Cooking Under Pressure

 

Cooking Under Pressure

I recently attended a Pressure Cooking Class and was impressed with the advancements in this time-honored way of cooking.

The seal has improved and is less likely to cause problems.

There is even an electric cooker with digital dial that lets you set it and almost forget it. Pressure Cookers cook the food under pressure in a short amount of time and are great for beans, meats like Pot Roast and Stew tenderize in them and various soups blend flavors like they were simmered for hours.

Our wonderful teacher had 3 cookers that morning with which she demonstrated 4 different recipes.She is showing us here how to use a portable butane stove with one as you might have to during a disaster with a power failure.

  She made a wonderful Lentil Soup in 20 minutes, 

Smashed/roasted potatoes in 7 minutes,  

 

Rigatoni in Sausage Sauce in 6 minutes, and Black Beans with Chorizo in 7 minutes.

She even made an amazing Artisan Parmesan Bread to eat with these foods. (The bread was not pressure cooked!) We were able to sample all of the dishes and they were each so delicious and cooked in just minutes.  It was nice getting a first hand look at and learn how to use these cookers.  I used my pressure cooker many years ago and remember making great soup with it and it cooking meat quickly.  I donated it when I moved two years ago but after attending this class I am seriously considering getting one of these new improved models.  Do any of you have and use a pressure cooker?  What is your favorite thing to make using one?
I am linking to Foodie Friday with this post.  To read wonderful recipes click here.

Pressure Cooker Beef Stew

1 1/2 lbs. stew meat, cut into cubes
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp oil
6 cups hot beef broth
1 chopped onion
8 carrots cut into pieces
3 stalks celery, cut into pieces
4 peeled and cubed potatoes
1 tsp Lawry Seasoning salt
1/4 tsp pepper1 (20 oz) can diced tomatoes
Coat meat with flour.  Heat oil in pressure cooker.  Brown meat in oil; stirring occasionally, Add hot beef broth, onion, and then stir.  Bring to boil. Put lid on and bring to high pressure for 15 minutes.  Quick release pressure.  Add rest of ingredients and bring to high pressure again for 5 more minutes. Release pressure. Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!