Category Archives: Steam Oven

Meatballs & eggs in spicy tomato sauce

August 20, 2014 8:43 am / 2 Comments /

Neil Perry's Meatballs and eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

I love taking a recipe from a famous chef and adapting it to cook in the steam oven.  Hopefully one day they will realise that there are thousands installed in kitchens everywhere and ask me to write or test recipes for them 🙂

This is a recipe from Neil Perry that I thought would adapt perfectly because I know it will be easier to cook, use less oil and have less washing up involved!  If you have very lean meat then there is no need to brown the meatballs first.  Covered with a dark tomato sauce no body will notice if they are not browned will they?

Fantastic with eggs cooked in the steam oven which you can just break onto the top and return to the steam oven for another 2 minutes.  This really is the perfect, spicy example of what you can achieve by cooking all in one pot in this fabulous appliance.  The meatballs were moist and not dried out like pan fried ones can be sometimes.

Serve with couscous for a Winter warmer.

Ingredients:  Serves 4

500g minced pork & veal
1 medium onion, grated + 1 extra onion, sliced finely
sea salt, to season meatballs
1 small bunch coriander, finely chopped (reserve some leaves, to serve)
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin  for meatballs + 3 tsp for sauce
1 tsp ground coriander for meatballs + 3 tsp for sauce
1 tbsp ground fennel seeds
pinch chilli flakes
400g tin chopped tomatoes
extra pinch salt for sauce
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
2-4 eggs

Method:

  1. Mix together the grated onion, meat and one teaspoon each of ground cumin and coriander with a good pinch of salt.
  2. Roll with wet hands into small balls and set aside.
  3. Heat a shallow casserole dish that will fit into the steam oven.  Add a dash of oil and when hot add the meatballs and shake the pan so they don’t stick to the bottom.  Continue for just a little while to remove some of the extra fat from the meat.  See my note above, you don’t need to do this if your meat is lean.  You do not need to fully cook the meatballs.
  4. Tip meatballs out onto a double layer of paper towel and wipe the pan to remove any excess fat.
  5. Add a splash of olive oil and sauté the sliced onion and garlic on low heat with the pan covered for about 5 minutes.
  6. Now add the remainder of the spices and cook for 2 minutes.  This will be quite dry.  Add the tomatoes, chopped coriander and stir to remove anything from the base of the pan.  Try to reduce it a little so it will be quite thick.
  7. Pile in the meatballs, stir to coat with the sauce and cook @ 100°C for 15 minutes or 17 minutes if you haven’t browned the meat.
  8. Carefully remove and break in eggs directly into the sauce.
  9. Return to the steam oven for another 2 minutes @ 100°C.  Perfectly cooked eggs with runny yolks.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves to serve.

Recipe adapted from Neil Perry Goodfood.com.au

 

 

 

 

Posted in: Eggs, Main Courses, Steam Oven

Lemongrass & kaffir lime creme brulee

August 11, 2014 9:59 am / 3 Comments /

 Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime Creme Brulee

I have had many requests from people all over the world to cook a crème brûlée in the steam oven so here it is!

So much easier than bamboo baskets over pots of boiling water that may boil dry or a bain-marie in the oven.  More importantly a steam oven has precise temperature control, making it perfect for delicate things like this so you can cook with confidence knowing that you are not going to overcook them.

The only thing that you need to do for a crème brûlée in the steam oven is to cover the dishes so the condensation doesn’t pool on top of the custard.  Pop them all into the solid steamer tray and straight into the oven.  I greased my dishes with a tiny bit of oil which may not be necessary but easier to spoon from the dish in any case.

If you don’t have a Miele steam oven they may take a bit longer.  Check them after 1 hour, they should still ‘wobble’ a little.  If your oven can’t do 85° then go to 90°. The dishes should hold approximately 140-150ml each, although my dishes were larger but not filled to the top.

Perfectly cooked and a nice change from the classic vanilla.

Ingredients:  Serves 6

750ml thickened cream
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
5-6 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
1 stick lemongrass, bruised and finely chopped.  Use about half the stem.
70g caster sugar
6 egg yolks
Extra raw sugar to caramelise tops, ground finely if possible

Cinnamon tuiles

2 egg whites
70g caster sugar
50g melted butter
35g plain flour or I used Gluten free plain flour with success
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Method 

  1. Stir cream, vanilla bean and seeds, lime leaves and lemongrass over lowest heat for about 10 minutes or until almost boiling.  Remove from heat and set aside for 15 minutes to infuse.
  2. Strain and discard solids.
  3. Whisk sugar and egg yolks until combined. Gradually whisk in strained cream mixture.
  4. Strain mixture into six heatproof dishes.
  5. Put all the dishes onto the large solid steamer tray (I used the flat one).  Cover with foil and cook @ 85°C for one hour.
  6. Remove from the steam oven, uncover and let cool.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until ready to serve.  Can be cooked the day before and refrigerated overnight.

Preheat oven to 180°C Fan forced.  Line an oven tray with silicone or baking paper.

  1. To make tuiles, place egg whites in a bowl. Whisk until foamy.
  2. Whisk in sugar and butter.
  3. Add combined sifted flour and cinnamon. Whisk until just combined
  4. Spread teaspoons of mixture onto prepared tray into the shape of your choice.  They need to be spread really thinly.
  5. Bake for about 5 minutes or until dark golden.
  6. Sprinkle tops of brûlées with extra sugar.  It is better if the raw sugar is ground.
  7. Cook under a hot grill or caramelise sugar with a blow torch.

Serve brûlées with tuiles.

Recipe adapted from My Kitchen Rules and also Luke Nguyen. 

 

Posted in: Desserts, Gluten free, Steam Oven

Freekeh & pumpkin salad

July 25, 2014 11:00 am / Leave a Comment /

Freekah and pumpkin salad

I love all the grains that are available these days.  They are so versatile, can be served hot or cold, sweet or savoury and are enjoyable in any season of the year.  A great healthy way to thicken soup in the Winter or enjoy as a salad in the Summer.

Freekeh is the latest ‘superfood’ that is popular at the moment.  This is the first time I have cooked it and I have chosen the ‘cracked’ version.  It is in fact cracked, green wheat and as it is picked and roasted when the grain is green it has a higher percentage of protein, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals.  It is not gluten free.  It is also available as a wholegrain which may take a little longer to cook.

Cooked just like rice or pasta it is yet another food that shines in the steam oven.   It is time that food manufacturers realised this so please, contact them and ask them to provide cooking instructions for a steam oven.  This is what happened when I did recipe testing and cooking instructions for Forbidden foods which was good for us all.  Have a look at that article here.  You may even want to cook some of those delicious recipes!

Ingredients:

1 cup Roasted, cracked Wholegrain Freekeh
1¼ cups water
500g butternut pumpkin, peeled and cubed
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds
4 spring onions, sliced
1 cup chopped, flat leaf parsley or coriander
Large handful baby spinach leaves
1 clove garlic, crushed
grated rind and segments of one orange

Dressing optional:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
sugar, salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Place nuts and seeds into oven @ 160°C for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pine nuts are golden brown.  Be careful not to burn them.
  2. In the solid steamer tray add freekeh which has been washed with water with a pinch of salt
  3. Cook @ 100°C for 20 minutes until cooked but still has a bite to the grain.
  4. While the freekeh is cooking add another tray into the steam oven at a higher level with the cubed pumpkin.  This will take approximately 5 minutes.  Remove and set aside to cool.
  5. Remove freekeh from the steam oven when cooked, add orange rind and the crushed garlic clove and set aside to cool.
  6. Mix dressing ingredients together in a small jar.  This is optional, the dish has enough flavour with the orange rind in the freekeh.  We drizzled a little over the top rather than mixing it through.
  7. Stir in all other ingredients reserving a few seeds for garnish, toss through the dressing, if using and serve.

Delicious with steamed chicken breast or salmon.

 

 

Posted in: Healthy eating, Salads, Side dishes, Steam Oven, Vegetarian

French lentils

July 22, 2014 9:08 am / Leave a Comment /

French Lentils for Bastille Day

I haven’t done a steam oven recipe for a while so I have adapted this Lyndey Milan recipe for the tiny, French green lentils.  I thought that the flavouring would be perfect to serve with my Roast Tarragon Chicken for Bastille Day as a hot side dish.  I also thought it would be a lot easier to cook in the steam oven, especially while something else is cooking at the same time and would certainly be a lot less washing up as I can cook it in the serving dish!  The best part about cooking this is the steam oven was the fact that you don’t need to stir it, worry about it catching on the bottom of the pot and it took less time.  The lentils were also perfectly cooked, with just a little bite to them.

Remember, there is no transfer of flavours when cooking in the steam oven so even cooking fish with the lentils underneath won’t result in a ‘fishy flavour’ imparting into the lentils.

These lentils have a big flavour so would also be excellent with roast meat.

Ingredients: Serves 4

1 cup French Puy green lentils
1 tablespoon of oil
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 small leek, washed well and finely sliced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1½ cups water
pinch salt

Fresh chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of baby capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Handful of baby spinach

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a shallow casserole that will fit into the steam oven.
  2. Add the leek, carrot and garlic and sauté, covered on a low heat until soft.
  3. Add the lentils and water and cook @ 100°C for 17 minutes until soft but not broken down.  They should still hold their shape but have a bite to them.  Season with a pinch of salt to taste.

Stir through all the other ingredients and serve immediately.

 

Posted in: Dinner parties, Gluten free, Side dishes, Steam Oven, Vegetarian

Steamed prawns with soy dressing

June 15, 2014 3:18 pm / Leave a Comment /

Steamed Asian prawns

Think cocktail party food and everyone loves Asian flavours.  They just seem to work and there are so many delicious varieties from tiny soups and satays to duck pancakes and noodle dishes.  I am going to start building my cocktail recipes as most of my favourites are Asian inspired and are well known show stoppers.

Now I have a steam oven it is so easy to do wonderful finger food for a party or even just for a few friends.  Dumplings would have to be the easiest way to feed a crowd!

Quick and easy this is a great appetiser to pop into the steam oven just before you pour the champagne.  By the time its come to temperature and you’ve poured the drinks it will be ready to serve!

Ingredients:  Makes 24

24 medium green prawns
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp. lime juice
1½ tbsp. kecup manis (sweet soy sauce)
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/2 birdseye chilli, finely chopped
chopped coriander to serve

Method:

  1. Peel and de-vein prawns.  Remove tails too.
  2. Place 24 Chinese soup spoons into the perforated tray
  3. Place a prawn on each spoon
  4. Combine remaining ingredients and drizzle over each prawn.  Don’t overdo it as you will also get some liquid from the steam oven into the spoon.
  5. Steam @ 85°C for 4-5 minutes depending on the size of the prawn
  6. Top with a tiny coriander leaf on each and serve on spoons.

Adapted from Miele

 

 

 

Posted in: Dinner parties, Party Food, Steam Oven

Steamed Thai fish cakes

June 12, 2014 9:45 am / Leave a Comment /

Thai fish cakes

Traditionally fried, there is no reason why traditional Thai fish cakes can’t be steamed and become healthy Thai fish cakes!

No fat, quicker to cook and a lot less washing up than a greasy pan with oil the flavour is just as good and cooking in this manner allows you to also be steaming other things at the same time 🙂

Try serving these along-side the Steamed prawns with soy dressing here or the Chicken & spinach gow gees  here.

I have jazzed them up a bit by putting a drop of sweet chilli on top with some chopped toasted cashew nuts, coriander & mint leaves for garnish.  Everyone enjoyed them and the texture wasn’t as ‘rubbery’ as your traditional fish cake.

Ingredients:  Makes approx. 16

300g white fish fillets
2 tsp Thai red curry paste
1 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. cornflour
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp finely chopped red chilli
2 tbsp. chopped spring onions
1 tbsp. chopped coriander

Sweet chilli sauce, toasted cashews or peanuts and fresh herbs to serve

Method:

  1. Remove any trace of skin or bone from the fish and cut into small pieces
  2. Put into food processor and process until smooth
  3. Add red curry paste, fish sauce, cornflour and egg.  Process until well mixed.
  4. Scrape into a clean bowl and stir through red chilli, coriander and spring onions
  5. With wet hands shape into small, flat discs about the size of a 50c piece.
  6. Line a perforated steamer tray with baking paper and place the fish cakes in a single layer
  7. Cook @ 85°C for 8 minutes.  Test one to ensure it is cooked all the way through.
  8. Spoon over a little sweet chilli sauce and top with nuts and herbs.

Serve with toothpicks for an all in the mouth at once flavour hit!

 

 

Posted in: Dinner parties, Party Food, Steam Oven, Thai

Sticky date puddings

April 28, 2014 5:17 pm / 2 Comments /

Sticky date pudding

Somehow this classic slipped under the radar last Winter.  I don’t know how as I cook it regularly and I am sure I had it for at least one posh dinner party.

I prefer to cook these puddings in individual dariole moulds as they give a better height.  You can also use a large muffin tray, if it fits into your steam oven or ceramic dishes as I used in the Lemon & Coconut Delicious here.  Remember, the heat is absorbed better through metal so you may need to adjust the overall cooking time depending upon what you decide to cook them in.

As with all good things, favourites never go out of fashion!  Try it also with the addition of some finely chopped glace ginger.

Ingredients:

1 cup pitted dates, chopped
1 tsp bicarb-soda
250ml boiling water
60g butter, softened
¾ cup castor sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ tsp vanilla
1¼ cups self-raising flour

Method:

  1. Grease 8 x ½ cup dariole moulds or 10 smaller size.  If you want a quick, foolproof way to turn them out then cut little circles from baking paper to line each base.
  2. Place dates and soda into a bowl.  Pour boiling water over and set aside to soak for at least 15 minutes.
  3. In another bowl combine butter and sugar and beat until soft and well combined
  4. Add eggs & vanilla gradually, mixing well between each addition until you have a nice, smooth mix
  5. Fold in flour, dates and liquid
  6. Mix together well to incorporate the dates and pour or spoon into prepared moulds
  7. Place into the solid steamer tray and cover with a greased piece of baking paper that can just sit over the top of them all.  No need to cover individually.
  8. Steam @ 100°C for 16 minutes for the larger size or 15 minutes for smaller puddings.  Test with a skewer.

Let them sit for a few minutes before running a sharp knife around the sides and turning out onto individual plates.

Serve with warm Caramel Sauce below and whipped cream or ice-cream.  Garnish with some toasted walnuts for texture.  There is enough sugar in the sauce, they don’t need to be caramelised.  Enjoy 🙂

Caramel Sauce:

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cream
40g butter

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.  Stir over low heat until the sugar and butter are dissolved.  Simmer without stirring for 3 minutes or until thickened.

 

 

 

 

Posted in: Desserts, Steam Oven

Moroccan prawns with pearl cous cous

April 23, 2014 8:14 am / Leave a Comment /

Moroccan prawns with pearl cous cous

This is a variation of the pearl cous cous with dried figs previously posted here.  This time I have made it into a salad so allow time for it to come to room temperature before adding the leaves.

It is really very quick but you need to add the cous cous straight from the steam oven so it absorbs the flavour of the spices.  In my other recipe it was cooled first, then cooked again.

The prawns can either by cooked on the barbeque, pan fried or char-grilled.  Add the lemon juice to the marinade only 15 minutes before so it doesn’t cook them.

Ingredients:  Serves 4

1 cup pearl cous cous
1¼ cups water
pinch salt

2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp tumeric
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 cup toasted pistachio nuts, chopped
pinch chilli flakes
1/2 pomegranate, seeded & juice retained
handful mint and coriander leaves
handful of baby rocket leaves
1 eggplant sliced
juice half a lemon

Green prawns, peeled and de-vained with tails on
bamboo skewers, soaked for 30 minutes
1 clove garlic, crushed
1tbsp olive oil
juice half a lemon
1 tbsp. Raza Hanout

Method:

  1. Heat oil on medium heat, add onion and spices and cook slowly, stirring well until soft.
  2. Salt sliced eggplant to remove bitter juices for 20 minutes, rinse and pat dry.
  3. Cook cous cous in steam oven @ 100ºC for 10 minutes
  4. Tip cooked cous cous into onion mixture and stir well.
  5. Transfer into a bowl to cool.
  6. Add other salad ingredients once cooled.  Toss well.
  7. For the prawns:  Mix marinade ingredients together except lemon juice and toss through prawns.  Add the lemon juice for the last 15 minutes only and thread onto bamboo skewers ready to cook.
  8. Cook prawns and eggplant and serve hot over salad.
  9. Sprinkle with chopped pistachio nuts and serve with lemon wedges, hommus and warm Turkish bread.

Yum…..

Posted in: Main Courses, Salads, Steam Oven

Healthy Waldorf salad

April 3, 2014 4:17 pm / 1 Comment /

Waldorf salad

Without a hint of mayonnaise in sight and containing heaps of goodness this healthy Waldorf salad is bound to become a favourite.

If you pre-cook your quinoa in the steam oven and set it aside to cool to absorb the stock then it really is quick to assemble.   I arrived home from yoga, fluffed up the quinoa with a fork then prepped enough of the ingredients for a single serve in about 10 minutes.  Nice to think you can eat something delicious for lunch when your eating alone.  You don’t always have to prepare a massive quantity.

Remember it does have to be eaten straight away.

Ingredients:  Serves 6

1 cup quinoa, washed in a fine sieve
2 cups vegetable stock
2 large Pink Lady or red apples, grated.  Use a grater with long strands if possible.  Leave skin on.
2-3 cups finely sliced celery including inner leaves
Bunch baby radishes, sliced on a mandolin then sliced again into matchsticks
Rind & juice 1 lemon
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup toasted Walnuts, chopped roughly
Black pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Cook quinoa in stock in the solid steamer tray @ 100°C for 20 minutes
  2. Zest the lemon and add to the hot quinoa to absorb the flavour.  Set aside to cool.
  3. Once cool, fluff with a fork and add all the other ingredients ensuring you add the lemon juice over the grated apples immediately so they don’t discolour.
  4. Toss well and serve.  Add pepper to taste.

Delicious 🙂

 

Posted in: Gluten free, Healthy eating, Salads, Steam Oven

Steamed peaches, nectarines or apricots

March 22, 2014 4:53 pm / 3 Comments /

Steamed peaches

As I mentioned in a previous post the flavour of everything is better in the steam oven because all the nutrients are retained in the food and not lost in the boiling or poaching liquid.

This really shines through when steaming fruit.  Such an effortless way to serve fruit as a delicious breakfast or dessert.  I keep the added sugar content to a minimum, preferring to just use a little honey if necessary.  Let the natural flavours be the star 🙂

Timing is for medium size fruit so if your fruit is larger or smaller then always cook less rather than more.  Fruit will also stay in shape cooked in the steam oven as seen here with the rhubarb.  Also a great way to use up fruit that has passed its prime.  Remember to also steam your fruit for using in puddings and crumbles.  See my basic Stewed apples here too.

So healthy, quick and with no added sugar.  In stone fruit season there is no excuse not to have some in the fridge everyday!

Ingredients & Method

Just ripe peaches, apricots or nectarines, halved and stones removed

Place in the solid steamer tray.  No need to add any sugar.

Steam @ 100°C for 3-5 minutes.  Ripe apricots for 2 minutes.

Cool before transferring to your serving plate.   Simple and delicious.

 

 

 

Posted in: Breakfast/Brunch, Desserts, Gluten free, Healthy eating, Steam Oven