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Cooking with a pressure cooker
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Cooking times that are halved, energy savings, healthy and low-fat food; these are just some of the advantages of cooking with a pressure cooker, an essential tool for those that want to cook foods in a natural way.
Inside the hermetically-sealed pan, the nutritional properties are maintained intact. Vitamins and minerals are not destroyed, and the flavours are more genuine. Suitable for those who want a relatively low-fat diet, pressure cookers allow food to be cooked with just tiny amounts of oil. Even spices should be dosed sparingly: just a minimal sprinkling of pepper and a clove of garlic will enhance the flavours of your recipes.
Foods are cooked in the pressure cooker at a temperature of 110-120o, reducing the time necessary for preparing boiled meats or stews, braised meat dishes, soups made with pulses, potatoes and cereals. Some chefs have carried out experiments with this cooking technique for other kinds of dishes such as risotto. In this case it is necessary to measure the water out carefully as too much water could affect the outcome; it is also necessary to time the minutes from the moment of the whistle starting.
During cooking, when the large valve on the lid begins to whistle and emit jets of steam at the same time, reduce the flame to a minimum and calculate the cooking time (usually provided by the shop that sells the cooker). Once the period of time indicated has passed, it is necessary to turn the flame down and open the valve. The steam should be entirely released until the pressure inside the pan is the same as atmospheric pressure. Only at this point is it possible to unblock the handle and remove the lid. Indeed the food does not stop cooking when the heat is turned off, but continues to cook until the steam is let off and the lid is removed. Where food requiring short and precise cooking times is concerned, it is possible to cool the pan more quickly under a jet of running water. The pressure of the steam will decrease dramatically and will make it quicker to release the steam, thus the lid can be opened without waiting too long. |
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Cooking times vary according to the manufacturers and type of pressure cookers, but those starting out will be pleasantly surprised by the speed with which cooking takes place. Artichokes take just 10 minutes; beetroot, cardoons and green beans take 15 minutes whilst courgettes need just 4 minutes. The cooking water is rich in nutritious substances and can be kept for cooking a delicious consommé.
Savings in time for cooking boiled meats, roasts and stews are also evident. Spare ribs take less than 30 minutes to be cooked through, chicken takes 30 minutes whilst pork trotters take about 40 minutes. Roasts are just as quick: just 10 minutes are sufficient to cook roast beef to the point that it is rare, whilst 18 minutes are needed for lamb and 25 minutes for duck.
Pressure cooking requires less liquids than traditional cooking because less evaporation takes place: thus when adding the liquid, it is necessary to consider the amount of water contained within the individual ingredients. The exact dose should be evaluated each time based on the recipe.
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The pressure cooker is equipped with gadgets and devices that render it secure. First and foremost, the pressure cooker is very simple and reliable: minimal maintenance is sufficient to keep it running perfectly, thereby avoiding any faults. In the unlikely event that a problem should cause a fault, the safety valve will take over. Even the fear that a pressure cooker can open whilst the pressure inside is still high is unfounded. If the rubber seal around the lid should become worn without you becoming aware of it, the steam would not be retained within the pan and the pressure would not be able to rise.
In any case it is advisable to manage pressure cookers with care, carry out maintenance at all times and never put it away with its lid closed to avoid the formation of unpleasant odours. The dirt build-up around the pressure valve on the lid should be cleaned off by unscrewing the valve, whilst the safety valve does not require any particular attention: it is sufficient to ensure on washing it that the rubber lid can be expelled freely. Finally, avoid washing the rubber seal on the lid too vigorously or using corrosive detergents that might dry and crumble it.
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