User manual RUSSELL HOBBS 6 LITRE PRESSURE COOKER

[. . . ] Remove all packaging, but keep it till you know the appliance works. important safeguards caution don't touch the pressure indicator ­ you'll release steam, which may cause scalding 1 This appliance must only be used by a responsible adult. 4 Check that the lid of your pressure cooker is properly closed and locked before use: a) the lid and body handles must be aligned b) the lid lock must be pushed fully in towards the centre of the lid 5 Take great care when moving a pressure cooker while it's under pressure. 7 The operation of the safety devices may be accompanied by a sudden loss of steam and, in extreme cases, liquid. In order to reduce the risk of this happening you must follow the instructions precisely. [. . . ] If in doubt, remove the lid and check the water level before moving from pre-steaming to pressure cooking. Once the cooker is steaming, the heat should be reduced to low so that only a small amount of steam escapes. Don't let the water boil rapidly, as more steam will be given off and the cooker could boil dry before the end of the cooking time. When the pre-steaming time is complete, turn the pressure selector knob to the recipe setting (1 or 2), increase the heat, and bring the cooker up to cooking pressure. containers Use basins, bowls, moulds or dishes that fit easily into the cooker. They mustn't come to within 2. 5cm (1") of the top of the cooker body. Any type of heatproof container may be used: metal, enamel, glass, earthenware or boilable plastic. Don't use containers that are cracked. using a lifting strap When cooking in a container, use a thickly folded strip of aluminium foil, under the container, as a lifting strap. Check that the ends of the strap aren't long enough to reach the lid, to avoid blocking the pressure indicator or pressure selector tube. caution use oven gloves ­ the foil, container and pan will all be hot 5 advantages of pressure cooking economical nutritional versatile Cooks up to three times faster and uses only one element or ring, saving both time and fuel. Cooking under pressure is recognised as one of the healthiest ways to prepare food. More vitamins and minerals are retained, with minimum loss of colour and flavour, compared with conventional cooking. Bulk cooking/blanching for the freezer is easier in a pressure cooker. how pressure cooking works Under normal conditions, water boils at 100°C. The pressure cooker is designed to allow pressure to build up safely in the cooker, raising the cooking temperature, resulting in cooking times up to 3 times faster than normal, and delicious tender food. The trivet, (basket rest) lifts the basket clear of the cooking liquid and lets steam to circulate round the food. It's important that the food isn't immersed in the cooking liquid, otherwise it'll simply be boiled, rather than steamed, which will defeat the object of the pressure cooker. cooking times Cooking times for food are determined by the size of the individual pieces of food. potatoes, swede) to achieve the same cooking time for different foods cooked together. If necessary, cooking may be interrupted, pressure released ("releasing pressure", page 5), and foods with shorter cooking times added later. no-pressure cooking You can, if you want, use the pressure cooker as a big pan. In that case, either set the pressure selector to t, or remove it altogether. 2 The pressure indicator prevents the pressure cooker opening while pressurised. 3 The pressure selector will vent steam to keep the pressure to the chosen setting. 4 If the pressure selector fails, a safety valve in the pressure indicator will operate. 5 If the pressure selector and the safety valve both fail, a safety vent, in the edge of the lid, will allow the gasket to deform and vent excess pressure. 7 care and maintenance 1 Let the pressure cooker cool down fully. gasket (lid sealing ring) 2 The gasket will shrink slightly in use. [. . . ] Roll up the fish fillets, starting from the tail end, secure with cocktail sticks or string, and lay in the sauce. Garnish with watercress and serve on a bed of rice. 10 vegetables stuffed peppers 3 minutes 4 medium green peppers 225g (8oz) cooked chicken, chopped 225g (8oz) cooked long grain rice 100g (4oz) mature cheddar cheese, grated 50g (2oz) walnuts, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 tsp dried ground cumin salt and black pepper Remove the stalk and seeds from the peppers by cutting a hole round the stalk and lifting it out. Cut a thin slice from the base of each pepper so they'll stand upright. Mix the rest of the cheese with the chicken, rice, walnuts, onion, cumin, a good pinch of salt and 2 to 4 grindings of black pepper. [. . . ]