This slow cooker spring chervil butter potato dish is the kind of set-it-and-forget-it recipe that makes weeknights feel a little special. You simply whisk together one bright, herby mixture, pour it over raw quartered gold potatoes in your slow cooker, and let the gentle heat do all the work. The chervil butter, dry vermouth, and lemon juice give the potatoes a light, almost restaurant-style flavor, but it’s still practical and cozy enough for a family dinner in a small-town kitchen.
Serve these tender, buttery potatoes alongside roasted or grilled chicken, pork chops, or simple baked fish. They’re also wonderful with steamed green beans or a crisp green salad to keep that springtime feeling on the plate. Spoon a little of the extra chervil broth from the slow cooker over everything for extra flavor, and add a basket of warm bread or dinner rolls to soak up the juices.
Slow Cooker Spring Chervil Butter Gold PotatoesServings: 6
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds Adirondack gold or other small gold potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chervil (plus extra for garnish, optional)
1/2 cup dry vermouth
1 cup vegetable stock (low sodium preferred)
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place the raw quartered Adirondack gold potatoes into the bowl of a slow cooker, spreading them out in an even layer.
In a medium bowl, mash the softened butter together with the chopped fresh chervil using a fork until the herbs are well distributed and you have a simple chervil butter.
To the same bowl, add the dry vermouth, vegetable stock, minced shallots, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk until the chervil butter breaks up and you have one mostly smooth, well-combined mixture.
Pour this one chervil butter mixture evenly over the raw quartered gold potatoes in the slow cooker, making sure as many potatoes as possible are coated or at least touching the liquid.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork.
Once cooked, gently stir the potatoes in the slow cooker so they are coated in the chervil butter broth. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little more salt or lemon juice if needed.
Transfer the potatoes and some of the cooking liquid to a serving dish. Spoon extra chervil butter sauce over the top and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chervil if you like. Serve warm.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can reduce the minced shallots to 1 tablespoon or cook the potatoes a little longer so the shallots become extra soft and mild. If your family isn’t used to chervil, start with 2 tablespoons in the butter and let everyone sprinkle extra at the table. For a creamier version, stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or half-and-half during the last 15 minutes of cooking. If you don’t have dry vermouth, you can substitute an equal amount of dry white wine; for a no-alcohol version, replace it with more vegetable stock plus an extra teaspoon of lemon juice. To make it more of a one-pot meal, tuck in a few boneless, skinless chicken thighs on top of the potatoes before pouring the mixture over, then cook as directed until the chicken is done. Leftovers reheat nicely in a skillet with a little extra butter; you can smash them lightly and crisp the edges for breakfast potatoes served with eggs.
