old-fashioned black bean soup
Whereas black bean chili is a stick-to-your-ribs thick bean stew, the delightful black bean soup is quite a bit thinner in consistency but every bit as soul satisfying. This is a soup that is made in the southern part of the United States, so it has a bit of bacon in it. Of course, you can leave it out and use additional vegetable oil. Black beans have a black skin, but after cooking the inside is sweet and creamy. This soup is so good you often just cannot stop with one bowlful. This is our favorite recipe, adapted from food doyenne and cooking teacher Charlotte Coombe, one she made for our local bakery café when they offered a daily hot soup to serve with their fresh bread.
MACHINE: Large (10-cup) rice cooker ;
on/off or fuzzy logic
CYCLE: Quick Cook and/or regular
YIELD: Serves 8
8 ounces (about 6 slices) bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium-size yellow onions, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped celery, with some leaves
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried marjoram or savory leaves, crumbled
6 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 pound dried black turtle beans, picked over, rinsed, soaked in water to cover (overnight or quick-soak method), soaking water reserved
2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
¾ cup dry sherry (optional)
Crumbled goat cheese or sour cream, for garnish
1. Place the bacon, oils, and onions in the rice cooker bowl. Set for the Quick Cook or regular cycle and cook until the bacon is just browned and the onions are soft, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add the celery, cumin, marjoram, chicken stock, and bay leaf; cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the beans and their soaking liquid. Close the cover, set for the regular cycle, and set a timer for 1½ hours.
3. When the timer sounds, add the salt, pepper, and sherry, if using. Close the cover and cook for 20 minutes longer.
4. Remove the bay leaf. Puree in batches in a food processor or with a handheld immersion blender. Taste the soup, adding more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve hot, topped with crumbled goat cheese or a dollop of sour cream.
turkey chili with baby white beans
Now this is a recipe that calls for canned beans for convenience. It is ready in about 1½ hours and has been deemed the best version yet.
MACHINE: Large (10-cup) rice cooker ;
on/off or fuzzy logic
CYCLE: Quick Cook and/or regular
YIELD: Serves 8
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium-size yellow onions, chopped
1½ teaspoons dried marjoram
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1½ pounds lean ground dark turkey meat
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, with their juices
3 cups beef stock
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
Three 15-ounce cans small white beans, rinsed and drained
GARNISH
Chopped red onion
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Grated Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream
1. Place the olive oil and onions in the rice cooker bowl. Set for the Quick Cook or regular cycle. Cook, stirring a few times, until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the marjoram and cumin and cook for another 1 minute. Add the turkey and cook, stirring, until the meat is no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, bay leaf, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, and tomatoes. Break up the tomatoes with the plastic rice paddle. Stir in the stock and tomato sauce. Close the cover, reset for the regular cycle, and set a timer for 1 hour.
2. When the timer sounds, add the beans and stir to evenly distribute, using a plastic rice paddle or wooden spoon. Close the cover and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Serve the chili in bowls with the accompaniments nearby for diners to garnish their own.
vegetarian black bean chili
After trying scores of vegetarian chilis, in cluding those made with black-eyed peas, cracked wheat, or soybeans, we’ve decided that black bean chili is just the very best. Rich, dark, and flavorful, this recipe is easy to make and even more of a delight to devour. We were introduced to this version in the 1980s at Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, where you can buy it to go at the bakery and sit outside on one of the docks to eat it with some fresh herb bread.
MACHINE: Large (10-cup) rice cooker ;
fuzzy logic or on/of f
CYCLE: Regular
2 cups (1 pound) dried black turtle beans, picked over, rinsed, soaked in water to cover (overnight or quick-soak method), and drained
1 bay leaf
1½ tablespoons dried marjoram or savory
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon hot paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium-size yellow onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
One 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with their juices
1½ teaspoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 to 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or champagne vinegar
GARNISH
Grated Muenster cheese
Sour cream or crème fraîche
6 to 8 sprigs fresh cilantro (optional)
1. Place the beans in the rice cooker bowl with the bay leaf and cover with 3 inches of water. Close the cover, set for the regular cycle, and set a timer for 45 minutes.
2. Heat a large cast-iron or other heavy metal skillet. Add the marjoram and cumin seeds, shaking the pan to lightly toast them. Add the paprika, cayenne, and chili powder at the end and just warm them. Pour this mixture into a mortar to grind the herb into a coarse powder.
3. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the toasted spices, tomatoes, chipotles, and salt and stir to combine. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
4. When the timer sounds, add the tomato mixture to the beans and stir well with a wooden or plastic rice paddle or wooden spoon. Close the cover, reset for the regular cycle, and simmer until the beans are nice and soft, 1¼ to 1½ hours. Test for doneness; the beans should be tender. Stir in the cilantro and vinegar.
5. Serve the chili in bowls, layering the cheese on the bottom and the sour cream on top, with a sprig of cilantro, if you like.
THE BASICS : SOAKING BEANS
All beans except for lentils and split peas need to be presoaked before cooking, although if you’re using the lentils for a salad or side dish, soak them in cold water for 1 hour before cooking and they will retain their distinct shape. Presoaking will improve the taste and digestibility of beans, as well as decrease the cooking time; the technique was originally invented to conserve fuel. We find the quick-soak method to be the most efficient, but you can use the overnight method if you prefer. Buy beans that are smooth and whole, as lots of cracked, broken beans and shriveled skins mean the beans are old and will take a long time to soften and cook.
Before soaking, pour the beans into a shallow bowl and pick over by hand to remove any visible organic debris, small rocks, or damaged beans. Pour the beans into a colander and clean thoroughly by rinsing under cold running water.
Quick-Soak Method
For every 2 cups of beans (1 pound), use 6 to 8 cups of hot water. Place the beans and water in a medium-size or large st
ockpot and bring to a rapid boil over high heat (or use your rice cooker). Boil for 3 minutes and remove from the heat. Cover and let the beans soak for 1 to 1½ hours, depending on the size of the bean. Discard any damaged beans, drain well, and rinse. The beans are now ready to be cooked plain or added to a recipe.
Overnight-Soak Method
For every 2 cups of beans (1 pound), use 6 to 8 cups of cold water. Place the beans and water in a medium-size or large stockpot or bowl (or use your rice cooker). Cover and let the beans soak for 8 hours to overnight, depending on the size of the bean. Discard any damaged beans, drain well, and rinse. The beans are now ready to be cooked plain or added to a recipe.
vegetables in the RICE COOKER
Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce
Asparagus with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Broccoli with Lemon Sauce
Orange-Glazed Carrots
Carrot and Rutabaga Puree
Steamed Corn on the Cob
Cauliflower with a Puree of Peas
Herbed Green Beans
Pommes Vapeur with Tarragon Butter
Spiced Yams with Ginger and Pears
Artichokes with Caper Aioli
Himmel und Erde
Steamed Kabocha Squash with Ginger Dressing
Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
Cold Vegetable Platter with Sauce Verte
Fondutta with Vegetables
Steamed Vegetables with Port Beurre Rouge
Next to cooking rice, steaming vegetables is the best type of cooking done in the on/off rice cookers. And there are never enough new ways to serve vegetables. Well-cooked (and we don’t mean overcooked) vegetables are considered good eating no matter where you go. Steaming has long been acknowledged as the best method for cooking vegetables, as it preserves the natural color, texture, flavor, and nutrients in them. And there is no draining to contend with. The golden rule for most vegetables is not to overcook them, but also be sure not to undercook the harder ones such as winter squashes, and potatoes.
Most models of on/off rice cookers, no matter what size, come equipped with a perforated metal steamer tray that fits into the top of the rice cooker bowl. Other models, usually large 10-cup machines, can come with a double set of plastic steamer baskets that look just like the bamboo steamer baskets that fit over a wok. This means you can either start your rice, then fill the steamer tray with vegetables and let them cook while the rice finishes its cycle, or fill the rice bowl with a few inches of water and just steam the vegetables over boiling water. Vegetables can be served hot from the cooker, or chilled and served cold later in the day, perfect for summer dining. Vegetables cook most evenly in a large cooker; if they are piled up, the steam cannot reach the center. Unfortunately, the fuzzy logic rice cookers are not designed for steaming.
CLICK TO SEE STEAMING IN THE RICE COOKER
CLICK TO SEE THE BASICS : STEAMING KNOW- HOW
Here is a guide on how to prepare vegetables for the steamer basket and some recipes to help you get inspired. Remember that produce is seasonal, so your daily melange of vegetables will vary. Cooks usually choose a variety of vegetables from different groupings to balance color, taste, nutrition, and texture. Try a new vegetable once in a while, like steamed fresh water chestnuts with butter or white eggplant drizzled with a spicy oil. You can steam only one vegetable at a time, or two or more at the same time, mixing and matching with what you have.
HOW TO STEAM VEGETABLES
1. Fill the rice cooker bowl about one-quarter full with tap water (use less water if steaming only soft vegetables that cook quickly, and a bit more water if a longer steaming time is required, as for winter squash). If you start with hot water, it will come to a boil faster. Carefully place the bowl in the machine body, taking care that the bowl is set in properly and level. Position the cooker on the counter away from low cupboards and walls.
2. Close the cover and set for the regular cycle. The water will boil in 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Prepare the steamer tray or baskets by coating with nonstick cooking spray or lining with a single layer of cooking parchment, cheesecloth, whole cabbage or chard leaves, or corn husks to prevent the food from sticking or dripping. Arrange the vegetables in the perforated metal steamer tray that sets into the top of the cooker, or in the single or double tier of the plastic steamer basket set. Distribute the vegetables in a single layer and leave a bit of room in various places for the steam to circulate. If steaming two or more vegetables at one time, place the harder vegetables, such as carrots, around the outside, and the more tender, such as green beans, in the center. Or place the tender vegetables in the top basket and the harder vegetables in the bottom basket.
4. When the water comes to a boil, remove the cover and place the tray or baskets on top of the cooker. Quickly replace the cover. Consult the timing guide in the next section and set a manual timer for the appropriate time. The rice cooker will stay at a rolling boil throughout the cooking time. The unit will automatically switch to the Keep Warm cycle or Off should the water evaporate entirely. The water evaporates 1 to 1½ inches every 25 to 30 minutes if covered for the entire cooking time.
5.When the timer sounds, remove the cover (away from yourself and keeping your arms away from the top of the cooker to prevent burns) and check the vegetables for doneness by piercing them with the tip of a small knife. Rearrange, if necessary, re-cover, and steam until done. Carefully remove the cover and unplug the unit to completely turn it off. The unit can also be switched to Keep Warm if the vegetables need to sit a while until serving. (They will continue to cook, however, and there must be some water in the bowl.)
6. Using tongs, remove the vegetables from the steamer tray or remove the baskets by their handles. Place the vegetables on a serving platter or dinner plates. Remove the tray from the unit, if necessary. Let the water cool in the bowl before carefully lifting and pouring it down the drain or in the garden.
GUIDE TO THE VEGETABLE FAMILIES AND COOKING TIMES
The following list of vegetables is grouped by like characteristics, giving simple instructions for preparation and a timing guide for steaming. Cooking times are approximate, varying with quantity, size of pieces, and how much you fill the baskets. Be adventurous: rinse, pare, and trim as needed, then cut into wedges, quarters, julienne, diagonal or straight slices, thick or thin, dice—just keep the pieces uniform in size for even steaming. If you are cutting a lot of vegetables, the food processor or a mandoline can help with slicing, fat dice, and julienne. Remember, denser vegetables, such as roots and tubers, and winter squash, will take longer to cook than, say, beans and pods. Mix and match your vegetable combinations, then serve plain, or with a flavored oil, compound butter, or sauce (see for some ideas). If you are serving the vegetables with a dip, you will steam them for only a few minutes, just until the raw flavor disappears, so the vegetable is still crispy. One to one and a half pounds of a vegetable like zucchini or green beans will serve four people as a side dish; if you need to trim the vegetable, like broccoli or asparagus, you will need two to three pounds for the same number of people. A bunch of greens will feed two to four people.
Stalks and Leafy Greens
Timing: Steam stalks until crisp-tender, 6 to 14 minutes. Steam greens until wilted, 4 to 7 minutes.
Asparagus: Trim or snap off the thick end of the stalk and peel the rest of the stalk if it is thick and you prefer it that way. Leave the stalk whole or cut it on the diagonal into pieces. Serve loose or “tie” the stalks in bundles with a green onion or chive green before steaming.
Celery: Trim the ends and cut the stalk into chunks.
Fennel bulb: Trim away the stalks and fronds and trim the root end. Cut into halves or quarters.
Swiss chard, spinach, bok choy, arugula, beet greens, collard greens, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, mustard greens, kale, sorrel, Belgian endive (left whole), radicchio, fiddlehead ferns, watercress, grape leaves.
Beans, Pods, and Seeds
Timing: Steam until cris
p-tender, 4 to 6 minutes for young green beans, sprouts, and snow peas; 9 to 15 minutes for older beans. Steam corn on the cob for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size and age.
Butter beans, fava beans, and lima beans: Remove from the shell.
Corn on the cob: Shuck and steam whole or broken into pieces.
Edamame (fresh soybeans in the pod): Thaw, if frozen, and leave whole.
Green beans, haricots verts, Chinese long beans, and wax beans: Trim away the ends and any tough strings. Leave whole or cut into pieces.
Green peas: Remove the peas from their shells.
Mung bean sprouts: No prep required.
Okra: Trim the stem end and steam sliced or whole.
Snow peas and sugar snap peas: Remove the string from the stem end.
Vegetables That Are Fruits
Timing: Steam until crisp-tender or warmed through, 12 to 15 minutes.
Bell peppers (green, red, yellow, orange): Cut in half and remove the stem, seeds, and white ribs. Steam sliced, in strips, or cut into chunks.
Japanese or baby eggplant: Leave the skin on; remove the stem end and cut in half or quarters.
Mild chile peppers (Anaheim, Big Jim, poblano): Cut a lid around the stem and remove the seeds and ribs from the inside.
Tomatillos: Remove the papery coating and cut in half or quarter.
Tomatoes: Cut in half or leave whole.
Cabbage Family and Onions
Timing: Steam until tender, 8 to 17 minutes.
Broccoli and cauliflower: Trim off the thick end of the stalk. Break the head into equal-size florets. For broccoli, peel the stalks and cut into matchstick-size pieces.
Brussels sprouts: Leave whole or cut in half or quarters.
Cabbage (green, red, Napa, or Savoy): Cut off the stem end and quarter or coarsely shred.
Leeks and green onions: Wash thoroughly, cut off the roots and green tops, and split the white bulb in half. For leeks, wash again, checking between the layers for dirt and grit.
Red onions, white boiling onions, baby pearl onions: Cut off both ends and peel off the papery outer layers. Leave whole or quarter.
The Ultimate Rice Cooker Page 31