I am a purist for the most part. Fads and trends are happily and easily ignored by me. What occupied many today, and then is dropped by them tomorrow, for another momentary passing indulgence, is often not even a thought that I contemplate.
Cuisinart’s Electric Pressure Cooker had made it into our home to be put to work and tested in our kitchen a few years ago. I was totally unaware of its presence in until recently when I saw Charlie, too often home alone as I travel, turn on the hood and place this sleek gadget on the counter.
Now generally when I return from travel and he hoists out a new gizmo or ingredient he has discovered, it means that I am being put to the test!
“I saw this and thought you might enjoy cooking with it!”
“I was in the market recently and found this; ever heard of it? How do you cook it?”
“Check out this new.....”
You get the idea. I demo’d at a conference or corporation, so now I should do so at home for an equally, and admittedly tougher, audience! This time however, he had his own plans.
On the previous evening we had dined at a local restaurant with his dear friend Mary Beth, a former volunteer from his days at Habitat for Humanity, and now too a new and charming friend of mine. He had ordered a chicken dish that made us, and the family at our adjacent table, look in awe at the massive portion. Giggles and commentary on what our friend Dr. Willett would say aside, it smelled amazing and we all grabbed our forks to take a taste. The peppers, onions, sausage and OMG the potatoes were all sublime...alas the chicken was inedible dry. The team offered to take back the dish but Charlie said no, offering instead “that would be such a waste, no worry I’ll do something with it.” He had then and there decided how he would rescue the bird so that it may not have died in vain.
I surveyed the mis en place: peppercorn and chilis, minced herbs, mirepoix, garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, orzo, pancetta, and the bountiful remnants of the Chicken Scarpariello...less the potatoes (Did I mention they were AMAZING?) I’d already polished off that night!
First he set the cooker to brown and cooked down the pancetta with the herbs and spice, then added the mirepoix followed by the garlic, sausage, potatoes, tomatoes, and chicken - adjusting the pot to simmer as he went along. Finally he added the orzo and some water before adjusting to high pressure and locking the lid in place. In all, 10 minutes of prep, 10 minutes of sauté and simmer, and 20 minutes of pressure cooking while he sipped a glass of wine... a quick 20 minutes of work to salvage a common kitchen mistake.
So many of us have ordered something we thought would be amazing and then had our hopes dashed. Generally we put it aside as a bad experience and either leave it at the table or give in to peer pressure or feelings of the restaurant team and take it home. Once we leave it gets relegated to the back of the fridge, tossed, reluctantly eaten so as to not be wasteful, or as a dear and celebrated friend inspired us to do...given to the homeless as we make our way through the streets of NYC or SanFrancisco. Seldom do we look at it as an opportunity to re-envision and recreate.
When I tasted this most delicious and richly flavored stew that he had made, I knew he had done just that. Cooked just right to coax out the flavors of the ingredients - and now suddenly, moist chicken. A most beautiful bowlful of indulgence. A labor of love. One bite and taste, and I wanted more. After the mostly vegetarian me (95%, honestly) had slowly and surely savored and greedily indulged myself by consuming two and a half bowlfuls of the stew, I was feeling blessed and thanking him for reminding me that something beautiful can come from something less so.
Thanks Cuisinart! Thanks Charlie! Thanks Electric Pressure Cooker!!!
I have ALWAYS loved my pressure cookers. Having grown up with mom and Panditji always having at least 3 if not 4 in our precious Indian kitchen spaces, and later on my own in my tiny Manhattan kitchen. Then came Charlie with a different style, then testing new products as they arrived and suddenly we had multiple systems in NY, SF, and the farm. Now I am proud of the electric one joining them and being one more pressure cooker that shall be put to work with pride and be used in the preparation of delectable dishes that make all that taste them swoon over their layered flavor and textural majesty - and ease and speed of preparation.
Too many are scared to use pressure cookers. Afraid of the old tales form their mothers and grandmothers of the dangers of explosion and disasters should something go wrong. They walk past them in the store or regift them. RETHINK THAT! Today’s pressure cookers are more safe than ever and systems like the Cuisinart Charlie used here have multiple safety systems in place that make them worry-free tools to make your life easier and your kitchen time go faster - whether playing with creating something new, rushing to get a meal out, or rescuing a dish gone wrong!
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