Slow Cooker Ribollita Recipes

SLOW-COOKER RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• Preheat a 4-quart slow cooker. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high. Add onion, garlic, and red-pepper flakes and cook until softened, about5 minutes. Add kale and cookuntil just wilted, 5 minutes. Transferto slow cooker.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet, then add zucchini and cook over high until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer zucchini to slow cooker along with tomato, beans, and boiling water; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high until beans are tender, 3 hours (or on low 6 hours).
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Add bread and cook over medium, turning once or twice, until golden and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool slightly, then tear into pieces; stir into stew in slow cooker. Coverand cook on high until thick, 1 hour more (or on low 2 hours more). Season with salt and pepper; serve, topped with grated cheese and drizzled with oil.

SLOW COOKER RIBOLLITA

Steps:

• Place the beans in a large bowl and add cold water to cover by 3 inches. Cover the bowl and soak the beans in the refrigerator overnight.
• The next day, pour the beans and their soaking liquid into a slow cooker. Add enough fresh water to cover the beans by 2 inches, cover with the lid, and cook on the high setting for 4 hours.
• Place a very large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, and when the oil shimmers, add the onion. Season with salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until softened. Add the carrots, celery, butternut squash, and garlic, and cook for 5 more minutes, until starting to soften. Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, crushing each one in your hand as you add it. Add the bouquet garni, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 tablespoon of the red pepper flakes. Cook on the low setting for 3 hours.
• Uncover the slow cooker, remove the bouquet garni, and add the kale, bread, 1 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes. Stir the soup well, season with more salt to taste, and serve with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled on top.

SLOW COOKER RIBOLLITA WITH SMOKED MOZZARELLA TOASTS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium. Add the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until limp and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the leek, celery and fennel, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, bay leaves, red-pepper flakes and white wine; season generously with black pepper. Stir well and let the wine come to a simmer before turning off the heat.
• Scrape the mixture into a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Add the stock, beans, tomatoes, thyme, rosemary and lemon juice. Cook until the beans are tender and creamy, about 6 hours on high or 12 hours on low.
• Before serving, remove and discard the bay leaves and herb sprigs. Switch the slow cooker to high (if it's not already), and stir in the greens and vinegar.
• Let the greens cook while you make the toasts: Turn on your broiler. Rub the bread slices with the halved garlic and drizzle them with olive oil. Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler, then toast sliced bread under the broiler until very light golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 slice of mozzarella to each toast and broil until softened and browned in spots. Taste the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide the soup among bowls and add a mozzarella toast to each bowl. Garnish with the reserved fennel fronds, and additional black pepper or red-pepper flakes, if desired.