Brown Rice with Chestnuts& Dried Fruit (Pressure Cooked)

* Exported from MasterCook *

Brown Rice with Chestnuts & Dried Fruit (Pressure Cooked)

Recipe By : Cooking Under Pressure, copyright 1989
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Grains

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
12 fresh chestnuts (abt 10 oz)
2 tablespoons butter or oil
2 stalks celery -- thinly sliced
2 large carrots, scrubbed -- coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups raw long- or short-grain brown rice -- picked over & ri
nsed
1/3 cup pitted prunes -- halved
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
2 3/4 cups boiling vegetable stock (up to 3 c)
or
chicken stock, bouillon, or water
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon salt -- or to taste

serves 6

With a sharp paring knife, make a small "x" in the skin on the flat side of eac
h chestnut. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in the cooker, and cook the chestnuts
uncovered for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and lift a few chesnuts at a time
from the water with a slotted spoon. Run under cold water to cool, and remove
both the peel and the thin skin surraounding each chestnut. If any chesntust d
on-t peel easily, set them back in the hot water for a few minutes. When done,
rinse out cooker and dry thoroughly.

Heat the butter in the cooker. Saute the celery and carrots for 2 minutes, the
n stir in the rice and coat well with the fat. Stir in the chestnuts, purnes,
apricots, cinnamon, ornage zest, 2 3/4 cups boiling stock, bay leaf and salt.
Lock the lid in place and over high heat bring to high pressure. Adjust heat t
o maintain high pressure, and cook for 16 minutes. Let the pressure drop natur
ally for 10 minutes. Reduce any remaining pressure with a quick release method
. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape
.

If the rice is not sufficiently cooked, stir in 1/4 cup additional boiling stoc
k or water if the mixture seems dry, lock the lid back in place and return to h
igh pressure or simmer over low heat, for a few more minutes. When the rice is
done, remove the bay leaf and adjust the seansonings before serving.

Serving Suggestion: goes well with roast turkey or baked ham.

Variation 1: replace the fresh chestnuts with 3-4 peeled and chunked parsnips
or sweet potatoes.

Variation 2: substitute dried chestnuts that have been soaked overnight in amp
le water to cover.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -