Instant Pot Macaroni & Cheese

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Instant Pot Macaroni & Cheese

Pressure cookers are definitely the hot “it” appliance right now. I’ve had an old stainless model for years, that I use for canning – but at 16 quarts too big to use for general use in my kitchen. So this fall I hopped on the old bandwagon and purchased an 8-quart Instant Pot, and haven’t looked back since!

I’m hesitant about unitaskers in my kitchen, and I was skeptical how much I’d actually use the thing on a regular basis. Turned out I was pleasantly surprised, using it at least two times a week in my kitchen. To be able to make a quick chicken or vegetable stock in under an hour blows my mind.

Not to mention other tasks like potatoes cooked to perfection in a few minutes, dried beans that taste they’ve been simmering all day long in an hour, or this easy macaroni and cheese – which goes from pot to table in two shakes of a lamb’s tail (just a little over 10 minutes).

You could take it to the next level by pouring the finished mac into a baking dish and topping with more cheese (or breadcrumbs, if that’s your thing) and popping into the oven for a few minutes to melt. But, we usually don’t get that far. I’ve also been known to throw in a cup of diced ham and a chopped head of broccoli to bulk it up and make it a one-dish meal that everyone always loves.

Do you have an electric pressure cooker? What are some of your favorite recipes to make in it? Share in comments!

Instant Pot Macaroni & Cheese

1 lb uncooked elbow macaroni
4 Tbsp butter
1 (12 oz can) evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp mustard (I like dijon)
2 tsp kosher salt
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese blend)
1/4 cup milk or half and half

Combine elbows, butter, evaporated milk, water, Dijon mustard, and salt in the pot of the pressure cooker. Place lid on and seal the release valve. Set manual high pressure for 5 minutes.

When machine beeps, manually release pressure by unsealing valve (use a towel to do this – it’s easy to burn yourself!) and remove lid. Mix in cheese until melted, and thin with a little milk if necessary to get a nice creamy consistency. Season to taste with additional salt if necessary.

Makes about 10 servings.

Grilled Soft Shell Scampi

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If you’re driving down the “main drag” here on the Eastern Shore of Virginia (aka Route 13), one of the best things you can do for yourself is to turn off the beaten path. All roads lead to the water eventually – seaside or bayside. It doesn’t matter. Chances are you’ll stumble on a seafood shack in your travels. And this time of year, they’re all sure to have fresh soft shell crabs. A delicacy here, as well as around the world.

My favorite spot is Martin’s Crabhouse in Saxis, VA. It’s about a 20 minute drive for me on Chincoteague, but when it comes to crabs – it’s always worth the trip. You’ll usually find two old salts sitting on the front porch of the crab shack, no doubt talking about fish tales. One of the younger guys inside will shuffle over to the peeling tables and fish out a dozen for me – wriggling as they’re pulled out of the water and placed in the box. It really doesn’t get fresher than that.

Up until last week, breading and pan-frying was my go-to prepare a soft shell crab. But, after putting them on the grill…I fear I can never go back. First off, it was easier and way less mess. Always a win! But the flavor. THE FLAVOR. Sweet, tender crab with a heady dose of smokiness from the grill. I brushed with fresh garlic herb butter while cooking, which helped them to not stick to the grill – as well as impart more wonderful flavor. A few minutes on the grill, and they plump up to pure perfection.

I wanted to pair them with pasta, so I made a quick scampi sauce using the usual suspects – butter, garlic, lemon, white wine. And, a few cherry tomatoes and basil for a little extra flair and color. Was just enough to make the pasta moist, and paired perfectly with the crab – just making it’s flavors sing a little louder.

Move over, Shrimp Scampi. There’s a new kid on the block…

Grilled Soft-Shell Scampi

10 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 large lemons
4 large (prime or jumbo) soft-shell crabs, cleaned and prepped
16 oz fettuccine pasta
1 1/2 cups dry white wine (like Chardonnay)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 leaves fresh basil, chiffonnaded
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

Fill a large stockpot with water and 1/4 cup kosher salt and bring to boil over high heat. Prepare pasta according to.ditections on package (or make your own!)

Prepare the garlic butter for basting. Melt a stick of butter in a small saucepan. Slice one of the lemons, and add 2 or 3 slices to the melted butter, as well as the half (1 Tbsp) of the minced garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Let cook for one minute to release flavors, then remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a grill to medium-high. Season crabs with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil on both sides. Place on grill, and cook for about 6 minutes on each side – basting with the garlic butter while cooking.

Make the scampi sauce by melting the other stick of butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic, cherry tomatoes, white wine, and the juice of the other lemon. Increase heat to high, and let reduce for about 5 minutes. Stir in half of the fresh basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Place a pile of pasta on a large plate. Place a grilled soft shell on top, then pour about 1/2 cup of the scampi sauce on top. Garnish with fresh basil, and the remaining lemon slices.

Seared Scallops with Old Bay Grits

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It’s that time of year here on Chincoteague. When a friend or neighbor will knock on your door, and present you with a Ziploc bag full of freshly caught scallops, soft shell crabs, drum fish, shrimp…whatever happens to be good on the docks or our little roadside seafood markets that day. It’s pretty much my favorite time of year on our little island, aside from Pony Penning…

So when my BFF stopped by last week with these gorgeous scallops, it made me feel one step closer to full-blown summer. I’d also happened to restock my supply of Geechie Boy grits last week too. While shrimp & grits is a regular on our menu this time of year, I thought – why not scallops instead?

Seasoned them simply with some of my homemade seasoning salt and pepper, gave them a quick sear. Happened to some fresh spinach on hand that needed to be used, so I sauteed that with a little bit of garlic and champagne vinegar – which did a great job of deglazing the pan and bringing all that awesome flavor into the dish. I think kale or chard would also be wonderful in place of the spinach!

The grits are a perfect accompaniment, because they kind of take care of themselves on the stove while you get the scallops squared away. Also, grits are so versatile when it comes to different flavors. I wanted something with a little bit of a coastal twist – so I stirred in some Old Bay right before serving. Life changing, ya’ll…

Served with a lovely local Rosé and a salad, it was the perfect way to break-in dinners on the back porch season for us! 

Seared Scallops with Old Bay Grits

1.5 lbs dry-packed scallops
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz fresh spinach
1/2 cup white wine (like Chardonnay)

For the grits:
1 cup stone-ground grits
2 1/2 cups milk (whole or 2%)
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups water
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp Old Bay

Place the 2 cups of milk, water, and the grits into a 2-quart saucepan. Cover, and turn the heat to medium high. When mixture comes to a simmer add butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and reduce the heat to low. Stir every couple of minutes until the grits have become fragrant, and are the consistency of thick soup, for about 20 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup milk, stir, and cook for 10 minutes more. Stir in Old Bay, and season to taste with additional salt. If your grits thicken too quickly, or if they are too gritty for your taste, add water by the half cup, stirring to incorporate, and continue cooking until tender. Set aside and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook the scallops. Dry scallops well with paper towel. Place on platter or baking sheet and season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add half of the butter and olive oil, coating the bottom of pan. Quickly (and carefully) add 10-12 scallops to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until nice and brown. Remove to another plate, and set aside. Repeat with remaining scallops, adding more butter and oil as necessary.

Once all scallops are cooked, reduce heat to medium-high and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, followed by the garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach and toss for about a minute until wilted. Remove to the same plate as the scallops.

Add the wine, and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Cook over medium-high heat until reduced by half. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place a bed of grits on the plate using a ladle. Top with about 1/3 cup of the spinach, followed by the scallops, then drizzle with the wine reduction.

Sous-Vide Eye Of Round Roast

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So, this sous-vide thing…have you heard of it? Yes? No? Maybe? When asked to describe it, I tell people that I like to think of it as a really bad ass Crockpot. Basically, you season your cut of beef and then vaccum seal it – it’s then plopped in a water bath held at a precise temperature by the doohickey called the immersion circulator. So, the item comes to just the perfect temperature for whatever it is…then, is held there until you’re ready to serve it.

I first learned of this method of preparation years ago, back in my religious watching of Top Chef days. Back then, this method of “cooking” was reserved for fancy chefs in fancy kitchens…as the apparatus required was super expensive.

Well, times they are a changin’ – and you can get a pretty decent model for $100 on Amazon, if you keep your eyes peeled for a sale. They’re about the size of a large curling iron, so are convenient for storage sakes. And then for the water bath, all you need is a large stockpot. It clips right to the side – bada bing!

And time isn’t an issue. In fact, tough cuts like this eye of round benefit from a long cook cycle. I did this one for 24 hours. The connective tissue has time to break down, creating a roast that can be cut with a fork…but the roast still stays rare. It’s really quite mind-blowing.

After it’s soaked for the appropriate amount of time, a quick sear in a raging hot cast iron skillet is in order. I’ve also turned to my trusty kitchen torch, which is always handy in the kitchen. The grill is also an option – but again, just make sure it’s REALLY hot. Just a couple of minutes on each side, to give  it a little color.

I like doing large roasts, like this entire eye of the round – or a pork loin. We’ll enjoy it for dinner one night…then reinvent the leftovers all week in different dishes. Perfect for this time of year when we’re scooting out the door to baseball practice or some other obligation that fills the schedule up every week!

So, if you’re on the fence about one – I say do it! I got mine a couple of Christmases ago, and have just really gotten into using it in the past couple of months. It really is so versatile. I don’t even want to tell you what it can do for a poached egg. Life changing.

Sous-Vide Eye Of Round Roast

1 (5-7 lb) eye of round roast
3 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp fresh ground black pepper
Vacuum sealer & bags
large stockpot filled with water
water immersion circulator
aluminum foil

Clip the immersion circulator to the stockpot filled with water and turn on. Turn on and set to 130 °F.

Season beef thoroughly with the salt and pepper, and seal in vacuum seal bag using the vacuum sealer. Carefully place in water bath, and cover the top with aluminum foil – bending around the circulator. Let sit for 24 hours.

Place large cast iron skillet or griddle over high heat. Or, heat your grill to high. Carefully remove the roast from the water bath. When skillet is smoking or grill is hot, cut open the bag and place the roast in the skillet or on grill.

Cook for 2 minutes before flipping over and cooking on the other side for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. If you’re using the blow torch, just graze the roast with the flame until browned.

No need to rest, slice roast immediately and serve.