I am another pressure cooker devotee. I have two: one is a Wearever (8 qt)
that my mother bought for me in the 80s. It's the old "jiggle top" type.
The other is a digital electric one that I bought from qvc. In addition to
being able to PC at either low or high pressure, it also has a slow cooker
function which allowed me to pitch my old slow cooker - I like the
functionality of being able to do both in one vessel. It has a timer with a
delay function. It has a vent that allows quick release of pressure. It's
probably only about 5 quarts which is the down-side. When I PC, I tend to
do so in large quantities. I tend to use either one or the other or BOTH at
least once a week this time of year, rarely in the spring, and NEVER in
summer (Christine knows what our weather is like here!) I wouldn't be
without a pressure cooker.

HTH, Christine!

TammyM

On Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:16:49 -0800, "TammyM" >
wrote:

>I am another pressure cooker devotee. I have two: one is a Wearever (8 qt)
>that my mother bought for me in the 80s. It's the old "jiggle top" type.
>The other is a digital electric one that I bought from qvc. In addition to
>being able to PC at either low or high pressure, it also has a slow cooker
>function which allowed me to pitch my old slow cooker - I like the
>functionality of being able to do both in one vessel. It has a timer with a
>delay function. It has a vent that allows quick release of pressure. It's
>probably only about 5 quarts which is the down-side. When I PC, I tend to
>do so in large quantities. I tend to use either one or the other or BOTH at
>least once a week this time of year, rarely in the spring, and NEVER in
>summer (Christine knows what our weather is like here!) I wouldn't be
>without a pressure cooker.
>
>HTH, Christine!
>
>TammyM
>
Yes it does, Tammy.

Do you find it cuts down significantly on cooking times?

What do you tend to use the PCs for?

Christine

TammyM > wrote:

> NEVER in summer (Christine knows what our weather is like here!)

Why?! What if you need a bit of meat or chicken stock or broth for
something like a tomato bouillon or consommé (such as the classical
consommé à la madrilène or à la portugaise) to be served *cold*? Do you
keep gallons of the stuff in an industrial-sized freezer in a building
of its own? Making chicken stock in a pressure cooker takes about 30
minutes and does not heat up your kitchen much at all. Pressure cookers
are particularly valuable in hot weather. Silly girl!

Az

"Victor Sack" > wrote in message
...
> TammyM > wrote:
>
>> NEVER in summer (Christine knows what our weather is like here!)
>
> Why?! What if you need a bit of meat or chicken stock or broth for
> something like a tomato bouillon or consommé (such as the classical
> consommé à la madrilène or à la portugaise) to be served *cold*? Do you
> keep gallons of the stuff in an industrial-sized freezer in a building
> of its own? Making chicken stock in a pressure cooker takes about 30
> minutes and does not heat up your kitchen much at all. Pressure cookers
> are particularly valuable in hot weather. Silly girl!
>
> Az

Come to Sacramento in August, Wictor, and I'll show you why. Spitzbubba.
I don't make consommé a la whomever. I occasionally make gazpacho but don't
need no chicken stock for that. I do have a stand-alone freezer in which I
freeze my stock, amongst other things.

But thank you for calling me a girl, even if preceded by "silly"!

TammyM, decidedly old girl

"Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:16:49 -0800, "TammyM" >
> wrote:
>
>>I am another pressure cooker devotee. I have two: one is a Wearever (8
>>qt)
>>that my mother bought for me in the 80s. It's the old "jiggle top" type.
>>The other is a digital electric one that I bought from qvc. In addition
>>to
>>being able to PC at either low or high pressure, it also has a slow cooker
>>function which allowed me to pitch my old slow cooker - I like the
>>functionality of being able to do both in one vessel. It has a timer with
>>a
>>delay function. It has a vent that allows quick release of pressure.
>>It's
>>probably only about 5 quarts which is the down-side. When I PC, I tend to
>>do so in large quantities. I tend to use either one or the other or BOTH
>>at
>>least once a week this time of year, rarely in the spring, and NEVER in
>>summer (Christine knows what our weather is like here!) I wouldn't be
>>without a pressure cooker.
>>
>>HTH, Christine!
>>
>>TammyM
>>
> Yes it does, Tammy.
>
> Do you find it cuts down significantly on cooking times?

Absolutely.


> What do you tend to use the PCs for?

I cook a lot of beans for soup. Pork butt for carnitas. Short ribs.
Artichokes. Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!). Spareribs with sauerkraut. All
kinds of things. I do some cooking for my mom and she says that pressure
cooker was her best investment :-) Get a good general cookbook. A lot of
people rave about the Lorna Sass books. I'm not nuts about them. And I've
been using a PC for long enough that I really don't need a dedicated
cookbook, although I'll sometimes refer to a web source for cooking times.

TammyM

On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:15:55 -0800, TammyM wrote in post :
> :

> Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!).

?? !!! How does that work?

--
Tim C.

"Tim C."
TammyM wrote in post :
> >
>> Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!).
>
> ?? !!! How does that work?
>
> --
> Tim C.

I wonder too. Risotto is a pleasure for me to make, but many really don't
like to bother with it.

On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:34:54 +0100, Giusi wrote in post :
> :

> "Tim C."
> TammyM wrote in post :
>>>
>>> Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!).
>>
>> ?? !!! How does that work?
>>
>> --
>> Tim C.
>
> I wonder too. Risotto is a pleasure for me to make, but many really don't
> like to bother with it.

Me too I enjoy making it and it doesn't really take very long anyway. Sort
of like mowing the lawn, you can relax and let your thoughts wander...

--
Tim C.

"Giusi" > wrote in message
...
> "Tim C."
> TammyM wrote in post :
>> >
>>> Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!).
>>
>> ?? !!! How does that work?
>>
>> --
>> Tim C.
>
> I wonder too. Risotto is a pleasure for me to make, but many really don't
> like to bother with it.

I just had a glance around to see if I could find the recipe that I use. I
can't, at the moment. When I locate it, I'll post. In the meantime, this
recipe is very similar. In mine, I use some dried porcinis soaked in some
of the hot broth, and I use a blend of fresh mushrooms. I'm certain I use
much more than 2 tablespoons of shallots! I'll look for my recipe and post
it with a ping to Tim C. and Giusi when I find it.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

8 oz. fresh mushrooms
2 cups arborio
4 cups broth
1/4 cup dry vermouth
2 tablespoons shallots
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt/pepper to taste

Directions: Coarsely chop mushrooms and shallots; set aside. In a 6 quart
pressure cooker, simmer shallots in hot olive oil for three minutes,
stirring often. Do not brown. Add mushrooms and Arborio and stir constantly
for additional minute. Add broth and vermouth; stir. Close lid and bring up
to high pressure. Once pressure has been attained, low heat and pressure
cook for 7 minutes. Release pressure using automatic pressure release or
cold-water release, according to manufacturer's directions. Thoroughly stir,
adding in grated Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper, if desired.

On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:51:32 -0800, TammyM wrote in post :
> :

> "Giusi" > wrote in message
> ...
>> "Tim C."
>> TammyM wrote in post :
>>> >
>>>> Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!).
>>>
>>> ?? !!! How does that work?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Tim C.
>>
>> I wonder too. Risotto is a pleasure for me to make, but many really don't
>> like to bother with it.
>
> I just had a glance around to see if I could find the recipe that I use. I
> can't, at the moment. When I locate it, I'll post. In the meantime, this
> recipe is very similar. In mine, I use some dried porcinis soaked in some
> of the hot broth, and I use a blend of fresh mushrooms. I'm certain I use
> much more than 2 tablespoons of shallots! I'll look for my recipe and post
> it with a ping to Tim C. and Giusi when I find it.
>
> Wild Mushroom Risotto
>
> 8 oz. fresh mushrooms
> 2 cups arborio
> 4 cups broth
> 1/4 cup dry vermouth
> 2 tablespoons shallots
> 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
> 3 tablespoons olive oil
> Salt/pepper to taste
>
> Directions: Coarsely chop mushrooms and shallots; set aside. In a 6 quart
> pressure cooker, simmer shallots in hot olive oil for three minutes,
> stirring often. Do not brown. Add mushrooms and Arborio and stir constantly
> for additional minute. Add broth and vermouth; stir. Close lid and bring up
> to high pressure. Once pressure has been attained, low heat and pressure
> cook for 7 minutes. Release pressure using automatic pressure release or
> cold-water release, according to manufacturer's directions. Thoroughly stir,
> adding in grated Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper, if desired.

Hmm, interesting. Yes, more shallots I think(I use onions anyway) and I'd
use any white wine rather then vermouth (which I don't drink and never have
any in the house anyway).
Does it produce the creamy consistency like that?

--
Tim C.

"TammyM" <>
> "Giusi" wrote in message
> >> "Tim C."
>> TammyM wrote in post :
>>> >
>>>> Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!).
>>>
>>> ?? !!! How does that work?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Tim C.
>>
>> I wonder too. Risotto is a pleasure for me to make, but many really
>> don't like to bother with it.
>
> I just had a glance around to see if I could find the recipe that I use.
> I can't, at the moment. When I locate it, I'll post. In the meantime,
> this recipe is very similar. In mine, I use some dried porcinis soaked in
> some of the hot broth, and I use a blend of fresh mushrooms. I'm certain
> I use much more than 2 tablespoons of shallots! I'll look for my recipe
> and post it with a ping to Tim C. and Giusi when I find it.
>
> Wild Mushroom Risotto
>
> 8 oz. fresh mushrooms
> 2 cups arborio
> 4 cups broth
> 1/4 cup dry vermouth
> 2 tablespoons shallots
> 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
> 3 tablespoons olive oil
> Salt/pepper to taste
>
> Directions: Coarsely chop mushrooms and shallots; set aside. In a 6 quart
> pressure cooker, simmer shallots in hot olive oil for three minutes,
> stirring often. Do not brown. Add mushrooms and Arborio and stir
> constantly for additional minute. Add broth and vermouth; stir. Close lid
> and bring up to high pressure. Once pressure has been attained, low heat
> and pressure cook for 7 minutes. Release pressure using automatic pressure
> release or cold-water release, according to manufacturer's directions.
> Thoroughly stir, adding in grated Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper, if
> desired.

While it will be tasty, that will probably be flavored rice and diet food
besides! You are invited to mine for risotto in January, and we can gossip
while I stir.

"Tim C." > ha
TammyM wrote in post :
>> "Giusi" wrote in message
>> >>> "Tim C."
>>> TammyM wrote in post :
>>>> >
>>>>> Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!).
>>>>
>>>> ?? !!! How does that work?
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Tim C.
>>>
>>> I wonder too. Risotto is a pleasure for me to make, but many really
>>> don't
>>> like to bother with it.
>>
>> I just had a glance around to see if I could find the recipe that I use.
>> I
>> can't, at the moment. When I locate it, I'll post. In the meantime,
>> this >> recipe is very similar. In mine, I use some dried porcinis
>> soaked in some >> of the hot broth, and I use a blend of fresh mushrooms.
>> I'm certain I use
>> much more than 2 tablespoons of shallots! I'll look for my recipe and
>> post
>> it with a ping to Tim C. and Giusi when I find it.
>>
>> Wild Mushroom Risotto
>>
>> 8 oz. fresh mushrooms
>> 2 cups arborio
>> 4 cups broth
>> 1/4 cup dry vermouth
>> 2 tablespoons shallots
>> 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
>> 3 tablespoons olive oil
>> Salt/pepper to taste
>>
>> Directions: Coarsely chop mushrooms and shallots; set aside. In a 6
>> quart
>> pressure cooker, simmer shallots in hot olive oil for three minutes,
>> stirring often. Do not brown. Add mushrooms and Arborio and stir
>> constantly
>> for additional minute. Add broth and vermouth; stir. Close lid and bring
>> up
>> to high pressure. Once pressure has been attained, low heat and pressure
>> cook for 7 minutes. Release pressure using automatic pressure release or
>> cold-water release, according to manufacturer's directions. Thoroughly
>> stir,
>> adding in grated Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper, if desired.
>
> Hmm, interesting. Yes, more shallots I think(I use onions anyway) and I'd
> use any white wine rather then vermouth (which I don't drink and never
> have
> any in the house anyway).
> Does it produce the creamy consistency like that?
--
> Tim C.

Just from ready reference, a cup of risotto rice weighs 180 g and you would
use 1 liter of broth or thereabouts to cook it in. The above recipe has 360
g of rice and 1 liter broth. The pressure could firce flavor into the
grains and cook it faster, but apparently doesn'pt make it hold more liquid
as usual.

"Giusi" > wrote in message
...
> "TammyM" <>
>> "Giusi" wrote in message
>> >> "Tim C."
>>> TammyM wrote in post :
>>>> >
>>>>> Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!).
>>>>
>>>> ?? !!! How does that work?
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Tim C.
>>>
>>> I wonder too. Risotto is a pleasure for me to make, but many really
>>> don't like to bother with it.
>>
>> I just had a glance around to see if I could find the recipe that I use.
>> I can't, at the moment. When I locate it, I'll post. In the meantime,
>> this recipe is very similar. In mine, I use some dried porcinis soaked
>> in some of the hot broth, and I use a blend of fresh mushrooms. I'm
>> certain I use much more than 2 tablespoons of shallots! I'll look for my
>> recipe and post it with a ping to Tim C. and Giusi when I find it.
>>
>> Wild Mushroom Risotto
>>
>> 8 oz. fresh mushrooms
>> 2 cups arborio
>> 4 cups broth
>> 1/4 cup dry vermouth
>> 2 tablespoons shallots
>> 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
>> 3 tablespoons olive oil
>> Salt/pepper to taste
>>
>> Directions: Coarsely chop mushrooms and shallots; set aside. In a 6
>> quart pressure cooker, simmer shallots in hot olive oil for three
>> minutes, stirring often. Do not brown. Add mushrooms and Arborio and stir
>> constantly for additional minute. Add broth and vermouth; stir. Close lid
>> and bring up to high pressure. Once pressure has been attained, low heat
>> and pressure cook for 7 minutes. Release pressure using automatic
>> pressure release or cold-water release, according to manufacturer's
>> directions. Thoroughly stir, adding in grated Parmesan cheese and salt
>> and pepper, if desired.
>
> While it will be tasty, that will probably be flavored rice and diet food
> besides!
Not at all! Although I'm pretty sure that my recipe includes butter :-)

> You are invited to mine for risotto in January, and we can gossip while I
> stir.

Don't get me wrong, I make risotto the traditional way as well. But I'll
cheerfully take you up on that invitation when I'm in your neck o' the
Italian woods :-)))))

TammyM

"Tim C." > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:34:54 +0100, Giusi wrote in post :
> > :
>
>> "Tim C."
>> TammyM wrote in post :
>>>>
>>>> Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!).
>>>
>>> ?? !!! How does that work?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Tim C.
>>
>> I wonder too. Risotto is a pleasure for me to make, but many really
>> don't
>> like to bother with it.
>
> Me too I enjoy making it and it doesn't really take very long anyway. Sort
> of like mowing the lawn, you can relax and let your thoughts wander...

Honey, you can mow my lawn any time you want. <erm, that sounds kinda
naughty!> I prefer to let my thoughts wander on a looooooong bike ride to
doing so while I'm mowing the back 40!!

TammyM

"Tim C." > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:51:32 -0800, TammyM wrote in post :
> > :
>
>> "Giusi" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> "Tim C."
>>> TammyM wrote in post :
>>>> >
>>>>> Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!).
>>>>
>>>> ?? !!! How does that work?
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Tim C.
>>>
>>> I wonder too. Risotto is a pleasure for me to make, but many really
>>> don't
>>> like to bother with it.
>>
>> I just had a glance around to see if I could find the recipe that I use.
>> I
>> can't, at the moment. When I locate it, I'll post. In the meantime,
>> this
>> recipe is very similar. In mine, I use some dried porcinis soaked in
>> some
>> of the hot broth, and I use a blend of fresh mushrooms. I'm certain I
>> use
>> much more than 2 tablespoons of shallots! I'll look for my recipe and
>> post
>> it with a ping to Tim C. and Giusi when I find it.
>>
>> Wild Mushroom Risotto
<snip recipe>

> Hmm, interesting. Yes, more shallots I think(I use onions anyway) and I'd
> use any white wine rather then vermouth (which I don't drink and never
> have
> any in the house anyway).
> Does it produce the creamy consistency like that?

It produces a beautiful texgture. Like Giusi, there are definitely times
when I want to make it in the traditional fashion, and others when I make it
in the PC. The finished product is lovely, either way.

TammyM

On 2008-11-24, TammyM > wrote:

> I just had a glance around to see if I could find the recipe that I use. I
> can't, at the moment.

Try this. Even I, who doesn't really like risotto, would like to try it:

http://tinyurl.com/56tf6u

nb

TammyM > wrote:

> "Victor Sack" > wrote...
> >
> > Pressure cookers
> > are particularly valuable in hot weather. Silly girl!
>
> Come to Sacramento in August, Wictor, and I'll show you why.

You do not use your kitchen in the summer? You do not have air
conditioning? What are you... some kind of martyr? If so, use the
pressure cooker and you'll get canonised in no time at all.

> Spitzbubba.
> I don't make consommé a la whomever.

And why the hell not? Here are two recipes by Escoffier:

Consommé à la Madrilène
Madrid consommé

Add four oz. of raw tomato and one oz. of pimentos to the consommé per
every quart of the latter. Mix these ingredients with the clarification
and serve as cold as possible.

Consommé à la Portugaise
Portuguese consommé

Add to the consommé for every quart one-third pint of raw tomato purée
and one-sixth pint of tomato juice. Cook with lid on for twenty
minutes, taking care not to let it reach the boil; strain through
muslin, pressing lightly the while, and season moderately with cayenne.
Set to cool and serve very cold.

> I occasionally make gazpacho but don't
> need no chicken stock for that. I do have a stand-alone freezer in which I
> freeze my stock, amongst other things.

One of those things being yourself, I take it...

> But thank you for calling me a girl, even if preceded by "silly"!
>
> TammyM, decidedly old girl

Compared to me, you are just a slip of a girl. I've been 84 for the
past eleven years or so.

Spitzbubba

Giusi > wrote:

> "TammyM" <>
> >
> > Wild Mushroom Risotto
> >
> > In a 6 quart
> > pressure cooker
>
> While it will be tasty, that will probably be flavored rice and diet food
> besides!

Don't listen to the silly girl! That concoction may be anything...
pilaf, rice kasha, rice gruel, rice porridge, just not risotto. Calling
it risotto is beyond scandalous - even Barbabietola's triangular
monstrosities do not come close. Risotto is defined by the rice used,
method of its preparation, and the resulting taste, texture and mouth
feel. Years ago, Trillium posted a "pressure-cooker-risotto" recipe,
saying it was as good as the real thing. When Trillium says something,
one listens. A couple of years ago I unearthed the recipe and made it,
following all the instructions. The result was a nice rice kasha,
needless to say.

Here are some abstracts from _The Risotto Lesson_ by Dorothy Kalins. It
was published in Saveur and republished in _Best Food Writing 2000_, ed.
Holly Hughes.
_____________________________
"Risotto has a reason," she says in that unmistakable voice, paved by a
lifetime of Marlboros and of speaking her mind. Drawing us out of her
tiny Venetian kitchen into a small study, Marcella Hazan, now not just a
legendary cooking teacher and indispensable author, but also a scientist
with two advanced degrees, commands us to inspect three single grains of
carnaroli rice: "Look carefully. Each grain has two starches: The
translucent outside is amylopectin, the inside is amylose. They react
differently to heat and moisture. The inside expands while the outside
dissolves. That's why you must keep stirring risotto."

"Carnaroli," she pronounces, "is the best rice for risotto. Look for
carnaroli marked ai pestelli on the package, which means it was hulled
with a mechanical mortar and pestle. This leaves the rice covered with
a powdery starch. You never wash the rice first because you need that
starch to make it creamy. Carnaroli doesn't go from undercooked to
overcooked in a second; it is starchy - and it has more finesse than
arborio, which caught on in America because it was more available."

Now, though, Marcella is making risotto. "I never wait until the fat is
hot," she says, adding vegetable oil, butter, and chopped onions all at
once to a deep saucepan on her Zanussi four-burner professional gas
range. ("I sold all my copper pots," she remarks later without regret.
"We have only electric in Florida.") "You can add broth - we don't have
stock in Italy - water, anything," she continues (she uses bouillon
cubes herself). "It doesn't matter. What matters is that you do it
right. That television chef, Mario Batali, he makes risotto in a frying
pan!" She rolls her eyes mischievously. "You cannot make risotto in a
frying pan. There's too much floor. It goes too fast. My students are
always asking when to add liquid. When it's dry, I tell them. And no
salt yet. Butter is salty. Broth is salty. Enough. And you cook it
over high heat. The broth is always simmering." It is chastening to
discover I've been making risotto wrong all these years.

"What the risotto needs now," says Marcella in her kitchen, bringing me
back, "is tasting." Then comes the manticare, the "beating in":
Marcella pulls the pot off the fire and adds butter and some grated
parmigiano. "I put all the cheese in the cooking and none at the table.
People put too much cheese. They ruin my dish." She gets cranky with
the seriousness of it all; at once impatient and generous. Very
Marcella.
______________________________

And now for something even better: some abstracts from _Rice: From "Ripe
Lips" to "The Ultimate Act of Love in the Kitchen"_ by Cherry Ripe, also
published in _Best Food Writing 2000_, ed. Holly Hughes. This is a
lesson from Valentina Harris.
______________________________
"Although she learned to make risotto when she was three or four,
standing on a chair in a farmhouse kitchen very like the one at La
Camilla, the way Valentina tells it, making risotto is like a love
affair: you have to make it with passion. A perhaps unintentional
sexual metaphor runs right through her cooking instructions."

"While it is important, like sexual chemistry, that you get the two main
ingredients right - the proper type of rice, and very good boiling stock
- the next step, after sautéing the finely chopped onion in butter, is
the crucial one. You have to wait until the nice grains are crying out,
begging, for liquid."

"This is the most crucial moment of all," says Valentina. "The stock
has to be boiling hot, but it is very that you wait - and wait - until
they are absolutely desperate for you to give them a drink. I want
these grains of rice to be so desperate for liquid that they really let
me know about it when I add it."

"This produces a climactic moment - a big whoosh. "It's called il
sospiro - the sigh of relief. When the first lot of liquid goes in, you
get this wonderful hissing noise and a great column of steam. Then you
know you are in business." From this moment on, the heat is turned
down, and it is a matter of stirring continuously for the next twenty
minutes or so."

"But as everyone who is serious about risotto insists, the rate at which
you add the liquid is also important. "You are having an affair with
your rice grains. You're teasing them and teasing them all the time.
They've got to want more - they've got to be asking for more and then
you add more. That way you keep it concentrated. You are not trying to
evaporate the liquid, you're forcing the rice grains to drink it, so you
don't add any more until it begins to go dry again. When it's nearly
dried out, in goes a bit more liquid. It's constantly got to remind you
of waves lapping on the surface just like the sea, and it's got to make
that sea sound, and be bubbling on the surface, but sticky on the
bottom," says Valentina."

"It's a labour of love - the ultimate act of love in the kitchen -
because you are loving it and loving it, until it comes to this
wonderfully creamy consistency, but [the grains are] bitey in the
middle, with lots of flavour - a perfectly textured and perfectly
flavoured marvel."

"Marcella Hazan is adamant on the subject. "Risotto is a uniquely
Italian technique for cooking rice. The objective is to cause the rice
to absorb, a little at a time, enough hot broth" - yes, "hot broth" -
"until it swell and forms a cream union of tender yet firm grains." At
any one time, you only add as much liquid as the rice can absorb. "When
the rice dries out, add simmering broth, stirring constantly."

"Like Valentina, Marcella would no doubt be horrified by recipes which
recommend short cuts such as "oven-baked risotto" - considered by
purists to be more of a pilaf - or by the even more weird recommendation
in one Australian cookbook, to first take "a cup of cooked brown rice."
The result shouldn't be dignified with the name. A risotto it isn't.
Savoury rice pudding, maybe."
______________________________________

Pressure-cooked "risotto"... FEH!

Tammy and Trillium ought to be ashamed of themselves!

Victor

In article >,
(Victor Sack) wrote:

> Giusi > wrote:

> > While it will be tasty, that will probably be flavored rice and diet food
> > besides!
>
> Don't listen to the silly girl! That concoction may be anything...
> pilaf, rice kasha, rice gruel, rice porridge, just not risotto. Calling
> it risotto is beyond scandalous - even Barbabietola's triangular
> monstrosities do not come close.
> Victor

Hey, get over here!! NOW! You need a beating! With a bag of frozen
pirohy, you little brat!

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller - chicken cacciatore-like

On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:19:21 -0800, TammyM wrote in post :
> :

> Honey, you can mow my lawn any time you want. <erm, that sounds kinda
> naughty!>

Yes it does a bit :-)

--
Tim C.

On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:21:01 -0800, TammyM wrote in post :
> :

> "Tim C." > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:51:32 -0800, TammyM wrote in post :
>> > :
>>
>>> "Giusi" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> "Tim C."
>>>> TammyM wrote in post :
>>>>> >
>>>>>> Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!).
>>>>>
>>>>> ?? !!! How does that work?
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Tim C.
>>>>
>>>> I wonder too. Risotto is a pleasure for me to make, but many really
>>>> don't
>>>> like to bother with it.
>>>
>>> I just had a glance around to see if I could find the recipe that I use.
>>> I
>>> can't, at the moment. When I locate it, I'll post. In the meantime,
>>> this
>>> recipe is very similar. In mine, I use some dried porcinis soaked in
>>> some
>>> of the hot broth, and I use a blend of fresh mushrooms. I'm certain I
>>> use
>>> much more than 2 tablespoons of shallots! I'll look for my recipe and
>>> post
>>> it with a ping to Tim C. and Giusi when I find it.
>>>
>>> Wild Mushroom Risotto
> <snip recipe>
>
>> Hmm, interesting. Yes, more shallots I think(I use onions anyway) and I'd
>> use any white wine rather then vermouth (which I don't drink and never
>> have
>> any in the house anyway).
>> Does it produce the creamy consistency like that?
>
> It produces a beautiful texgture. Like Giusi, there are definitely times
> when I want to make it in the traditional fashion, and others when I make it
> in the PC. The finished product is lovely, either way.
>
> TammyM

I'll give it a try. The kids love risotto so I make it quite a lot.
Sometimes we need something quick.

--
Tim C.

"Victor Sack" > wrote in message
...
> TammyM > wrote:
>
>> "Victor Sack" > wrote...
>> >
>> > Pressure cookers
>> > are particularly valuable in hot weather. Silly girl!
>>
>> Come to Sacramento in August, Wictor, and I'll show you why.
>
> You do not use your kitchen in the summer? You do not have air
> conditioning? What are you... some kind of martyr? If so, use the
> pressure cooker and you'll get canonised in no time at all.

You are such an old TURD, Wictor! Yes, I have air conditioning. Yes, I am
a martyr (look it up in the OED, my pic is right next to the word). And no,
for the record, I don't do a lot of cooking in the summer. I eat a lot of
salads. Now that I know Bob and Lin, I plan on spending lots of time at
their house in summer, letting Bob do all the cooking. In the closed-off
kitchen. Whilst Lin and I suck down margaritas in the air conditioned
lounge.

>> Spitzbubba.
>> I don't make consommé a la whomever.
>
> And why the hell not? Here are two recipes by Escoffier:

Because I don't. Get your ass here and make it for me if it's that Alex-all
important to you, Spitzbubba.

<snip>> I occasionally make gazpacho but don't
>> need no chicken stock for that. I do have a stand-alone freezer in which
>> I
>> freeze my stock, amongst other things.
>
> One of those things being yourself, I take it...

You got that right, Buster. Right next to the foul-mouthed parrot, the
chicken and all three of my dogs.

>> But thank you for calling me a girl, even if preceded by "silly"!
>>
>> TammyM, decidedly old girl
>
> Compared to me, you are just a slip of a girl. I've been 84 for the
> past eleven years or so.

Yeah. Yer older than dirt. And I am a mere slip of a "girl", and if I
continue to lose weight, I'll even be slippier....

TammyM

Would you kindly post your recipe for short ribs? Thank you!

Paul
"TammyM" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:16:49 -0800, "TammyM" >
>> wrote:
>>
>>>I am another pressure cooker devotee. I have two: one is a Wearever (8
>>>qt)
>>>that my mother bought for me in the 80s. It's the old "jiggle top" type.
>>>The other is a digital electric one that I bought from qvc. In addition
>>>to
>>>being able to PC at either low or high pressure, it also has a slow
>>>cooker
>>>function which allowed me to pitch my old slow cooker - I like the
>>>functionality of being able to do both in one vessel. It has a timer
>>>with a
>>>delay function. It has a vent that allows quick release of pressure.
>>>It's
>>>probably only about 5 quarts which is the down-side. When I PC, I tend
>>>to
>>>do so in large quantities. I tend to use either one or the other or BOTH
>>>at
>>>least once a week this time of year, rarely in the spring, and NEVER in
>>>summer (Christine knows what our weather is like here!) I wouldn't be
>>>without a pressure cooker.
>>>
>>>HTH, Christine!
>>>
>>>TammyM
>>>
>> Yes it does, Tammy.
>>
>> Do you find it cuts down significantly on cooking times?
>
> Absolutely.
>
>
>> What do you tend to use the PCs for?
>
> I cook a lot of beans for soup. Pork butt for carnitas. Short ribs.
> Artichokes. Risotto (YES, RISOTTO!!). Spareribs with sauerkraut. All
> kinds of things. I do some cooking for my mom and she says that pressure
> cooker was her best investment :-) Get a good general cookbook. A lot of
> people rave about the Lorna Sass books. I'm not nuts about them. And
> I've been using a PC for long enough that I really don't need a dedicated
> cookbook, although I'll sometimes refer to a web source for cooking times.
>
> TammyM
>

"Victor Sack" > wrote in message
. ..
> Giusi > wrote:
>
>> "TammyM" <>
>> >
>> > Wild Mushroom Risotto
>> >
>> > In a 6 quart
>> > pressure cooker
>>
>> While it will be tasty, that will probably be flavored rice and diet food
>> besides!
>
> Don't listen to the silly girl! That concoction may be anything...
> pilaf, rice kasha, rice gruel, rice porridge, just not risotto. Calling
> it risotto is beyond scandalous - even Barbabietola's triangular
> monstrosities do not come close. Risotto is defined by the rice used,
> method of its preparation, and the resulting taste, texture and mouth
> feel. Years ago, Trillium posted a "pressure-cooker-risotto" recipe,
> saying it was as good as the real thing. When Trillium says something,
> one listens. A couple of years ago I unearthed the recipe and made it,
> following all the instructions. The result was a nice rice kasha,
> needless to say.

<snippage of typical Wictor verbosity/bloat/verbal diarrhea>

> "It's a labour of love - the ultimate act of love in the kitchen -
<snip>

Wictor, dumpling (erm .... damph knoedel), if you think that risotto is the
ultimate act of love in the kitchen ... you need to take a walk on the wild
side, my 84-year old bruthuh....

<more bloat snip>
> Pressure-cooked "risotto"... FEH!
>
> Tammy and Trillium ought to be ashamed of themselves!

The last time I was ashamed of myself was ... NEVER! But I love having my
name in the same sentence as Trillium. Now SHE was a BROAD!!!

TammyM, shameless risotto hussy (Evergene used to call me a bagna cauda
slut)

TammyM > wrote:

> "Victor Sack" > wrote in message...
> >
> > Don't listen to the silly girl! That concoction may be anything...
> > pilaf, rice kasha, rice gruel, rice porridge, just not risotto.
>
> <snippage of typical Wictor verbosity/bloat/verbal diarrhea>

"Verbosity," she says. "Bloat," she says. "Verbal diarrhea," she says.
All the time meaning the priceless utterings of Marcella Hazan and
Valentina Harris! She must be the silliest girl in the whole wide
world!

> > "It's a labour of love - the ultimate act of love in the kitchen -
> <snip>
>
> Wictor, dumpling (erm .... damph knoedel), if you think that risotto is the
> ultimate act of love in the kitchen ... you need to take a walk on the wild
> side,

Wild side? What do you know of the wild side, innocent little silly
girl that you are? You need an aid of a pressure cooker to make what is
not even a risotto! You surely use a stick blender to make aïoli.

> my 84-year old bruthuh....

Bruthuh? I'm Harry's grandmuthuh!

> <more bloat snip>
> > Pressure-cooked "risotto"... FEH!
> >
> > Tammy and Trillium ought to be ashamed of themselves!
>
> The last time I was ashamed of myself was ... NEVER!

Figures! And you talk of the wild side!

> But I love having my
> name in the same sentence as Trillium. Now SHE was a BROAD!!!

What do you mean "was"?! Did you kill her?!

> TammyM, shameless risotto hussy (Evergene used to call me a bagna cauda
> slut)

Just shameless, with no good reason at all!

Spitzbubba, AKA Az

Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> (Victor Sack) wrote:
> >
> > Don't listen to the silly girl! That concoction may be anything...
> > pilaf, rice kasha, rice gruel, rice porridge, just not risotto. Calling
> > it risotto is beyond scandalous - even Barbabietola's triangular
> > monstrosities do not come close.
>
> Hey, get over here!! NOW! You need a beating! With a bag of frozen
> pirohy, you little brat!

Dream on, Barbabietola! You do not have a bag of frozen pirohy! You do
not even have a single piroh! You do not even know what they look like.
You are helpless and your quest is hopeless.

The only way you can hope to get something similar is to drive to St.
Paul and get some frozen pierogi or pelmeni he
<http://www.citypages.com/locations/kiev-foods-154963/>.

Little brat

TammyM > wrote:

> And I am a mere slip of a "girl", and if I
> continue to lose weight, I'll even be slippier....

What weight? According to you, you never come close to your kitchen at
all. Is there actually a kitchen, or is there just a burner for the
pressure cooker? How'd you get that "weight"? From that lot of salads?

Spitzbubba

In article >,
(Victor Sack) wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' > wrote:
>
> > (Victor Sack) wrote:
> > >
> > > Don't listen to the silly girl! That concoction may be anything...
> > > pilaf, rice kasha, rice gruel, rice porridge, just not risotto. Calling
> > > it risotto is beyond scandalous - even Barbabietola's triangular
> > > monstrosities do not come close.
> >
> > Hey, get over here!! NOW! You need a beating! With a bag of frozen
> > pirohy, you little brat!
>
> Dream on, Barbabietola! You do not have a bag of frozen pirohy! You do
> not even have a single piroh! You do not even know what they look like.
> You are helpless and your quest is hopeless.

And your eyes are brown for a good reason. :-P
>
> The only way you can hope to get something similar is to drive to St.
> Paul and get some frozen pierogi or pelmeni he
> <http://www.citypages.com/locations/kiev-foods-154963/>.
>
> Little brat

Lissenup, Smartypants! THAT is the bag I plan to whomp you with! I
have them. I figured I should try them to placate your sensibilities.
I think they've been in my freezer for a year or so.

What should I do with them? Keep it simple. I don't cook much.

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller - chicken cacciatore-like

Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> Lissenup, Smartypants! THAT is the bag I plan to whomp you with! I
> have them. I figured I should try them to placate your sensibilities.
> I think they've been in my freezer for a year or so.
>
> What should I do with them? Keep it simple. I don't cook much.

Where is THAT bag? Who or what are "them"? You do not mean some of
those pre-cooked uszki of yours, now do you? They are so extremely and
unnaturally flat that they weigh hardly anything at all - not something
worth whomping anyone with.

As to what to do with 'em... if, for some strange reason, you do not
want to dispose of them at the nearest hazardous-waste site, serve them
in a nice hot broth or clear soup - that is how uszki are supposed to be
served most of the time.

Smartypants

"Victor Sack" > wrote in message
.. .
> TammyM > wrote:
>
>> And I am a mere slip of a "girl", and if I
>> continue to lose weight, I'll even be slippier....
>
> What weight? According to you, you never come close to your kitchen at
> all. Is there actually a kitchen, or is there just a burner for the
> pressure cooker? How'd you get that "weight"? From that lot of salads?
>
> Spitzbubba

You have a short attention span, don't you Spitz? I said I don't do much
cooking in *summer*, at least not in the house. I do use my outdoor grill.
I have 4 burners on my O'Keefe and Merritt cooktop stove (such as they are).

You really are a Spitz.

TammyM

Victor Sack wrote:
> Melba's Jammin' > wrote:
>
>> Lissenup, Smartypants! THAT is the bag I plan to whomp you with! I
>> have them. I figured I should try them to placate your sensibilities.
>> I think they've been in my freezer for a year or so.
>>
>> What should I do with them? Keep it simple. I don't cook much.
>
> Where is THAT bag? Who or what are "them"? You do not mean some of
> those pre-cooked uszki of yours, now do you? They are so extremely and
> unnaturally flat that they weigh hardly anything at all - not something
> worth whomping anyone with.
>
> As to what to do with 'em... if, for some strange reason, you do not
> want to dispose of them at the nearest hazardous-waste site, serve them
> in a nice hot broth or clear soup - that is how uszki are supposed to be
> served most of the time.
>
> Smartypants


Soon will come the Cuban Sandwich, yes?

In article >,
Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> > Dream on, Barbabietola! You do not have a bag of frozen pirohy! You do
> > not even have a single piroh! You do not even know what they look like.
> > You are helpless and your quest is hopeless.
>
> And your eyes are brown for a good reason. :-P

Classic line. I have to remember that one. <g>
--
Peace! Om

"All People and things are interdependent. The world has become so small that no nation can solve its problems alone, in isolation from others. That is why I believe we must all cultivate a sense of responsibility based on love and compassion for each other." -- Dalai Lama

TammyM > wrote:

> You have a short attention span, don't you Spitz? I said I don't do much
> cooking in *summer*, at least not in the house. I do use my outdoor grill.
> I have 4 burners on my O'Keefe and Merritt cooktop stove (such as they are).
>
> You really are a Spitz.

You are a truly strange Zeitgenossin! In *summer*, in that Californian
desert of yours, with the temperatures exceeding those of a hot oven,
you actually prefer to cook outside instead of in the kitchen of your
air-conditioned house?! You know there is professional help available,
don't you? Silly girl!

Spitz

Melba's Jammin' > wrote:

> (Victor Sack) wrote:
> >
> > The only way you can hope to get something similar is to drive to St.
> > Paul and get some frozen pierogi or pelmeni he
> > <http://www.citypages.com/locations/kiev-foods-154963/>.
>
> Lissenup, Smartypants! THAT is the bag I plan to whomp you with! I
> have them. I figured I should try them to placate your sensibilities.
> I think they've been in my freezer for a year or so.
>
> What should I do with them? Keep it simple. I don't cook much.

You mean you have a bag of real pelmeni or pierogi from Kiev Foods, St.
Paul? Are they meat-filled? If so, boil them in either water or
flavourful broth (some are better cooked in broth, some in water) for
the time indicated on the package. Meanwhile, make some garlic paste
with a garlic press (you need paste, not little pieces) and mix it with
sour cream or crème fraîche, seasoning the mixture with salt and pepper,
and maybe cayenne, to taste. Remove the boiled pelmeni/pierogi with a
slotted spoon and serve them, with the sour cream/garlic mixture on the
side. Drink pepper vodka. That is what I had yesterday.

Bubba

Margaret Suran > wrote:

> Soon will come the Cuban Sandwich, yes?

Stacy is nigh?

Bubba

Victor Sack wrote:
> Margaret Suran > wrote:
>
>> Soon will come the Cuban Sandwich, yes?
>
> Stacy is nigh?
>
> Bubba


No, not Stacy, but Insanity is here! Or Geriatric Dementia. Lieber
Gott, my dearest Friend Bubba's age (84) is finally showing. (

Margaret Suran > wrote:

> Victor Sack wrote:
> > Margaret Suran > wrote:
> >
> >> Soon will come the Cuban Sandwich, yes?
> >
> > Stacy is nigh?
>
> No, not Stacy, but Insanity is here! Or Geriatric Dementia. Lieber
> Gott, my dearest Friend Bubba's age (84) is finally showing. (

You are afraid of the Big Bad Barb?

Bubba

Victor Sack wrote:
> Margaret Suran > wrote:
>
>> Victor Sack wrote:
>>> Margaret Suran > wrote:
>>>
>>>> Soon will come the Cuban Sandwich, yes?
>>> Stacy is nigh?
>> No, not Stacy, but Insanity is here! Or Geriatric Dementia. Lieber
>> Gott, my dearest Friend Bubba's age (84) is finally showing. (
>
> You are afraid of the Big Bad Barb?
>
> Bubba

YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!

On Thu, 27 Nov 2008 17:05:40 -0500, Margaret Suran wrote:

> Victor Sack wrote:
>> Margaret Suran > wrote:
>>
>>> Victor Sack wrote:
>>>> Margaret Suran > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Soon will come the Cuban Sandwich, yes?
>>>> Stacy is nigh?
>>> No, not Stacy, but Insanity is here! Or Geriatric Dementia. Lieber
>>> Gott, my dearest Friend Bubba's age (84) is finally showing. (
>>
>> You are afraid of the Big Bad Barb?
>>
>> Bubba
>
> YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!

after all, she might pound you to jelly.

your pal,
blake