Campbell - Instant: 180 Easy Recipes for the Pressure Cooker or Multicooker

CONTENTS It is no surprise that electric pressure cookers and multicookers have been rediscovered by a new and eager generation of health-conscious, time-savvy cooks. These time-saving devices have come a long way since the old-fashioned stove-top models that hissed and bubbled terrifyingly, had to be monitored carefully as the pressure built up, and then created the fear of having dinner blast onto the ceiling when you took off the lid. With todays electric cookers you can prepare the food, pop it in, flick a switch and walk away. The multiple safety features make it all very simple and have done away with any fear of accidents. Pressure cookers are fast, and their super-speediness means that soups or braises, curries or roasts that would traditionally take 2 hours, can be cooked in 30 minutes. Instantly amazing! The quicker, sealed cooking also means that more nutrients are retained in the food, so its easy to come home from work and have a healthy meal ready in an achievable time.

If you are new to electric pressure cookers or multicookers, read the manual before you start and follow the recommendations for your particular model. Some have several different modes and these can vary in terminology, depending on brand and model. In this book we use the term Saut to sear food and Cook for the actual cooking. Instead of Saut, some cookers may use the term Brown, or something similar. Some cookers also have a Simmer modeif yours does not, then Saut can be used for this function. Most recipes in this book use the High pressure function.

If your cooker does not have a Low pressure function, High can generally be used with good results. As all appliances differ slightly, you might find you need to adjust the cooking time and/or amount of liquid a little to suit your model. And all recipes in this book are designed for a 6-litre pressure cooker. If yours is a different size you might need to alter the cooking time slightly. Second-generation pressure cookers Modern electric pressure cookers take a little longer to cook food than old-fashioned pressure cookers, as they operate at a slightly lower pressure. They also require less liquid because they dont release as much steam as stove-top models.

The recipes in this book have been written for modern electric pressure cookers and multicookers, so if you want to adapt them for a stove-top pressure cooker, do bear this in mind. Ingredients Liquid is the most important ingredient when pressure cooking. Use the amount of liquid specified in the recipethe minimum is about 185 ml ( cup)and bear in mind that the cooker should never be more than two-thirds filled. If cooking legumes or rice, which expand while cooking, the cooker should be no more than half full. Legumes and rice can be cooked easily and conveniently in the pressure cookerspecific instructions and times for these can be found on . Never use concentrated liquids such as milk, cream or coconut milk as the only liquid in a dish when pressure cookingthey need to be diluted with water or stock.

Small amounts of yoghurt in a marinade, for example, are fine to be added before cooking. But generally these are best stirred through at the end. It is a good idea to brown meat, onions, leeks, garlic and spices using the Saut/Brown mode prior to pressure cooking, as this improves the flavour. Always prick sausages before cooking. Each ingredient should be cut into even-sized pieces that will cook at the same rate. If you know that one ingredient cooks faster, then cut it into larger pieces to avoid overcooking.

For example, if you are adding carrots or other vegetables at the same time as the meat, cut the vegies into larger pieces to avoid them breaking up. Alternatively, you could stop the cooking process part-way through and add the faster cooking ingredients. Cooking times Cooking times might vary slightly for different models. Cooking times in this book are measured from when the pressure cooker reaches pressure. Our cooking time at the beginning of the recipe does not include bringing the cooker up to pressure or releasing the pressure, as this varies between models. Under pressure There are two ways to release the pressure from your cooker: the natural method and the quick method. Under pressure There are two ways to release the pressure from your cooker: the natural method and the quick method.

Take care when releasing pressure and keep your face and hands away from the escaping hot steam. Do not attempt to open the lid until all the pressure has been released (with most models you will find that it actually wont open until all the steam has been released). NATURAL RELEASE METHOD To release the pressure naturally you dont need to do anything. Once the cooking time has finished, the cooker will go into Warm mode. It will automatically release pressure slowly, or you can select cancel or switch off. Depending on the quantity of food, this should take 510 minutes.

Then release the pressure according to the manufacturers instructions, taking care as steam may still escape. This method is generally recommended for stews, braises and whole cuts of meat as it allows the meat to rest and not toughen. It is also recommended for beans and unpeeled potatoes as it helps them keep their skins on. It should also be used for any ingredient that might foam, such as rice. It is also the best method to use for soups or dishes with a large amount of liquid, to avoid the liquid spurting. QUICK RELEASE METHOD To release the pressure quickly, follow the manufacturers instructions to vent steam.

Do this carefully. You might find it easier to do in short bursts, by flicking the release on and off, or by waiting a few minutes to allow a little steam to release naturally first, before fully releasing. If there is a lot of liquid in the cooker some might spurt out, so take care. This method is recommended for foods that can overcook easily, such as fish and vegetables. It is also used when ingredients need to be added at different times during the cooking process. Finishing the perfect dish When removing the lid once the pressure has been released, lift it carefully, facing away from you, to protect you from any escaping remaining steam. Finishing the perfect dish When removing the lid once the pressure has been released, lift it carefully, facing away from you, to protect you from any escaping remaining steam.

If the dish still contains too much liquid you can thicken the sauce by simmering it, uncovered, in the cooker until it reaches the consistency you prefer. Or mix together a little plain flour or cornflour with water or some of the cooking liquid and stir into the sauce, then simmer for a few minutes while stirring, until it thickens. LAMB AND BARLEY SOUP WITH PEAS PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES COOKING TIME: 22 MINUTES ingredients 4 (about 800 g) lamb forequarter or neck chops, well trimmed 1 leek, white part only, sliced 2 carrots, cut into 2 cm slices 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 brown onion, chopped 200 g (1 cup) pearl barley, rinsed and drained 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 6 thyme sprigs (tied with kitchen string) 1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock (see ) 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 140 g (1 cup) frozen peas cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped Crusty bread, to serve method Place all the soup ingredients, except the peas and parsley, in the pressure cooker. Add 500 ml (2 cups) water and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lock the lid in place and cook on High pressure for 20 minutes. Release the pressure using the natural release method.