June 03, 2007
Pressure Cooking Cereal
I have several sizes of pressure cookers, ranging from 4-22 quarts, but the 4 quart is the one I use almost all the time. I cook for 1 or 2 people and don't do any canning, so the others are just too big in most cases.
One web resource devoted to pressure cooking knowledge has made a big change in the way I use my cooker:
http://missvickie.com/recipes/recipe-pipinfo.html
The site has a wealth of information on pressure cooking. Several years ago I stumbled into it and found myself wondering why the simple idea I found there, using a "pan in a pot" (PNP) method, hadn't occurred to me in all the years I'd been pressure cooking. So obvious once I tried it...and such an improvement!
I use the PNP method to cook a whole grain cereal blend which is one of my favorite breakfast dishes. I usually cook one and a half cups of the cereal blend at a time, which works out to 4 or 5 servings, which can be reheated in the microwave. I add pieces of dried apricots or prunes to the cereal before reheating for a little sweetness, and I usually eat it with soy milk.
raw cereal blend
The cereal is a blend of whole grains and flakes which have been lightly toasted. Every few months I mix up a batch and then pack it into 1.5 cup portions, an amount that is a perfect fit for the 4 quart cooker.
I start by putting the cereal into a stainless steel bowl and adding 3 cups water (1:2) and about a Tablespoon of butter, which helps to keep the cereal from foaming as it cooks.
Foam can cause the pressure vent to clog so it is undesirable. If the vent clogs (and it does occasionally happen) it causes an immediate and obvious change in the sound of the cooker, at which point the cooker needs to be removed from the heat, cooled under cold running water until the pressure is relieved, and the lid removed so the vent can be cleaned out. At that point the cooker can be returned to the stove to rebuild pressure and finish cooking the food. Adding a little fat to grains or beans eliminates foam problems most of the time.
I then put 2-3 inches of water into the pressure cooker and drop in a rack that keeps the bowl of food sitting about a quarter inch off the bottom of the pot.
ready for cooking
Once the cooker reaches pressure, the weight starts rocking as small amounts of steam escape. At that point I reduce the heat to low (2 on my stove) and remove the cooker from the burner for a minute or two to let the burner and the cooker cool down slightly. Then I return the cooker to the burner and cook the cereal for about 25 minutes, which results in a soft but still slightly chewy textured cereal. After 25 minutes I turn off the heat and allow the cooker to air cool until the pressure has equalized, that takes about 45 minutes or so. Then I take the precautionary measure of running cold water over the cooker to make sure that the pressure really is down, then I remove the weight and carefully slide the lid to the open position and remove it.
after cooking
I use several kinds of flakes in my cereal blend (wheat, triticale, oats and barley) and they cook up into a thick paste which gives the cereal texture a "body" which I like. This paste rises to the top during cooking so it needs to be stirred before storing.
finished cereal, just heat, add a little dried fruit and milk...
I have several sizes of pressure cookers, ranging from 4-22 quarts, but the 4 quart is the one I use almost all the time. I cook for 1 or 2 people and don't do any canning, so the others are just too big in most cases.
4 quart pressure cooker
One web resource devoted to pressure cooking knowledge has made a big change in the way I use my cooker:
http://missvickie.com/recipes/recipe-pipinfo.html
The site has a wealth of information on pressure cooking. Several years ago I stumbled into it and found myself wondering why the simple idea I found there, using a "pan in a pot" (PNP) method, hadn't occurred to me in all the years I'd been pressure cooking. So obvious once I tried it...and such an improvement!
I use the PNP method to cook a whole grain cereal blend which is one of my favorite breakfast dishes. I usually cook one and a half cups of the cereal blend at a time, which works out to 4 or 5 servings, which can be reheated in the microwave. I add pieces of dried apricots or prunes to the cereal before reheating for a little sweetness, and I usually eat it with soy milk.
raw cereal blend
The cereal is a blend of whole grains and flakes which have been lightly toasted. Every few months I mix up a batch and then pack it into 1.5 cup portions, an amount that is a perfect fit for the 4 quart cooker.
I start by putting the cereal into a stainless steel bowl and adding 3 cups water (1:2) and about a Tablespoon of butter, which helps to keep the cereal from foaming as it cooks.
Foam can cause the pressure vent to clog so it is undesirable. If the vent clogs (and it does occasionally happen) it causes an immediate and obvious change in the sound of the cooker, at which point the cooker needs to be removed from the heat, cooled under cold running water until the pressure is relieved, and the lid removed so the vent can be cleaned out. At that point the cooker can be returned to the stove to rebuild pressure and finish cooking the food. Adding a little fat to grains or beans eliminates foam problems most of the time.
I then put 2-3 inches of water into the pressure cooker and drop in a rack that keeps the bowl of food sitting about a quarter inch off the bottom of the pot.
ready for cooking
Once the cooker reaches pressure, the weight starts rocking as small amounts of steam escape. At that point I reduce the heat to low (2 on my stove) and remove the cooker from the burner for a minute or two to let the burner and the cooker cool down slightly. Then I return the cooker to the burner and cook the cereal for about 25 minutes, which results in a soft but still slightly chewy textured cereal. After 25 minutes I turn off the heat and allow the cooker to air cool until the pressure has equalized, that takes about 45 minutes or so. Then I take the precautionary measure of running cold water over the cooker to make sure that the pressure really is down, then I remove the weight and carefully slide the lid to the open position and remove it.
after cooking
I use several kinds of flakes in my cereal blend (wheat, triticale, oats and barley) and they cook up into a thick paste which gives the cereal texture a "body" which I like. This paste rises to the top during cooking so it needs to be stirred before storing.
finished cereal, just heat, add a little dried fruit and milk...
Labels: tools
¶ 2:15 PM
