The
cookbook, pressure cooker, and dishes in this post were provided by Jill Nussinow, Sitram USA, and Melissa’s
Produce but the opinions expressed here are my own.
My first time working with a
pressure cooker was last summer. I needed to cook chicken for a soup within an
hour for the World Recipe Championship at the World Food Championships. Cooking
in the oven or on stove top would take too long. I borrowed an Instant Pot from
my very good friend, Wendy Chen of Wendyful
World, to see if I could cook chicken in under 30 minutes. It worked
but I later found out that the Instant Pot was not an approved appliance we
could use during the competition. However, I could use a range top pressure
cooker. I was very leery due to stories I’ve heard from my mom and others about
pressure cookers exploding and such. Fortunately, pressure cookers have come a
long way since the 1950’s, so I gave it a try. To my surprise and delight, it
worked.
Even though I can cook a chicken
in 30 minutes in a pressure cooker, I am still an admitted novice when it comes
to these devices. When I heard Jill Nussinow and Sitram were going to be at Melissa’s Produce for a cooking
demo, I had to be there. Jill, a.k.a. The Veggie
Queen™, has been a pressure cooking expert for over 20 years along
with plant-based, whole food cooking. Her cookbook, Vegan Under Pressure, shows you how to use a pressure cooker safely
and prepare vegan fare full of flavor. Sitram USA
showcased the features, benefits, and ease of using the SitraPro pressure
cooker. Since 1960, Sitram has been a pioneer of pressure cooking and is used
by prestigious chefs, Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, and culinary professionals
at the International Culinary Center where SitraPro has been integrated into
their curriculum for technology in the kitchen. Modern pressure cookers enable
70% faster cooking times, plus, have the bonus of being energy efficient.
In
Chapter 4, Grains, Late Summer or Early Fall Vegetable Quinoa Salad utilizes
tomatillos (often used in Mexican cooking) for their tart flavor. I love quinoa,
so I knew I would love this salad. It also incorporates zingy garlic, sweet red
bell pepper & tomato, and refreshing scallions & cilantro. This would
be great for a potluck or picnic. Rating: 5/5
In
Chapter 5, Beans, Cannellini Beans with Gremolata is high in protein and has
great flavor. The cannellini beans become creamy when pressure cooked which
contrasts nicely with the gremolata. It reminds me of a coarsely chopped pesto
with a crunch from the almonds and refreshing parsley. Rating: 5/5
In
Chapter 6, Vegetables, Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Mustard Sauce are a must for
any brussels sprout lover like myself. I’ve been eating them since I was
little. They reminded me of baby cabbages and I used them in my Barbie kitchen
to simulate a head of cabbage. Jill and I agree on having brussels sprouts al
dente so you have the crispness of the stalk of the brussels sprout contrasting
with the tender leaves. The Dijon and maple syrup gave it a nice flavor of
earthy sweetness. Here is the recipe so you can try this amazing dish! Rating:
5/5
Text excerpted from Vegan Under Pressure, © 2016 by Jill Nussinow. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Mustard SauceServes 4I realize that there are people who don’t care much for Brussels sprouts. My husband is one of them. When I prepare them this way he will at least eat a few. I gladly eat the rest. They are scrumptious. If you are using small sprouts, do not cut them in half. I prefer my Brussels sprouts al dente, but you can cook them for another minute or two if you prefer them softer. Combined with rice or quinoa and some cooked beans, this is a satisfying fall or winter lunch or dinner.2 teaspoons pure sesame or sunflower oil, optional½ cup diced onion½ cup vegetable stock or water1½ to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard16 medium to large Brussels sprouts (1 to 2 inches in diameter), cut in half or quarters to equal 3 cups½ to 1 tablespoon maple syrupSalt and freshly ground black Pepper1. Heat a stovetop pressure cooker over medium heat or set an electric pressure cooker to sautĂ©; add the oil, if using. Add the onion and sautĂ© or dry sautĂ© for a minute or two, until it starts to soften.
2. Whisk together the stock and mustard in a small bowl or shake in a glass jar. Add the Brussels sprouts to the cooker along with the mustard mixture. Stir. Drizzle the maple syrup over the vegetables but do not stir.
3. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker. Bring to low pressure; cook for 3 minutes. (If you do not have a low-pressure option, bring to high pressure and cook for 2 minutes.) Quick release the pressure. Remove the lid, carefully tilting it away from you.
4. Transfer the sprouts to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
In
Chapter 7, Soups, Lemongrass Cabbage Soup is a hearty yet refreshing soup. The
cabbage and potatoes provided heartiness while the lemongrass added a refreshing
touch to the creamy coconut milk base. Rating: 5/5
In
Chapter 8, Main Courses, Millet and Lentils with mushrooms and seasonal
vegetables reminded me of my childhood. In the 1970s, my mom went on a health
kick and bought canned cooked millet to use as her meat substitute. I loved it!
My dad thought it was so weird that a little girl would like millet. After my
mom lost the taste for it, I would ask my dad to buy it occasionally. It was
expensive at the time, so it was a treat for me when he could find it on sale. I
also love lentils so combining these into one recipe is just amazing! The
addition of seasonal vegetables made this into a meal! Rating: 5/5
In
Chapter 12, Desserts, Moist Chocolate Cake floored me when I found out it was
vegan, gluten-free, and baked in a pressure cooker. It was moist, chocolatey,
and not overly sweet. I love desserts but anything overly sweet just turns me
off. The addition of raspberry and powdered sugar made the perfect ending to
this cookbook tasting. Rating: 5/5
Vegan
food can be fun and flavorful. Add a pressure cooker to the mix and you’ll
enjoy it even more!
For
more information:
Vegan Under
Pressure
by Jill Nussinow, MS, RDN
Available
at TheVeggieQueen.com,
Barnes
& Noble, and Amazon
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