With a new gadget.....you know how it is.......finding an excuse to drag it out one more time. I wonder how long the love-affair will last till it retires on the shelf, only to gather dust, all but forgotten.
Anyway, my new Pressure Cooker is getting lots of use. Paris has moved into fall weather, the pile of leaves in my back garden are telling me that! The temperature however, is still mild and I have not had a chance to break in the fireplace yet this season.
Comfort food is on the menu and nothing says comfort to me like a big bowl of Beef Stew. OR Girl Scout Stew as my dad called it when we were kids. Stew has ALL the food groups that I liked.......beef, carrots, potatoes and gravy.......yes, gravy was a food group in my family!
In just 20 minutes, my German born pressure cooker had cooked a really tough cut of beef and turned it into a tender, succulent piece of beef.
I gave the beef the squeeze test. This sophisticated culinary technique was taught to me by Chef Serge while I attended cooking school in Chantilly! He would bend down on one knee, ceremoniously open the oven door, grab a hunk of meat out of the bubbling liquid and squeeze it. He did this with a smile on his face, even though you knew he was probably burning his fingers. If he nodded and smiled this meant that I achieved the proper 'cuisson', if he shook his head, this meant I had to cook it a bit longer.
Next on the menu was some Buttermilk Biscuits.......the recipe I used produced a tender biscuit but not a flaky one.
Really, the biscuits turned out good and a lovely dinner was wolfed down.
My love affair continues....I've got some dried flageolet and smoked sausages that need to be cooked! Beans and a pressure cooker are a good marriage! Every marriage needs a good bean!
5 comments:
I love the smell of beef stew cooking or a rich veggie soup like my Mom used to make. My fav was the wonderful milk gravey that accompanied her famous fried chicken. My grandson called it "GG's still gravey" UMMMM goood.
I seem to recall that I grew up with famous fried chicken and still gravy!
love ya' mom!
I'm in the market for a new pressure cooker and our local gourmet equipment shop had several German brands - do you think they're better than SEBs?
I've always been frightened of pressure cookers. My mother had one and it was scary.
Betty....I have a friend with TWO SEB pressure cookers....that should answer your question. I was looking for ease of use while I learn cooking times with this baby. Do you ever look at eopinions.com?? They might shed light.
Barbara.....Yep, I remembered the stories and the noise, but the new generation pressure cookers are so easy to use!
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