A Life, Lived

Potato Leek Soup

This soup, cooked in the Instant Pot is a classic, elegant, yet simple soup. It has the delicate flavour of potatoes and leeks with nothing overwhelming the senses.

I'd been getting leeks in the CSA and was searching for a way to use them up and this recipe popped up.

You can use either Yukon gold or Russet potatoes for this soup. Yukon golds will result in a creamier texture, and for this reason I recommend them over Russets, but both will work. Red-skinned waxy potatoes aren't the best for a soup like this, because they tend to hold their shape, when in this soup you want a potato that will purée well.

Classic potato leek soup is often made with heavy cream and butter, but you don’t necessarily need to use them in this potato leek soup recipe.This recipes uses a small amount of butter, you could use all olive oil instead. It also calls for 3/4 cup of cream. I tasted the soup before adding the cream and thought it tasted pretty amazing as it was, then I added the cream and I have to say, I liked it better before. I'd suggest leaving it out.

Enjoy!

Potato Leek Soup

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Tbsp Butter
4-5 large Leeks, about 5-6 cups chopped (cleaned and sliced into half-moon shapes. Cut off the dark green part, trimming to the part where the color is a pale green)
2 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced
2 Tbsp Flour
5 cups Chicken Broth
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp White Pepper (or black)
1 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes, cubed
1/8 Nutmeg (optional)
3/4 cup Half and Half (or heavy cream, or for lower fat use milk)

Garnish
Chopped Chives (or parsley)
Sour Cream

Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot. When the display reads 'Hot', add the oil and butter.

Add the leeks and stir. Cook until soft, stirring occasionally. It's fine if they brown a little.

Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, stirring frequently.

Sprinkle the flour over the leeks and stir. Cook for a minute to get the raw taste out of the flour.

Stir in the broth. Be sure to dissolve the flour and scrape the bottom of the pot so you don't get a "burn" issue.

Add the bay leaf, salt, pepper, and the potatoes, nutmeg. Stir.

Put the lid on the pot and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.

Press the Manual (or Pressure Cook) button, and the + or - button to choose 7 minutes.

When the cooking cycle has ended, let the pot naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes. Then manually release the remaining steam.

When the pin in the lid drops, open it and stir the soup. Remove the bay leaf. Then use an immersion blender to puree it. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a blender, pureeing the soup in small batches very carefully.

Stir in the half and half.

Taste and adjust salt, if needed.

Garnish with chopped chives and sour cream.

Serve hot or chilled. 

Tomato Vegetable Soup

When you were a kid did you ever get vegetable soup from a can?

I did and I loved it - even though I would likely not eat any of those same vegetables had they been severed to me separately on a plate. That bowl of soup was delicious and comforting.

This tomato vegetable soup recipe is a simple, comforting and tasty way to eat more veggies. When it is made in the Instant Pot it is ready in about 30 minutes.

I made it for dinner last Friday and we both were super impressed. I was also impressed that I was able to use tomatoes, beans and corn from the garden plot.

The only change I made to the recipe was to add alphabet noodles because who doesn'; need to spell words while they eat their soup? Once the Instant Pot had released the steam I dumped in 1/3 cup alphabet noodles and let is sit for 10 minutes.

Perfect.

Tomato Vegetable Soup

1/2 Tablespoon oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
stalks celery, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1.5 cups frozen corn
1 cup green beans (frozen or fresh)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce)
1/2 can tomato sauce (14.5 ounce)
2 cups diced potatoes
4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste

Use the sauté setting, and cook the onion, celery and carrots in the oil until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth, plus all remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot.

Put the lid in place, lock it, and cook for 5 minutes on manual high pressure. 

Allow the pot to natural release (NPR) for 15 minutes, and then quick release (QR) any remaining pressure.

This is where I added in the alphabet noodles.

Taste test to see how much salt and pepper needs to be added. (This will vary greatly, based on how much salt is already in your chicken stock, tomatoes and tomato sauce.)

Chicken and Dumplings

The other week I was craving chicken and dumplings. It was an odd craving to have because I don't think I have ever eaten it before. I have heard the dish referred to often enough as comforting and delicious that it was embedded in my consciousness.

A couple of weeks ago some comfort was needed so I added chicken and dumplings to our weekly menu. The recipe I chose was from the fine folks at Simply Recipes. Now that I have tried this dish i can attest to it being every bit as delicious and comforting as its reputation would suggest.

It is basically a super flavourful chicken stew with light and fluffy dumplings cooked on top of the stew. I riffed the dumplings a bit by adding some cheese to the mix - apparently there are no limits to the amount of comfort I seek . . . I also didn't use the bone in, skin on chicken - I used what I had which was skinless, boneless thighs and breasts. Other than these two changes I followed the recipe as printed.

Give it a try - you'll be comforted by the plate of deliciousness on the table in front of you.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Dumplings

For the chicken and vegetables:

3 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken thighs and breasts, skin-on, bone-in, trimmed of excess fat
2 teaspoons butter or extra virgin olive oil, or a combination of both
Salt
1 quart chicken stock homemade or store-bought
to 3 ribs celery, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 large onion, roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup dry sherry or vermouth, optional
tablespoon heavy cream, optional
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Ground black or white pepper

For the dumplings:

2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh herb leaves such as parsley, chives, and tarragon, optional

Add the chicken stock to a medium pot and bring it up to a gentle simmer.

In a large (8-quart or larger) thick-bottomed pot, heat the butter or olive oil over medium-high heat. Pat dry the chicken pieces and sprinkle with salt.

Working in batches, brown the chicken pieces, placing the pieces skin-side down first; this will render out fat you will use to build the stew later.

Once the chicken pieces are browned on all sides, remove them from the large pot, and turn off the heat. Remove and discard the skin from the chicken pieces and put the chicken pieces into the pot of simmering stock.

Poach the chicken in the stock until cooked through, about 20 minutes or so.

Remove the chicken pieces and set on a tray to cool for a few minutes. When the chicken pieces are cool to touch, pull the meat off the bones and cut into 2-inch chunks. Set aside.

Return the heat on the large pot to medium-high. When the pot is hot, add the onion, celery, carrot and thyme and sauté until soft, but not browned, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the flour and stir well. The flour will absorb the fat in the pot and will stick a little to the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir the flour vegetable mixture constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let it burn. 

Get a ladle ready and have the pot of simmering chicken stock nearby. Add the sherry to the flour vegetable mixture. It will sputter and seize up.

Add a ladle of hot chicken stock and stir well. It will be goopy. Add another ladle, then another, stirring all the while, until the broth comes together.

Add the rest of the chicken stock and the reserved chicken meat. Increase the heat and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer while you make the dumplings.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add (optional) chopped fresh herbs. Add melted butter and milk to the dry ingredients.

Gently mix with a wooden spoon until mixture just comes together. (Note: do not over-mix or your dumplings will turn out too dense.)

Drop dumpling batter into the simmering stew by heaping teaspoonfuls, over the surface of the stew. (Note that the dumplings will easily double in size as they cook.) Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Once you have covered the pan, do not uncover and peek while the dumplings are cooking! In order for the dumplings to be light and fluffy, they must steam, not boil. Uncovering the pan releases the steam.

If after 15 minutes the dumplings are still not cooked through (use a toothpick or skewer to test), then cover pan again and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Gently stir in peas, parsley, and cream, if using. Add more salt to taste. Ladle portions of meat, sauce, vegetables, and dumplings into soup plates and serve. Note that the stew will continue to thicken the longer it sits.

Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

Long time readers know I am not prone to hyperbolic statements. This is by far the best soup I have made lately. In fact, if you don't already own an Instant Pot I'd buy one just to make this soup.

This recipe (posted on the Dad Cooks Dinner blog) takes longer than most Instant Pot soup recipes because you're not making this soup with store bought broth or that bottled bouillon powder. There are two steps - in the first you make a super rich and flavourful bone broth from a store bought rotisserie chicken. The second step is quicker - you use the broth to make an amazing soup.

Because of the way the recipe is structured you can split it over two days. I made the broth on one day, refrigerated it and then the soup the following day.

There are only two tricks to this recipe:

1. Save the breast meat for the soup. Pressure cooking the pulls the flavor out of the bones and meat into the broth, leaving the remains spent and dull. That’s why I reserve the chicken breasts, saving them for the soup.
2. 1 cup of egg noodles isn’t going to seem like much, but they expand and suck up a remarkable amount of broth. Don’t add more noodles or you’ll end up with a noodle stew, not soup.

So, are you ready for homemade chicken soup, in the Instant Pot, from scratch? Pick up a rotisserie chicken and you're ready to go.

Enjoy!

Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

Rotisserie Chicken Broth

1 (2- to 4-pound) rotisserie chicken, breast meat removed and saved for later
Juices from the rotisserie chicken container
1 onion, peeled and halved
1 carrot, scrubbed and cut in half
1 stalk celery, cut in half
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
8 cups water

Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
1 stalk celery, sliced ½ inch thick
½ teaspoon< dried thyme
½ teaspoon< fine sea salt
8 cups of Rotisserie Chicken Broth (from above)
4 ounces baby red potatoes, quartered
1 cup wide or extra-wide egg noodles
Breast meat from the rotisserie chicken, shredded
1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
¾ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Minced parsley for garnish

Pressure cook the broth for 60 minutes with a Natural Pressure Release:

Cut the chicken breast meat off of the rotisserie chicken and set aside for later. Add the rotisserie chicken carcass, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves, and salt to the pressure cooker pot, then add the 8 cups of water. (It should just cover the rotisserie chicken - it’s OK if the knobs of the drumsticks are poking up.) Lock the lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 60 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric PC (Manual or Pressure Cook mode in an Instant Pot) or 50 minutes in a stovetop PC. Let the pressure come down naturally – about 30 minutes. (It takes a long time for all that water to cool off. If you’re in a hurry, let the pressure come down for at least 20 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.) Scoop the chicken carcass and vegetables out of the pot with a slotted spoon and discard; they’ve given their all to the broth. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, and set aside for later.

Wipe out the pressure cooker pot liner, then put it back in the pressure cooker base. Add the butter and melt over sauté mode (medium heat for a stovetop PC). Add the onion, celery, and carrot, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and the dried thyme. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and turn translucent about 5 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and the egg noodles.

Pressure cook the soup for 4 minutes: Pour the rotisserie chicken broth into the pot, lock the lid, and pressure cook for 4 minutes on high pressure (same timing for both Instant Pot, electric and stovetop PCs). Let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest of the pressure. (If the steam that is released starts to sputter and spit out starch, shut the valve and let the pressure come down for another 5 minutes before quick releasing again.)

Add the chicken and season the soup: Stir in the shredded chicken breast meat, fine sea salt, black pepper, and parsley. (Don’t be shy with the salt – this much broth needs it.) Let the soup rest for 5 minutes to reheat the chicken meat, and serve.

Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup

Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup is a delicious and hearty soup that is not only made for pennies but also cooks up in record time thanks to the pressure cooker.  Made with dried beans, a rich stock, and a leftover ham bone, this soup is filled with incredible flavor and comes together effortlessly. 

Making this soup in a regular pot would take half a day but in the instant pot it is done in 90 minutes. One of the things I have learned since I got this appliance is it is amazing for cooking dried beans. In fact, I won't cook them any other way.

Normally I'd make a soup like this with a leftover ham bone however i hadn't had a ham for awhile so I used a pork hock instead. This likely resulted in a more flavourful and meaty soup but I wasn't complaining.

The quantity of soup made is less than other instant pot soups that I have made - likely because the dried beans suck up a lot of the liquid. We had enough to enjoy at dinnertime and two containers went into the freezer. Paul commented that this was disappointing because he wanted more. I guess that is high praise.

I followed the recipe (originally from a blog called A Mind 'Full' Mom) exactly as printed (ha - rare for me)

Enjoy.

Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup

½ tablespoon canola or olive oil
½ cup diced onions
2 stalks celery thinly, sliced
½ cup diced carrots
2 garlic cloves minced
2 cups chicken stock or additional water
2 cups dried white northern beans
4 cups water
1 ham bone or smoked ham hock
6 ounces tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Turn Instant Pot to saute and let heat up for a minute or two.

Add in oil, onions, celery, and carrots and saute for 3-4 minutes, or until onions have become soft and translucent. Add in garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Turn instant pot OFF.

Add in the chicken stock into the inner pot and scrape up any browned bits from bottom of inner pot.

Rinse the dried beans and look through beans to be sure there are no stray rocks.

Add water, ham bone, beans, carrots, onions, celery, tomato sauce, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper to Instant Pot.

Place lid on pressure cooker and turn vent knob to sealed. Set cook time to 45 minutes on HIGH pressure. (Hit manual/pressure cook button and then use +/- keys to adjust time to 45 minutes).

After cook time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally. This can take 15-20 minutes.

Open lid and remove ham bone, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs.

Remove ham from bone and stir into soup along with the seasoned salt. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

Like most of the world we are big fans of cabbage rolls.

We don't often make them ourselves because of the work involved. Also, we have a great Polish Hall in the city where we can buy some and our purchase assists seniors in need.

We have made cabbage roll casserole before. This is the first time we've seen a version that is a soup.

Now that cooler weather is here Friday is soup and sandwich night (in the summer it was burger night). I made this soup a few weeks ago and loved it.

It has all of the flavours of cabbage rolls without all of the fuss and bother.

One thing to be careful of - it calls for smoked paprika. I used HOT smoked paprika and the resulting soup was a bit on the spicy side. We liked it but I couldn't have served it to my mother. The hot smoked paprika on top of the cayenne pepper was just too much. Live and learn.

The soup takes about an hour makes. It makes 8 - 10 servings and freezes well.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
4 cups chopped green cabbage
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 ¼ cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
4 cups unsalted chicken broth
¼ cup medium-grain brown rice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (Optional)

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add ground beef; cook, stirring often, until the meat is cooked through and starting to brown slightly, 6 to 7 minutes. Add cabbage, onion, carrots and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper and cayenne to the beef mixture; cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the spices are toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce and broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in rice. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until the rice is tender, 30 to 35 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Corn Chowder

Don’t we all crave this time of year? Not only do we get those relaxing days spent outside, backyard cookouts, and weekend hikes to soak up that summer sun but it also means getting some of the best food of the year while all the fresh produce is in season.

It’s that time of year where you’ll find fresh corn on the cob galore, especially if you’re near the plethora of local growers. If you’re like us you’re likely eating it multiple times throughout the week and looking for more ways to use it and this corn chowder is one of the best ways to put it to good use!

It has everything you’d want in a corn chowder and then some. Nothing fancy, just tasty homestyle comfort food at its best!

There are lots of recipes out there but I went with this one from Recipe Tin Eats figuring that the flavour profile would be the best - you use the bacon drippings to make the soup base and after cutting the kernels off, throw the corn cobs into the broth to infuse it with extra corn flavour! The potato is cooked until very soft, so the edges are starting to breakdown and this helps thicken the soup.

I was right. This was an amazing soup!

We like to serve corn chowder with some grated cheese on top in addition to the green onions and bacon in the recipe.

Enjoy!

Corn Chowder

4 cobs corn
1 tsp butter
250 g/8 oz bacon, chopped
30 g/2 tbsp butter (use 3 tbsp if bacon is lean)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small onion, diced (or half large onion) (yellow, brown or white)
5 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth, low sodium
3 cups milk (I used low fat but full fat will work too)
600 g/ 1.2 lb potatoes, cut into 1 cm / 2/5" cubes (about 2 large)
2 sprigs of thyme OR 1 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup cream
3/4 cup scallions, green part finely sliced
Salt and finely ground pepper to taste

Cut the corn off the cob. This is how I do it: Place a small ramekin in a large bowl. Place corn on the ramekin then cut the corn off. See video. Keep naked cobs.

Place 1 tsp butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove onto a paper towel lined plate. Leave fat in pot.

Lower heat to medium high. Add 2 tbsp butter, once melted, add garlic and onion. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes until onion is translucent.

Add flour and mix it in. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add broth, milk, potatoes, thyme and bay leaf. Break naked cobs into 2 or 3 and add into the liquid. Put the lid on and simmer for 25 minutes (adjust heat so it's simmering energetically but not bubbling like crazy or super gently).

Remove lid, remove corn cobs. Add corn and cook for 5 minutes or until cooked to your taste.

Stir through cream and 3/4 of the bacon and scallions. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining bacon and scallions.

Tuscan Sausage Bean Soup

We have turned to hearty soups in this cold snap.This soup is a perfect example of a soup that will warm you through to the bones - it is rich and hearty.

Bean soups are perfect for the instant pot because there is no soaking of the beans required and you end up with a delicious soup in 1/4 of the time you normally would with a stove top cooling method. I've included instructions for using canned beans if you don't have dried but I really prefer the texture of dried beans.

While the recipe calls for kale I had a bunch of spinach that needed to be used up so when the soup was cooked I tossed that in and let it soften in the hot soup before serving.

This soup makes a big portion. While the recipe says to use a 6 quart Instant Pot I used my 8 quart as I thought the 6 quart was too full. Now that i am looking at the recipe I think I added too many tomatoes so that may have been the problem.

I had a couple of old parmigiano rinds in the refrigerator so I tossed them in while the soup was cooking. You'll be amazed at what a deep and delicious flavour this adds to the soup.

I served it with a drizzle of really good olive oil and a sprinkle of freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano.

Enjoy!

Tuscan Sausage Bean Soup

1 pound ground Italian sausage
1 medium yellow onion, diced
8 cups chicken broth
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 pound dried Great Northern beans, sorted and rinsed (or 3 cans of Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
4 large kale leaves, washed and chopped (stems removed)
Parmesan cheese, for topping

Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. When the display says HOT add in the Italian sausage and break it up. Add in the onion. Stir every minute or so until sausage is browned. Pour in the broth and deglaze the pot.

Add in the carrots, beans, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and bay leaf.

Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 40 minutes (for beans that have not been soaked) or 20 minutes (for soaked beans) or 5 minutes (for canned beans).

When the time is up let the pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.

Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the tomatoes and kale.

Ladle into bowls and top each bowl with a heaping tablespoon of parmesan cheese.

Shrimp Creole

A gift of retirement is that it has given me the time to be more adventuresome with the meals I cook. This recipe for shrimp creole that I made for dinner the other week is a good example of this. You know the type if recipe - a long ingredients, plenty of steps, and a need to watch it closely or something will go awry and you will need ot start again.

Much like gumbo, this shrimp and tomato stew starts with a roux that thickens and adds a distinct flavor (though many takes on shrimp Creole skip the roux altogether). Next, the “holy trinity” of Creole cooking — onion, celery and bell pepper — is simmered in the roux. You’ll want to stir the bottom of the pot constantly to prevent the roux from sticking and burning, and make sure to keep a close eye: A burned roux can’t be saved.

Creole cuisine relishes improvisation, so feel free to add other veggies or a different protein, or omit the hot sauce and add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in its place.

This spicy stew is traditionally served over steamed white rice, but is also delicious served over brown rice or other whole grains, like quinoa. We served it with rice.

The recipe includes directions for making creole seasoning - I had a jar of creole seasoning so I used that.

Enjoy.

Shrimp Creole

For the Creole Seasoning (optional):

1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less, if desired)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Shrimp:

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons homemade or store-bought Creole seasoning
¼ cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce (no salt added)
1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce, to taste (optional)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
2 dried bay leaves
Fine sea salt and black pepper
¼ cup chopped scallions
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems
Steamed rice, for serving

Make the optional Creole seasoning: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir together. The seasoning makes about 1/4 cup; store it in a closed container in a cool, dry place.

Toss the raw shrimp with 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning and set aside.

In a Dutch oven or large, heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until a roux the color of peanut butter forms, about 10 minutes.

Add the onion, celery and bell pepper, increase the heat to medium and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

Stir in 1/3 cup water, then the tomato sauce, hot sauce (if using), sugar, thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally to make sure that the bottom doesn’t burn. (If needed, add more water.)

Once the stew has thickened, add the seasoned shrimp and simmer until opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes, turning each piece halfway through the cooking time. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes, uncovered. Sprinkle with scallions and parsley, and serve over steamed rice.

Comforting Beef and Porcini Mushroom Stew

Good lord, if there ever was a time for comfort food it is now.

I had stewing meat in the freezer and a big container of dried mushrooms in the pantry. Google pulled me to this recipe that looked pretty amazing.

One of the issues of stews made in the Instant Pot is that they can be too liquidy because all of the liquid stays in the pot rather than be boiled off during a long slow cooking process. By placing the dried mushrooms on top you ensure that some of this liquid is absorbed. You also ensure that the stew has that umami that comes from the mushroom soaking liquid (in this case the actual stew).

I made two changes to the recipe - I added a small canned of cherry tomatoes (any chopped tomatoes without added flavouring would work well) because I like the interplay that comes with tomato in a beef stew. I also did not thicken with flour and butter because I don't care for the taste flour leaves in the stew. Instead I thickened it with corn starch added to some beef broth.

This stew hit all the right notes. We enjoyed it on a mound of mashed potatoes with some bread pulled from the oven just before dinner.

Much needed comfort here . . .

Beef and Porcini Mushroom Stew

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 sprig of rosemary, de-stemmed and finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
1 medium red onion, roughly diced
1 celery stalk, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 cup red wine (any tart, non-sweet red, like Chianti or Sangiovese)
1 cup salt-free beef stock
1 teaspoon salt (reduce if using salted stock and butter)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 ounce (30 grams) dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
2 large carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the pressure cooker (by pressing brown/sauté mode).

Add the olive oil and sear the beef cubes on one side (about 5 minutes). Add rosemary, onions, celery, red wine, stock, salt, and pepper. Mix the contents of the pressure cooker well. Sprinkle the mushrooms and carrots on top of the stew mixture.

Close the lid and pressure-cook for 15 minutes at high pressure. When time is up, open the pressure cooker with natural release (turn off the pressure cooker and wait for pressure to come down naturally, about 15 to 20 minutes).

In the meantime, in a small pan melt the butter and drizzle with flour. Mix into a paste and let it cook until the butter begins to make bubbles in the flour.

Remove the lid, tilting it away from you. Add about 6 tablespoons of the cooking liquid from the pressure cooker into the little pan with the flour paste and mix well to loosen the paste. Then, pour the mixture back into the pressure cooker base and mix well.

Bring the contents of the pressure cooker to a boil (by pressing brown/sauté mode) and let it simmer until thickened (about 5 minutes).