Instant Pot recipes from The Food Wife

'INSTANT' SUPPERS

This month FRAN STEVENS, aka The Food Wife, shares some delicious recipes made in double-quick time using her Instant Pot.

GARLIC & SOY CHICKEN THIGHS

Serves 4

Here is a recipe we’ve been enjoying that is sweet, salty and has a gentle kick of flavour from the garlic, ginger and chilli. I’ve given the instructions for bone-in skin-on thighs in the main recipe, but for less faff skinless thigh fillets can also be used (see notes at the end). There’s also guidance for if you don’t have an Instant Pot. Basically I’m saying there’s no excuse not to try this recipe.

If you don’t eat chicken I think this would be excellent with jack fruit too, in fact I’ll just test that and be right back…

Ingredients 1kg chicken thighs, bone in, skin on Oil (1 tbsp vegetable oil with 1 tsp sesame oil) ½ instant pot cup or 80ml (gf if required) soy sauce ½ instant pot cup or 80ml (gf if required) tomato ketchup ½ instant pot cup (up to 80ml on measure) soft light brown sugar 4 cloves of garlic, crushed 2 inches ginger, grated Chilli flakes (optional) 1 Instant Pot cup (160ml) water

Method Set the instant pot to sauté mode. Add the oil and then seal the chicken thighs for a couple of minutes on each side. You will need to do this in at least two batches. Remove the thighs once sealed until all are done. Turn sauté mode off.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together (use the chilli flakes if you’d like a kick to the sauce. I used a teaspoon of them).

Return the thighs to the Instant Pot and pour the sauce over the top. Put the lid on and set the vent to sealing. Set the instant pot to cook on poultry mode (or high pressure) for 20 minutes. Allow to depressurise naturally for five minutes and then cover with a tea towel and then carefully switch to venting.

Remove the thighs, and then skim any fat from the top. Switch to sauté mode for a few minutes to reduce the sauce until thick and syrupy. Either pour over the thighs to serve or shred the meat from the thighs and return to the pot to coat in the sauce.

Serve with rice and steamed vegetables.

n.b This dish can also be made with skinless, boneless thighs. In which case simply place everything in the pot and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Shred the chicken and reduce the sauce on sauté mode.

If not using an instant pot, cook, covered with 360ml of water added, for 90 minutes in an oven at 170°C. Check periodically to ensure it isn’t drying out and add a little water if necessary.

SAUSAGE & PASTA CASSEROLE

Serves 2

A perfect weeknight family meal, this sausage casserole is a one pot, Instant Pot, quick and easy satisfying meal that can be easily scaled up. The only things you scale up here are the sausages (2 per person), the carrot (1 per person), the pasta (75-100g per person) and the cups of water (1 per person). It requires about five or so minutes of work, and the Instant Pot does the rest. It’ll be on the table in no time.

Ingredients 1 tbsp oil 1 red onion, large dice 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped 1 pepper, deseeded, large dice 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm thick slices 4 sausages, cut in half (v/gf if required) 150g-200g dried pasta (gf if required) 500g passata 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (v/gf if required) Pinch of sugar Ground black pepper Pinch of salt 320ml water

Method Using sauté mode, add the oil and onion to the Instant Pot and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic and pepper and stir, followed by the carrots and sausages.

Lightly brown the sausages for a couple more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wet ingredients, salt, pepper, sugar and pasta. Stir.

Close the lid and set the valve to sealing. Manually set the Instant Pot to high pressure for half the cooking time detailed on the pasta packet - around 4 or 5 minutes.

Once the Instant Pot has finished, carefully, using a tea towel and handle of a wooden spoon, turn the valve to venting to do quick release. Check seasoning and serve!

You can make this on the hob; cook the pasta separately, following the packet instructions. Make the sauce (without the water) in a pan on a medium heat, following steps 1-3, then cook for about 20 minutes on a low simmer. Stir through the cooked pasta and serve.

BUTTERBEAN STEW

Serves 2-4 as a main or 6-8 as a tapas

This is a frequent meal in our house this autumn and winter. It’s cheap, easy and delicious. Hat-trick!

If you don’t have an Instant Pot then you could make this on the hob - follow the instructions using a lidded pan but it will take a lot longer to achieve that rich sauce and soft beans. Let me know how it turns out!

Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, halved and sliced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed slightly with a back of a knife 2 roasted peppers (from a jar) roughly cut into strips 1 tbsp tomato purée 2 tins of butter beans (incl their liquid) 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tbsp chopped parsley (to serve)

Method Set the instant pot to sauté mode and add the oil, onion, garlic and peppers and stir for 2 minutes.

Add the paprika and tomato purée and stir for a further minute before adding the butterbeans (including their water).

Put the lid on and ensure it is switched to sealing mode. Place manually on high pressure for 10 minutes and then use a tea towel and a long handled implement to use the quick release valve.

Remove the lid, season to taste and switch back onto sauté mode for five minutes to allow the rich sauce to reduce. Add the chopped parsley as a garnish before serving.

We like this with crusty (garlic) bread to dip into the rich sauce. It would also work well with rice or include it as part of a tapas.

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STARTERS

Christmas Spiced Mixed Bromham Squash Velouté (vg available) Oak Smoked Salmon Mousse with King Prawns Duck Parfait with toasted ciabatta & homemade chutney Smoked Haddock baked with leeks, cream & white wine

Creamy Garlic & Tarragon Mushrooms sauteed with fresh garlic & a creamy tarragon sauce (vg) Baked Camembert served with toasted ciabatta & a cranberry, orange & port sauce (v)

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Traditional Roast Turkey Breast 28 Day Aged Scotch Sirloin Steak Steak & Chestnut Pie

Fillet of Sea Bream

Loch Duart Salmon Fillet

Rack of Lamb Christingle Pie (v) Christmas Wellington (vg) Fig & Cranberry Nut Roast (vg)

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West Country Christmas Pudding (vg available) Christmas Ice Cream Sundae

Baked Christmas Cheesecake (vg available) Warm Chocolate Fudge Cake (vg available) Apple Crumble (vg available) Festive Crème Brûlée

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