How you doin’?  This is a great soup that can even be made vegetarian with just a few substitutions… and the best part is that it is still rich and delicious (see ChefSecret). It is fast to prepare in your trusty Instant Pot.
 
As in many cases relating to the history of foods the origin of tortellini is disputed. Both Bologna and Modena, cities in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, claim to be the birthplace. The first recipe I found for "torteletti" appears in 1570 from Bartolomeo Scappi. Vincenzo Tanara's writings in the mid-17th century may be responsible for the pasta's renaming to tortellini. In the 1800s, legends sprang up to explain the recipe's origins, offering a compromise. Castelfranco Emilia, located between Bologna and Modena, is featured in one legend in which Venus stays at an inn. Overcome by her beauty, the innkeeper spies on her through a keyhole, through which he can only see her navel. He is inspired to create a pasta in this shape.
 
This legend would be at the origin of the term ombelico di Venere (Venus' navel), occasionally used to describe tortellini. In honor of this legend, an annual festival is held in Castelfranco Emilia. Another legend suggests that the shape comes from Modena's architecture, which resembles a turtle.
 
No matter the history or which story you believe, my Instant Pot Creamy Tortellini Soup is very delicious! Make it a little spicey with Italian sausage… or without.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  2 minutes, plus pressure build-up and release
Natural Release:  5 minutes
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the basic soup
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
4 tablespoons minced garlic
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
 
Added after pressure cooking
8 to 10 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini (you can also use refrigerated ravioli)
1 cup loosely-packed fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
 
For the garnish
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley (flat parsley)
1/2 cup ground Parmesan cheese
 
Directions 
To make the stock

1. Set an instant Pot to the SAUTÉ setting.
2. When the pot is hot add the oil and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just turning translucent.
3. Add the carrots and celery; cook for a minute.
4. Add the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Cook until most of the pink is gone.
5. Add the red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and thyme leaves. Stir well.
6. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring to incorporate.
7. Pour and stir in the chicken broth, wine and the diced tomatoes.
8. Close the lid and seal the release.
9. Set the timer for 2 MINUTES on HIGH pressure. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.
10. When the cook cycle has finished, allow NATURAL RELEASE for 5 MINUTES.
11. Carefully open the release valve and vent the remaining pressure.
12. When the pressure is released carefully open the lid.
13. Add the tortellini and stir. Make sure all of them are submerged.
14. Then place the lid back on leaving the steam vent open so it doesn't build pressure.
15. Let the soup rest for about 10 minutes. The tortellini will cook in the residual heat of the soup.
16. Open the lid and add the spinach and stir well.
17. Pour in the cream and stir to incorporate.
18. Garnish as desired and serve hot.

ChefSecret:  To make this soup vegetarian, skip the sausage, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, use a veggie-filled tortellini and use almond milk instead of cream.

Quip of the Day: “Wrinkles mean you have laughed, grey hair means you have thought, tears mean you have cared and scars mean you have lived.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

​#InstantPot #Soup #TortelliniSoup #Modena #Bologna #Emilia-Romagna #ItalianSausage #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  

                                                                           ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? At Lawry’s California Center (near downtown Los Angeles) they served some of the best Barbacoa this side of the border. Barbacoa is a method of cooking meat (historically lamb or goat) that turns tough cuts of meat into tender and juicy shards of protein. Traditionally steam-cooked in an underground pit, today’s modern barbacoa can be prepared over a barbecue, on the stove top, in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Barbacoa is cooked in a flavorful marinade and, when tender, it is shredded before it's served in tacos, burritos, enchiladas or other plated entrées.
 
Barbacoa and carnitas look similar, but don’t get them confused. Spicy barbacoa can be made with lamb, goat, beef, or pork. Carnitas is made only with pork.
 
Many food historians believe barbacoa originated in the Caribbean and that the style of cooking eventually made its way to Mexico. Mexican barbacoa is traditionally prepared in an underground brick-lined oven and is cooked with herbs, spices and chiles for hours, but you can make barbacoa in your trusty Instant Pot .
 
Barbacoa is heavily seasoned. My recipe calls for a marinade made with beef broth, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves. Do not skimp on the quantities. I use beef chuck roast (or beef cheeks if available) for the meat because they are flavorful and perfect for shredding.
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Cook time:  1 hour 15 minutes
Yield:  12 servings
 
Ingredients 
5 dried chipotle chile peppers
1 cup roughly chopped yellow onions
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup tomato paste
1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
6 tablespoons garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed
3/4 cup beef broth
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
 
Directions

1. Slice open chile peppers and remove most of the seeds. Discard seeds and stems. Roughly chop and transfer to the bowl of a food processor.
2. Add onion, lime juice, tomato paste, vinegar, garlic, cumin, salt, and oregano to the peppers, pulse until smooth.
3. Using the SAUTÉ function on the Instant Pot, sear the beef on each side.
4. Combine the beef, sauce, and bay leaves together in the Instant Pot and toss to combine. 
5. Turn OFF the SAUTÉ function.
6. Add beef broth, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns and red chili flakes.
7. Cover the Instant Pot with the lid and close the release valve; set the PRESSURE on HIGH for 1-HOUR, until the beef is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork. If it needs more time to cook, put it back into pressure cook mode for 8 minutes longer.
8. When the cook time is up, carefully release the pressure.
9. Remove and shred the meat.
10. Toss the shredded barbacoa beef with the juices again so that they soak up as much of them as possible. 
11. Remove the bay leaves and peppercorns before serving.

ChefSecret:  Use fewer peppers (and remove more seeds) for a milder flavor.

Quip of the Day: “I never thought the comment I wouldn’t touch them with a six-foot pole would become a national policy… just another one of Covid-19’s gifts!”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

#Entrees #Beef #BeefBarbacoa #InstantPot #Lawrys #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup
 
                                                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? Many people shy away from lamb or mutton as the flavor can be a bit gamy, but when you use shanks from a young animal, Lamb Shanks are one of the most delicious dishes to be served up on a plate.
 
Where did Lamb Shanks come from? Lamb Shanks are basically the ankles of the lamb. When you look at one end you see bone, some tough-looking muscle and lots of tendons. Some of the world's most memorable and satisfying meals are made from ingredients that are less than desirable cuts of meat. And yet when they are properly braised with aromatic vegetables, garlic, herbs and wine, they make a meal for the gods.
 
After cooking, Lamb Shanks are chunks of meat, tender yet holding their form, in a sauce that seems to concentrate and elevate the flavor of a young lamb and garden veggies.
 
Lamb Shank recipes come mostly from the people who raise sheep for wool. The British and Commonwealth countries eat both mutton and lamb and the shanks are called "trotters." The French do wonderful things with lamb shanks, as do the chefs of the Middle East and India.
 
No matter what the country of origin, there is one common technique for the recipes: The shanks must be browned well all over and then simmered long and slow with a lot of liquid. That is until the Instant Pot was employed to pressure cook Lamb Shanks and aromatic spices and vegetables together that infuse the meat with same incomparable flavor and texture during cooking as a slow braise.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  75-90 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the marinade
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 cinnamon stick
 
For the Mediterranean lamb shanks
3-pounds skinless lamb shanks (about 4 shanks)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 cups red wine
4 cups warm beef broth
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley for garnish (optional)
 
Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the marinade mix ingredients.
2. Add the lamb shanks and coat well. Set aside and allow them to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes have elapsed, select the SAUTÉ function on your Instant Pot. When the inner pot is hot, add 1/4 cup of olive oil to the Instant Pot.
4. When oil gets hot, brown the meat on all sides, 3-4 minutes per side. Meat will not be cooked through. Do not crowd the pot. You may have to work in batches. Transfer browned meat to a shallow dish and cover loosely with foil.
5. Add the onions, carrots, bay leaves and remaining marinade to the pot and sauté until onions are soft, 4-5 minutes.
6. Add the wine to the pot and deglaze by using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot, then simmer and reduce the liquid by half (about 10 minutes).
7. Add the warmed broth and return the meat to the pot, turning once to coat.
8. Turn the pot off by selecting CANCEL; then secure the lid, making sure the vent is closed.
9. Using the display panel select the PRESSURE COOK function for 30 MINUTES.
10. When the time is up, let the pressure NATURALLY RELEASE (about 15-20 MINUTES).
11. Carefully remove the meat from the pot and cover loosely with foil, reserving juices.
12. Strain the liquid and return to pot, discarding solids.
13. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and cold water. Stir mixture into the pot until thickened, returning to SAUTÉ mode as needed.
14. Serve the lamb shanks topped with the thickened gravy along with mashed white or sweet potatoes, noodles or rice.
15. Garnish with chopped parsley.

ChefSecret:  My preference is for young New Zealand milk-fed lamb. It is lighter in flavor and smoother in texture. Ask your trusty butcher to order it in for you.

Quip of the Day: “Last night the devil whispered to me, I’m coming for you. I whispered back, Bring a pepperoni pizza.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a with our readers?  Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind.

Happy New Year! Hope your holidays were wonderful... and that 2023 has gotten off to a great start. 

How you doin’? If you look closely, you’ll find a slow cooker setting on most Instant Pot models. Why? Sometimes it’s a matter of convenience and at other times certain foods just cook better in a slow cooker. If you’re suffering from a shortage of cabinet space for all those one-use gadgets you bought and seldom use, your Instant Pot allows you to sell the larger of the two and use your Instant Pot for a multitude of cooking procedures.
 
My Slow-Cooked Sticky Honey-Garlic Chicken is a favorite. While leaning toward Asian tastes, it is an anytime, anyplace single pot meal. The side dishes chosen will determine which way your meal is themed. Slow-Cooked Honey-Garlic Chicken can easily be served with white or fried rice, noodles and lightly steamed green vegetables.
 
The aroma emanating for the Instant Pot will permeate your kitchen and be a great preview of wonderful flavor to come.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  6 hours
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients 
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup chicken stock
5 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
3-4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons sesame seeds for garnishing
3 tablespoons green onion circles
 
Directions

1. Add the soy sauce, honey, ketchup, hoisin sauce and chicken stock to the inner pot.
2. Using a whisk, combine the ingredients until fully incorporated and sauce is smooth consistency.
3. Add the garlic, rice vinegar, sriracha, pepper, sesame oil and ginger and stir well.
4. Add the chicken thighs, turn to coat and submerge the chicken in the sauce; make sure all the chicken is coated in the sauce.
5. Secure the lid on the pot and set VENT to OPEN.
6. Select SLOW COOK on CUSTOM-HIGH and set the time for 6 HOURS.
7. Press START.
8. When cooking is finished, open the lid and transfer the chicken to a serving plate.
9. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions circles.

ChefSecret:  Serve over rice, fried rice or noodles with sautéed vegetables!

Quip of the Day:  What do chickens order at a Chinese restaurant? Eggroll, of course!
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. 

#Entrees #SlowCooker #InstantPot #Chicken #Hoisin #ChickenThighs #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup
 
                                                    ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2023

How you doin’? When I lived in Dallas, I discovered Black Eyed Peas were a potluck dish to help ring in the New Year. 
 
On New Year’s Eve, many African-Americans make a point to cook black-eyed peas to usher in the new year, and as author John Egerton wrote in his book Southern Food, it is believed they have a “mystical and mythical power to bring good luck.”
 
Actually the black-eyed pea isn’t a pea at all—it’s a bean that is in the cowpea family. Black-eyed peas were brought to the Americas on slave ships from West Africa to feed the enslaved people who made the long and tortuous journey across the Middle Passage. In Africa, black-eyed peas would have been either boiled and eaten with rice, or fried and eaten with rice and fried plantains. Once in America, black-eyed peas were able to be planted by enslaved people in their gardens because they were viewed as a food for poor people and were also used to feed animals. They were often used in soups, stews and fritters.
 
After the Civil War, eating black-eyed peas became more common throughout the South and was not limited to being food for the Africans or the poor. The Union Army raided the Confederate Army’s food supplies during the Civil War and took everything that they considered edible, with the exception of black-eyed peas. At this point, the Confederate Army had to eat whatever they could find and ate the beans out of necessity. 
 
No one knows for sure where the tradition of eating black-eyed peas for good luck and prosperity in the New Year came from; there are a couple of theories. One theory is that the enslaved ate black-eyed peas when the Emancipation Proclamation became effective on January 1, 1863. Another theory is based on the Southern phrase, “eat poor on New Year’s and eat fat the rest of the year”—grounded in the historically held belief that black-eyed peas were for poor people.
 
The most common way to eat black-eyed peas is in the Hoppin’ John dish. The earliest recipe can be found in an 1847 cookbook, A Carolina Housewife, written by Sarah Rutledge. Most recipes for Hoppin’ John call for cooking the black-eyed peas with rice, pork (usually fatback or bacon) and seasonings. Some variations include chopped onions and hot sauce.
 
My Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas are just as delicious as the good old-fashioned recipes that are still served for New Year's Day feasts.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  40 minutes
Release time:  15 minutes
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
3 bay leaves
8 tablespoons minced garlic
1 pound dry black-eyed peas, rinsed
1 pound smoked ham hock (see ChefSecret)
4 slices thick cut smoky bacon, rough chopped
5 cups water
2 teaspoons low sodium Better Than Bouillon chicken base
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

1. Turn the Instant Pot to the Sauté setting. When hot, add the oil and the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to turn translucent.
2. Add the bay leaves and the garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for 20 seconds.
3. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Cancel the sauté setting.
4. Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
5. Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button, and then the +/- button to select 16 minutes. High Pressure.
6. When the cook cycle has finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for a 15 minute natural release. Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining pressure.
7. When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid.
8. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Then remove the ham hocks and get the meat off of the bones. Add the meat back into the pot.
9. Taste and add a little salt, if needed.
10. Serve with freshly baked cornbread. You can also serve over rice as an option.

​ChefSecret:  Ask your favorite meat cutter to saw the smoked ham hock into several pieces to make it easier to separate the meat from the bones after cooking. This can be a "dump and cook" recipe if you don't want to bother to do the sautéing steps.

Quip of the Day: “You don’t realize how old you’ve gotten in the last two years until you sit on the floor and then try to get back up.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.
 
#InstantPot #BlackEyedPeas #TexasStyle #Entrees #HamHocks #BetterThanBouillon #Holidays2022 #2022Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup
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                                                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022