A few months ago I bought a Fagor Duo Combi Pressure Cooker set, which, IMHO, is probably the most useful kitchen thing that I’ve bought to date. I went ahead against the protests of my paranoid grandmother (”but Steph, they’ve killed people!”) and discovered that this thing is so completely beyond awesome that I’m thinking of framing a photo of it and hanging it on the wall.

Thus far, my favorite pressure cooker dish is risotto - which only takes seven minutes to cook. Yes, you heard that right: no more stirring, pouring, gauging, etc. Unless you want to, of course. I’ll be the first to hail the gratification one can receive from long poring over a complicated dish, but let’s face it… sometimes you just don’t want to deal with it. And yes, it turns out perfectly.

This particular recipe is super hearty, cheesy, and full of vegetable goodness while still being dairy and gluten free. Those of you that are yeast sensitive would be fine just leaving out the nutritional yeast (and possibly replacing the mushrooms with some other yummy thing). The bright yellow and orange color is perfect for summertime.

I can hear the old italian grandmas in the audience (my own included) protesting, so without further ado:

Pressure Cooker Risotto
serves 4 as a side, 2 as an entree.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, diced
5 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 to 2 cups mushrooms, cleaned and chopped into nice large bits (I like oysters, but you can use any mushroom, really, as long as there’s lots!)
1 large yellow summer squash, cut in half lenghwise and chopped
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (more if you want it uber cheesy)
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
3 3/4 cups vegetable broth
2 tsp salt

In pressure cooker, sweat onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic, being careful not to let it fry or burn. After that’s nice and golden, add carrots and cook for a minute or two, and then mushrooms, cooking for another four minutes. Sprinkle in rice and allow to fry for one minute, stirring constantly so it doesn’t stick. Add broth and allow to come up to temp, just about a boil, and add salt and nutritional yeast, giving the whole lot a big stir to integrate the yeast.

Finally, add the squash - you don’t want to add it until just before you throw the lid on, or else it may disintegrate. Set lid and pressure to highest setting (2 on the Fagor) and once it comes up to full pressure, start the timer for 7 minutes.

When it’s done, remove the lid and give it another good stir. Add more salt to taste and serve.

Oh man, I’m getting hungry just typing this.