I’m late. Waaaaay late.
Thursday wasn’t as relaxed as I had anticipated being. Please accept my apologies if you came back looking for the carne con papa recipe last week. It’s now here!
I also promised a few recipes for you to cook in a pressure cooker! While cleaning my home yesterday, I started going through that infamous “junk drawer” in the kitchen. Do you have one!?! I’d probably have two or three if I had more space. It’s laden with tealights, matches, ribbon, pills, lotion, old bills, incense, batteries, telephone cords, manuals, and all kinds of unnecessary things. I’m hoping one day I’ll find an uncashed check in some stupid amount! In it, I also came across the original booklet that came with one of my older cookers (I shared pics of my mom’s cookers in the last post). Check it out. Pretty cool, right? It’s full of recipes. I’m giving you two here.
DISCLAIMER: I’ve not tried either one of them, so I can not speak on taste, accuracy or cooking time! Prepare at your own likable risk! 
A total of 3 recipes in one post should hopefully make up for the tardiness. Please do tell me what you think!
Fin De Semana
In other weekend food outings, my friend’s hubby celebrated his b-day on Sat. night and I was asked to cook dinner for about 30. I kept the menu super simple, but very savory. That super good pineapple guac and a spicy spinach dip were my offerings for starters. Formal dinner was my pollo en fricasse which is one of my staples. A smash. The chicken (en breve: tomato sauce, wine, carrots, olives, raisins, spices, etc…) went with rice. I then deviated a bit from my Latin roots and made party meatballs in chili sauce and grape jelly. The meatballs were high quality frozen ones that Monie picked up. The added touch was Sauvignon Blanc. Que rico!!! I’d done these meatballs before, but without the vino. It really kicked it up a noticeable notch. That’s my new secret ingredient: really good vino. I feel a bit bougie when I try to get all Frenchie on them!
Oh wait, and the kicker: I had on some bad ass Max Azria pumps while I was doing all this cooking! Not to mention the dress and C.B. Herrera Swarovski rosary-like gold necklace. I have to stay oh so chic while doing all this! It really impresses people, ladies! (well, all the prep was done in really comfy green sweats and a tank top w/my GAP ballet slippers–ha, ha, ha).
And then I learned a that a group of the party goers do a brunch rotational during Spring/Summer. Reg put my name out there to be the brunch chef. How fun, (chi, ching) right!
Back to Basics, again
Pressure cooking is wonderful. I think I said that before. I’m such an advocate, especially if you’re constantly in a hurry like me but don’t want to sacrifice good food. I’m so glad my mom trusted me enough to teach me how to use one. It’s my best friend in the kitchen, since I don’t allow anyone else in there while I’m cooking (well, except for M when she’s acting as my sous chef). Thanks to everyone who commented on the last pressure cooking post.
Below are two recipes from the Mirro-Matic (1947) book (.25) that came with my cooker. And, yes, that’s it below! Looks like it’s in great condition! I didn’t post the picture of my other pressure cooker, b/c it just wasn’t coming out right. This one here is older and is smaller. I like to use it for smaller portions, obviously.
I better NOT lose this book, otherwise I’ll be paying about $20 for it!
Chosen in random flipping order and copied verbatim:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dried Navy beans or Great Northern beans
- 3 slices bacon or salt pork
- 2 tbsp. chopped onion
- 1/8 tsp. pepper
- 4 tbsp. molasses or syrup
- 3 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. dry mustard
- 2 cups hot water
- 1 tsp. salt
Preparation:
Soak beans over night. Drain. Brown meat in MIRRO-MATIC Pan until golden brown. Add chopped onion and stir. Add beans, salt, pepper, molasses, sugar, mustard and water. Stir. Cover pan. Set MIRRO-MATIC control on vent tube at 15. When control jiggles, reduce heat and cook 30 minutes. Allow pressure to go down normally.
Serves 4 or 5.
Fish Chowder
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. fish (do not bone) haddock, halibut, etc…
- 2 cups water
- 1 sliced onion
- 2 sprigs parsley
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/3 cup salt pork or bacon diced
- 2 cups potatoes, sliced
- 3 cups hot milk
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. flour
Preparation:
Place fish in the pan. Add water, onion, parsley. Cover, set control at 15 and cook 5 minutes after control jiggles (okay, that’s funny!). Then reduce pressure by cooling cooker under faucet. Remove fish and bone carefully. Strain the stock. Add salt, sliced potatoes and pork which has been fried slowly. Cover, set control at 1 and cook for 6 minutes after control jiggles. Let stand for 5 minutes and then finish reducing pressure by running a very small stream of water of the cooker. Add flaked fish and hot milk.
Serves 6 to 8.
**END Mirro-Matic Recipes**
Carne on Papa
Ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs. sirloin, tenderloin, round or button eye steak (I like sirloin or tenderloin, best)
- 1 green pepper, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tsp. vinegar
- 3/4 cup dry cooking wine
- 8 oz. tomato sauce
- 3 tbsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 2 tsp. oregano
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and chunked
- 2 cups carrots, chopped or round sliced (optional)
Preparation:
Cut steak into 3/4″ pieces (or to your personal liking) and place in cooker. Add onion, pepper, garlic, salt, vinegar, cumin, garlic, tomato sauce and oil. Leaving uncovered, turn heat to medium. When mixture begins to lightly boil, add cooking wine and close pressure cooker. Cook for about 20 minutes on high heat. When meat has tenderized, add potatoes and carrots. You may assume meat is tender or you can reduce heat and release all pressure before opening to check it. After adding potatoes and carrots, close and turn heat back to medium. Cook for another 10 minutes. If you ever find your meat to be dry, simply add a bit of cooking wine.
Serve with white rice and what ever salad or green vegetable you like. We also eat with either Cuban or French bread.
Serves 6-8. Enjoy!
***IF YOU TRY ANY ONE OF THESE THREE RECIPES, PLEASE DO COME BACK AND TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT, ESPECIALLY THE MIRRO MATIC ONES WHICH AREN’T MY OWN! I’D LOVE TO KNOW HOW THEY TASTE… I’LL MAKE IT EVENTUALLY!***
I also just noticed I’ve not shared any desserts! My bad! I will give you something to talk about later this week. I’m seemingly bad at keeping timely promises, so I’ll just leave it at sometime “this” week!
Mi nombre es Brenda. My friends call me B. And Bren is my stage and pen-name. I'm a single gal living alone in Atlanta for the time being. I'm a soulful chick. I have a passion for all things food. I'm a singer/musician really, but an incredible cook, I have to say! I was raised in a very traditional Latin home, which meant everything happened(s) in the kitchen, literally! story-telling, crying, partying, fighting...oh yeah and cooking!
March 10th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
I’ve been looking at the Pressure Cookers that were featured in Sur La Table this week - will send you the link (if I don’t forget) but really am intrigued. I just hope I don’t blow up my kitchen
March 10th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Hi Chef Bren!! THANK YOU SO MUCH for the wonderful dinner Saturday night. It was a hit. We ate the left overs last night. Carne Con Papa will be my next try, wish me luck since I’m not a savvy cook but you have INSPIRED ME! Besitos!!
March 10th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
The carne on papa sounds tasty and pretty quick with that pressure cooker.
March 12th, 2008 at 8:09 am
Thanks for the carne con papa recipe. I’ll have to try it. I’ll need to make due without the pressure cooker though - good ole dutch oven para me.
March 12th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
LYS: Hey girl….great, send me the link. And please, don’t blow up your kitchen, on my or anyone else’s account! Call me if you need direction!
Simone: Choochie, you are sooo welcome. We had a blast didn’t we!? I love to see a man eat my food with so much gusto! We’ll do it again, soon.
Kevin: yup! sure is! Add double the time in a regular pot
Donald: I’m sorry it took me so long to get it up. Do you want instructions for a regular pot? Dejame saber
March 14th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Hola Lady Princessa Coma stai ? I hope all is well. Once again another great post. I have used my pressure cooker so much the rubber gaset stretch out and just warped. They are a dime a dozen here in Orlando, Fl ( I wonder Why ?mmmm ? ) ranging anywhere from $ 35.00 to $ 65.00, but well worth the investment. I usually put mine to work when making (los cerdo el pies) pigs feet or ham hocks and beans and or when I am “Pressured For time ” (no pun intened). Anyway just wanted to check in and show you some love on the post sweetie. Take care and keep up the inspirations and teaching, most of all keep the passion…you definitly ” Got It ” !
Buen Provecho
ChefMED Mark
March 26th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Love the retro looking cookbook! And it even has a Good Housekeeping seal, hehe. My mother bought me a pressure cooker quite a few years ago and I hadn’t used it till last week, for corned beef on St. Pat’s Day. What would’ve taken four hours took under one hour. I’m sold! These recipe sound great–I’m going to bookmark them for trying.
Thanks for stopping by my blog!
March 29th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
What?!! You were in your Max Azria pumps this whole time?! You must have feet and a back of steel! You need to totally have you own TV show and cook with you pumps on! And wear a new pair on every episode! You’re my hero not just for being able to be in pumps during this, but I love your style and your flavor B!
I want to be like you! (Diane speaking here).
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