The Gourmet Slow Cooker Volume II by Lynn Alley Page B

need nothing more than traditional Southwestern spices and a topping of jalapeños and toasted
pepitas
.
    Serves 4

    1 tablespoon pumpkin seed oil or other vegetable oil
    1 yellow onion, chopped
    2 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
    4 cloves garlic, whole
    6 to 8 cups chicken stock or water
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    1 tablespoon chili powder
    1 cinnamon stick
    6 whole cloves
    10 allspice berries
    Salt
    2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and julienned, for garnish
    ¼ cup toasted
pepitas,
chopped, for garnish
    ½ cup crème fraîche or sour cream, for garnish

    Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the onion and sauté for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the sweet potatoes and garlic and continue cooking for 10 minutes, until they begin to brown.
    Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker and add the water. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, until the sweet potatoes are quite tender when pierced with a fork. Coarsely grind the oregano, chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice in a coffee mill or using mortar and pestle and add to the soup. Continue cooking for 1 hour. Using a handheld blender, gently purée the soup until smooth. Season to taste with salt.
    Ladle into bowls and serve hot, topped with a few slices of jalapeño, a sprinkling of toasted
pepitas,
and a dollop of crème fraîche.
    SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: A spicy white wine is in order here, something along the lines of a Cortese, Dry Creek Vineyard’s Chenin Blanc, or a Gewürztraminer.

Potato-Cilantro Bisque

    This comforting soup is delicately spiced with classic flavors and ingredients of the Southwest.
    Serves 4

    4 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
    6 cups chicken stock or water
    3 cloves garlic, whole
    1 teaspoon coriander seeds
    1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    1 (4-ounce) can diced roasted green chiles
    1 bunch green onions, green parts only, thinly sliced
    ½ cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
    1 cup sour cream
    Salt

    Place the potatoes, stock, and garlic in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Using a handheld blender, carefully purée the potatoes and garlic until smooth.
    Grind the coriander and cumin seeds in a coffee mill or using a mortar and pestle and add to the soup. Add the chiles, green onions, cilantro, sour cream, and salt to taste and stir well. Continue cooking for 1 hour. Ladle into bowls and serve at once.
    SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: Mount Palomar Winery in Temecula, California, makes the only Cortese (a northern Italian white wine grape variety) in the United States, as far as I know. Winemaker Etienne Cowper discovered Cortese Vines in an abandoned vineyard in New Mexico and moved cuttings to a vineyard in Temecula. It’s a crisp, delightful wine and goes beautifully with this soup.

Black Bean–Chicken Chili

    Black beans work so well in the slow cooker that they seem to be made for it. Grilling the onions and chiles adds an extra dimension of flavor to this dish, which can also be made without the chicken for a vegetarian version. This dish is best made one day ahead, then reheated and served when the flavors have had a chance to meld.
    Serves 4

    1 large yellow onion, peeled, quartered
    5 cloves garlic, peeled
    2 green poblano chiles, halved
    2 jalapeño chiles, halved
    1 tablespoon cumin seeds
    1 tablespoon coriander seeds
    2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
    6 cups chicken stock or water
    1 (16-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
    3 tablespoons chili powder
    2 tablespoons dried Mexican oregano
    1 cup beer
    ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    ½ cup grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, for garnish
    ½ cup sour cream, for garnish

    Preheat the broiler. Place the onion, garlic, poblanos, and jalapeños on a baking sheet, with the chiles skin side up. Place under the broiler and grill for about