38 March 21 • 2019
jn

2 small zucchini (any color), cut into 
 1-inch cubes (4 cups)
2 bell peppers (any color), cut into 
 1-inch squares (2 cups)
1 can (about 15 ounces) diced
 tomatoes
1 tsp. thyme

Kosher salt and pepper to taste 
After cooking, add:
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup fresh chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. drained capers (optional)

Use saute setting. Add oil and 
onions, cook until onions are soft-
ened but not browned. Add remain-
ing ingredients and stir to combine.
Turn Instant Pot to stew. Secure 
the lid and press the stew setting. 
After about 20 minutes, press can-
cel. Release pressure manually. 
Once all pressure has released, 
open and stir in basil, parsley, 
capers and vinegar. Adjust salt and 
pepper to taste. Makes 6 servings. ■

arts&life

Read the manual. Don’
t be 
overwhelmed, but there are some 
things you may want to know about 
the Instant Pot before you plug it in. 

Don’
t overfill the pot. Two-thirds 
full is a good rule for most things. 
Some ingredients (beans, pasta, 
grains) will “grow” when cooked, 
so use the halfway mark as a gen-
eral rule for these ingredients. 

You can cook dry, but adding 
liquid is better. At least 4 ounces 
will produce enough initial liquid 
(steam) to cook foods before the 
natural liquid in the ingredients add 
more liquid. And liquid will prevent 
scorching the bottom of the pot. 

Don’
t always believe exact cooking 
times. Some recipes will tell you to 
cook a certain number of minutes 
without adding the time it takes for 
the machine to come to the desired 
temperature for cooking. I usually add 
about 10 minutes to cooking time. 

When in doubt, use the “stew” 
setting. It’
s about 30 minutes of high 
pressure and will cook most foods. 

Don’
t add pasta to soups or dishes 
until the end. Cook the food first, add 
the pasta before reheating. I added 
pasta to a minestrone once before 
cooking and it had completely dissolved 
beyond recognition. 

The pot comes with some accesso-
ries (spoon-like tools, a rack, etc.), 
but so many more are available 
online. I use the rack for veggies I 
don’
t want waterlogged (cauliflower, 
for example). I have a colander/strainer 
accessory that lets me hard-boil a 
dozen eggs or cook and strain. I love it. 

Make sure the “vent” knob is not 
open. It’
s not dangerous if it is, but if 
the knob is set to “vent” instead of seal, 
you won’
t get the pressure you want 
for your recipe. 

Feel free to cancel cooking at any 
time. Just press “cancel.” 

Get another inner pot. And some 
accessories. A second (or third) inner 
pot (not the whole machine) will allow 
you to use your Instant Pot again with-
out having to transfer food into another 
vessel. 

Top 10 Tips:

continued from page 37

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