Pressure Cooker Gigante Beans

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

2 -3 onions diced
4 garlic cloves smashed and sliced
Olive oil
1 Tbsp of salt
Pepper to taste
Oregano, a generous pinch
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) or sweet smoked paprika
1/2 dry white wine / or whey
1 Cup of dry giant lima beans / gigante beans
2 cups of water
approx 14 oz of tomatoes
2 bay leaves

Instructions

Using saute function on instant pot, add olive oil to coat bottom and saute onions, cook 5 - 8 minutes until translucent, then add garlic, oregano and pepper flakes and cook ~ 2 minutes, then add white wine or whey and cook until almost dry.

Add beans, water and bay leaves, salt and cook on high pressure for 50 minutes.  Manual release the pressure.  Check to make sure beans are done, if not cook for another 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes and break up and cook over saute for ~ 20 minutes.  Adjust seasoning.  Add fish sauce and vinegar if needed.

Top with crumbled feta and a squeeze of lemon.

Notes - original recipe called for 2.5 Cups of beans and 5 Cups of water

Eggplant and Israeli Couscous

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 Japanese eggplants, cubed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion sliced
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup tomato
- 2 cups water/stock
- kale/beans optional

Directions
1. Toast couscous in dutch oven on medium heat until golden brown, remove from pan
2. Heat olive oil, when shimmering, add onion and cook til brown. Add eggplant, cook until starts to brown. Add garlic fry until fragrant
3. Add spices, tomato paste, tomato and liquid with couscous to pot. Cover pot and put heat on low. Cook until couscous is cooked, 20-30 minutes, check once in a while and add liquid to pot if it gets too dry. Add kale and beans at this point if using
4. Serve with yogurt, olive oil and parsley

Chicken Thighs in Lemon Caper Sauce

Ingredients
- 9 chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small shallot diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 1/2 cups stock
- 1 cup white wine  (or whey/stock)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp capers

Directions
1. Salt and pepper chicken thighs. Brown skin side down with olive oil in dutch oven, may need to work in batches. Transfer to pan and cook at 350F for 15 minutes in oven.
2. Pour off oil in pan. Cook shallots and garlic in butter. When fragrant, add flour and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add in liquid whisk frequently. Cook until sauce thickens. Add lemon zest and capers.
3. Nestle thighs in sauce to warm and serve.

Lisbon Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

For Cake:
- 115g unsalted butter
- 30g unsweetened cocoa
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 100g sugar (probably could cut down)
- 3 large eggs chilled

For Ganache:
- 1 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate

For Topping:
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder

Directions
1. Heat oven to 325F, line 9 inch pan with parchment paper and butter
2. Sift cocoa, corn starch, baking powder and salt into bowl
3. Melt butter and chocolate in bain maire, stirring until glossy. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating vigorously for 1 minute after last egg added. Stir in dry ingredients and pour into pan.
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool for 5 minutes before unmolding. Take off parchment paper and cool cake completely. Wash and dry pan
5. Pour 1 1/4 cup cream into saucepan and scald cream on medium heat (to 180F). Stir in chocolate until melted. Transfer to bowl and refrigerate, taking out to whisk every 10 minutes for 50-60 minutes.
6. Place cake back in bottom of pan.
7. Whisk remaining cream until medium peaks. Fold into ganache with spatula, then spread over cake in pan. Refigerate for at least 2 hours.
8. Before serving, sprinkle cocoa over cake using a strainer.