Cooking under pressure - recipes

Published Aug 17, 2015

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Angela Day

Pressure cookers have come a long way since those hissing, spluttering and sometimes exploding machines our grandmothers may have used.

Today’s pressure cookers are safe and easy to use. Because they work best with cheaper cuts of meat, which cook in a third of the time to stove-top cooking, they are very cost efficient and time saving.

Electric pressure cookers are even easier to use as they can be pre-programmed for specific times, then they automatically switch off and keep the contents warm until required.

 

HOW THEY WORK

A pressure cooker looks like a large pot, except that its lid locks on to the top, forming a tight seal.

The cooking liquid inside the pot boils and creates steam. As the steam is trapped inside, the pressure builds, which in turn increases the boiling point of the liquid to about 120°C. Because of this high temperature, the food cooks much faster.

 

TIPS FOR USE

* Don’t fill the pot more than two-thirds full, as you need to leave room for the steam to build up as well as room for the food to expand.

* Use enough liquid to be able to create the steam inside the pot.

* Because evaporation doesn’t take place when cooking casseroles, you will use less liquid than the recipe states.

* Always brown meat and chicken in the pot before introducing the pressure.

* Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

* Make sure that all the pressure has been released before opening the lid.

* If you need to rapidly cool the pressure cooker in order to stop the cooking process, place the pot under a tap and run cold water over it until the pressure is released.

* Most pressure cookers have a little valve which pops up when the steam is built up and goes flat when the pressure inside has been released. Don’t open the lid until this valve is flat.

* When cooking rice, pulses and grains in a pressure cooker, always add a spoonful of oil to the liquid. This will prevent the mixture from foaming during the cooking time.

 

PRESSURE COOKER CHEESECAKE

200g digestive biscuits, crushed

80g butter, melted

500g thick cream cheese

125ml castor sugar

grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

3 eggs, beaten

325g jar of lemon curd

Combine the biscuits and melted butter and mix well. Press into the base of an 18cm spring-form pan. Put in the freezer while you prepare the filling. Wrap the base and sides of the pan in a double layer of foil.

Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the lemon rind and juice. Add the eggs and mix well.

Pour this mixture into the pan. Swirl about 45ml of lemon curd through the mixture.

Cut a long foil strip to act as a handle so you can lower and raise the pan into the pressure cooker.

Place the trivet into the pressure cooker. Add 500ml water.

Lower the pan on to the trivet. Seal the pressure cooker. Set it on high pressure for15 minutes.

Quick-release the pressure after the time is up and remove the tin from the cooker using the foil handles. Remove the foil from the pan.

Blot up any liquid that may have formed on the surface of the cheesecake with paper towel.

Refrigerate for a few hours until well chilled.

Remove from the pan and place on a serving plate. Spread with remaining lemon curd and serve.

 

CUBAN-STYLE CHICKEN SOUP

Serves 4

45ml oil

1 onion, cut in wedges

500g chicken breast fillets, sliced

10ml ground cumin

7ml paprika

1.5 litres chicken stock

1 bay leaf

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

125ml orzo or pasta rice

salt and pepper

100g cherry tomatoes

125ml chopped fresh coriander

Add the oil to the pressure cooker and cook over high heat. Fry the onion and chicken to brown slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the cumin and paprika and fry for 1 minute.

Pour in the stock and stir.

Add bay leaf, potatoes, orzo and seasoning.

Clamp on the lid and bring up to full pressure. Turn the heat down and cook for 12 minutes.

Turn off the heat and vent immediately. As soon as you can, remove the lid, add in the tomatoes and set aside for 10 minutes to soften the tomatoes.

Stir in the coriander and serve.

 

POMEGRANATE-BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS

Serves 6

125g bacon, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

5ml chopped garlic

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

salt and pepper

1.5kg beef short ribs, trimmed

625ml pomegranate juice

30ml brown sugar

zest and juice of 1 orange

45ml pomegranate molasses

45ml balsamic vinegar

20ml cornflour

15g butter

Cook the bacon, onion, garlic, carrots and thyme in a pressure cooker until softened, about 5 minutes.

Season the ribs with salt and pepper and add to the pot. Brown for 5 minutes.

Stir in pomegranate juice, brown sugar, orange zest and juice.

Close and seal the lid, bring to high pressure and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove pot from the heat and release the steam before carefully removing the lid.

Transfer the ribs to a platter, cover with tinfoil and allow to rest. Remove the bones.

Strain the sauce into a fat separator jug and allow to sit for 5 minutes, and then return the de-fatted sauce to the pot.

Add the pomegranate molasses.

Whisk vinegar and cornflour together, then whisk into the sauce and simmer until thickened – about 10 minutes.

Whisk in the butter, and season with salt and pepper.

Return the meat to the sauce and heat through before serving.

 

CHOCOLATE STEAMED PUDDING

Serves 4-6

125g butter, plus extra for greasing

250ml castor sugar

2 eggs

5ml vanilla extract

250ml self-raising flour

15ml good-quality cocoa powder

30ml warm water

125ml chocolate chips

whipped cream and chocolate sauce, to serve

Butter a 1 litre pudding basin.

Cream the butter and castor sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla.

Sift flour and cocoa, add to the creamed mixture and gently fold in with the warm water until the mixture is of a dropping consistency.

Pour mixture into the prepared basin, filling only three-quarters.

Take a double square of baking paper, large enough to hang over the rim of the basin by a few centimetres, and fold a pleat into it to allow for expansion.

Butter the underside and secure the paper with a long piece of string under the rim.

Put a side plate, upside down, in the bottom of the pressure cooker and fill with 5cm of boiling water.

Put the basin in the pressure cooker, close the lid without clamping it tightly and steam for 15 minutes.

Then clamp the lid tightly and bring to full pressure. Turn down to medium and cook for40 minutes.

Release the steam before removing the lid. Remove the basin, run a knife around the sides and invert onto a plate.

Serve with whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

 

PORK AND BEAN STEW

Serves 6

30ml olive oil

2 onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 fennel bulb, halved and sliced

5ml dried oregano

5ml dried thyme

10ml chopped fresh rosemary

60ml flour

250ml white wine

750ml chicken stock

45ml tomato paste

2 bay leaves

1kg slightly smoked boneless pork (Boston butt)

400g tin of butter beans, drained and rinsed

60ml finely chopped fresh parsley

15ml lemon juice

15ml cornflour mixed with water

Heat the olive oil in the pressure cooker over medium high heat.

Add onions, garlic, carrots and fennel and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the herbs and cook for a minute before stirring in the flour. Cook for a minute.

Add the wine and cook until slightly reduced, about a minute.

Stir in the stock, tomato paste and bay leaves. Add in the pork.

Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 50 minutes.

Release the pressure before opening the lid. Remove the bay leaves. Remove the pork and cool slightly, then shred the meat.

Using a large spoon, skim excess fat from the surface of the stew. Thicken the stew with the cornflour mixture.

Return the pork to the stew with the butter beans and simmer for 5 minutes, until heated through.

Stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Check the seasoning and serve.

 

* The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.

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