it back onto the stove and finish the job.
Using a wire whisk, whisk in the flour a little at a time until it is all mixed into a smooth thin gravy. Continue whisking. Do not stop no matter what. As you whisk, the roux will change color gradually, from white, to tan, to brown, to reddish brown, to peanut butter-colored, to milk chocolate, and finally, to coffee-colored. Coffee-colored is what you want. If the color starts changing too quickly, lift the skillet off the burner and continue whisking until you get control of it again. Just before the color is right, carry the whole skillet over to the cooker, and carefully (it will make lots of steam, so don’t put your hands or your face directly over the pot while doing this), pour the roux into the gumbo. Set the skillet in a safe place to cool (in the oven is a good place, so no one will inadvertently grab it, or touch the hot skillet...), and turn off the stove burner. Never run cold water on a hot iron skillet. it will make it warp, and ruin it.
Give the gumbo a good stir, put on the lid, seal the vent, and set the timer to 10 minutes.
When the time is up, let the pressure reduce naturally.
Serve over cooked white rice with lots of fresh cornbread.
Laissez les bon temps roulet !
(Cajun for “Let the good times roll!)
Chicken Campeche
A wonderfully spicy, cheesy chicken dish in the style of Southern Mexican Cuisine.
■ 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets
■ 2 cups water
■ 1/4 block of Velveta Queso Blanco Cheese
■ 8-10 drops Mesquite Liquid Smoke
■ 1/3 cup, + 4 tbsp. salsa
■ Salt and pepper to taste.
Warm up the cooker.
Add water, Liquid Smoke, and 4 tbsp. salsa.
Drop the chicken breasts in, lock the lid, seal the vent and set the timer for 12 minutes if the chicken is frozen, or 8 minutes if it is thawed.
When timer is done, release pressure and remove chicken. Pour up the remaining liquid and save it for use in other recipes.
Cut chicken into 1/4” cubes and return to the cooker. Set cooker to heat.
Add a small splash of water to the bottom of the pot to keep cheese from sticking and burning.
Add cheese, the rest of the salsa, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the cheese is well melted and the chicken is coated.
Serve over Mexican Rice
Chicken with Blueberry Drizzle
Mouth-watering, moist, tender chicken fillets, with a delicious blueberry sauce, and a side of steamed zucchini. Out of the ordinary, and a cut above. Your taste-buds won’t know what hit them.
For the sauce:
■ 1/2 cup blueberry jam (sugar-free, or all-natural is OK)
■ 1 tbsp. Agave Nectar (or honey)
■ 1 clove garlic, crushed (or 2 tsp. garlic powder)
■ 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
■ 1/2 tsp. salt
■ 1/2 tsp. pepper
■ 1/2 tsp. Pecan, or Mesquite liquid smoke
For the Chicken:
■ 2 cups water
■ 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
■ 2 pounds zucchini (or similar vegetable, such as squash, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, etc....), cut into large chunks
■ 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
■ Salt and pepper to taste
■ 4 squares of foil, large enough to wrap each fillet in
In a small mixing bowl, whisk all the sauce ingredients together until well mixed, and set aside.
Add the water, zucchini, butter, and a little salt and pepper to the pressure cooker.
Lay out the 4 squares of foil, dull-side up, and spray with a non-stick cooking spray, or oil.
Lay each breast fillet in the center of each foil square.
Lightly salt and pepper each side of the fillets, and drizzle a little sauce over each one, on both sides. Be sure to reserve at least half of the sauce.
Roll each fillet up tightly in the foil, and seal the ends by folding them up, on the seam side.
Place the fillets on top of the zucchini, seam-side up.
Put the lid on the pot and lock it, and seal the pressure valve. Set the timer for 12 minutes.
When the light goes to ‘Warm’, you can carefully release the pressure manually if you want,