Pimp My Fries

Matt's really gone and done it this time, folks. He tantalized me with his description of a plate of french fries crowned with taco meat, guacamole, onions, cheese and tomatoes. How could I resist such a thing of beauty?

I call them Frachos.

A 2-1/2 pound top round roast would normally require hours of cooking to achieve fork-shreddable tenderness, but not today! I sprinkled both sides with salt and pepper and plopped it into my trusty pressure cooker with 1 teaspoon lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon sriracha sauce, 1/4 teaspoon each ground cumin and coriander, 1/2 teaspoon each dried parsley and oregano and 2 cloves garlic, chopped and 1 cup of chicken broth (because I didn't have anything else; beef or vegetable broth would be more appropriate, and water would work just fine as well). After 30 minutes at full pressure I quickly released the steam and removed the meat to find a lovely fond at the bottom of my pot.

To the fond, I added 1 chopped jalapeno pepper (seeded and ribs removed), 1 28-ounce can tomato puree, 1 cup water, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon chili powder. That simmered for about 10 minutes.

The meat was chunked and doused with sauce before topping a plate of fresh-out-of-the-grease french fries. A generous covering of jalapeno-jack cheese sealed the deal.

I'm now unable to button my pants, but it's worth it.

Our New Addition

Isn't it beautiful?

I've been wanting a pressure cooker for several years. I finally got one! This is a 5-quart aluminum (read: cheap) model bought on markdown. It'll do.

Of all the pieces of kitchen equipment I have owned in my life, a pressure cooker is one of those nice-to-haves that makes life much, much easier. This isn't my first one, either. My previous cooker served faithfully for many, many years. It was another cheapy and, like many things, you get what you pay for when it comes to pressure cookers. The shape warped and the gaskets became damaged... it went to the great kitchen warehouse in the sky 5 years ago now. It was time for a new model.

If you can overcome the fear that came with the various horror stories you must have heard from your grandmothers long enough, you'll realize that today's pressure cookers have several built-in safety features to prevent kitchen catastrophes. And really, who can beat a meal made in less than 30 minutes from frozen solid ingredients?

Under pressure, the cooker's internal pressure rises above the boiling point of water, which causes everything within to cook faster (and that's an energy-saver for you greenies out there). Pressurized steam is a natural tenderizer and makes for a moist end product.

So I'll be revisiting some old favorite pressure-cooker recipes--and some new ones--over the next several months. But don't worry--any recipes posted here will also have instructions for traditional cooking.

Have you ever used a pressure cooker and, if so,
what do you make in it?