I love soups and stews. Comfort food to me is all about lots of veggies cooked in a flavourful broth, with some good lean meat thrown in. Forget pasta. Forget bread. And definitely forget anything fried. Give it to me fresh, hot, and FAST.
Even when life is at its craziest, I crave food that tastes like it has simmered for hours on the stove. That’s why I love my pressure cooker. It has become my best friend in the kitchen. We can be eating hot bowls of homemade chili in less than an hour. Can you beat that?
Chili takes 8 minutes to cook. I’m not kidding! It takes about 10 minutes to come up to high pressure, then cooks for 8 minutes. Give it 10 minutes to slowly release pressure, and amazing chili is SERVED.
One thing that is new to me is avoiding canned beans. Yes, canned is slightly more expensive to use than dried, but the main reason I avoid them is the ingredient list. Yuck! I prefer soaking large quantities of mixed beans – I use the 15 bean mix – cooking them until almost tender, and then freezing them in quart-sized bags. They are quick and simple to add to any dish for extra protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Another great invention is tomato-paste-in-a-tube. Fun!!! Just squeeze out what you need, recap, and refrigerate for basically forever. This is a game- changer for me! No more scooping out tomato paste from a can, trying to find a container to refrigerate the remaining paste, only to have it mold because I forgot it was there. Sigh….
This can be a “one pot wonder” – whether you use an electric pressure cooker like I do, or a stockpot on the stove (simmer for about an hour). If you choose to use a slow cooker (low heat for 8-10 hours), you will have to brown the meat and sauté veggies in a separate pan. This is not the end of the world! I love easy clean-up, and once food begins to smell good, I usually want to eat it NOW. (There is a small glimpse into my immaturity.)
In my book, chili needs to be topped with a huge mound of grated cheese, sour cream, and a pile of Fritos. Yes, things actually haven’t changed that much since I was a teenager.
Chili Under Pressure
Description
Hearty, quick, and SO delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 large carrots, chopped
- 4 large cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed, chopped
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp molasses
- 1 Tbsp cocoa
- 1 tsp red chili pepper flakes
- 4–5 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 3 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 1/2 c red wine
- 2 c mixed beans, soaked and partially cooked (or 2 cans beans, drained)
Instructions
- Heat oil, and brown hamburger seasoned with salt and pepper, breaking it up into small chunks with a potato masher.
- While meat is browning, chop veggies. Add vegetables, garlic, and jalapeño to the pot, and sauté until tender and fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and spices.
- Add tomatoes and red wine, stirring well.
- Cover, and cook on high for 8 minutes. Turn off pressure cooker, and use natural release method, which can take 10-15 minutes.
- Once lid is removed, add beans and turn unit back on to “brown” to cook off a little extra liquid.
- Serve with chopped onions, grated cheese, sour cream, corn chips, or any thing your little heart desires.
