spray inside of slow cooker
with vegetable oil spray. Microwave
oil, tomato paste, garlic, and thyme in
bowl, stirring occasionally, until
fragrant, about 1 minute; transfer to
prepared slow cooker. Stir in broth,
potatoes, carrots, tapioca, soy sauce, ½
teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Season beef with pepper and stir into
slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef
is tender, 6 to 7 hours on low or 4 to 5
hours on high.

2. Using large spoon, skim excess fat
from surface of stew. Stir in peas and let
sit until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Adjust stew consistency with extra broth
as needed. Season with salt and pepper
to taste and serve.


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Slow-Cooker Weeknight Beef Chili

SERVES 2

COOKING TIME 5 TO 6 HOURS ON LOW OR 3 TO 4 HOURS ON HIGH

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Most slow-cooker recipes for beef chili
make enough to serve a crowd. We
wanted to scale down our chili, but it
still had to offer all the rich, long
simmered flavor and thick, substantial
texture we were craving. The trio of
tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and
tomato paste ensured that our chili tasted
bright yet complex and was the right
consistency after a few hours of
simmering. For big flavor, we
incorporated generous amounts of chili
powder, garlic, and cumin; minced
chipotles added smoky undertones and
heat. We also reached for a test kitchen
favorite, soy sauce, to boost the meaty,
savory notes. For the meat, we wanted
ground beef, but it turned gritty after
hours of slow cooking. The solution was
to microwave it briefly so it became
firm enough to break into coarse
crumbles that didn’t turn grainy in the
slow cooker. Serve with your favorite
chili garnishes. See the sidebar that
follows the recipe.

1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1½ teaspoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle
chile in adobo sauce
Salt and pepper

1. Lightly spray inside of slow cooker
with vegetable oil spray. Microwave
ground beef, chili powder, tomato paste,
garlic, and cumin in bowl, stirring
occasionally, until beef is no longer
pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture
to prepared slow cooker, breaking up
any large pieces of meat with wooden
spoon. Stir in beans, tomato sauce,
tomatoes and their juice, soy sauce,
sugar, chipotle, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½
teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook until
beef is tender, 5 to 6 hours on low or 3
to 4 hours on high.

2. Using large spoon, skim excess fat
from surface of chili. Break up any
remaining large pieces of beef with
spoon. Season with salt and pepper to
taste and serve.

VARIATION

Slow-Cooker Weeknight Turkey Chili
Be sure to use ground turkey, not ground
turkey breast (also labeled 99 percent fat
free), in this recipe. Do not cook this
chili on high as it will cause the turkey
to dry out.

Substitute 1 pound ground turkey for
ground beef and 1 (15-ounce) can pinto
beans for kidney beans. Cook chili until
turkey is tender, 3 to 4 hours on low

******

NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN


Slow-Cooker Basics

While all ovens set to 350 degrees will perform the
same (assuming all the ovens are properly calibrated),
heating varies tremendously among slow cookers. We
tested more than a dozen models and prepared every
recipe in this chapter in at least three different models.
Here’s what you need to know.

GET TO KNOW YOUR SLOW COOKER:

Some models run hot and fast, while others heat more slowly
and gently. Most models perform best on low, but it’s
hard to make blanket statements that will apply to all
slow cookers. In our testing, we have found that some
slow cookers run hot or cool on just one of the settings
(either low or high). This is where the cook’s
experience comes into play. If you have been using a
slow cooker for some time, ask yourself if recipes are
generally done at the low or high end of the cooking
times provided in recipes. The answer should tell you
whether you have a “fast” slow cooker or a “slow”
model. If you are just getting started with your slow
cooker, check all recipes at the beginning of the time
range but allow some extra time to cook food longer if
necessary.

HOW TO USE TIME RANGES:

Through extensive testing using multiple brands of slow cookers,
we found that we could narrow the window of
doneness, which is usually 2 hours or more in
slowcooker recipes, to just an hour, giving you a better
expectation of when your food will be done or when
you should be home to start checking. We found that
this 1-hour time frame worked for all the models we
tested. It is especially helpful to have a narrower range
when cooking fish or lean meats, which are less
forgiving than stews and braises.

KEEPING FOOD SAFE:

For safety reasons, the int ernal temperature of meat and
poultry should reach 140 degrees (the temperature at which
bacteria cannot grow) by the 2-hour mark in the cooking time.

When you first start using your slow cooker, we suggest that
you check the temperature of meat or chicken at this
stage to be sure this is happening. If your food doesn’t
reach this safety zone when cooking on low, you might
be able to solve the problem by using the high setting.
Note that putting frozen meat or other frozen food into
any slow cooker is dangerous as it will dramatically
increase the amount of time it takes your food to reach
this safe zone.

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Slow-Cooker Tomatillo Chili with Pork and Hominy

SERVES 2

COOKING TIME 5 TO 6 HOURS ON LOW OR 3 TO 4 HOURS ON HIGH

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

We wanted an easier, more streamlined
take on classic Mexican green chili,
posole, which stars tender pork, tangy
tomatillos, and earthy hominy. To scale
it down, we traded the traditional pork
shoulder for boneless country-style pork
ribs. To achieve the bold flavor of
authentic recipes, we broiled the
tomatillos, along with our aromatics and
spices; once charred, the vegetables and
spices took on an earthy, smoky flavor.
Canned hominy added sweet, “corny”
flavor, and a bit of tapioca helped give
our chili just the right consistency. If you
can’t find fresh tomatillos, you can
substitute one 11-ounce can of
tomatillos, drained, rinsed, and patted
dry; broil as directed in step 1. Try to
buy country-style pork ribs with lots of
fat and dark meat; stay away from ribs
that look overly lean with pale meat, as
they will taste very dry after the
extended cooking time. Serve with your
favorite chili garnishes. See the sidebar
that follows the recipe.

6 ounces tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed well, dried,
and halved
½ onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano or ¼ teaspoon dried
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¾ cup canned white or yellow hominy, rinsed
¾ cup chicken broth, plus extra as needed
2 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 tablespoon instant tapioca
½ teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf
12 ounces boneless country-style pork ribs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1. Lightly spray inside of slow cooker
with vegetable oil spray. Adjust oven
rack 6 inches from broiler element and
heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet
with aluminum foil. Toss tomatillos,
onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin with
oil and spread on prepared sheet. Broil
until vegetables are blackened and begin
to soften, 5 to 10 minutes, rotating sheet
halfway through broiling. Let cool
slightly.

2. Pulse cooled vegetables with
accumulated juices in food processor
until almost smooth, about 10 pulses;
transfer to prepared slow cooker. Stir in
hominy, broth, poblanos, tapioca, sugar,
and bay leaf. Season pork with salt and
pepper and nestle into slow cooker.
Cover and cook until pork is tender, 5 to
6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.

3. Using large spoon, skim excess fat
from surface of chili. Discard bay leaf.
Break pork into about 1-inch pieces with
tongs. Adjust chili consistency with
extra broth as needed. Stir in cilantro
and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve


****

NOTES FROM THE TEST KITCHEN

Tips for Ensuring Slow-Cooker Success

After hours of slow cooking, flavors can become
muted or one-dimensional, and meat and vegetables
can dry out. Here are some tips for turning out
satisfying, full-flavored dishes.
SPRAY YOUR SLOW COOKER: When cooking a
smaller amount of food in the slow cooker, as with our
scaled-down recipes for two, more evaporation can
occur, leading some dishes to stick to the sides of the
slow-cooker insert and burn. To avoid this, be sure to
spray the sides of the slow-cooker insert with
vegetable oil spray before adding any food. This not
only prevents your dishes from burning but also makes
serving and cleanup easier.

DON’T SKIMP ON THE AROMATICS:

You’ll see hefty amounts of onions, garlic, herbs, and other
flavorful ingredients in our recipes. This is because the
moist heat environment and long cooking times that
come with the slow cooker tend to dull flavors. Also,
many recipes need a flavor boost at the end of the
cooking time, which is why we often finish with fresh
herbs, lemon juice, or other flavorful ingredients.

ADD TOMATO PASTE AND SOY SAUCE FOR MEATY FLAVOR:

To replicate the meaty flavor usually achieved by browning
meat and vegetables, we turn to umami-rich ingredients,
which offer savory depth and rich flavor. Tomato paste ramps
up the meaty richness of everything from soups and stews to
braised chicken. Soy sauce adds flavor to a number of
non-Asian dishes, like our beef stew and smothered
pork chops, without calling attention to itself.

ADD DELICATE VEGETABLES AT THE RIGHT TIME:

Certain ingredients need just a short
stint in the slow cooker to warm through and meld into
the dish, so we save them until the end of cooking.
Delicate vegetables, like frozen peas, baby spinach,
and chopped tomatoes, turn mushy when added at the
beginning, so we stir them in at the end; in just a few
minutes, they’re perfectly tender.

SKIM AWAY EXCESS FAT:

During the long cooking time, meat will release fat into a stew or
braise, but it is easy to remove it at the end of the
cooking time. Simply turn off the slow cooker and let
the food sit for a few minutes so the fat can rise to the
top. Use a large spoon to skim the excess fat off the
surface.


All the above recipes/notes from "The Complete Cookbook for Two Cook Book"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18797099-the-complete-cooking-for-two-cookbook



Get Ready. Get Set. Get those Slow-Cookers Bubbling!

[BobTheSubgenius]

1. As to the black bean soup "problem"...

Whenever I have a similar situation - a broth that you had as being somewhat "beefy"
a round in flavour but came out thinner than expected - I have found that a quick dash of soy sauce can do wonders. The bit of salt and a hard-to-pin-down earthiness it adds help a LOT without overpowering the dish.

YMMV, of course.