By Susan Selasky / Detroit Free Press
Did you receive an Instant Pot as a Christmas gift? Are you wondering what to make other than the recipes that came with it?
Because of the Instant Pot’s popularity, cookbooks abound. There are Instant Pot cookbooks for specific cuisines (Indian, Mexican, Southern) and cookbooks geared toward vegetarians and for healthy cooking. Diet-wise, there are keto- and paleo-inspired Instant Pot cookbooks.
There are also cookbooks featuring holiday dishes, six-ingredient-or-less recipes, fast-and-easy dishes, and, of course, cookbooks authorized by the makers of Instant Pot. Most all of the books have Instant Pot instructions and cover all their functions.
The Instant Pot began showing up in 2010 and has gained popularity over the last several years. It has taken the fear out pressure cooking, making it convenient, fast and safe. For many cooks, it’s a cooking game changer because it allows them to prepare a fork-tender roast or a rack of ribs in an hour. Add in all its other functions (sauteing, slow cooking, steaming, yogurt making and more), and the Instant Pot can be quite appealing.
In the last several months more than dozen Instant Pot and multi-cooker cookbooks have landed on my desk.
Here’s a peek into three:
“Comfort in an Instant” by Melissa Clark. This is the second Instant Pot cookbook for Clark, a New York Times food columnist. Her first was “Dinner in an Instant: 75 Modern Recipes for Your Pressure Cooker, Multicooker, and Instant Pot” (Clarkson Potter, $22.) Clark provides the classic recipes in the breakfast, soup, side dish, main dish and dessert categories. Nearly all are ready in an hour. If applicable, most recipes have a conversion to cook in a slow-cooker.
Best aspect: Most recipes are held to one page and approachable. Clark admits up-front that determining cooking time isn’t an exact science and notes that you have to allow time for the pot to come up to pressure. She advises using suggested cooking times as just a guideline.
“The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook” by Coco Morante. Morante’s first cookbook was “The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook.” She also runs the Instant Pot Recipes Facebook page and has her own blog, leftyspoon.com. There are more than nine chapters covering everything from vegetarian fare to seafood to pantry staples such as broths, sauces, jams and jellies. The recipes range from weekday recipes for busy cooks to soups and main dishes to classics like stew and mashed potatoes.
Best aspect: The explanation of what you need and how to use the Instant Pot is very comprehensive. From Beef Pho to Tortellini and Spinach Soup to Lamb Shanks with Tomato Sauce, the recipes are easy to follow and inviting.
“Instant Pot Fast & Easy” by Urvashi Pitre. In this book, her third involving the multi-cooker, Pitre provides well-tested recipes from around the world. Pitre is the founder of the blog twosleevers.com and runs a global consulting firm. Recipes are organized by chapters based on the main ingredients: chicken, seafood, beef, pork, lamb, lentils and beans and rice, etc. Pitre’s knowledge of Instant Pot terms and her answers to frequently asked questions chapters are invaluable.
Best aspect: The global flavors instilled in the recipes are splendid, and so are the instructions. Each recipe is topped with the active time, the function to use, how it’s released and the total time which is useful to the cook.
Ginger sesame glazed spare ribs
5 large garlic cloves
2 tablespoons chopped candied ginger
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sake, white wine or dry vermouth
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean chile flakes) or crushed red pepper flakes
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
½ cup soy sauce
5 pounds pork spare ribs, racks cut into 2 or 3 pieces
Lime wedges, for serving
In a mini food processor or blender, puree the garlic, candied ginger, fresh ginger, brown sugar, sesame oil, sake, sesame seeds, gochugaru and black pepper. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and whisk in the soy sauce.
Toss the ribs with the sauce, then transfer the ribs to the pressure cooker pot, arranging them standing up along the wall of the pot with the meat facing the wall. Continue with the remaining ribs, placing them in concentric circles. Pour any remaining sauce over the ribs.
Lock the lid into place and cook on high pressure for 34 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange the ribs, meat side down, on the sheet. Using the saute function, reduce the sauce in the pressure cooker to a thick glaze, 8 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the broiler.
Brush the thickened glaze on the ribs and broil the ribs until they are charred in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip the ribs and brush again with the glaze, then broil until evenly charred, 2 to 4 minutes more. Brush with more glaze and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve hot with lime wedges on the side.
Serves 4.
— From “Comfort in An Instant: 75 Comfort Food Recipes for Your Pressure Cooker, Multicooker, and Instant Pot” by Melissa Clark. (Clarkson Potter, $22).
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