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Steam cooking
Overview
Steam cooking presents nothing but advantages if you follow the instructions for use.
Healthy and natural, steam cooking preserves the full flavour of foods. A delicate sauce or
aromatic herb seasonings add that something extra that makes the difference.
This kind of cooking releases no odours. There is no need to season the cooking water with
herbs or spices; however, you can flavour fish by placing it on a bed of seaweed or make a
savoury poultry dish by adding a bunch of rosemary or tarragon.
You can simultaneously cook meat, fish and vegetables.
Steam cooking gently reheats pasta, rice and mashed potatoes with no risk of food sticking
or drying out.
It makes it easier to cook puddings, flans, rice pudding, etc. covered with aluminium foil,
the condensation water does not add moisture to the preparations.
There is no need to season before cooking--not even the steam water.
To make meat look more appetising, quickly brown it on all sides with hot butter in a pan.
Compared to boiling, steam offers nothing but advantages:
It is quick: cooking starts immediately, whereas for food in a water-filled dish, the cook time
only begins counting down once the water returns to a full boil.
It is healthy: vitamins (those that are water soluble) and minerals are well preserved
because they scarcely dissolve in the condensation water that touches the food.
Moreover, no fats are used for this type of cooking.
The steam maintains the taste of food. It does not add odours, nor the taste of the grill or
the pan. Furthermore, it takes nothing away because the food is not diluted in the water.
Words of advice: there is no point in using this cooking method to prepare fish that is not
fresh or vegetables left in the refrigerator for a week--the results are catastrophic!
The steam does not transfer flavours or aromas; therefore do not hesitate to save both time
and money by cooking items side by side, but without touching. For example, you can cook
fish next to a dessert.
Steam is also appropriate for blanching, defrosting and reheating or even holding warm,
especially sauces.
First use a very small amount of fat to heat meats like poultry, veal and pork so that they
take on an appetizing browned appearance. Then finish cooking them using the steam
method.
Cut into pieces, food cooks faster and more evenly than if left whole.
