A kitchen Best - The Pressure Cooker

Italians use a pressure cooker to cook almost anything from beans & soups to vegetables & meats. Its faster than using a pot with a lid and keeps more vitamins and nutrients in your food, because the longer you cook your food, and the more exposed it is to the air, the more nutrients will be lost. Keeping your food in larger pieces during the cooking process will also help the nutrients from being destroyed. The super heated steam produced by a pressure cooker enhances the foods natural flavors making the pressure cooker an Italians first choice for stove top cooking. A tip, always keep the left over juice when you cook, either in your refrigerator or in the freezer, to use as a stock for soups or making beans. Italians never throw anything away and always get the most out of their food.

Modern day pressure cookers are safe and easy to use unlike their ancient predecessors, so don't be scared, go out and get yourself one today. You can check out a variety of pressure cookers at Stylefeeder.com.

MINCED GARLIC in olive oil

Having chopped garlic prepared ahead of time as a staple in your refrigerator will make your cooking experience much easier, and you will find that once you have this simple tool at your disposal, a whole new world of recipes will open up for you. Its so easy to make and much cheaper than buying it pre-made in the grocery store. Minced garlic in olive oil is an Italian kitchen staple and we highly recommend it!

INGREDIENTS

Approx. 15-20 cloves of fresh garlic, 1 cup olive oil and 1 small mason jar.

DIRECTIONS
Peel & chop garlic into small small square pieces. Add to a jar with olive oil. Store in the refrigerator. Use when needed.

SERVING SIZE
1 small jar.

NOTES
For use when ever a recipe calls for minced garlic. Best if used within 2 months, but will last in the refrigerator longer.

PANNE COTTA with strawberry sauce

Girasole's famous desert... traditional panne cotta with strawberry sauce.

LAMON BEANS with onions & parsley

Sonia brought back these delicious beans from Italy. Lamons are named after the town of Lamon, a small village in the Borlotto region, near Belluno, because they are specific to that area, and get their unique delicate flavor from the soil which is rich in potassium, phosphate and limestone compound. You can substitute Lamon beans with Pinto beans if you can't find them in the states. But keep an eye open when you are at farmer's or specialty markets, because you never know when they are going to appear.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound dry lamon beans, 1-2 quarts filtered water, 1 medium onion, 1-2 bunches of fresh parsley, 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, sea salt & pepper.

DIRECTIONS

Rinse the beans with water in a colander and drain. Place the beans in a large bowl and let them soak overnight in filtered water. Make sure that the water covers the beans entirely.

The next day, drain the beans and place them in a pressure cooker. Fill the cooker with filtered water, once again making sure that the water covers the beans. Add 2 pinches of sea salt, 1 vegetable bouillon, seal and cook for 15 minutes. If you don't have a pressure cooker you can use a large pot with a lid. It will take longer to cook in a regular pot, so add another 40 minutes of cooking time. Many Italian recipes call for a pressure cooker, it's one of the secret tools in Italian cooking, so it's worth investing in one if you get the chance.

When the beans are done they should be tender but not fall apart. Use a colander to strain out the liquid and place the beans in a bowl to cool on the side. DON'T discard the bean juice, but keep it in a sealed container in your refrigerator for future use. The juice from the beans is a great stock for making all kinds of soups, gravies and even as an ingredient in baby food.

Thinly slice your onion into round cuts and separate the pieces. Rough chop the parsley so its not too fine, discard the stems. Prepare and place these items on the side while the beans cool.

Once the beans are cooled, stir in the olive oil, onion slices and chopped parsley. Add salt & pepper to taste.

SERVING SIZE

8-10 servings

NOTES

This is a great side dish that can be served room temperature with various meats, fish, potatoes, grilled vegetables, in salads or by itself. It's the perfect side for a picnic or with tuna for a light lunch at work.