This is taken from one of my all time favourite vegetarian cookbooks called 'Paradiso Seasons' by Dennis Cotter - I bought the book whilst staying at the rooms above his restaurant in Cork and it's a fantastic place. You can slow cook this recipe as he suggests in his book, but using a pressure cooker is just as good, saves a lot of time and, like Indian food, tastes better the longer you leave it - so cook the day before if you want and reheat the next day for a deeper flavour.
Ingredients:
400g dried cannellini beans
Olive oil - 150mls
White wine - 150mls
Vegetable stock - 200mls
Sprigs of thyme
Sprig of rosemary
4 cloves of garlic
4 sundried tomatoes
Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Soak the beans in cold water for 2 hours at least.
2. Place beans in pressure cooker with water (enough to cover the beans so about two inches of water), cook to High pressure for 10 minutes - then check. It is best to undercook than overcook as you don't want your beans to disintegrate! Do make sure they are cooked though.
3. Strain the beans, put back in the pot with the olive oil ( a fair amount, up to 150mls), 150mls of wine, the stock, thyme and rosemary.
4. Slice the garlic thinly, chop the sundried tomatoes and add to the beans
5. Season well
6. Now you can either simmer or even put in the oven for 30 minutes or so - I suggest another 3-5 minutes in the pressure cooker at High pressure to save time.
The longer you leave the beans, the more the beans will absorb the flavours around them and the liquid will come together to form a moist and well flavoured background sauce.
If you get the chance to seek this book out, I'm sure you will love it. Not only is it full of excellent recipes, but it's a great read too.
Friday, 26 February 2010
Friday, 12 February 2010
Recipe #2 - Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Winter is still with us - so what better than something both creative and homely - and once again better than anything you can buy in the shops. If you love pasta, this is great but you can also serve it with rice or mashed potato which of course you can cook in the pressure cooker at the same time - how eco is that?
Tip of the day on the Pressure Cooker front - always start your timings as soon as the pressure is reached; this is indicated by the 'hissing' noise which you will notice from your cooker. Also, always turn the heat down to low once you reach this point - thus saving fuel as well.
Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (serves four)
Ingredients: 750g minced beef, 1 onion chopped, 50g long grain rice, chilli powder (at least a quarter of a teaspoon), beaten egg, olive oil, 150ml water, tomato sauce, parsley.
Note on Tomato sauce - you can make your own quite easily but it needs to be smooth and not too thick. Horror of horrors! - I have used a tin of condensed tomato soup before (diluted with water as instructed on the can) and it works really well and saves time - but if you can, make your own. Also, I like to add garlic to the meatball mix but make sure its well chopped or crushed.......
Method:
1. Mix together the beef, onion, rice and chilli powder (and garlic if using) - season well.
2. Bind the mixture with the egg, then divide into 8 or 12 balls - I prefer smaller myself.
3. Heat the oil in the Pressure Cooker and brown your balls - not often you heard that instruction I would think! Make sure they are evenly browned.
4. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs
5. Seal the cooker and heat to high pressure - 15 minutes - then reduce at room temperature.
That's it! - serve with pasta like tagliatelle or noodles - they are best for this with the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.
I love this dish and if you can make your own pasta, even better. It sounds simple but your guests will be really impressed. Nice bottle of gutsy red to go with it - result!
Well, I do hope your cooking is going well and that the speed of the Pressure Cooker is giving you lots of free time and amazing you with its deep concentrated flavours - have you converted any of your friends into buying one yet?
Tip of the day on the Pressure Cooker front - always start your timings as soon as the pressure is reached; this is indicated by the 'hissing' noise which you will notice from your cooker. Also, always turn the heat down to low once you reach this point - thus saving fuel as well.
Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (serves four)
Ingredients: 750g minced beef, 1 onion chopped, 50g long grain rice, chilli powder (at least a quarter of a teaspoon), beaten egg, olive oil, 150ml water, tomato sauce, parsley.
Note on Tomato sauce - you can make your own quite easily but it needs to be smooth and not too thick. Horror of horrors! - I have used a tin of condensed tomato soup before (diluted with water as instructed on the can) and it works really well and saves time - but if you can, make your own. Also, I like to add garlic to the meatball mix but make sure its well chopped or crushed.......
Method:
1. Mix together the beef, onion, rice and chilli powder (and garlic if using) - season well.
2. Bind the mixture with the egg, then divide into 8 or 12 balls - I prefer smaller myself.
3. Heat the oil in the Pressure Cooker and brown your balls - not often you heard that instruction I would think! Make sure they are evenly browned.
4. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs
5. Seal the cooker and heat to high pressure - 15 minutes - then reduce at room temperature.
That's it! - serve with pasta like tagliatelle or noodles - they are best for this with the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.
I love this dish and if you can make your own pasta, even better. It sounds simple but your guests will be really impressed. Nice bottle of gutsy red to go with it - result!
Well, I do hope your cooking is going well and that the speed of the Pressure Cooker is giving you lots of free time and amazing you with its deep concentrated flavours - have you converted any of your friends into buying one yet?
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Recipe #1 - Soups
Well Hi again and thanks for all your feedback!
I think we all want recipes so I'm aiming for one a day if I can - seasonal of course and something that is inevitably quick - remember we are using a Pressure Cooker - and, more often than not, something that can be turned into something quite flash with the addition of creme fraiche, herbs or the usual chef presentation skills!
Just a note on Pressure Cookers......most have three settings, High, Medium and Low. High (15lb) pressure is suitable for most cooking; Medium (10lb) is best for vegetables and softening fruit for jams for example; Low (5lb) is good for steaming - puddings and Christmas Pudding for example. Most of the recipes I use, use High pressure but I will always say this in the instructions. Usually, just follow the instructions that come with you Pressure Cooker but always make sure there is enough liquid in the Cooker - this is what creates the steam after all.
Lentil Soup
Once you taste this and see how simple it is, you will never buy a can of lentil soup again!
You can vary the portions but simply, if you make it thick (ie. more lentils) you can add stock or water to make the right consistency at the end.
Ingredients: Onion, carrot, garlic, celery - all chopped, 1 litre stock (Bouillion is great or your own home made stock - see a later blog for this), tomato puree, cup of red lentils (about 175g), parsley if you want for garnish, salt and pepper.
Method:
1. Either place all the ingredients in the Pressure Cooker, adding salt and pepper to taste, seal the Pressure Cooker to High pressure and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the pressure (you can do this quickly by placing in a bowl of cold water) and then liquidise.
or...... gently fry the onion, carrot, garlic and celery in a little olive oil for a few minutes in the Pressure Cooker, then add the stock, lentils, tomato puree and cook as above.
Once liquidized, pour into bowls and sprinkle a little chopped parsley on the top. I usually add a dollop of yoghurt or creme fraiche on the top and sprinkle the parsley on top of that.
You can also top with some dry-fried pumpkin seeds to give some crunch.
To make a hotter soup, add a red chilli at the frying stage (seeds and all!) or a tablespoon of Harissa (chilli paste).
Serve with French or chunky bread and cheese on top of the soup is also ace - Parmesan or cheddar work well
How easy is that! A brilliant soup in 10-15 minutes! Healthy, warm and just right for now.
If you make a thicker soup - basically a sauce - you can make Chilli Lentil Sauce and serve it with pasta or spaghetti. This is so good - if you don't believe me do give it a try. Children love it topped with cheese - but go easy on or omit the chilli for them!
You can make this soup the day before, it tastes even better, and freeze it too.
Hope you all try this and, until next time, happy Pressure Cooking!
I think we all want recipes so I'm aiming for one a day if I can - seasonal of course and something that is inevitably quick - remember we are using a Pressure Cooker - and, more often than not, something that can be turned into something quite flash with the addition of creme fraiche, herbs or the usual chef presentation skills!
Just a note on Pressure Cookers......most have three settings, High, Medium and Low. High (15lb) pressure is suitable for most cooking; Medium (10lb) is best for vegetables and softening fruit for jams for example; Low (5lb) is good for steaming - puddings and Christmas Pudding for example. Most of the recipes I use, use High pressure but I will always say this in the instructions. Usually, just follow the instructions that come with you Pressure Cooker but always make sure there is enough liquid in the Cooker - this is what creates the steam after all.
Lentil Soup
Once you taste this and see how simple it is, you will never buy a can of lentil soup again!
You can vary the portions but simply, if you make it thick (ie. more lentils) you can add stock or water to make the right consistency at the end.
Ingredients: Onion, carrot, garlic, celery - all chopped, 1 litre stock (Bouillion is great or your own home made stock - see a later blog for this), tomato puree, cup of red lentils (about 175g), parsley if you want for garnish, salt and pepper.
Method:
1. Either place all the ingredients in the Pressure Cooker, adding salt and pepper to taste, seal the Pressure Cooker to High pressure and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the pressure (you can do this quickly by placing in a bowl of cold water) and then liquidise.
or...... gently fry the onion, carrot, garlic and celery in a little olive oil for a few minutes in the Pressure Cooker, then add the stock, lentils, tomato puree and cook as above.
Once liquidized, pour into bowls and sprinkle a little chopped parsley on the top. I usually add a dollop of yoghurt or creme fraiche on the top and sprinkle the parsley on top of that.
You can also top with some dry-fried pumpkin seeds to give some crunch.
To make a hotter soup, add a red chilli at the frying stage (seeds and all!) or a tablespoon of Harissa (chilli paste).
Serve with French or chunky bread and cheese on top of the soup is also ace - Parmesan or cheddar work well
How easy is that! A brilliant soup in 10-15 minutes! Healthy, warm and just right for now.
If you make a thicker soup - basically a sauce - you can make Chilli Lentil Sauce and serve it with pasta or spaghetti. This is so good - if you don't believe me do give it a try. Children love it topped with cheese - but go easy on or omit the chilli for them!
You can make this soup the day before, it tastes even better, and freeze it too.
Hope you all try this and, until next time, happy Pressure Cooking!
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Welcome to the world of Pressure Cooking!
Hi and welcome!
I'm crazy about cooking and love cooking with a Pressure Cooker. My three favourite pans are a tagine, a wok and a pressure cooker but there seem to be no - or very little - information about Pressure Cookers and just loads about the others (well, maybe not so much about the tagine). Just try buying a pressure cooker book - and when eventually you do find one, I'm afraid it's not very good...even the ones I've found in France, the home of pressure cooking, leave much to be desired. Perhaps that's because my French is rubbish though.....
Well, I do believe that there are lots of people out there who love using a pressure cooker and love boring their friends as much as I do about how fantastic they are - if so, this is for you. Once you have enthused your friends into submission and they make that (not so cheap) purchase, they then ask you for your accumulated knowledge of the pressure cooking world. Or at least where they can find it.......and, of course, it is nowhere to be found.
My aim is to enthuse about the benefits and, of course, supply all my tried and tested recipies to anyone who would like to try them......and also to give some information about types of pressure cookers if you are new to pressure cooking or perhaps are living in the past world of myths of exploding pressure cookers and not the shiny new technological world that I'm inhabiting.
Do let me know what you think as I'd love to find out like minded individuals out there who like cooking under pressure and want to hear more from me!
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