Hensperger Beth - So Fast, So Easy Pressure Cooker Cookbook: More Than 725 Fresh, Delicious Recipes for Electric and Stovetop Pressure Cookers

In Memory of Isabel Fischer Kaufmann

February 11, 1920October 8, 2012

Gracious, kind, and hospitable, a passionate cook who believed in the power of good food to bring people together.

Copyright 2015 by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann

Published by
STACKPOLE BOOKS
5067 Ritter Road
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
www.stackpolebooks.com

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 17055.

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

First edition

Cover design by Wendy A. Reynolds
Cover photograph by Fred Thompson
Recipes shown: Char Siu Pork Ribs ().

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hensperger, Beth, author.
So fast, so easy pressure cooker cookbook : more than 500 fresh, delicious recipes ready in minutes / Beth Hensperger with Julie Kaufmann. First edition.
pages cm
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-8117-1477-8
1. Pressure cooking. I. Kaufmann, Julie, author. II. Title.
TX840.P7H36 2015
641.5'87dc23

2015032261

eBook ISBN: 978-0-8117-6320-2

Contents

Acknowledgments

T hank you for the culinary insights, generosity, and encouragement of the editors, designers, and recipe contributors used in the production of this book: fellow food writers and cookbook authors, home cooks, restaurateurs, cooking teachers, and virtual foodie friends. They are each acknowledged in their respective headnotes but we'd like to extend our thanks again here: Ac. Anaghananada, Annabelle Blake and MiniMo, Valerie Bushell, Mary and Carlo Cantori, Ying Compestine, Peggy Fallon, Ned Hearn, Carolyn Jung, the late Dolores Kostelni, Leslie Mansfield, Oscar Mariscal, Aunt Rose Newman, Trudy Paul, Diane Phillips, Rick Rodgers, Gilda Senter, Phoebe Spires, Laura Stec, Peggy Tank, Judith Thomas, and Victoria Wise.

Recipes were tested in a variety of stovetop brands and the Cuisinart and Instant Pot 6-quart electric pressure cookers.

The Ancient Cooking Pot

Fire above

and wood below

the image of the cooking pot.

Nothing transforms things so much

as the cooking pot.

It is the ultimate of human designs.

Mother of the arts

and father of technology,

it is the beginning of human endeavor.

Through its artful and proper use

all that we see and all that we hear

becomes clear.

It is the link we create with Nature.

It is the beginning of Human Creation.

The cooking pot of all things,

embodies and reminds us of this:

our own health and our own happiness we create

by accepting our nourishment

from the Universe.

Life is cooking in the cooking pot.

Translated and adapted from the I Ching hexagram 50, Ting

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Pressure Cooking!

T he stovetop pressure cooker is a unique piece of kitchen cooking equipment. It is designed to cook food in a very particular mannerwith steam heat under pressure. It is a simple method of cooking and treats food in a way that maintains its integrity and freshness by not evaporating off the nutrients. The pressure cooker has long been an integral part of the home kitchen and it's very likely that your mother, grandmother, or even great-grandmother owned one.

Pressure cookers are experiencing a renaissance in popularity because it cooks so efficiently in regard to time and fuel. A pressure cooker requires very little energy to run and is considered an integral appliance in a green, environmentally sound kitchen. Mother Earth News uses the motto Save Time, Save Money, Save Energy, and Eat Good Food. We feel this is a perfect description of preparing meals with the pressure cooker.

Macrobiotic vegetarians have been using the pressure cooker for decades. Want to make your own baby food? It takes just minutes in the pressure cooker. The pressure cooker is a perfect weekday appliance to make meals in minutes rather than hours. It consistently reduces cooking time for all dishes. It is the modern day la cucina rapida. One of our friends takes music lessons and then cooks dinner afterward for the teacher, the other students in the class, and invited guests. It takes MaryAnn just thirty minutes, from start to finish, to serve up delicious bowls of beef stew to all her guests.

Once you get familiar with using a pressure cooker properly, with a mind to its methods and safety rules, you will be amazed how often you will use it. With this cookbook as your guide, success in everyday good cooking is guaranteed.

Pressure cooking has been an integral part of European, Asian, Latin American, and East Indian food preparation for generations. Families with a mind to conserving energy and getting a meal on the table fast find the pressure cooker invaluable. Sherpa guides carry the small stovetop model on their treks in the Himalayas.

Available in a range of sizes, from 2 to 12 quarts, there is a size for every need. European models are measured in liters (5 to 7 liters, which translates to 6 and 8 quarts respectively). Skillet and smaller models are great for preparing baby food, risotto, small amounts of vegetables, chops, and one- or two-serving meals. Often the skillet model can be bought as part of a pair with a large-capacity deep pot with interchangeable lids. There is even a lightweight anodized aluminum model made specifically for use with a camp stove, perfect for backpacking.

A 6-quart-capacity pressure cooker is the general all-purpose size for a family and industry standard, serving 4 to 8, and can accommodate the widest range of recipes. Most recipes are gauged for a 6-quart cooker, which means you can easily use a 5- to 8-quart model for the recipes. The largest size, 10-quart, is suitable for pressure canning as well as everyday cooking and is a boon for family style cooking and stock making.

When buying a new pressure cooker, always read the list of safety precautions included in the accompanying owner's manual. Never use a pressure cooker for anything other than cooking food.

SHOULD I BE AFRAID TO USE A PRESSURE COOKER?

Absolutely not. Pressure cookers of decades long past, postWWII, were poorly designed and used lower grade metals in their construction. These pots did rupture, as much from poor materials as from cooks who did not read their owner's manual. We don't recommend using pressure cookers of dubious origins and age, such as those bought at yard sales. Today's pressure cookers are safe, a joy to use, and, with proper care, can last a lifetime. They have been redesigned with multiple safety features, including a double-locking system that ensures that the lid of the cooker can only be opened when the pressure inside the pot completely comes back to normal; you cannot open the pot while there is pressure inside.

Another safety feature of the new generation of pressure cookers is the weight release valve, which automatically releases any excess vapor pressure. There is also a gasket release system; if the weight valve malfunctions, a portion of the gasket is pushed through an opening in the lid to release the excess vapor.

The newest evolution in pressure cookers, the countertop electric pressure cooker, is so safe that you can leave the pot unattended while it cooks.

Replace the gasket in your pressure cooker every year or so and you will have an optimum cooking experience.