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Saturday, 30 June 2012

Mushroom and Bacon Risotto - Pressure Cooker

Whilst baking is my true love, I do enjoy cooking a good main meal and seeing it be enjoyed by those I've cooked for. In the case of this risotto, I am the only one who I get to see enjoy it. My husband dislikes risotto in general.
Yeah, he's crazy, but I get to eat more risotto!

I was talked into buying a 5 in 1 multi cooker by a coworker a few months ago. I don't usually go with this sort of thing myself, but as my slow cooker was dying anyway and I'd seen the amazing results she had with the one at work, I took the plunge and spent $160 on one. I LOVE IT!
I've made soups, casseroles and now this risotto so far and it makes preparing a meal so easy. Love, love, love it. The best thing about it is the "brown" function, meaning that I can fry or saute meats and vegies before turning it onto slow cook or pressure cook - a real one pot meal. Too easy.

My new toy - don't you just love my Mario fridge magnet?
This recipe uses the pressure cooker setting, and the end result is the lightest, fluffiest risotto I've ever made. I know this can be done the old fashioned way but my stove top risottos have always come out far too stodgy, and it's so time consuming!

A close up of the buttons - I'm yet to try the steam option but apparently you can steam rice in this too.
 Using the above pictured brown function, fry up bacon, onion and garlic
 Add rice, mushrooms and stock - and it looks like a floaty mushroom soup...
 But after only 7 minutes with the Pressure Cook option on high - we have risotto!
I had to press brown again to cook off the extra liquid, this is the first time that it's been necessary.
 Finished result, YUM. Ignore the oddly painted thumbnail!
Mushroom Risotto - From the book that came with my cooker! 
My changes are in italics
Ingredients
60ml olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
8 rashers of shortcut bacon (this is my addition, but it does take away the vegetarian aspect of the dish)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
600ml chicken stock
300g arborio rice
200ml dry white wine (I omit this and just substitute more chicken stock, yet to try it with wine)
200g mushrooms (any type) thinly sliced
100g fresh parsley
200g fresh grated parmesan cheese (I probably only use half this amount as it is so strong)
salt and pepper
Method
1. Using the brown function or a saucepan, saute the onion, bacon and garlic in the oil until cooked - about 5 minutes. Add arborio rice and mix in to cover the rice with residual oil. Cook for another 2 minutes and add the wine (if using). Cook for another 2 minutes.
2. Turn off the brown function, or transfer the mixture to your pressure cooker. Add mushrooms and stock, stirring through. Set the cooker to 7 minutes at high pressure, and ensure that the pressure limiting valve is set on Airtight.
3. Once the 7 minutes is up, release the pressure. Open the lid and add the parsley and half of the parmesan cheese. Stir through and close the lid for a few minutes to allow the cheese to melt through.
Serve and enjoy!
This recipe is great as it can be altered anyway you want it to be - once I've finished gorging myself on this recipe I may try altering it!

Do you have a pressure cooker or slow cooker? What is your favourite thing to cook in it?

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