It’s well-known that pressure cooking produces tender meat dishes out of tough cuts, but it can also produce delicious desserts. Here are a couple of recipes.

PEARS AND FIGS IN APPLE CIDER

Courtesy Alyssa Moreau, adapted from "Pressure Perfect" by Lorna Sass

2 cups apple cider
1 stick cinnamon, broken in half
6 thin slices unpeeled orange, seeded and halved
6 plump dried figs, halved (use loose, pear-shaped figs, not the leathery kind strung on a rope)
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
3 ripe but firm Bosc or Bartlett pears, halved and cored

In 4-quart or larger cooker, combine cider, cinnamon, orange, figs and cranberries. Arrange pears on top.

Lock lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure. Reduce heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook 4 minutes.

Turn off heat. Quick-release pressure. Remove lid, tilting it away from you to allow excess steam to escape.

Stir gently. Serve hot, warm or chilled. Serves 6.

POT ROAST WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY

"Pressure Perfect," by Lorna Sass

1 3-to-4 pound chuck or rump roast
1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons butter or oil
10 ounces button, cremini or portobello mushrooms, trimmed, sliced
Salt, to taste
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine or dry vermouth
1-1/2 cups beef or chicken broth, or water (some cookers require more liquid; adjust as needed)
2 large bay leaves
Pepper, to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch (optional thickener; use 1 tablespoon per cup of gravy)

Trim roast if necessary, leaving some fat intact for improved flavor and texture. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of soy sauce onto a plate and roll roast in it, adding remaining soy sauce, if needed, to coat meat thoroughly.

In 4-quart or larger cooker, heat 1 tablespoon butter or oil. Add half of mushrooms and sprinkle lightly with salt. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are browned, about 3 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.

Heat remaining butter or oil and stir in onions, carrots and celery. Blend in tomato paste and wine. Boil until half of liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, uncooked mushrooms and bay leaves. Place roast in broth, along with any extra soy sauce. Season with pepper on top.

Lock lid in place. Over high heat, bring to pressure. Reduce heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook 45 to 55 minutes.

Turn off heat. Allow pressure to come down naturally. Remove lid, tilting it away from you to allow excess steam to escape.

Check for doneness: Internal temperature should be 145 degrees. If more cooking is needed, return to high pressure and cook another 5 to 10 minutes and again let pressure come down naturally.

Transfer to cutting board and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, make gravy. Discard bay leaves. Strain broth and degrease. Puree broth with solids and return to cooker. To intensify flavor, boil gravy vigorously until it reduces. Add browned mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste.

To thicken, in small bowl blend cornstarch with equal amount of water. Bring gravy to boil, then lower heat and add cornstarch mixture. Cook at gentle boil, stirring frequently, until gravy reaches desired consistency.

Slice roast against grain, then return slices to cooker to reheat and absorb some of the gravy.

Arrange meat on platter and pour some gravy on top. Serve rest of gravy on side. Serves 4 to 6.