Using a Pressure Cooker: What's the big deal?

Downsides:

reduction sauces from a braise aren't as intense as you don't work with the volume of liquid and reduce it as much over time.  there are work arounds of course.

Foods that already cook quickly will be destroyed in a PC environment.

Loss of some surface browning.

Some spices react differently. Strong spices tend to get a little stronger (chile peppers) and milder spices can be weakened.

You can't easily make additions mid cooking. Certainly there are recipes and techniques where you do but it's more work than in standard cooking.

But texture loss, not really. In fact I've made the best Corned Beef in a pressure cooker. Some delicate dishes are easier in a pressure cooker. I hear great things about cheesecake in a pressure cooker but I've not done that as i don't have a properly sized pan for it.

Madhur Jaffrey uses a PC in many of her Indian dishes. They are quite ideal to draw out the spice flavors and braise the food to flavorful intensity.

 

It shouldn't be boiling. The pot should achieve an equilibrium where it releases enough pressure as is produced from the simmer. It should be about 250  F regardless of elevation at 15 pounds. This is not a boil because of the higher atmospheric pressure inside the pot.  You start the pot on high or medium high until the pressure indicator is activated or the weight is rocking rhythmically. Then you reduce the temp. How far you reduce it depends on how full the pot is as well as the burner you have it on.

This ability to hold a particular temp and pressure is very useful to high elevation cooks where otherwise you can't cook beans above about 9500 feet elevation. The water isn't hot enough. There are a number of ski resort restaurants that rely on pressure cookers for certain dishes.

 

Well, I don't know what she might be doing.