Miss Priss's Profile
Recommended pressure cooker?
I think I simply reduced the Hip Pressure Cooking recommended time by a minute or so. May have consulted another online source as well, but don't remember which one. And even though I didn't think the steam would move the eggs around, I made sure they were spaced widely apart so they wouldn't even be tempted to bang into each other.
Agreed, it's much harder to regulate the pressure when using an electric stove than when using a gas one. I have a gas stove at home and an electric one at my weekend place. I don't find that there's a big difference in the time it takes to heat stuff up (maybe because my gas stove is so ancient and feeble), but it's certainly much harder to adjust for a simmer on the electric stove. I sometimes use the two-burner method (keeping a second burner ready at a lower temperature), and sometimes just hold the pot in the air until the burner cools down a bit. Either way, it's a bit of a nuisance, but I've gotten used to it.
Recommended pressure cooker?
Yes, I knew that going in. I was curious about whether it could be done on high pressure, and didn't care whether or not the shells broke (they didn't).
Recommended pressure cooker?
Reesd, have you tried eBay? I vaguely recall reading, in an old pressure-cooking cookbook, that either Presto or Mirro made lower-pressure weights that could be ordered from the manufacturer.
That being said, why not first try cooking the eggs on high pressure, for a shorter time? I can't guarantee that it'll work for you, but it worked for me.
the secret ingredient for pho
Chocabot, thanks to takadi's revival of this thread, your 4-1/2-year-old post just gave me a very good laugh.
Kitchen Essentials
You may find this article interesting, especially if you've got budgetary constraints:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09mini.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Can a Teflon-lined cast iron pot be salvaged?
It shouldn't be difficult to have the nonstick coating removed (whether by sandblasting or some other abrasive means) without damaging the pot itself, just as is sometimes done with vintage cast-iron pans when they've accumulated more crud or rust than can readily be removed with oven cleaner and elbow grease. But given that this was designed and sold as a coated pan, I wonder whether the exposed cast-iron surface would necessarily be food-safe. My uneducated guess is that it would, especially after seasoning; but I really don't know.
pressure cooker beans vs. stovetop cooked beans
Thanks for the suggestion; sounds lovely. I'll try it soon!
pressure cooker beans vs. stovetop cooked beans
Yes, red lentils cook quicky, get very soft, and don't hold their shape. I don't see much point in pre-soaking or pressure-cooking them. Haven't made yellow lentils at home (yet), but I've done the black ones and liked them a lot.
pressure cooker beans vs. stovetop cooked beans
Unsoaked red lentils only need about 5 minutes at high pressure. Other varieties take longer, but in comparison to regular stovetop cooking (which for me usually requires 30-45 minutes--never as little as 20!), it's still significantly faster. With no pre-soaking, I find that the plain brown ones take 8-10 minutes at high pressure while some of the smaller, denser types can take up to 15. (That being said, there's a chicken and lentil dish in Lorna Sass's first book that calls for 9 minutes at high pressure plus 2 minutes of simmering, and I've used De Puy lentils with no problem.) When cooking lentils together with brown rice, I use whatever timing is good for the rice. I normally quick-release the pressure under cold running water, but if you wanted to let it drop naturally, you could reduce the cooking time by a couple of minutes.
This discussion motivated me to dig up my hand-me-down copy of a 1959 Lebanese cookbook ("Food From the Arab World" by Khayat and Keatinge) which includes many pressure-cooked dishes. Surprisingly, the lentil recipes all call for overnight soaking followed by at least 15 minutes at high pressure. Even considering that they were most likely written for European cookers where "high" pressure would have been around 11 lbs, that amount of time seems excessive for soaked lentils. Lebanon is fairly mountainous, so maybe the recipes came from high-elevation regions where cooking would take longer; or maybe those mid-century Lebanese just liked mushy lentils.
pressure cooker beans vs. stovetop cooked beans
Sueatmo, I agree with everything you said (including your recommendation of Pressure Perfect, in your post below)--except about the lentils. I often use my PC for lentils, especially the firmer varieties such as De Puy and Pardina, and even more especially when cooking them together with brown rice for a quick mujadarra-type dish. Their texture and taste are always great.
Kuhn-Rikon pressure cooker: two different tops -- trying to decide
I've owned a "regular" Duromatic for about 8 years, use it at least once a week, and haven't encountered the problems Sid Post mentions. (However, I'm not trying to steer you away from the WMF cookers; they have a great reputation also.) Every once in a long while, it doesn't come up to pressure, and I have to spend a few seconds tightening the valve screw, after which it works fine. The valve spring itself seems as springy as ever. The only issue I've had with the unit involved the removable (and merely decorative) housing around the valve. It's attached by three small plastic clips, and one of them eventually broke off. I contacted the company, they replaced it free of charge, and the clips on the replacement part are designed slightly differently and look more durable. I've been using it for a few years with no breakage.
I have no experience with the "Top" model; the regular Duromatic's hold-down pressure-release system works well for me, and I don't feel the need for anything fancier or more "automatic." I also prefer the sleek, minimalist appearance of the regular Duromatic to the somewhat clunky look of the "Top" model. But to each his/her/its/their own. Whether you go for the regular Duromatic, the "Top"model, or the WMF Perfect Plus, you'll be getting a great cooker.
All-Clad "Rondo" - Where to find or substitute?
I have the 7.5-quart Sitram Catering rondeau and it's an excellent piece of equipment. Very solidly made, great performance, cleans up easily. Sitram also offers a 7.6-quart rondeau in their Profiserie line. It has a thick aluminum base and is somewhat less expensive, but a really nice pot.
What was the pressure cooker used by Ming Tsai?
I think the T-fal Clipso must have been sold in the US in the past, because they come up on US eBay fairly regularly. If you like that style, don't have to have the absolute latest model, and are not averse to buying on eBay, just keep checking the listings. Not sure if these reach the US standard of 15 lbs pressure or use the common European level of slightly under 12 lbs (80 kpa).
Pressure cookers- which brand and model should I buy?
Just wanted to note that SEB/Tefal makes quite a few different styles of PC, including the traditional "jiggle-top" type with a clamp-on lid that can, in fact, be opened gradually while the pot is under pressure by unscrewing the knob that controls the clamp. In the instruction manual, SEB even touts this as a security feature, I guess because you can rapidly lower the pressure that way if necessary. Cookers of this type have been used successfully all over the world for decades, but they're very different from the modern SEB/Tefal models.
Favorite Pressure Cooker recipes
Herby, I encourage you to check the many pressure cooker threads on the Cookware board. That being said: Among my several (perhaps too many) pressure cookers is the same set that Caroline1 has. I wanted an 8-quart PC for stock, and only bought the set because it was on sale for an excellent price, but it turns out that the 4-quart pot gets quite a lot of use because of its relatively wide, shallow shape. It's great for chicken or turkey parts, pork chops, flattish roasts (brisket, corned beef), chili--anything that involves browning or sauteeing before pressure-cooking. The valve only allows for a single pressure setting (15 lbs psi), but I've never felt the need for a lower-pressure option.
Slow cookers: What do you think
Sedimental, I use my pressure cooker for those exact same things. These two appliances will often get you the same results, just by different means. It's all a matter of which one best suits your schedule and your style. In fact, when I gave away the last of my slow cookers, I kept my two slow-cooker cookbooks, because so many of the recipes are very easy to adapt for pressure cooking.
Favorite Pressure Cooker recipes
Another vote for Lorna Sass. Her most recent book, "Pressure Perfect," is full of good recipes and the timing charts are very handy; but I also like her first one, "Cooking Under Pressure," which is simple and straightforward. Also, her "Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure" is excellent if you like dishes featuring grains or beans. When you're learning to use a pressure cooker, it's very helpful to have a couple of books devoted to the topic. Eventually you'll figure out how to adapt standard recipes to the PC, and even how to improvise (if that's your thing).
Favorite Pressure Cooker recipes
AmyH, I agree. I prefer 15 lbs psi because most American recipes are written with that in mind, and I've never used an electric PC, but I've used European stovetop pressure cookers whose "high" pressure is 11.9 PSI and your husband's calculations are consistent with my trial-and-error results. And despite what many PC cookbooks imply, cooking time can't be predicted with complete accuracy anyway, at least not for stovetop cookers. Many things can affect timing, including the size, shape, and construction of the PC, the temperature of the contents when you lock the lid, the speed at which the particular model loses pressure when removed from heat, etc.
Pondering new Saute Pan
Kaleo, I can't view those eBay items at the moment, but if the Sitram Catering pan you're linking to is the 11" saute, I have one and I love it. Found it for cheap at a flea market after it had apparently endured years of heavy use and poor care. It cleaned up amazingly well and performs beautifully. If I ever need another one, I'll gladly pay retail.
Slow cookers: What do you think
I agree with wyogal: Why not donate? Slow cookers just don't do it for me (see above); but every time I've given up on one and given it away, the person who received it seemed to be able to make good use of it.
Help identifying Sabatier?
BiscuitBoy, you're correct about the brass! I don't know what I was thinking (or typing). Thanks for catching that.
Slow cookers: What do you think
Sadly, I've never been able to adapt my routines to the needs of the slow cooker. Over the years, I've owned at least 5 of them and given away all but one. For one thing, I don't like to plan and assemble meals many hours in advance. For another, I'm out of the house for between 10 and 13 hours on workdays, so the newer slow cookers, paradoxically, cook too fast for me. (Yes, I know all about timers, keep-warm settings, and so forth, but the bottom line is that the food is going to be sitting there for a lot longer than I consider desirable.) But most importantly, there's nothing a slow cooker can do that my stovetop pressure cooker can't do just as well or better, in a fraction of the time, with no pre-planning necessary. I respect those who can make good use of their slow cookers; but I'm simply not cut out to be one of them.
Help identifying Sabatier?
Eiron, the knife in your photos doesn't look like a Nogent-style knife to me. In Nogent knives, the bolster is integral to the blade, and a separate cylindrical collar covers the connection between the blade and the handle. Nogent knives don't have a full tang. The blade ends in a thin rod that runs invisibly into the one-piece handle. See the photo on this website:
http://thebestthings.com/knives/sabatier_nogent.htm
Whatever the history of the name, I believe Nogent (which is a town in France) now denotes the style but not the manufacturer. As for the name "Sabatier," several different manufacturers were (and still are) authorized to use it. Each one had its own way of displaying the name on the handle and/or blade, but I don't know how to further identify them.
Triple-riveted blades are very common in traditionally-styled knives and don't indicate a particular manufacturer. It seems to me that copper rivets are usually seen with carbon steel blades while stainless steel rivets are usually seen with stainless steel blades, but I don't know if that's always the case.
Pressure cookers - electric or stovetop?
I much prefer the stovetop type. In my opinion, they're more versatile than the electric ones: you can brown food in them and they can double as regular pots. Also, they don't take up precious counter space in my very small kitchen; they typically don't have nonstick interiors (most electric ones do); and very little can go wrong with them that can't be easily and inexpensively fixed. Of the three stovetop models you linked to, I'd recommend going with whichever Fagor best fits your budget. The Food Network cooker looks identical to one that I recently saw for sale elsewhere, and the manual indicated that it operated at a high pressure of 11.6 psi, not the US standard of 15 psi. I'm willing to bet that it's a generic cooker marketed under multiple different brand names. The Fagors do operate at 15 psi (though the Duo also has a low pressure setting of, I think, 8 psi). They're also very easy to use. Hope this helps.
ARE 3.5 LITER PRESSURE COOKERS USEFUL?????WORTH THE COST???
Thanks for the report on the 3.5 liter Kuhn-Rikon. I now have a 3.3-liter Magefesa Practika Plus that sort of fell into my lap for free, and have found it to be a very handy size. I use it both as a pressure cooker and as a regular saucepan.
Will a used pressure cooker be reliable?
Thanks for the quick report! Sounds like you're liking pressure cooking already. It won't take long for you to become comfortable with the process, and then it won't seem at all scary. With regard to bringing the contents to a boil before putting on the regulator: I've never used your particular brand/model of cooker, but I haven't found that to be necessary when using other cookers that have removable regulators. (Maybe someone else can explain why it's recommended for your model?) As for the handle opening when you move the pot: Modern cookers should remain tightly sealed until the pressure has almost completely dropped. But if you don't want to touch the upper long handle (which I assume is the one you're concerned about), you can probably lift the pot safely and easily by putting one hand under the lower long handle and gripping the helper handle with the other. Also, if you haven't done it already, check YouTube for videos about this particular type of cooker; you may find something that addresses these issues.
Will a used pressure cooker be reliable?
Congratulations! Please let us know how you like it--and what you make with it.
Will a used pressure cooker be reliable?
When you get your PC, experiment with it. Who knows--maybe you'll find a great technique for making medium-boiled eggs.
Will a used pressure cooker be reliable?
I've never tried any of the Hawkins models myself--they all have lids that fit under the rim of the pot--but they're very popular in India, where tens of thousands, if not millions, of people use them regularly. The Futura was also the favored PC of Graham Kerr (aka the Galloping Gourmet), and I've seen Alton Brown use one on his TV show. So I'm assuming it's not THAT difficult!
Will a used pressure cooker be reliable?
There's a cluster of thrift shops near my office, several of them relatively upscale; but the only PCs I've ever seen in any of them were beat-up, stained, pitted old aluminum ones, usually missing some crucial component. You can get a brand-new, 6-quart stainless-steel Fagor--not the top-of-the-line Futuro, but a perfectly good model nevertheless--for about $60 at Amazon.com. For less than $50, you can get a brand-new 6-quart stainless-steel Presto jiggle-top model with an aluminum disc base, or a brand-new 5-lter Hawkins Futura (not to be confused with the Fagor Futuro) made of thick anodized aluminum. It'll come complete with all its parts, full instructions, and manufacturer's warranty. In my opinion, it's worth it.
