Pressure Cooker Black Bean Soup

 We have been scouring the internet for all sorts of Pressure Cooker recipes.  Here's one that Aaron made.  He found it on dadcooksdinner.com .  His post gives all sorts of hints and tips for cooking with a pressure cooker.  If you are new to using a pressure cooker you should check it out.

Pressure Cooker Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried black beans
• 1/4 cup table salt
• 4 quarts water
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano

For Cooking the beans:

• 5 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• Optional - 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tsp salt 
• pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp parsley 

Directions:

1. Sort, rinse, and brine the black beans: Sort the black beans, removing any stones, clods of dirt, or bad looking beans. Rinse the beans, put them in a large container, cover with 1/4 cup salt and 4 quarts water, and stir to dissolve the salt. Let the beans soak for at least 8 hours, or overnight. 

 2. Saute the aromatics and spices: Heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in the pressure cooker until shimmering. Add the onion and red pepper, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Saute until the onion and peppers soften, about 5 minutes. Make a hole in the middle of the onions and add the garlic, cumin, coriander and oregano; let sit in the pan for 1 minute or until you can smell the garlic cooking, then stir into the onions. Cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes, until the onions show a hint of browning.

 3. Cook the black beans: Drain the black beans, rinse them thoroughly, then add them to the pressure cooker. Add the water, bay leaf, and 1 tbsp olive oil, stir, then scrape the bottom of the pan to make sure none of the onions are sticking. Bring the cooker up to high pressure, then pressure cook the black beans for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the pressure come down naturally, about 15 more minutes.
*Check the beans to make sure they are cooked through and tender. If not, either bring the pressure cooker back to high pressure for another 3 minutes, or simmer for ten minutes, until cooked to your liking. 

4. Finish the soup: Thicken the soup by pureeing 2 cups of the beans. I use a stick blender directly in the pot; moving 2 cups of beans and liquid to a blender also works. Add the lime juice, then taste for seasoning, and add salt pepper and parsley.

Empanda Shells

Empanada shells

• 1 kilo (about 8 cups) flour
• 300 g (about 1 1/3) cups lard
• 1 tsp salt
• warm water

Directions

In a food processor place the flour, soft lard, salt and warm water. Process until dough is soft and smooth. Let stand 1 hour covered.

Cut into 36 pieces. Roll into circles 12 cm in diameter.

Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe Carnitas

Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe Carnitas

• 4 lbs pork roast, leg or shoulder
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 head butter lettuce washed and dried
• 2 carrots, grated
• 2 limes cut into wedges
• Water almost to cover

Spice Mix:

• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp un-sweetened cocoa
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp coriander
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 large onion, finely chopped

Instructions

1.       The day before cooking the meat, make the spice mix by combining all of the ingredients listed, cut the roast into manageable pieces and rub them with the onion and spices  Then wrap the meat back into the butcher’s paper and refrigerate overnight.

2.       Brown the roast on all sides, in pre-heated pressure cooker, the add enough water to almost cover (2-3 cups). Close and lock lid.

3.       Turn the heat up to high and when the cooker reaches pressure, lower the heat to the minimum needed to maintain pressure.  Cook for 45-60 minutes at high pressure.

4.       Open with the Natural release method – move the pressure cooker to a cool burner and wait for the pressure to come down on it’s own (about 10 minutes). For electric pressure cooker disengage the keep warm” mode when the pressure indicator has gone down (20-30 minutes).

5.       Pull out the meat and place on a platter, and then begin pulling the flesh into strips using two forks.  In the meantime reduce the cooking liquid in the cooker to half strain and de-fat using your favorite method.

6.       At this point, you can also refrigerate the cooked, now shredded, pork for several days or continue with the recipe.

7.       In a pre-heated large wide sauté pan add vegetable oil, or lard, and fry the shredded pork until it becomes lightly brown.  For extra spice, drizzle the cooking liquid on the pulled pork before serving.

8.       To make lettuce wraps, simply prepare the lettuce cups with carrots on a serving platter.  Fill with just-fried pork.  Finish with a squirt of lime.

This also works well in tortillas or taco shells.

Pan Frances

This is the bread that Aaron remembers having in Argentina.  I had to translate it, so hopefully it's accurate.

Ingredients

• 3-4 c Flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp dry active yeast
• 1 c water

Directions

Make a crown with the flour and salt. Add the yeast, and then the warm water slowly. Knead until the dough smooth and elastic.
Let the dough rest covered with plastic wrap. Cut into 8 portions, shape into small baquettes. Allow to rise until double the volume. Then bake at 350 º F. Placing a plate with water on the floor of the oven to produce steam.

Pumpkin waffles

We cooked up some pumpkin yesterday, and had about a cup leftover, so I made this for breakfast.  Everyone liked them. Delicious!
Pumpkin Waffles
from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
•  2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
•  1 teaspoon ground ginger
•  1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
•  4 large eggs, separated
•  2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
•  1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
•  3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
•  Vegetable oil for brushing waffle iron or cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250°F and preheat waffle iron. Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices. Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl with buttermilk, pumpkin, and butter until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients just until combined.
2. In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Fold them gently into the waffle batter, until just combined.
3. Brush waffle iron lightly with oil and spoon batter into waffle iron, spreading quickly. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.
4. Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm and crisp. Make more waffles in same manner.

Chocolate Caramel Brownies

I made this for FHE tonight - so delicious and gooey, and wow!!!  I didn't use the pecans because Amy wouldn't like them.

 Chocolate Caramel Brownies  

from Six Sisters

INGREDIENTS:
For the brownies:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used dark chocolate)
• 1½ cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups pecans, coarsely chopped (optional, I didn't use any)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the caramel filling:

• 14 ounces caramel candies, unwrapped
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan well with butter or cooking spray. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and butter. Microwave in intervals of 1 minute at 50% power until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth, stirring in between intervals. Whisk in the sugar, eggs and vanilla until incorporated. Stir in the flour and salt just until combined. Spread about half of the brownie batter in the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from the oven (keep the oven on!) and let the brownies cool for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the chopped pecans (if using) to a medium skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and light golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside. To make the caramel filling, combine the caramels and cream in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir. Repeat the process, keeping a close eye on the mixture as it can burn very easily (make sure you use low heat in the microwave). Continue the microwave process until the caramels and cream are melted and combined. Stir in half of the pecans to the caramel mixture. Immediately spread the caramel mixture over the bottom brownie layer. Scoop the remaining brownie batter in spoonfuls over the caramel layer and spread it evenly across the caramel layer (spooning the batter in piles over the caramel will help to get an even layer of batter over the caramel). Sprinkle the chocolate chips and the remaining pecans on top of the final brownie layer. Bake for 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving. I found the brownies sliced easier once they had been cooled and refrigerated for an hour or two.
Lift the brownies from the pan using the edges of the foil. Remove the foil and cut the brownies into individual squares. Store in an airtight container.

Argentine Potato Salad

When we had Bishop and his family over for dinner I made this Argentine salad.  I didn't have a bag of mixed veggies, so I just used what veggies we had on hand.  And I only had 4 Tbsp of the olives.  It was good, but needed a fair amount of salt and pepper.

• 4 russet potatoes - peeled, boiled, and cubed
• 3 hard cooked eggs, chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) can mixed vegetables
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 5 tablespoons chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
• salt and black pepper to taste
  
  

  Directions

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook peeled potatoes until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and cube.
• Place eggs in a saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, and immediately remove from heat. Cover pan, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water and allow to cool. Peel and chop the eggs, and toss together with the potatoes and vegetables in a large mixing or serving bowl.
• In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground mustard, lemon juice, dill weed, and green olives. Stir to blend. Pour dressing over the potato mixture, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight.
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