Book excerpt: Whether you've just bought your first pressure cooker, or you have left your old one languishing at the back of the cupboard for a while, Dianne Page will help you get the most out of this most useful piece of kitchen equipment. Pressure cooking cuts conventional cooking times to a third. Soups can be ready in minutes. Favourite recipes, which traditionally take hours to prepare, can be cooked and enjoyed at the end of a busy day. Plus shorter cooking times mean lower gas and electricity bills. Other benefits include: - Food retains its flavour, vitamins, minerals and colour - Cheaper cuts of meat - that are packed with flavour but normally need long slow cooking to make them tender - can be cooked quickly - Less steam is produced so no condensation in the kitchen