MILL HILL UNITED SYNAGOGUE
O
nce upon a time it was all about the hot tap, but that’s so last year. If you want to be really on-trend, the steam oven is the latest must-have for your new kitchen. Professional chefs have long been savvy about this method of cooking but now, with the rise (and rise) of healthy eating – and more emphasis on cooking from scratch – these new-age ovens have finally come into their own on the domestic front too.
“If you are considering installing a steam oven in your new kitchen, now is definitely the time,” says Neil Lerner of Neil Lerner Kitchen Design. “It’s fast replacing the microwave oven as the favourite specialist cooking appliance as it retains all the nutrients, colour, texture and flavour in your food for a healthier way of eating.” Steam ovens work by generating steam externally and then injecting it into the oven cavity when needed, giving you precise and constant temperature control for perfect cooking results. You can go for a steam-only oven or
a combination steam version. The latter is definitely worth the upgrade. It allows you to be far more versatile by combining different functions for all types of food – not just fish and vegetables! Did you know that you can also bake and roast in a steam oven? All foods remain moist without overcooking, resulting in a mouthwatering honey cake or crispy, succulent roast chicken – both perfect for the forthcoming Yom Tovim. Convinced yet?
TOP TEN BENEFITS OF STEAM COOKING 1. Healthy method – 70% of vitamin C is lost when boiling vegetables; that’s reduced to 40% when steaming, retaining a higher level of nutrients. 2. Fantastic flavour – the flavour of food is preserved when steaming because, unlike other cooking methods, no moisture is lost in the process. 3. Gorgeous colour – all foods look their very best as pigment is always maintained. Form and texture of fresh foods are preserved too.
4. Moist results – food stays deliciously moist when steaming as all the natural juices remain. 5. Eco-friendly – the steam oven is particularly energy efficient so it’s good for the environment.
6. No burning – steaming is one of the safest ways to cook. You can’t burn food, there’s no risk of pots boiling over and there’s no build-up of steam.
7. Less preparation – no sealing or pre-boiling is required and you don’t need to cover food with foil or film.
8. Even temperatures – steamed food cooks in its own moisture, which gives it an exact, even cooking temperature.
9. Refreshes and defrosts – steaming is a great way to reheat cooked items. The combination steam oven defrosts foods too.
10. All in one – steaming allows you to cook complete three-course meals using multi-level cooking with no intermingling of flavours.
STOP PRESS Jewish cookery guru Denise Phillips offers steam oven recipes on her website at www.jewishcookery.com Denise can also teach you how to cook with steam at JW3. The next session is on 1 December 2016. To find out more, visit jw3.org.uk
Mill Hill Synagogue Magazine | Rosh Hashanah 5777, October 2016
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