Pressure Cooker Recipe #1:Spicy Red Beans

We did it- we successfully made dinner using our pressure cooker! For its inaugural run, we decided to make a classic bean dish- Spicy Red Beans with Rice. I found a recipe on allrecipes.com that is specifically designed for a pressure cooker, and followed it almost exactly. One substitution I made that didn't work out so well was using veggie sausage instead of meat sausage- it would have been better without it, so I've left it out of the recipe below. If you are a meat eater, the original recipe calls for using a pound of smoked sausage. We also threw in some fresh corn that friends had given us from their garden. The corn was a great addition, and since fresh corn season is mostly over, I'd suggest substituting frozen corn. This recipe definitely errs on being conservative with the salt, so I'd recommend having salt on hand to add at the table. It does make a nice big batch, and I think we'll have it later in the week in burritos. One last note: I soaked the beans we used for about five hours before cooking, as I had read that soaked beans hold their shape better. Our beans ended up being a little softer than I would have liked and also had a fair amount of liquid left in the pot when the cooking time was finished, so I recommend trying this without soaking the beans first.
Using the pressure cooker was a little scary at first, but now that we understand the process, I think it will be an easy and quick way to cook large quantities of bean dishes. Stay tuned for more recipes...

Pressure Cooker Spicy Red Beans 
adapted from allrecipes.com

1 pound dried red beans, rinsed

1 cup corn (cut from 2 fresh ears, or use frozen)

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, (see recipe below)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

5 cups cold water, or as needed

Cajun Seasoning

(makes approximately 4 tablespoons)

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

Combine red beans, corn, bay leaf, Cajun seasoning, garlic, onion, celery, bell pepper, salt, parsley, and cumin in pressure cooker. Pour in water to cover, according to manufacturer's directions (do not go over line inside of pot). Stir to combine.

Seal lid and bring pot to full pressure over high heat. Reduce heat to low, maintaining full pressure, and cook for 30 minutes. Allow pressure to drop naturally. Remove lid, stir, and serve over cooked rice.