Cooking Methods: Steaming
These aren’t your grandma’s mushy steamed vegetables (no offense to grandmas everywhere, love you ladies). Steaming deserves way more love than it gets because it’s a great, health-conscious way to cook and results in tender and evenly cooked food.
To steam, you need to make sure that your vegetables are elevated above boiling water. I’m using a bamboo steamer basket, which you can get by clicking the link in this article, but you can also use a regular steamer basket or anything heat proof that will lift up your precious veg.
You should use a deep pot, or a skillet with a nice lip, filling it with a few inches of water. Once you’ve let your water reach a boil, lower it to a simmer and pop in your steamer basket. You should be able to see the steam rising from the pot and coming out of the holes in the basket. Your veggies are being put into a lovely steam room ...lucky them.
Dense thick vegetables like carrots will take about 10 to 12 minutes to steam, while lighter veggies like peas and spinach will only take about 3 to 5. Channel your inner master chef and go with your gut. Don’t forget you can always taste throughout to help decide when everything is done. It helps to make sure that what you’re steaming is relatively the same size so that everything cooks evenly.
When I think my vegetables are ready, I use a toothpick or paring knife to test their tenderness. They should be easy to cut through (they should cut like buttah) and fully cooked through the center.
instructions
Boil a few inches of water in a deep pan
Put your veggies into the steamer and give them a little salt & pepper love
Bring water to a simmer and place steamer basket into pan
Cover with lid and allow your vegetables to cook for 3 to 12 minutes (or as long as it takes to properly cook your veg)
Finish with olive oil, more salt and pepper, and even add a squeeze of lemon to brighten things up a bit
Knock yourself out steaming ALL of the veggies. I know you’re going to love the colorful, flavorful outcome and am excited to see everything that you’re making. Share your meals with me, seriously, by tagging me @elenabesser on Instagram!!
