The Everything Pressure Cooker Cookbook (7 page)

Optional: Chopped toasted walnuts or pecans

Optional: Milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream

Cooking Ahead

If you're not a morning person, you can make Irish Oatmeal with Fruit the night before. Once it's cooled, divide between two covered microwave-safe containers and refrigerate overnight. The next morning cover each bowl with a piece of paper towel to catch any splatters and then microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through.

1. Place the rack in the pressure cooker; pour ½ cup water over the rack.
   

2. In a metal bowl that will fit inside the pressure cooker and rest on the rack, add the oats, butter, 2½ cups water, apple juice, cranberries, raisins, apricots, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt; stir to combine.
   

3. Lock the lid into place. Bring to low pressure. For chewy oatmeal, maintain the pressure for 5 minutes. For creamy oatmeal, maintain pressure for 8 minutes.
   

4. Remove from the heat and allow pressure to release naturally. Use tongs to lift the metal bowl out of the pressure cooker.
   

5. Spoon the cooked oats into bowls. Serve warm, topped with brown sugar or additional maple syrup, chopped nuts, and milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream.
   

The chicken fat that will rise to the top of the broth and harden overnight in the refrigerator is known as schmaltz. You can save that fat and use it instead of butter for sautéing vegetables.

INGREDIENTS | YIELDS ABOUT 3 CUPS

3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces

1 large onion, peeled and quartered

2 large carrots, scrubbed

1 stalk celery

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 cups water

1. Add the chicken and onion to the pressure cooker. Cut the carrots and celery into several pieces; add them. Add the salt, pepper, and water.
   

2. Lock the lid into place and bring to low pressure; maintain pressure for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow pressure to release naturally.
   

3. Strain, discarding the cooked vegetables. Remove any meat from the bones and save for another use; discard the skin. Cool the broth and refrigerate overnight.
   

4. Remove the hardened schmaltz. The resulting concentrated broth can be kept for 1 or 2 days in the refrigerator or frozen for up to 3 months.
   

Serve Chicken Bordeaux with buttered egg noodles, cooked rice, or potatoes prepared your favorite way.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

3 pounds chicken pieces

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

1 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes

4 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1. Bring the oil to temperature in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté to infuse the garlic flavor into the oil. Remove garlic and discard.
   

2. Rub chicken with pepper. Arrange the chicken pieces skin side down in the pressure cooker. Pour in the wine and tomatoes. Add the mushrooms.
   

3. Lock the lid into place and bring to low pressure; maintain for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and quick-release the pressure.
   

4. Remove chicken to a serving platter and keep warm. Return the pressure cooker to the heat and simmer the sauce until it thickens. Pour over the chicken.
   

Make this dish tomato free by omitting the chicken broth and drained tomatoes and substituting an undiluted can of condensed cream of chicken soup. Serve the finished dish over cooked rice with Indian flatbread and a cucumber salad.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil

1 stalk celery, finely diced

1 medium sweet onion, peeled and diced

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

1½ tablespoons garam masala

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1/3 cup flour

½ cup chicken broth

1 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1 cup coconut milk

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Garam Masala Spice Blend

Make your own garam masala spice blend by mixing together 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 2 teaspoons ground cardamom, 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon Char-nushka, 1 teaspoon caraway, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon freshly ground China #1 ginger, and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg. Store in a covered container in a cool, dry place.

1. Add the ghee or oil to the pressure cooker and bring to temperature over medium heat.
   

2. Add the celery; sauté for 1 minute. Add the onion; sauté for 3 minutes or until the onion is transparent. Stir in the carrot, garam masala, and garlic; sauté for 1 minute.
   

3. Stir in the flour, then whisk in the chicken broth. Stir in the tomatoes, coconut milk, and chicken.
   

4. Lock the lid into place and bring to low pressure. Maintain pressure for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow pressure to release naturally.
   

5. Remove the lid and stir. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it by stirring in chicken broth or coconut milk a tablespoon at a time.
   

6. Return pan to medium heat, stir in the peas, and cook until the peas are heated through. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
   

Serve Chicken Cacciatore with pasta or rice, garlic bread, and a tossed salad.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 3-pound chicken, cut up

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

¼ cup diced salt pork

1 large onion, peeled and sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon dried parsley

2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash Classic Italian Medley Seasoning Blend

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

½ cup white wine

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

Italian Medley Seasoning Blend

Mrs. Dash Classic Italian Medley Seasoning Blend is a mixture of garlic, basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, marjoram, white pepper, sage, savory, cayenne pepper, thyme, bay leaf, cumin, mustard powder, coriander, onion, and red bell pepper. All of the Mrs. Dash blends are salt free, which makes them a healthy addition to any dish.

1. Trim and discard any extra fat from the chicken. Add the flour, salt, and pepper to a large zip-closure bag. Add the chicken, seal the bag, and shake to coat the chicken.
   

2. Bring the oil to temperature in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the salt pork and sauté until it begins to render its fat.
   

3. Add the meatier pieces of chicken, skin side down, and brown until crisp. Add the remaining ingredients except for the tomato paste.
   

4. Lock the lid into place. Bring to low pressure; maintain pressure for 20 minutes.
   

5. Remove the pan from the heat and quick-release the pressure. Place the chicken on a serving platter and keep warm.
   

6. Return the pan to the heat, stir the tomato paste into the sauce in pressure cooker, and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Pour the sauce over chicken.
   

There's already salt and pepper in the pesto, so there's none called for in this recipe. Have it on the table for those who want to add more.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs

1/3 cup pesto

½ cup chicken broth

1 large sweet onion, peeled and sliced

8 small red potatoes, peeled

1 1-pound bag baby carrots

1. Remove the skin and trim the chicken thighs of any fat; add to a large zip-closure bag along with the pesto. Seal and shake to coat the chicken in the pesto.
   

2. Add the broth and onions to the pressure cooker. Place the trivet or cooking rack on top of the onions. Arrange the chicken on the rack and then add the potatoes and carrots to the top of the chicken.
   

3. Lock the lid into place. Bring to high pressure; maintain pressure for 11 minutes. Remove the pressure cooker from the heat. Quick-release the pressure. Transfer the chicken, potatoes, and carrots to a serving platter. Use tongs to remove the trivet or cooking rack.
   

4. Remove any fat from the juices remaining in the pan, then strain the juices over the chicken and vegetables. Serve hot.
   

Serve this chicken dish over cooked jasmine rice. Drizzle with the peanut sauce. Serve with Indian flatbread and a cucumber salad.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

½ cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons red curry paste

1 teaspoon light brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1. Add all ingredients to the pressure cooker. Stir to mix. Lock the lid into place and bring to low pressure; maintain pressure for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow pressure to release naturally.
   

2. Remove the lid, return pan to medium heat, and simmer until the sauce is thickened. Pour over cooked jasmine rice.
   

If you prepare the chicken the night before and refrigerate it in its own broth, the chicken will be moist beyond belief.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6

1 medium sweet onion, peeled and quartered

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

1 stalk celery, diced

8 peppercorns

1 cup water

3 pounds chicken breast halves, bone-in and with skin

¼ cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

2–3 tablespoons curry powder

Salt, to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1½ cups apples, diced

½ cup seedless green grapes, halved

1 cup celery, sliced

1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

2 tablespoons red onion or shallot, diced

1. Add the onion, carrot, celery, peppercorns, water, and chicken to the pressure cooker.
   

2. Lock the lid into place and bring to high pressure; maintain pressure for 10 minutes.
   

3. Remove from heat; allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick-release any remaining pressure.
   

4. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken to a bowl. Strain the broth in the pressure cooker and then pour it over the chicken. Allow chicken to cool in the broth.
   

5. To make the salad, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, curry powder, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Stir to mix. Stir in the apples, grapes, celery, almonds, and red onion or shallot.
   

6. Remove the chicken from the bones. Discard the bones and skin. Dice the chicken and fold into the salad mixture. Chill until ready to serve.
   

Serve these thighs and sauce with rice, topped with coleslaw on a hamburger bun, or rolled into flour tortillas with romaine leaves.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6

1 cup plain yogurt

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes

8 teaspoons ketchup

½ teaspoon chili powder

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon sugar

½ cup cashews, crushed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Optional: Plain yogurt or sour cream

Optional: A few drops of red coloring

1. Mix together the yogurt, garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper in a bowl or zip-closure bag; add the chicken thighs and marinate for 4 hours.
   

2. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and add them to the pressure cooker along with the undrained diced tomatoes, ketchup, and chili powder.
   

3. Lock the lid into place and bring to low pressure; maintain pressure for 8 minutes. Quick-release the pressure.
   

4. Use a slotted spoon to move cooked chicken thighs to a serving platter and keep warm.
   

5. Use an immersion blender to puree the tomatoes. Whisk in the butter and sugar. Stir in the cashews. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, to taste.
   

6. If the sauce is spicier than you'd like, stir in some plain yogurt or sour cream 1 tablespoon at a time until you're pleased with the taste. Add red food coloring if desired. Pour over the chicken thighs and serve.
   

To offset the sweetness of the fruit in this dish, serve with a tossed salad dressed with a sour cream or other creamy dressing and dinner rolls.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

1 3-pound chicken

12 pitted prunes, snipped

8 dried apricots, snipped

½ small lemon, cut into 6 thin slices

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

¼ cup finely minced shallots

2 stalks celery, finely minced

1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger

1 cup chicken stock

¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and halved

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

¼ cup Grand Marnier liqueur or orange juice

1. If available, remove the giblets from the chicken cavity. Chop the gizzard, heart, and liver and mix them together with the prunes, apricots, and lemon slices. Add the mixture to the chicken cavity.
   

2. Bring the oil to temperature in the pressure cooker. Add the shallots and celery; sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the ginger.
   

3. Place the chicken, breast side down, in the pressure cooker. Pour in the broth and add the salt. Place the sweet potatoes around the chicken.
   

4. Lock the lid into place and bring to low pressure; maintain pressure for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and quick release the pressure. Carefully move the sweet potatoes and chicken to a serving platter; keep warm.
   

5. Stir the orange zest and liqueur or orange juice into the pan juices. Return the pressure cooker to the heat; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the alcohol burns off or the sauce thickens slightly. Either pour the sauce over the chicken and potatoes or transfer to a gravy boat to serve the sauce on the side.