i brown my meat, but it's just a personal choice you can def get away without doing it.
haven't tried a risotto but with most things in the SC you tend to use less liquid than with other types of cooking.
i have my first batch of soup in the SC at the moment. looks ok so far!
i do curries & casseroles mostly but also do a boned leg of lamb that i then pull apart & we make our own souvlakis - toomanyshoes had a recipe/thread somewhere for that. delish!!
i always heat the liquid first - i read somewhere that putting in hot/boiling liquid helps reduce the cooking time. no idea if it's true but i just stick with it.
chicken breasts can be tricky - you don't want to overcook them.
lamb & beef work beautifully.
there's an epic thread with SC recipes, def check that out