
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 3, 1991                   TAG: 9104030098
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: TONI BURKS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

COOKING UNDER PRESSURE IS EASIER, SAFER THAN EVER

During the hectic workweek, preparing dinner for your family can turn into a race against the clock. That's why people are rediscovering an old timesaving friend - the pressure cooker. Pressure cookers are making a comeback because they cook certain foods, such as pot roasts and poultry, as much as three times faster than conventional cooking, with tender, juicy results. So next time you're caught in a kitchen time crunch, remember the pressure cooker.

Why so fast?

Inside a pressure cooker, the atmosphere surrounding the food gets much hotter than in other cooking methods. As the cooker traps steam from boiling liquids, the pressure builds up. The mounting pressure produces a much higher cooking temperature than is normally possible, so the food cooks quickly and evenly.

Pressure cooking pointers:

Before using your pressure cooker, be sure to read the instruction manual that came with it. Your cooker should have a safety lock to protect you. The lock prevents the cooker from being opened until pressure is safely reduced. Once you're familiar with the way your cooker operates, you'll be able to use it for many foods. To convert recipes, use the following guidelines and be prepared to experiment.

- Before every use, check the valves and gasket, and make sure the vent pipe is clear.

- Choose foods that cook well in moist heat, such as stews, pot roasts, poultry and some vegetables.

- To determine the cooking time, start by decreasing the conventional cooking time by two-thirds, to one-third of the original cooking time. You can always add more time if the food isn't done.

- To generate steam, your pressure cooker needs to contain some liquid. You can reduce the amount of liquid from your original recipe because it won't evaporate as much, but be sure to have the minimum amount your instruction manual suggests.

- Never fill the cooker more than two-thirds full, to allow room for steam buildup.

- At the end of the cooking time, either remove the cooker from the heat to let pressure drop slowly or hold it under cold running water to reduce pressure quickly. Turn to your instruction booklet or recipe to see which method you should use.

- To avoid steam burns, tilt the lid away from you when remove it.

Shopping for a cooker:

You'll find 4- to 9-quart cookers that cost anywhere from $25 to more than $200. Aluminum cookers are usually the least expensive. Pressure cookers with copper in the bottom (to aid even heating) tend to be more expensive. You'll also find some cookers have a non-removable pressure regulator built into the lid. Others have the traditional removable rocking pressure regulator. All new models should have the safety lock feature. - Associated Press

\ HELP!!! DEAR SOS: I am looking for a recipe for yogurt-covered raisins or nuts. They are a great lunch-box treat but rather costly at the market. - SHARON

DEAR SHARON: Here is a recipe for yogurt-covered walnuts or pecan halves, but the same technique applies to other nuts as well as raisins.

Yogurt-covered nuts

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups walnut or pecan halves

Combine sugars and yogurt in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture reaches soft ball stage (about 235 degrees on candy thermometer). Add vanilla and cool until mixture begins to thicken. Add nuts. Stir until nuts are covered. Place on lightly buttered pan to cool. Cut into pieces. Makes about 1 1/2 pounds. - Los Angeles Times

\ MARKET SHOPPING Spring continues to be in full bloom at farm markets with everything needed to fill gardens with vegetables and yards with flowers.

Broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, cabbage, onions and tomato plants are plentiful. All but the tomatoes are recommended for planting now. If the tomato plants are put in the ground now, be prepared to give them protection on typical spring frosty nights. There are thornless blackberry and raspberry plants, too.

Pansies, primroses, azaleas and a wide variety of perennials and herbs are available and can be planted now. Shoppers will find marigolds, geraniums and impatiens, too, but they lack hardiness and should be protected from chilly temperatures. Hanging baskets of foliage plants are plentiful, and there are bouquets of cut spring flowers.

Lots of food items are showing up. Look for potatoes, cress, spinach, onions, sweet potatoes, green beans, squash, apples, asparagus, strawberries, tomatoes, dried apples, apple butter, sassafras, grated horseradish, preserves, relishes, herb vinegars and eggs.

\ AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS RUDE Restaurants and Institutions Magazine says that 34 percent of all Americans add extra salt to their food before even tasting it. - Los Angeles Times

by CNB