Celeb chefs put pressure cooker to the test with three tasty dishes

Every cook has a pressure cooker story deeply entrenched in their memory bank, be it granny's pot that exploded spewing the contents all over the kitchen or their own nerve-racking attempt at putting the old-style stove top pressure pot to use then stuffing it back into the cupboard never to be used again.

When I was invited to a cookery demonstration to watch the new electric Philips All-in-One Cooker in action and enjoy the fruits, the lunch, of the labour afterwards I was in. More importantly, as a pressure cooker cynic I was curious to see the new-style (it can sauté, slow cook and even has a reduce option) operating.

Cooking wizards Jenny Morris, aka The Giggling Gourmet, dentist Dr Harri from  MasterChef SA fame and brand ambassador Chef Zanele van Zyl took an impressive 40 minutes of culinary magic to produce three tasty dishes before our eyes. Beyond the evocative mouth-watering aromas it was the speed and ease of cooking the trio of dishes- all well known for needing a long and slow cook — whipped up in front of us. There was a Mediterranean chicken bredie, lamb shanks served on samp and beans —  wow, beautifully creamy cooked samp in under 30 minutes — and a spicy dal with rice.

It looked a breeze — little mess, no dripping or exploding pressure pots, this attractive and clever electric appliance did it all. Yes, I had to have one in my kitchen.

Here are the celebs recipes to inspire you venture into cooking under pressure, it's no pressure.

MEDITERRANEAN BREDIE

Chef Jenny Morris aka The Giggling Gourmet

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

2 onions, chopped

4  celery sticks, sliced

8 skinless chicken thighs, bone in

10 whole cloves garlic, peeled

A 8cm piece of fresh ginger

2 fresh bay leaves

15ml (1 tbsp) freshly chopped thyme

5ml (1 tsp) dried oregano

Salt and ground white pepper to taste

400g brown mushrooms

250ml (1 cup) chopped peeled tomatoes

180ml (¾ cup) tomato purée

250ml (1 cup) homemade chicken stock

Small bunch washed Italian parsley roughly chopped

Method:

1. Keep the lid open of the Philips All-in-One Cooker and select the sauté cooking function.
2. Heat the olive oil in the pot, add the onions and celery sticks to sauté for 5 minutes and then add a little chicken stock.
3. If it looks like it is sticking, don’t add more oil; there is enough natural fat in the chicken.
4. Add the chicken, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, oregano and thyme with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Sauté while stirring for 5 minutes then add the mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato purée and the rest of the chicken stock and stir. Simmer until the chicken has cooked through.
6. Select the pressure cook function then select poultry before cooking for the default 15 minutes.
7. The All-in-One Cooker automatically switches to keep your dish warm after the cooking process is finished. You can unlock and open the lid.
8. Select the sauce thickening function and set the desired cooking time for your sauce. Adjust seasoning, if necessary, then stir in the parsley and serve with steamed brown rice or steamed bulgar wheat.

DAL CURRY

Udhir Harrinarain aka Dr Harri, MasterChef SA series 4

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Generous splash of sunflower oil

1 large onion, chopped

30ml (2 tbsp) cumin seeds

2-3 stems of curry leaves

3 bay leaves

2 cinnamon sticks

4 cloves

5 cardamom pods

60ml (4 tbsp) fennel seeds

3 birds eye chillies, split

5-6 stems of fresh thyme

15ml (1 tbsp) ginger and garlic paste

25ml (5 tbsp) masala mix

10ml (2 tsp) chilli powder

10ml (2 tsp) turmeric

10ml (2 tsp) ground coriander

2 tomatoes, grated

250ml (1 cup) of lentils, soaked 

500ml (2 cups) split peas, soaked 

250ml (1 cup) chickpeas, soaked overnight

2 tomatoes, grated

250ml (1 cup) chopped fresh coriander

Method:

1. Keep the lid open on the Philips All-in-One Cooker and select the sauté cooking function.  Add olive oil and chopped onion, stir until translucent then add in the whole spices and chillies. Cook until onion is deep golden brown, add thyme, ginger and garlic paste and cook for 1 minute and then add masala mix, chilli powder, turmeric and coriander powder.
2. Sauté together until it blooms in the oil and then add tomatoes and once soft add the soaked and drained lentils, chickpeas and pea dal. Stir and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Season to taste by adding salt, then pour over 1½ litres of water. Select the pressure-cooking function on your All-in-One Cooker, close the lid and cook for 30 minutes. Once the timing is up the cooker automatically switches to a mode where the dish is kept warm after the cooking process is complete. Unlock the cooker and open the lid.
4. Select the reduce function and set the desired time to thicken the sauce then serve with rice.

LAMB SHANKS WITH CREAMY SAMP 

Chef Zanele van Zyl aka Cooking with Zanele

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

60ml (4 tbsp) canola or olive oil

4 lamb shanks

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

30ml (2 tbsp) ground cumin

A handful of fresh rosemary

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

125ml (½cup) red wine

500ml (2 cups) chicken stock

3 carrots,  chopped

Salt and pepper

Samp:

375ml (1½ cups) dried samp and beans, soaked in water overnight

Salt and pepper to taste

15ml (1 tbsp) olive or canola oil

1 onion, chopped

5ml (1 tsp) minced garlic

250ml (1 cup) sliced mushrooms

A knob of butter

250ml (1 cup) cream

Handful of chopped chives

Method:

1. Open the lid of the Philips All-in-One Cooker open, select the sauté cooking function. Heat the olive oil and sauté the lamb shanks and when brown remove from the cooker and allow to rest.
2. Add the onion, garlic and cumin to the pot and sauté. Then add fresh rosemary and canned tomatoes. When the tomatoes are softened add the red wine and chicken stock and return the ostrich to the All-in-One Cooker.
3. Select the pressure cooking function on your All-in-One Cooker, close the lid and cook for 30 minutes. Select the pressure release button which pauses the cooking process and releases the pressure. When completed the lid unlock indicator will illuminate, open the lid and add the carrots. Close the lid and cook for a further 15 minutes under pressure.
4. Select the reduce function and set the  time to reduce the sauce to your desired consistency. Serve with creamy samp.
5. For the samp, rinse the soaked samp under running water 3 times. Add to the All-in-One Cooker and add water to cover. Select the setting for beans, add a generous pinch of salt, close and lock the lid then cook under pressure for 30 minutes.
6. Once the pressure has been released remove the samp from the pot, drain and set aside.
7. Keeping the lid open, select the sauté function then add and preheat the olive oil before adding onion, garlic and mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
8. Return the samp to the pot and season. Stir in the butter and cream. Serve with the shanks sprinkled with chives.