Recipe

Pexels. CCO Licensed.

French cuisine doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, you can recreate many classic dishes at home using a pressure cooker. Simply, throw the ingredients in and let it cook. Below are just a few different ways to use your pressure cooker to create a taste of Paris. 

French onion soup

There are lots of tasty soups you can prepare in a pressure cooker. French onion soup is a simple option made from beef stock and caramelized onions. Take the time to caramelize the onions first and then add the beef stock (you can also add some garlic and butter to add extra mouthwatering flavor). Then let this simmer for an hour in your pressure cooker. This soup is typically garnished with croutons and cheese. In most cases, it’s served as an appetizer, but it could also make a wholesome lunch time entree. 

French dip sandwiches

A popular French sandwich meal involves beef sandwiches served with a tasty dip. The dip is made from drippings from the meat combined with various other ingredients. You’ll find many variations on this dip online such as this crock pot French dip from Butter Your Biscuit. Cheese, onion and beef stock are popular ingredients, but feel free to experiment with other flavors. When it comes to the sandwiches, use soft French baguette bread. 

Coq au vin

Coq au vin is a chicken dish that typically incorporates bacon, garlic, mushrooms, lardons and wine. By cooking it all together, it allows all the different flavors to be absorbed by the chicken. The chicken is usually braised slowly over several hours, however it’s possible to prepare it in a pressure cooker in no more than one hour. You’ll find variants of this recipe throughout France using different wines. Some chefs use expensive wines, but often you can get the same effect using a cheap wine (save those nice wines for drinking with your coq au vin!).

Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a popular french vegetable dish made from onions, aubergines, courgettes, peppers, tomatoes - and of course garlic. It’s another dish that is traditionally slow-cooked, however you can get the same results in a pressure cooker as this recipe at The Dinner Bite shows. It’s worth sauteeing the onions first and then cooking all the vegetables together. It’s possible to add in other vegetables to add extra flavors - in fact, it’s a great dish for using up any leftover veggies you may have. Ratatouille can be served as a side or as a main.

Beef Bourguignon

Photo by Geraud pfeiffer: https://www.pexels.com/photo/frying-pan-with-preparing-onion-slices-in-kitchen-6605782/