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Instant Pot Kosher Style
100 Recipes to Nourish Body and Soul

Review by Bobbie Kitto
Recipes included: Moroccan Carrot Salad  & White Bean and Leek Stew

Most good things in life take a long time to make happen especially in the food world, but not now with the Instant Pot.  I recently received one from my sister as a gift.  I spent a few days just eyeing it on my counter with a little, oh what the heck, and a lot of trepidation.

I am of the older generation so learning computers, cell phones, and updated appliances (don’t even talk to me about Smart TV) has been an adjustment.  So after walking past it on my counter and knowing my sister would be interested in how I liked it, I spent a few days reading up on it on the internet (another stall tactic) and then I tried it out.

The book I wish I had read first was Instant Pot Kosher by Paula Shoyer.  She not only gives you lots of easy and tasteful recipes like White Bean and Leek Stew (Pgs. 134-135) and Moroccan Carrot Salad (pgs. 18-19),  she also explains how to use this great invention in the first 9 pages. Just read her easy instructions and tips, you are ready to cook.

 

Instant Pot Kosher shows how to eat your favorite kosher foods, but not spend all day in the kitchen preparing it.  The author is very careful to show how to keep all meals Kosher and yet recipes are straightforward enough that anyone cooking Kosher or not can enjoy them.

Ms. Shoyer covers everything from breakfast to desserts in this easy to read and follow book. There are recipes for Jewish food but also for Chinese, French, and even some Texas Chili. She breaks each recipe down into hands-on time, time to pressure, cooking time, what button to use on machine, release type and advance prep. When you use her recipes you know exactly what each step should be and when.  She takes the guess work out of using this great appliance. Not only does she give you step by step instructions, she also gives you a little background on the recipe.

Once you get this book, it would be an added benefit to watch her YouTube video . The author goes through how to use her book and cooks a few recipes to show you how easy they are to make.

By way of background, Paula was not always known as “The Kosher Baker”. She was practicing law when she decided to obtain a pastry degree from the Ritz Escoffier in Paris. Since 1995, Paula has been in the food business in the beginning it was catering followed by teaching then writing.  She has four other cookbooks to her credit. The Kosher Baker, The Holiday Kosher Baker, The Healthy Jewish Kitchen, and The New Passover menu.

Because of the way Paula has taken the mystery out of the Instant Pot cooking and the almost foolproof recipes I would give this book a solid 5 out of 5 stars. The excellent photography makes you want to try each of the recipes and the recipes make you feel you can reach success with just a small amount of effort. Her website is also outstanding and worth a look.

For now, take this book for a test drive compliments of the author.

RECIPE 1: MOROCCAN CARROT SALAD

Author’s Note: In December 2018, our family went to Morocco for vacation and took a cooking class outside Marrakesh. For years I had chopped my carrots for this salad into circles, but our teacher, Chef Tariq, said that the classic method is to cut the carrots into cubes.

GLUTEN-FREE, PARVE, PASSOVER, VEGAN

HANDS-ON TIME: 6 Minutes, tastes best if chilled for 1 hour

TIME TO PRESSURE: 12 Minutes

COOKING TIME: 2 Minutes

BUTTON TO USE: Pressure Cook

RELEASE TYPE: Quick Release

ADVANCE PREP: May be made 2 days in advance

Serves 8–10

1 cup (236ml) water

2 pounds (907g) carrots, peeled and trimmed, very long ones cut in half to fit inside the pot

1/4 cup (59ml) extra virgin olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 cup (59ml) fresh lemon juice, from 1 to 2 lemons

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste

3/4 cup (18g) cilantro leaves, dried well, chopped roughly

Place the steam rack inside the inner pot and add the water. Pile the carrots on top of the rack, the thickest ones at the bottom. Secure the lid, ensuring that the steam release handle is in the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the cooking time for 2 minutes.

While the carrots are cooking, place the oil and garlic into a small bowl and stir. In a large bowl, place the lemon juice, cumin, salt, and pepper and stir. When the cooking time is complete, turn the steam release handle to the Venting position to quickly release the pressure. Press Cancel and remove the lid.

Place the carrots into a colander and rinse with cold water. Place on a clean dishtowel to dry. Once the carrots are cool enough to handle, slice each in half the long way, and then into quarters the long way (for skinny carrots, just halve). Slice into ½- to ¾-inch (1.2cm to 2cm) cubes and place into the large bowl. If your carrots are very thick, slice lengthwise into thirds. Stir.

Strain the oil over the carrots, discarding the garlic, and mix well. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Add the cilantro and mix again. Place into the fridge for at least 1 hour for the flavors to come together. Mix again and serve.

Recipe 2: White Bean and Leek Stew

Author’s Note: This has been one of my go-to recipes dishes when I find out at the last minute that a vegetarian or vegan is coming to dinner. You should always have a few cans of beans in your pantry to throw together a vegetarian or vegan main course as needed.

GLUTEN-FREE, PARVE, VEGAN

HANDS-ON TIME: 7 Minutes

TIME TO PRESSURE: 20 Minutes

COOKING TIME: 1 Minute

BUTTONS TO USE: Sauté and Pressure

RELEASE TYPE: Quick Release

ADVANCE PREP: May be made 2 days in advance

Serves 6

Stew

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 leeks, white and light green only, sliced into 3/4-inch (2cm) pieces

1 small onion, chopped

1 shallot, chopped into 1/2-inch (1.2cm) pieces

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary leaves

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup (236ml) Vegetable Stock

2 (15-ounce [444ml]) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups (112g) chopped collard greens, about 1 1/2-inch (4cm) pieces (or 2 handfuls from a bag of pre-washed collards)

Parsley Pesto

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons whole almonds, with or without skin

3/4 cup (18g) loosely packed Italian parsley leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Press Sauté and when the display reads “Hot,” add the oil, leeks, onions, and shallots to the inner pot and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, bay leaf, and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot clean. Add the beans, salt, and pepper and stir.

Secure the lid, ensuring that the steam release handle is in the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the cooking time for 1 minute.

Meanwhile, prepare the parsley pesto. Place the garlic and almonds into the bowl of the food processor and process until they are finely ground and stick to the sides of the bowl. Scrape down the sides. Add the parsley and process until it is in very tiny pieces. Scrape down the bowl again and process for a few more seconds. Add the salt. Leave the machine on and pour the olive oil in slowly until it is all mixed in.

When the cooking time is complete, turn the steam release handle to the Venting position to quickly release the pressure. Remove the lid.

Remove the thyme stems and bay leaf. Add the collard greens and 1 tablespoon of the pesto. Secure the lid and let sit on Warm for 5 minutes. Press Cancel. If serving immediately, stir in the remaining pesto and serve. If reheating later, only mix in 2 tablespoons of the pesto and reserve the rest to add in after reheating.

# # #

The Instant Pot® Kosher Cookbook: 100 Recipes to Nourish Body and Soul Paperback – March 9, 2021
224 Pages

 

Note: Roberta (Bobbie) Kitto is a freelance writer based out of Laughlin, NV. Her interests include travel, culinary pursuits and gardening. No fee was paid for this article, but she did receive a copy of the book to review . Her opinions are her own.