Showing posts with label Cuisinart Electric pressure cooker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cuisinart Electric pressure cooker. Show all posts
Friday, November 19, 2010
THE 1ST RECIPE I MADE IN MY NEW ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKER: CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH VEGAN SAUSAGES
In this post about my new Cuisinart electric pressure cooker,
I promised to post the very first recipe I tried in it, so I am doing so in today's post. It's actually a vegan adaptation of a recipe that was in the instruction booklet that came with the pressure cooker. I decided to try their recipe (more or less) so that I could learn the ins and outs of the cooker. I didn't want to wing it with my own recipe until I knew what I was doing-- how much liquid you could use, etc., etc.I chose the black bean soup because I love black beans, I had some in my pantry, and they are so good for you! (See this info.) It was a delicious whole-meal soup-- I will definitely make it again! And it was finished in about an hour, with very little effort on my part, from UN-soaked dried beans!
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA’S VEGAN VERSION OF PRESSURE COOKER Cuban Black Bean Soup (with SPICY vegan sausage option)
(aDAPTED FROM A RECIPE IN THE iNSTRUCTION BOOKLET THAT CAME WITH THE cuisinart electric 6-Qt. PRESSURE COOKER)
Makes about 10 cups
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or dark sesame oil 
(or a mixture)
(or a mixture)
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/4 cups chopped red bell pepper
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
6 cups vegan broth
1 lb. dry black beans, picked over, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoon soy bacon bits
or chips, or 1/2 cup chopped vegan “ham”
or chips, or 1/2 cup chopped vegan “ham”
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup dry to medium-dry sherry
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Optional:
10-12 ounces spicy vegan sausages cut into 1/4-1/2” slices (such as Tofurkey Italian, or Field Roast Chipotle--my favorite!-- or Italian)
Optional:
10-12 ounces spicy vegan sausages cut into 1/4-1/2” slices (such as Tofurkey Italian, or Field Roast Chipotle--my favorite!-- or Italian)
Garnishes: (Choose any)
Fresh chopped parsley; vegan “sour cream”; diced avocado,
chopped red bell pepper; chopped red onion; sweet corn kernels
(This soup can also be served with a scoop of steamed rice.)
Add oil to the pot and heat (select Sauté mode in the Cuisinart cooker). Add the chopped onions, ¾ cup of the chopped red bell pepper, garlic, oregano, cumin and coriander. Sir-cook until the onions are translucent and tender. Add the broth, black beans, soy bacon bits or “ham”, liquid smoke, and bay leaf. Lock the lid in place, bring up to high pressure (15 lbs.) and, if using the Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker, set the timer to 30 minutes. If using a stovetop pressure cooker, adjust your heat to keep the pressure steady and time it for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, the Cuisinart cooker will automatically start natural pressure release, which will take about 20 minutes. If using a stovetop cooker, remove from the heat and let the pressure drop naturally.
When the float valve drops (in the Cuisinart cooker), or the pressure is released from a stovetop cooker, remove the lid carefully and remove the bay leaf. Use a stick blender or a potato masher to smash the beans to the desired consistency. (Unplug the Cuisinart cooker first, and be careful using the stick blender to avoid scratching the insert.)
If using, quickly brown the vegan sausage slices in a lightly-oiled nonstick skillet, then add them to the soup, along with the remaining ingredients (cayenne, sherry, red wine vinegar and salt.) Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, without pressure. (In the Cuisinart cooker, there is a Simmer mode.)
Serve with the Garnishes.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
A NEW PRESSURE COOKER; A FAVORITE LENTIL SOUP RECIPE
The second thing I made in my new Cuisinart electric pressure cooker-- an old favorite: Monastery Lentil Soup.Okay, I have to make up for lost time with Vegan MoFo! In order to do 20 blogs this month I have to blog every remaining day in November, plus one extra! I've been meaning to blog about my new electric pressure cooker, but hadn't got around to it. A good friend of mine had been raving about it and gave it to me as a gift-- and what a wonderful gift!
I was "between pressure cookers". This was because I had a kitchen disaster. I started cooking something in my Lagostina 5 qt. stainless steel pressure cooker (with aluminum bottom) on the stove and got sidetracked downstairs in my office. Fortunately, the pot was was not under pressure (maybe I would have heard it if it had been!). Later I smelled something, ran upstairs and I had melted the bottom of the pressure cooker! The lid was ruined and there were globs of melted aluminum in the stove element. When DH came home I told him, "The good news is the house didn't burn down; the bad news is my pressure cooker is finished!" Fortunately, we were able to pry off the solidified aluminum globs from the stove element and sand off the residue, so it was okay.
Anyway, I hadn't decided which type to buy yet, when my kind friend sent me this beautiful electric version! Fortunately, I found a spot for it in my already crowded, small kitchen (I like to keep appliances that I use often out in the open-- fortunately I have deep counters), by shifting the smaller rice cooker to another spot. This cooker is great-- it has a nonstick insert and has "saute", "brown", and "simmer" modes, as well has 2 pressure settings, and "keep warm" (it automatically goes on "keep warm" when the pressure goes down). You have to set the timer before it will heat to pressure, so it will remind you when it's done, and it will start losing pressure. So no chance of disaster! You can use a quick-release, or let the pressure drop naturally.
It didn't take me long to learn how to use it, and I made a Cuban black bean soup the first time-- it took about an hour from start to finish (including pressure release) with dried beans (unsoaked)! I'll post that recipe later.
The second recipe I made was an old favorite lentil soup recipe which my kids will remember from their childhoods. It's so easy to make and very full-flavored. And I love that you can saute the vegetables right in the nonstick insert. I hope you like it! It's perfect for a cold night!
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S MONASTERY LENTIL SOUP
Serves 4-6
Pressure Cooker Version: Before adding the wine and parsley, pressure cook at high pressure for 8 minutes. Use natural pressure release. Then proceed to add the wine, etc..
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped (I like to use a food processor for this)
1 large carrot, scrubbed and coarsely grated
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
14 oz. can diced tomatoes OR 6 T. tomato paste mixed with 1 c. water
2 c. water
3 c. vegetarian broth (see this post)
1 c. dried brown lentils
1 tsp. salt
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1/4 c. dry sherry
1/4 c. chopped parsley
dairy-free soy parmesan to sprinkle on top ( we like GoVeggie! soy parmesan), or my Okara Parmesan)
In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté them until the onions have softened. Add the herbs and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT for the pepper, sherry, parsley and vegan parmesan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until the lentils are tender. Add the wine, parsley and pepper to taste. Simmer a few more minutes and serve with the soy parmesan.
Enjoy!
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