Author Paula Shoyer calls the apparatus revolutionary

By Marshall Weiss

(The Dayton Jewish Observer via JNS) Just in time for Passover, kosher cooking maven/author Paula Shoyer’s “Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook” is now in print from Sterling Epicure. With 46 kosher-for-Passover recipes alone, from soups and salads to appetizers, sides to main courses and desserts — a number of which are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free — this is the time to pull out that Instant Pot you received as a gift and were afraid to use.

A pastry chef who trained in France, Shoyer is the author of “The Kosher Baker,” “The Holiday Kosher Baker,” “The Healthy Jewish Kitchen” and “The New Passover Menu.”

She calls the Instant Pot revolutionary — “ideal for anyone who wants food fast with less cleanup.” Shoyer adds that it’s especially helpful “when you already have every burner going and three more pots waiting to take their turn. Now I can check off items on my cooking ‘To Do’ list much faster with equally fast cleanup in between.”

Recipes that used to take hours, she says, now take a fraction of the time.

In “The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook,” Shoyer provides detailed directions for how to handle the apparatus, in addition to safety rules and insider tricks. Each recipe indicates Instant Pot pressure time, which buttons to use and release type.

For those who keep kosher, Shoyer says you’ll need at least one pot just for Passover. For year-round use, opinions vary among rabbis about whether an Instant Pot may be used for both dairy and meat. Though she has different ones for dairy and meat year-round in her kitchen, she notes that “you should always consult your own rabbinic authority on matters of kashrut.”

Here is one kosher-for-Passover (and gluten-free) recipe from “The Instant Pot Kosher Cookbook,” published by Sterling Epicure. For a full menu, visit tjpnews.com

Gefilte Fish Loaf

2 carrots, peeled and sliced into coins

1 onion, quartered

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

3 cups (710ml) water

1 lemon, sliced

1 (22-ounce [624g]) frozen gefilte fish loaf

1. Place the carrots, onions, and peppercorns into the inner pot.

2. Add the water and lemon slices. Press Saute and when the liquid comes to a boil, press Cancel. Remove the plastic wrapping from the loaf but leave on the parchment paperwrapping. Place the loaf into the liquid.

3. Secure the lid, ensuring that the steam release handle is in the Sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set the cooking time for 20 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, turn the steam release handle to the Venting position to quickly release the pressure. Remove the lid. Lift the loaf onto a serving dish or pan and add the carrots. Let cool and then refrigerate overnight. To serve, slice the loaf and place onto a platter or plate. Place a carrot on top of each.