6.3 Rice

6.3.1 Mexican Rice

Again, I’ve made this in Geneva, sautéing some chorizo first to make it a meal.

6.3.2 Basmati Pilau

This is another recipe from Pitre - a fairly simple Indian spiced rice. I’ve adopted a suggestion she had in another recipe (for Lamb Biryani) by calling for broiling the onions rather than frying them.

Ingredients

3-4 green cardamom pods
6-8 black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
2 inch piece cinammon stick
1 tbsp ghee or other cooking oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 thinly sliced red onion
1 tsp salt
1 cup basmati rice
1.5 cups water

Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. Set aside.
Spread the onions on a foil lined baking sheet. sprinkle with salt and drizzle with a little oil. Broil for about 15 minutes, until brown and crisp.
Combine the cardamom, cinnamon, peppercorns and cloves in a spice bag or infuser.
With the IP set on sauté, heat the oil or ghee. Add the cumin seeds and cook for about 30 seconds, until they sizzle and become aromatic.
Add the onions, followed by the water, rice and spice bag.
Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes, followed by a 10 minute natural release.

6.3.3 Jambalaya

The above is an IP version; Paul Prudhomme has an excellent stove top version. Prudhomme’s recipe calls for tasso ham (and Thermoworks has a recipe for making it), however I prefer to use good quality andouille sausage.

So below is a hybridization of the two, which turned out extremely well for me.

Ingredients

Spice mix (for 1 cup rice)

1 bay leaf
1-2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp white pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sage

Other Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
1/2 lb andouille sausage
3/4 lb boneless chicken thighs
1 chopped onion
1 cup celery (I omit)
1 cup chopped green pepper
3 cloves garlic, mixed
1 cup tomato sauce
2 roma tomatopes, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup long grain rice (Basmati)

Combine all of the spices in a small bowl.
Set the IP to sauté and add the oil, chicken, and sausage . Cook 3-5 minutes until the chicken is lightly browned.
Remove the sausage and chicken chicken and drain on paper towels.
Add the onions, peppers and celery and sauté until soft.
Add the spice mix and garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Press cancel, and then add the remaining ingredients except the rice. Stir gently.
Add the rice, making sure it is submerged, but do not stir.
Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, followed by 5-10 minutes of natural release.
Remove lid, stir, and serve.

6.3.3.1 Notes

I found this to be absolutely delicious. When I first opened the pot, it was a bit soupy, but I left it on “keep warm” with the vent on the lid open for about 20 minutes, and it was fine. That was with five minutes of natural release; I may try a little more in the future.

I used 1.5 teaspoons of cayenne, resulting in a very hot jambalaya. I like it that way, but if you prefer milder flavoring, reduce the amount of cayenne accordingly.

Shrimp always tastes good with jambalaya, but pressure cooking would destroy it. This recipe recommends sautéing some prior to cooking everything else and then adding it back after the release is complete, allowing it to sit on “keep warm” for five minutes to warm it up. Alternatively, you could quickly grill some shrimp after the jambalaya has reached the “keep warm” stage, perhaps using this recipe

Ingredients

shrimp (as many as you need - I’m going to try about six 16/20, with tails on)
1/2 cup butter 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. cajun seasoning
1 tbsp. lemon juice (juice of 1/2 lemon) salt to taste

Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes, enough for 3-4 shrimp per skewer.
Ignite your grill and let it heat to 450^o F.
Combine everything except the shrimp in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and then remove from heat.
Brush one side of the shrimp with marinade and refrigerate for 2 minutes.
Turn the shrimp over and repeat.
Grill the shrimp until they are opaque - about 2 minutes per side.
Brush on any remaining marinade and add hot shrimp to the jambalaya.
Serve immediately.