I’m writing this so I can stop searching my electronic post-it notes for how to cook vegetables in my Instant Pot.
I’d be very happy if it proved useful to the rest of the online world as well.
I use my slow cooker for making main courses or complete meals once a week or so, all winter long. I’m using the Instant Pot to cook vegetables almost every day…. Yesterday I cooked 2 globe artichokes for the first course, took them out and dropped in white asparagus for the vegetable side dish.
Here is what I’ve been doing, with details. None of the dried legumes are soaked.
Pinto Beans: The recipe is here: Mixed Beans with Onion & Bacon That the basic recipe I use for all beans. The onion (and bacon) is Sautéed, then the rest of the ingredients added. The Pressure cooking time is 47 minutes, natural / slow release.
Black-Eyed Peas: 1 small onion, chopped, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp dry mustard, 1 tbs tomato paste, 3 cups chicken broth, 1 ¼ cup (8oz, 250gr) peas. Onion is Sautéed, then the rest of the ingredients added. The Pressure cooking time is 17 minutes, natural release.
Cranberry Beans: Same as Pinto Beans but Pressure cooking time is 34 minutes, natural release.
Adzuki Beans: Same as Pinto Beans but Pressure cooking time is 24 minutes, natural release.
Chick Peas: These are were very simple – but excellent. Much better than commercial. 1 onion, quartered, 2 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole, 3 bay leaves, 1 cup (7oz, 200gr) chickpeas, 4 cups of chicken broth. Put everything in the Instant Pot and cook, high Pressure, 50 minutes, then natural release for 15 minutes, finished with quick release.
Red Cabbage: The recipe is here – The onion and bacon is Sautéed, then the rest of the ingredients added. The Pressure cooking time is 5 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
Artichokes: This is for large, globe artichokes, 4 – 5 inches (10 – 12cm) in diameter. High Pressure for 20 minutes, then quick release. This gets them very done – the lower leaves may fall off. I allow them to cool slightly or completely before serving.
White Asparagus: All white asparagus needs to be peeled. Use a vegetable peeler and peel from just below the tip. Then slice off the stem starting at the base and slicing until the knife cuts easily without strings. You’ll understand when you do it….
Thick asparagus – greater than 1 inch (2.5cm) 4 minutes pressure then quick release. Less than 1 inch (2.5cm) cook for 2 – 3 minutes depending on thickness. In all cases I remove the asparagus and quickly sauté it in a skillet with butter or olive oil to release some of the liquid.
Not that I cook chickpeas anymore after the chickpea soup debacle, but they do look good so…where does the broth go? And I have never in my life seen a whole artichoke. Just not something you find where I live unfortunately. So how does it taste when it’s not canned?
The artichoke taste…. better. We’ve had them in California and I remember getting them occasionally at the big posh supermarket in Mpls. They are very common here although the French normally eat the smaller purple ones.
As to the broth – I didn’t save it, although I could have and should have to use in rice or whatever.. Usually, when I have cooked beans I make a larger quantity and half the beans along with all the broth go into soup.
I love these succinct instructions…now I.just need the instapot !
It’s a very handy toy lol