The Complete Book of Pressure Cooking. L.D. Michaels
INSTANT SOUPS
3–4 minutes
1lt (1¾pts) chicken stock (or use good-quality stock cubes)
cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
handful of rice or broken noodles
scraps of vegetable tops, such as outer cabbage leaves, Brussels sprouts tops, cauliflower, celery, but not too many different ones
salt and pepper
chopped parsley, to taste (optional)
1 Bring stock gently to boil in base of cooker (without trivet).
2 Throw in all remaining ingredients except seasoning and parsley and let liquid boil again.
3 Close lid, let steam build up and escape steadily through vent. Pressurize, reduce temperature so that cooker is just ticking over and cook for 3–4 minutes.
4 Depressurize by cooling carefully under cold running water. Open lid. Add salt and pepper and perhaps parsley to taste. Strain if you wish before serving.
Slightly-less-instant-but-better Clear Chicken Soup
4 minutes
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1lt (1¾pts) chicken stock (or use good-quality stock cubes)
handful of rice or broken noodles
scraps of vegetable tops, such as outer cabbage leaves, Brussels sprouts tops, cauliflower, celery, but not too many different ones
cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
salt and pepper
chopped parsley, to taste (optional)
1 Heat oil in base of cooker (without trivet) and let onion and carrot “sweat” for a bit. The onion should become clear, not brown. Remove from heat. Drain any excess oil that has not been absorbed.
2 Carefully pour stock over onion and carrot and bring to boil. Add rice or noodles and vegetable tops. Return to boil. Close lid. Bring to steam-escape point. Bring to pressure. Reduce heat to make cooker tick over and cook for 2 minutes.
3 Remove from heat. Cool to depressurize. Open lid. Add chicken pieces and close lid. Bring up to pressure again and pressure cook for 2 more minutes.
4 Depressurize as before. Open lid and add salt and pepper, and parsley if desired. Serve.
The first recipe gives quite acceptable results, but the extra trouble taken with the second makes a marked difference. Frying the onion and carrot first gives a much stronger base to the broth, and by delaying the addition of the cooked chicken pieces you ensure that, while they become thoroughly warmed up (all that is called for), there is no chance that they become overcooked or the slightest bit mushy or stringy.
5 minutes
3 streaky bacon rashers
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 turnip, finely diced
1 tablespoon flour
1lt (1¾pts) brown stock (or use good-quality stock cubes)
2 celery sticks, chopped
peeled tomatoes (or canned tomatoes or diluted tomato purée)
1 bay leaf and/or bouquet garni
salt and pepper
1 Cut bacon into very small pieces and cook gently in cooker base until all the fat has run out. Add onion, carrot and turnip, and fry until golden brown. It doesn’t matter if the bacon starts looking very crisp. Keep pieces moving on base to prevent sticking. Add flour and cook, stirring, until browned, but do not burn.
2 Add stock carefully, and then remaining ingredients. Don’t put in too many distinctive vegetable scraps. Heat until boiling. Skim lightly with a spoon if necessary to remove any scum on the surface. Cover and pressure cook for 5 minutes. Depressurize, preferably by allowing the cooker to cool itself. Remove bay leaf/bouquet garni. Correct seasoning and serve.
5 minutes
3 streaky bacon rashers
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 turnip, finely diced
1 tablespoon flour
2 medium potatoes, unpeeled and roughly chopped
1lt (1¾pts) brown stock (or use good-quality stock cubes)
2 celery sticks, chopped
peeled tomatoes (or canned tomatoes or diluted tomato purée)
1 bay leaf and/or bouquet garni
salt and pepper
Proceed exactly as for Clear Brown Vegetable Soup, except that, before adding stock, place vegetable mixture in blender, turn it on and drop in potatoes. The whole effect will look like a dirty snow storm. When you add the stock and proceed as before, the potato will cook almost instantly and become a very effective thickener.
21–22 minutes
1 large onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 leeks, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
bacon bone scraps (from any butcher who cuts his own bacon)
125g (4 oz) dried lentils, rinsed, soaked in cold water for 1 hour and drained
1lt water (1¾pts) water, or use vegetable water
bouquet garni
15g (½oz) butter
1 tablespoon flour
140ml (¼pt) milk