Author Biography

Melissa Clark is the author of Dinner and Dinner in an Instant and a staff writer for the New York Times Food section, where she writes the wildly popular column, "A Good Appetite" and stars in a complementary video series. The winner of James Beard and IACP awards, she is a regular on Today and NPR. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.

Review

Notable Press & Accolades:

The 19 Best Cookbooks of Fall 2018 —New York Times Book Review 

Best Cookbooks of 2018 —NPR

Best Cookbooks and Food Books of 2018 —Huffington Post

A heaping bag of cookbooks for everyone on your gift list—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


"Maybe you think these appliances are brilliant. Maybe you think they're gimmicky. But one thing's for certain: The New York Times veteran's cookbook will convince you that the Instant Pot is the best thing since sliced bread. Pesto risotto with cherry tomatoes, lemon chicken with garlic and olives and pimiento mac and cheese are some of the delights inside." -Pure Wow

"Her first foray into Instant Pot cooking, Dinner In an Instant, was a hit, and now New York Times columnist and recipe developer Melissa Clark is back with 75 more Instant Pot recipes. This time, the focus is ultra easy comfort foods such as spicy turkey meatloaf, weeknight chicken parm, baked eggs and cheese grits, and matzo ball soup." -Epicurious

Review Quote

Notable Press & Accolades: Best Cookbooks of 2018 --NPR Best Cookbooks and Food Books of 2018 --Huffington Post "Maybe you think these appliances are brilliant. Maybe you think they're gimmicky. But one thing's for certain: The New York Times veteran's cookbook will convince you that the Instant Pot is the best thing since sliced bread. Pesto risotto with cherry tomatoes, lemon chicken with garlic and olives and pimiento mac and cheese are some of the delights inside." -Pure Wow "Her first foray into Instant Pot cooking, Dinner In an Instant , was a hit, and now New York Times columnist and recipe developer Melissa Clark is back with 75 more Instant Pot recipes. This time, the focus is ultra easy comfort foods such as spicy turkey meatloaf, weeknight chicken parm, baked eggs and cheese grits, and matzo ball soup." -Epicurious

Excerpt from Book

Introduction A few years ago I was given the assignment from the New York Times Food section to explore why legions of passionate home cooks were falling hard for their electric pressure cookers. Was this gadget a mere fad? Or would it weave its way into the fabric of our kitchen and our lives? The answer of course is the latter. Electric pressure cookers (also called multipots) are on the culinary upswing. Once you get the hang of it (and see pages 10 to 17 for a little help), they make getting dinner on the table a snap. They''ve certainly made my life easier. After using mine regularly for the past few years, there are some things--beans, braised meats, artichokes, bone broth, and brown rice--that I''d be absolutely bitter about having to go back to cooking in a pot on the stove. But with two multipots at the ready, I doubt I ever will. Here, I include only recipes that show off what the machines excel at--not so much what they can do, but what they can do as well or better than traditional methods, be it faster, more flavorfully, or more conveniently. The key to pressure-cooker success is choosing recipes in which softness and succulence is the goal, and which traditionally take hours to get there. An electric pressure cooker can''t cook a whole chicken very well, and it doesn''t do crisp or crunchy. So if you don''t ask it to do what it can''t, you won''t be disappointed. Instead, use it to make comforting dishes like turkey meatloaf spiked with Sriracha and served on a mound of buttered potatoes (page 74), or cumin-scented Cuban chicken and rice (page 63) on any given weekday. Cooking spaghetti and meatballs (page 46) in a multipot may seem counterintuitive, but the appliance makes a rather labor-intensive process perfect for a family-friendly after-work meal. And on weekends when you''ve got more time, try my take on David Chang''s Bo Ssam (page 100), a Korean dish of marinated pork shoulder; I pressure cook it until spoonably tender, and then broil it until it''s a glisteningly caramelized vision. There is, however, one thing to bear in mind with all multipots: Although the pioneering brand in the category is called the Instant Pot, you shouldn''t expect instantaneous meals. Faster, more convenient, and tasty meals, yes. But be prepared for the lag time it takes for the machine to reach and release pressure--10 to 30 minutes--as well as the usual prep time of cooking. That is why, for example, the luscious Lemon Chicken with Garlic and Olives on page 65 calls for a pressure-cook time of only 15 minutes, but the total time is closer to 45 minutes. It''s still much faster than using a traditional oven, but by no means "instant." Read the title of this book with a knowing wink. That said, in putting together this collection, I did make sure to include over fifty of my favorite recipes that could be put together in under an hour: 50 under 60, as it were. Even better, most of that time is hands off. Throw everything in the machine and go for a run. Or have a glass of wine and help your kids with their homework. Dinner will be ready when you are. Getting to Know Your Electric Pressure Cooker If you''re an old hand at cooking with pressure cookers, you can skip this section. And, if you''ve read my first electric pressure cooker book, Dinner in an Instant , you can also skip this section, as the information is the same. Many new electric pressure cooker brands and models have hit the market since that book''s publication, but the fundamentals are unchanged. Novices, however, should read on for some crucial information that will help you avoid the pitfalls and get comfortable with all the functions of your device. Most electric pressure cookers are also multipurpose cookers, or multipots, meaning they can do many things beyond just cooking under pressure. Most models can steam, saut

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