Pressure Cooker Recipes . . . 'Beyond Beans' !

[SurferShane]

Bread Oven?

I have read about bread being cooked in pressure cookers during voyages. I spent the last few weeks cruising and had no problem using the cooker as an oven to re-bake old bread rolls so they were like fresh. All I did was put a few spoons underneath so they did not burn on the bottom. To refresh the rolls I first added a few teaspoons of water to the bottom of the cooker. The perfect results made me think I should keep my eye out for some sort of grill/stand that would fit neatly. Somewhere in the near future I am keen to give it a try from scratch. That is from handmade dough. Any recipes or tips would be greatly appreciated.

I actually scored my pressure cooker for free from outside a neighbours house after his wife made him throw it out due fears of explosion. We have a bit of a thing in the neighbourhood where anything worthy of recycling gets passed on in this fashion kind of like what often happens in marina laundries. It is a decent brand name model (which I have presently forgotten) and to date has not exploded! Nonetheless, I did spot a smaller version for about $50 at the Go-Low bargain store. Instead of one big handle that can upset the balance on my gimballed stove, this smaller one had two opposing handles that would help it sit well at sea; perfect for accompaniments to the roast chook or pork mentioned above!

I should also mention that I am hesitant to use anything but the pressure cooker. It is so much more versatile, fuel efficient and a lot safer at sea than a conventional pot with lid

[matauwhi]

G'day, Mates. We started out with a 4 qt. 12 years ago and moved up to a 5 qt. 2 years ago. We can cook a 3.5 pound chicken in about 17 minutes. Favorite recipe: Fill it half full of fresh picked mussels, splash a little wine, and heat for 12 minutes. Goes great with a fresh loaf of bread. Cheers.

[SurferShane]

I just found this smaller cooker via a link on this page for a decent price.

http://www.pressurecooker.com.au/go-68/SILAMPOS_Classic_s/steel_-_4.5L_pressure_cooker

In contrast to the cheaper one I mention above this model is stainless steel instead of aluminium which has both health and corrosion benefits.

On the recipe side it is interesting to note that a lot of health food including macrobiotic chefs recommend the use of pressure cookers. This is because the pressure help to retain the nutrition in the dish instead of letting it leach or steam away as can happen with other methods such as boiling in an open pot. The quicker cooking time also helps retain vitamins and enzymes. Typically these recipes are for vege curies/stews and grains.

Just about any stew/curry recipe can be adapted to a pressure cooker with the added benefit of the additional nutrition. One grain I would recommend trying is buckwheat. In macrobiotic – ying/yang – terms it is yang/hot, so is full of energy to keep the yachtsman warm on a cold winters passage. It can be used like rice as an compliment to the main stew or curry. Try sweating off some onions and garlic in oil before adding the buckwheat and giving it a bit of a roast in the pot. Then you just add stock and cook it by letting it absorb the liquid like you would making a risotto or cooking rice in a sealed pot.

Although I am a chef I forget the exact buckwheat grain to liquid ratio but at a guess it would be somewhere around one part buckwheat to one and a bit stock. Like anything these things can vary and you just need to get in and give it a go to see how to get the results you desire. The more you cook off the buckwheat in a light coating of oil before adding the stock the more textured/course the result should be. It will also be less textured if too much liquid is added. At any rate, many of these types of grain are traditionally eaten as “porridge”.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Try www.missvickies.com excellent source for recipes, how to use, and where to find equipment

[Unicorn Dreams]

Pressure Cooker Recipes

[Lilrascals]

I've been using a 6 qt. stainless steel onboard for 9 years. It's the perfect size for 2 people and great for potlucks. I just bought a new Fagor Futuro on Craigslist (for $60, sells for $130) since it doesn't have a long handle that takes up precious room on a boat. Thanks for the recipes.

[Coot's Away]

Jessica Watson used her pressure cooker to bake chocolate muffins (and bread, and probably cook up some other healthy food as well). Her food list in True Spirit includes 66 pkts of bread mix, and under cooking equipment - "pressure cooker with clamps to enable it to be clamped onto the stove". She notes the pressure cooker was donated by the Pressure Cooker Centre which would be PRESSURE COOKER CENTRE - Pressure Cookers & Spare Parts . Looking at their web site I see they ship Aust / NZ / and various countries throughout SE Asia (including Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia) and beyond and spare parts to all corners of the world! So if you were having trouble sourcing a suitable one I imagine they could assist. Would be interesting to know which make and model Jessica used - I would imagine with all the preparation they did, she would have gone with the best one for the job - well didn't hear about it breaking down in any of her blogs.

[FreeSC]

don't mean to hijack this thread, but..... never usedA PRESSURE COOKER but it is logical as a great means of cooking... in shopping for one I found this one... I like the handle that doesn't stick out.. and being stainless... but I'm a virgin pressure cooker..




Bene Casa 33868 5.3-quart stainless steel pressure cooker. by MBR, Pressure Cook at Goodman's Small Appliance & Housewares

[avb3]

Originally Posted by nomadic mama

and 12 minute brown rice (mmmmmm) are definitely one of the great benefits of using a pressure cooker,

OK.. how do you get 12 minute brown rice... it takes me at least 13!!

- Beans: OK, OK... they had to come up eventually, right? Just to share my most favorite, though. Our family has been on a garbanzo kick lately. Lightly salted, the kids eat em like popcorn. You really can't beat that for a healthy snack!

I think it wise to advise those who have not used a pressure cooker before to soak the beans first for a number of hours (depending on the kind). The reason is that beans tend to froth, and that can make all sorts of ugly things come up the pressure relieve valve.

Soak, wash, drain, repeat the wash, and then in the pressure cooker.

I LOVE mine!

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by FreeSC

don't mean to hijack this thread, but..... never usedA PRESSURE COOKER but it is logical as a great means of cooking... in shopping for one I found this one... I like the handle that doesn't stick out.. and being stainless... but I'm a virgin pressure cooker..

I like the price. Not much money on the table if it proves to be inferior/inadequet. Please buy it and do the gambling in behalf of the rest of us.