Posted on 06/01/2018 4:24:29 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
Last week we tried ‘roasting’ a whole chicken in the Instant Pot, and used the Lemon and Herb Chicken recipe on the Instant Pot website. The meat itself turned out amazing, very moist and tender; but as we suspected when discussing this last month, the skin was not crispy. We got around this by giving the chicken a few minutes under the broiler after cooking, and as Liz suggested one could use a chef’s torch. We came away from the experience thinking that it’s a great way to do a chicken if you want to use the meat in a recipe, or don’t mind the skin not being crispy; but we will probably roast future chickens in the oven.
A second experiment, however, turned out wonderfully. We tried the ‘Now and Later Butter Chicken’, from ‘The Keto Instant Pot Cookbook’ by Urvashi Pitre. This recipe has become a sort of Internet sensation since the author first posted it, and it was just as interesting and satisfying as the Chicken Biryani that my husband makes, but takes far less time and work. It’s called ‘Now and Later’ because it makes a lot more sauce than you need, which you can freeze and use later with leftover chicken. My husband actually used more chicken than called for, and we still had leftover sauce! The recipe is endorsed by Instant Pot, and can be found on their website:
https://recipes.instantpot.com/recipe/butter-chicken-murgh-makhani
And here is a link to Pitre’s blog, where she chronicles her weight loss journey and makes available lots of recipes:
With summer and gardens coming on, I thought I’d repost here one of my favorite recipes for Summer Squash. I found the following in the Smith and Hawken 'Gardeners' Community Cookbook' (a great recipe book!) and it is one of my husband’s favorite recipes:
Summer Squash with Spinach Filling
For the Squash:
Boil 2 large or 4 medium, whole Summer Squash until they can be easily pierced by a knife tip, but are still firm. Allow to cool slightly, and then split them lengthwise, and remove the seeds with a spoon. Set Aside.
Spinach Filling for Summer Squash
1 large bunch spinach, using leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped and well-drained (3/4 lb.) (often I just buy bags of baby spinach for this, and steam them slightly in the microwave.)
4 T butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
Salt
Wilt the still-moist spinach in an ungreased, heavy saute pan over medium heat, or in a microwave bowl at high heat. Drain briefly and then squeeze dry and set aside. (I have found a potato ricer to be the ideal tool for squeezing out steamed spinach.)
Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and stir until wilted, about 3 minutes.
Add the spinach, sour cream and vinegar, and salt to taste. Stir to blend.
Spoon the spinach mixture into the hollows of the squash halves. Place in an oven proof tray and bake at about 350 degrees until heated through and the squash tender.
Filling can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator overnight.
(I've also seen similar recipes that add some cheese to the spinach mixture; I think Parmesan would be great.)
-JT
Thanks for the Zuke recipe. That sounds wonderful! I have one plant each of Easy-Pick Green and Easy-Pick Gold, a Yellow Crookneck and a pale green summer squash (name escapes me) so we’ll have plenty-o-squash once they start producing, end of June.
We have an Insta-Pot; ‘Santa’ bought it for us last year - haven’t gotten to it yet, but with this early-season HEAT? I’m gonna get on that!
Since Beau is such an awesome hunter and we vacuum pack meat & fish for the freezer, we pretty much have a green salad from the garden, something ‘killed and grilled’ and a side veg from this time of year...until October! ;)
My husband grew up hunting with his Dad, and they also raised rabbits. He says that when people say that something ‘tastes like chicken’, they’re usually wrong, and the only thing that tastes like chicken - besides chicken - is rabbit.
I’ll take his word - rabbit is a culinary bridge too far for me; but the one time I had frog legs without knowing it, I thought they were chicken...
Pot experiments?
Really Jamestown..
I knew you’d be along...;-)
I’ve been rinsing rice for over 30 years now. Especially brown rice which is really quite dirty. I use a deeper pot swirl the rice around with my hand. Change the water a few times at least. Your brown rice will have never tasted so good or been more fluffy.
Not for long...
Beef Stroagnaugh at the VFW tonight
If you cant spell it LOL, I call it Brother James hamburger helper LOL
Brown it (dear it) before you pop it in the Instant Pot. Almost any meat needs that.
(Maillard reaction.)
I’m lazy about it. But I have one of those bowls, so I’ll have to get to it.
(I have a cheap little rice cooker that makes excellent rice.)
I wonder if anyone here has ever had Louisiana ‘popcorn’ rice?
http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Popcorn_rice
Well, we did that - the Instant Pot has a saute function, and you start the chicken out with that. But it still works sort of like a crockpot on chicken skin, and at least in our experience the initial saute didn’t wind up doing much at all.
I did that all mylife, Mom says just put in the raw beef, dont’ worrying about browning.
Have a good time!
Good to see you too.
Be still, my heart!
Yep. Rabbit and Squirrel are my ‘bridge too far.’ I’ll fry up rabbit for HIM if he cleans and skins it...but he knows better by now than to bring a squirrel to my door, LOL!
Court me with Real Estate, not Road Kill! *SMIRK*
My husband had squirrel, too, as a kid; and liked it :-(
At least he hasn’t brought it home...yet.
LOL! If that weren’t so funny, it would be dreadful...
Neat, it’s nice to know from someone who’s tried it that they work. I may have to pick one up for all the lettuce that’s in the garden.
“Delicious bits of broccoli are drenched in cheese and batter, then fried.”
Oh yum, that sounds fantastic!
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