Under Pressure

From the kitchens of TV shows like Top Chef to restaurants to home kitchens, pressure cookers are back.  In the past they had a reputation for being dangerous and difficult to use, but modern pressure cookers have new safety features and are no more difficult to use than a saucepan. 

When cooking things that benefit from long, slow cooking such as beans or tougher cuts of meat like short ribs, the pressure cooker is the ideal tool, using 50% less energy and 70% less time than the traditional cooking method. 


Above: Fissler Bluepoint Pressure Cooker
Upcoming Classes: Mastering the Pressure Cooker, February 29th 6:30-9:30.  Sign up here.

Boston Baked Beans

1    teaspoon          vegetable oil

2    ounces             blanched salt pork, coarsely chopped

¾   cup                  chopped yellow or white onion

1½ tablespoons     prepared mustard

1    teaspoon          tomato paste, optional

2    tablespoons     dark brown sugar

2    tablespoons     molasses

1    cup                  dried small white beans

2    cups                 water

½   teaspoon          salt

¼   teaspoon          freshly ground black pepper

PLACE the oil and salt pork in the pressure cooker.  STIR over medium heat until the salt pork begins to curl, about 1 minute.  ADD the remaining ingredients and STIR to mix.  LOCK on the lid and BRING to pressure over high heat, about 3 minutes.  REDUCE the heat to medium and COOK for 25 minutes.  REMOVE from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes to finish cooking.

With the stem vent pointed away from your face, gently RELEASE any remaining pressure.  Let SIT another 5 minutes, then serve.

Recipe taken from The Pressure Cooker Gourmet by Victoria Wise

Yield: 4-6 servings