This recipe is one of the Candelaria kids’ favorite meals that Mark makes. He’s been making this recipe and perfecting it for years, but only recently, with the commercial success of the modern pressure cookers, has he adapted this recipe to be made in half the time! Here we have an absolutely delicious dish for four, that Mark serves with either his Porcini Risotto (recipe below) or mashed potatoes. View his Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Green Chile recipe by clicking here.

Traditionally, making risotto is a slow, hands on dish that requires constant stirring and adding hot stock. I’ve been making it at home with my family this way for years, but with the introduction of the Instant Pot, all of this has changed. Here is the recipe I use to make risotto in a pressure cooker, it is so simple and quick that it feels like cheating, but it’s as tasty as the traditional way and so much easier!

Risotto Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 cup chopped onion or shallots

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cups diced mushrooms (I use dried Porcini from Italy, which you need to reconstitute in hot water first - save the broth for the Instant Pot)

1 rosemary sprig

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

3/4 cup white wine

1 quart chicken or vegetable stock

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Risotto Recipe

• Select the Saute function on an electric pressure cooker. Add butter and olive oil; stir until butter melts, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in onion; cook for 2 minutes. Add rosemary sprig; cook for 1 minute.

• Stir rice into the pot until each grain is coated with butter-olive oil mixture, about 2 minutes. Pour in wine; simmer for 3 minutes. Pour in chicken stock and some of your mushroom broth if you reconstituted dry mushrooms, stirring to scrape the sides of the pot. Simmer for 1 minute.

• Close and lock the lid. Turn the venting knob to sealing. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions and set timer for 6 minutes, or select medium pressure for 8 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.

• When pressure cooking is finished, tap venting knob a few times with a wooden spoon or spatula. Turn the knob to point at Vent to release pressure. Remove lid when pressure is released, about 5 minutes.

• Stir risotto until creamy, about 1 minute. Discard rosemary sprig. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and combined. Enjoy!

Short Rib Ingredients

• 6 lbs short ribs/about 8. (Serves 4)

• Salt to season generously

• 1 medium onion 

• 1 tbsp paprika

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper or 2 tsp if you prefer it spicier

• 3 tbsp brown sugar

• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 6 cloves of garlic

• 2 - 3 fresh thyme sprigs

• 1 cup beef stock 

• 1/2 cup red wine

• 1 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)

• 1 tbsp water

• Italian or curled parsley for garnish

Short Rib Recipe

• Fill a large bowl or pot with cold water. Immerse the short ribs, and rinse the ribs in the cold water to wash off excess blood and bone dust.

• Drain and pat dry the short ribs with paper towels. Generously sprinkle salt on all the ribs, on both sides.

• Switch on the Instant Pot to the saute setting on high. When the instant pot is hot, pour about 2 tbsp of oil.

• When the oil is hot, place about 3 - 4 short ribs in the instant pot to caramelize or to sear. It's important not to overcrowd the bottom in order to get nice caramelization on your short ribs.

• Sear the short ribs on all sides, about 2 - 3 minutes per side. Place the caramelized short ribs on a plate.

• Repeat with the rest of the short ribs.

• For the next step, you will only need about 1 tbsp of oil in the instant pot. Discard the excess oil if there's more than 1 tbsp of it in the instant pot at this point.

• Place the thickly sliced onion in the pot, and add some wine to de-glaze the bottom of the instant pot and make sure that all of the caramelized bits on the bottom are mixed with the wine (de-glazing is an important step, so don't skip it).

• Add the paprika, cayenne pepper, sugar and balsamic vinegar. Then switch off the saute function on your instant pot.

• Place the short ribs back in the instant pot and add the garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt (how much salt to add at this point depends on how well you seasoned the short ribs earlier - be careful not to over-salt, since you can always add more salt at the end if needed).

• Pour the stock over the short ribs. Close the instant pot. Choose the manual high pressure function and set it to high. Cook the short ribs for 45 minutes, followed by a 10 - 15 minute natural release.

• Gently remove the short ribs on to a plate, and turn the saute function back on for the liquid/broth in the instant pot.

• Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and add it to the liquid/broth in the instant pot. Mix it in and bring it to a simmer until the liquid has thickened. Taste and season the liquid with more salt or balsamic vinegar, if needed.

• Transfer the short ribs back into the instant pot and switch off the saute function.

• Optional step - once the short ribs have cooled off, place your instant pot cooker pot in the fridge (covered). Leave it overnight, or for at least 4 hours, until the fat has solidified on the surface. Then remove this layer of fat, and reheat the short ribs in the instant pot.

• Serve atop your homemade mushroom risotto and garnish with Italian parsley!