Pressure Cooking

Only recently did I start obsessing about pressure cooking.  Why?  Well, because it's hot outside and I do not want to heat up my entire house.  Plus, I am constantly reading or hearing how almost every country except Americans use this fine kitchen tool.  I'm always interested in how people cook and what tools they love.

I inherited my 1st presto 6 quart pressure cooker from my mother-in-law and it has sat in the storage room for years...I pulled it out yesterday because yesterday was the day I was determine to get this right...or at least attempt it.  I had just been grocery shopping and I found some really nice oxtails.  My Dad made oxtail soup often...so delicious.  Miss him.  I pulled out Mommie Dixie's pressure cooker, washed it and began filling it:  4 oxtails, 1 chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano and water 1/2 way full, just as the pressure began building up it began spewing water (need to replace the seal)...I turned the burner off, let the pressure subside.  In the mean time I pulled out my new Futuro Pressure Cooker.  New?  Yes told you I'd been obsessing about a pressure cooker, I knew I wanted a big one for my catering...I'd seen this in a magazine and I knew this one was the one.  Made in Spain.  It's so pretty and shiny...it did not disappoint.  I cooked the oxtail soup in 45 minutes of pressure.  Once the pressure was taking place I set the timer for 25 minutes at that point I added the veggies: cabbage, celery, petite potatoes, carrots...and cooked it for 20 more minutes.  The whole house smelled amazing.  The broth was unbelievable, it had so much depth...so little time and such depth...who knew & why didn't I know.  Husband and baby loved it!  I know oxtail does not sound fancy but it really is a beautiful dish.  I served it like my parents did, with corn tortillas, lime and salsa.


I'm totally hooked.  This was such a great investment.  Today I cooked two batches of black beans (20 minutes) and again the broth had such depth.

Black Beans
4 cups black beans (soak overnight and drain)
2 cups chopped carrots
2 celery stalks chopped
1 onion chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 T cumin
1 T oregano
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
pepper
12 cups water

All ingredients in the pot.  Once pressure begins set timer for 20 minutes.  Upon pressure releasing salt to taste.  Done. 

¡Buen Provecho!



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