Rustic Braised Chicken with Mushrooms (PCP)

• 6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/4 pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed and halved if small or quartered if large
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 ounce dried porcini, rinsed and minced [Typically, dried mushrooms are rehydrated in hot water, but I guess that's unnecessary with a pressure cooker.]
• 4 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts trimmed [Argh, I wish they had also said to leave the skin on.]
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley.

Mise en place.

I was debating whether or not to do actually do this blog entry since apparently I kept forgetting to take photos at the end, but here we go.

Browning the bacon.

Pour off all but one tablespoon of the bacon fat and soften the onions in that.

Stir in tomato paste,  garlic, thyme, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.

And then I decide to keep forgetting to photograph anything else that night:
Deglaze with wine.  Stir in broth, mushrooms and tomatoes.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and lay on top of vegetables.
Cook at high pressure for 15 minutes and then quick release pressure.

Before seasoning, create slurry with cornstarch and water and whisk in.

Forgot to take photographs prior to any of the servings besides this last splash of leftovers.
The flavors were pretty bold however the chicken was dried out.  This could've been attributed to the fact that I had removed the skin from the chicken, but I guess we may never know since I rarely re-cook recipes.

Served over a mess of fried rice that my mother had given me towards a housewarming party that was eventually just tossed.

Hearty Beef Stew (PCP)

• 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups beef brother
• 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Mise en place.

Browning only half the meat.

At some point I must've softened the onions and cooked the tomato paste and thyme until fragrant.

Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.

Deglaze with wine.

Add in everything except for the parsley and peas and cook at high pressure for 25 minutes.

Add peas and parsley (which you know I don't have).  Season to taste.

Many of the pieces of short rib were rather springy more than tender.  This could either be my fault or the recipes.  I dunno; the cookbook has worked like a charm so far.  Plus boneless short ribs from Whole Foods at this amount...   Totally pricey.
Still.  A very good, straightforward beef stew.

Rustic French Pork and White Bean Stew (PCP)

• 3 pounds boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
• 1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 ounces (1 1/4 cups) dried cannellini beans, picked over, rinsed, and salt-soaked
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus extra as needed

Mise en place.

Brown half the pork.

Obligatory onion softening.

Followed by garlic and Herbes de Provence until fragrant.  Then flour for a minute or so to cook off raw taste.

Deglaze with wine.  Throw it all in (except for lemon juice and parsley) and cook at high pressure for 30 minutes.  Release pressure naturally.

Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Verdict: a pretty good dish.  However, it's French so immediately it's at a disadvantage in my book; it strikes me as a little bit dull.

Chicken Curry with Chickpeas and Cauliflower (PCP)

• 8 (5- to 7- ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 head cauliflower (1 pound), cored and cut into 1-inch florets
• 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed [I botched this by buying dried instead of canned.  Decided to use this can of red beans that I haven't managed to use elsewhere.]
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Mise en place.

Brown half the thighs skin-side down.  Remove skin from each thigh.

Cook onion over medium heat until softened.

Stir in garlic, curry powder, ginger, tomato paste, and garam masala and cook until fragrant.

Stir in broth.  Scrape up fond.  Nestle chicken with any accumulated juices into pot.  Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes.

Reserve chicken on plate, tented with foil.  Bring sauce to simmer, stir in cauliflower, chickpeas, and coconut milk and cook until cauliflower is tender.

Though hardly amazing, this was a perfectly satisfactory chicken curry.  Obviously great texture for a such a short period of time.
I'm sad I had to toss out much of it since upheaval in my personal life got in the way,

Chipotle Pork and Hominy Stew (PCP)

• 3 pounds boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
• 2 bay leaves
•  2 (15-ounce) cans white or yellow hominy, rinse
• 1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro [Eh]

Mise en place.

Brown half the pork on all sides over medium-high heat.

Soften onions over medium heat.

Stir in jalapenos, garlic, chipotle, and oregano and cook until fragrant.

Stir in flour and cook for one minute.  Whisk in wine, scrape up fond, and reduce for 1 minute.

Stir in broth, carrots, bay leaves, browned pork with any accumulated juices, and remaining pork.

Bring to high pressure.  Naturally release pressure after 30 minutes.

Stir in hominy and season.

I'm pretty sure I've made some version of pozole in the past though that must've been before I started this blog.  I remember not thinking much of the dish.
But from the moment I ladled out this unctuous dish, I knew I had a winner.  Brilliant flavor from such a simple ingredients list again.

Mole Chicken Chili (PCP)

• 3 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons chili powder [of course I added substantially more of the spicier stuff up front and then later]
• 2 tablespoons cocoa [Hmm, simple ingredient.  Apparently only available at convetional supermarkets as a store brand product.]
• 2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
•  2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup raisins [Didn't have raisins.  Figured currants would work approximately well.  Now I have neither.]
• 1/4 cup peanut butter [Really?]
• 4 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed, trimmed
• Salt and pepper
• 1 onion, halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro [Cilantro went bad by the time I got around to cooking this.]

Sauce mise en place.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat until shimmering.  Add chili powder, cocoa, garlic, chipotle, cinnamon and cloves and cook until fragrant.

Stir in broth, tomatoes, raisins, and peanut butter, scraping up any fond.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Puree in blender until smooth.

Mise en place.

Skinning and trimming the chicken thighs.

Stir in sauce and add chicken to pot.  Bring to high pressure and cook for 25 minutes.  Quick release pressure cooker.

Grease slick.

 

Yeah, it's amazing what you can do with a pressure cooker, but this was kind of the flattest mole I've ever had which all the inauthentic ingredients and shortcuts.  Maybe some day I'll adapt a proper mole recipe to be cooked in a pressure cooker, but we'll see.

It's a fine dish overall if you don't have much experience with the cuisine.

15-Bean Soup with Sausage (PCP)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 12 ounce hot or sweet Italian sausage
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 10 ounces (1 1/2 cups) 15-bean soup mix, flaring packed discarded, picked over, rinsed, and salt-soaked [Soaking overnight is generally recommended for cooking beans though I have never bothered to before.  However, it is very important to do so while using a pressure cooker as this helps reduce foaming that can clog the cooker.]
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 ounces Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped
•  1 large tomato, cored and chopped
• Salt and pepper

Mise en place.

Brown sausage in oil over medium-high heat.

Set aside and cook onion and carrot until softened.

Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant.

Stir in broth, soaked beans, and bay leaves, scraping up fond.  Add sausage and any accumulated juices.

Bring to high pressure and cook for 25 minutes.

Transfer sausage to cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch slice.  Meanwhile, bring soup to simmer, stir in chard and tomato, and cook until chard is tender.  Add back sausage and season with salt and pepper.

I'm pretty sure this was my first pressure cooker dish.  Mindblowing how beans can get to such a perfect consistency and the soup is so richly flavored with such a short ingredient list.  I've become officially a believer of pressure cookers.