Was: Costa Rican Beans Now: Pressure Cookers

[Guest guest]

I am catching up on old email and just saw this.

 

I have to respond to the comments about clogging pressure cookers. It

sounds as if you are experienced with old-style " jiggle top " pressure

cookers. My mom had one and I was terrified of those too. But new-style

pressure cookers have TRIPLE safety mechanisms. So if vent 1 gets

clogged, there's vent 2, etc.

 

I have a Magefesa and the first time I used it (very recently, though I

have owned it for 2-3 years), I stood across the room watching it like a

hawk. Now, a few weeks later, I'm very comfortable with it - I use it

once or twice a week. These new ones are very safe. If you have an

old-style one, yes, you should add a bit of oil when you cook foods that

can clog. That is purely optional on the new-style cookers. (Lorna

Sass's cookbook explains using old-style and new-style.)

 

Now I LOVE my pressure cooker! Not only does it cook fast, but when I

make soup the ingredients blend in that time and result in a very

complex flavor.

 

Today I cooked a pound of dried garbanzo beans - though I used my slow

cooker. I used 2 1/2 cups of the beans in a marinated salad and the

rest are in the fridge waiting for the green chard coming in my organic

box on Friday - I'm going to make Garbanzos and Chard, a recipe from my

slow cooker cookbook. This is the first time I'll cook chard and, two

weeks ago, I got kale and it was the first time I prepared that. I like

that the box is pushing me into new territory. I fall into a rut so easily.

 

I also have my first batch of YoChee in the fridge (Yogurt Cheese). I've

been making my own yogurt for a few weeks so that is what I used in the

YoChee. I'm pretty low energy this weekend, but tomorrow I want to fry

some cubed tofu in preparation for the Masala Vegetable and Tofu Curry I

plan to make later in the week. I also hope to make some cookies - my

kids go back to school this week and I need lunch box items. And I'd

like to make the Braised Red Cabbage from Good Eats. And I need to make

more yogurt. But I'm so low energy we'll see. :-)

 

Sharon

 

Marilyn Daub wrote:

> Yes, and listen to the steam coming out the weight. If that changes, cool it

down immediately. Make sure you cover the liquid with a layer of oil to keep

the skins down and away from the vents.

>