On this page I am going to do random Tips & Tricks.
They may be classic tips, Steam Oven or Combi Oven tips that you can scroll through to discover. In the cooking instructions “Steam @” means obviously steam or moisture only whereas “Combination mode” means a radiant heat in temperature plus a moisture (steam level) cooked in a Combi steam oven only.
Please let me know if there is anything that you would like to see in this section.
For a start the WordPress search engine on this site is amazing. Just type in your main ingredient and all the recipes that include that ingredient will appear for you to scroll through.
Posts on this blog load from new to old in each category so you may have to scroll down through quite a few to find what you are looking for. For example ‘eggs’ are the most searched category and are currently number one in Google, but the basic cooking instructions for ‘eggs’ are the first entry so way down at the start of this category.
Something I have learnt from this blog is that you can never ‘assume’ anything; ie when you search on Google for example I can see what words you have typed to search (not on all occasions but a few each day). I was surprised to see a search result as:-
When do you put the food into the combi or steam oven?
Thinking about it I certainly don’t specify this in my recipes, nor do most manufacturers except one that I know of. The answer of course is that you put the food into the appliance first, when it is cold and then set the controls for the temperature or function that you require. I think this is when you should add the food so that it also preheats the cooking utensil or container/s. That is of course contrary to what everyone does with a conventional oven that you usually pre-heat. You don’t need to pre-heat a steam oven as the countdown time will not start until the selected temperature has been reached. However, if you are cooking in a combi steam oven for a very short time then I would suggest (as I do in some of my recipes) to preheat the conventional oven temperature only to a similar temperature before you put in the food and select the program. In my combi the time starts from the start time, not after it reaches temperature as it does with the steam only oven. I may have mentioned preheating or not earlier on in an old post but thought that it was necessary to include in this section.
Also, if you are not sure what appliance I am using or if a particular recipe is gluten free for example then look at the Categories at the end of the recipe and that should tell you.
Melting Chocolate in the Steam Oven:
Break chocolate into small pieces and place in a Pyrex type bowl. Cover with a double layer of Glad Wrap so no moisture can sneak it’s way in and set @ 100°C for 1 minute. Remove Glad Wrap after a couple of minutes making sure you don’t get any drips in the chocolate and stir – so easy, perfect chocolate!
Steaming chicken breasts:
The quickest, most tender and delicious chicken. Great for salads, sandwiches or whenever you need cooked chicken.
Cut the ‘tenderloin’ part off the chicken breast to use for something else. Trim well. If they are huge then cut them across the thickest part so that you have a similar thickness all over. Sprinkle with a little salt if you like and steam @ 95° for 8-10 minutes for small breasts or 10-12 minutes for normal to large breasts depending on the thickness. Remember you can always add a bit more cooking time if necessary!
Try with this delicious marinade: 2 tablespoons of Chinese cooking wine, 2 tsp salt reduced soy, ¼ tsp seseme oil, 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and large knob of ginger, grated. Mix together and marinate before steaming for at least half an hour, turning the breasts in the marinade from time to time. Medium size breasts that I had cut in half lengthwise and ‘opened flat’ took 8 minutes @ 95° – perfect!
Steaming salmon:
The best way to cook fresh salmon, so quick and easy. Basically line a perforated tray with baking paper, remove the skin from your salmon fillets and check for any bones. Remove these with a knife or tweezers. I actually use a strawberry hulling gadget. You need to season your salmon before cooking so use one of these options depending upon what you are serving with the salmon;
Plain salmon: Sea salt and freshly ground pepper you can also drizzle with a little lemon juice and chopped fresh herbs of your choice.
Thai salmon: I tsp finely grated ginger mixed with a little sweet chilli sauce.
Thai curry salmon: Mix a little red curry paste with 1/4 cup coconut milk.
Japanese salmon: Soy sauce or Teriyaki sauce with a little crushed garlic. Or mix 1 tbsp mirin with 2 tsp of Miso and a little soy & ginger into a smooth paste and spread over the salmon. Drizzle the rest over some mixed vegetables and serve with cooked buckwheat noodles.
Middle Eastern/Moroccan : Lemon juice mixed with a teaspoon of Sumac or Ras el hanout and a little sea salt.
Indian: Mix a little tandoori paste with some natural yoghurt and a squeeze of lemon.
I like my salmon ‘pink in the middle’ so cook it @ 95°C for between 2-5 minutes depending on the size of the fillets. Turn the ‘tail’ section under itself so that doesn’t overcook if it is long. The really small fillets you can get in the supermarkets now really only take 2 minutes, larger ones 3 minutes and the bigger size about 5 minutes.
If you want your salmon to flake over a salad or pasta dish then cook it @ 100°C. Quite often it really depends what else you are cooking at the same time. For example if you are cooking quinoa or another grain @ 100°C and you just want to pop your salmon and beans in for the last 2 minutes then that’s fine, don’t bother changing the temperature down.
A classic French Beurre Manié (Kneaded Butter)
This is a liaison for thickening unknown quantities of liquid and gives the dish a lovely sheen.
Work twice as much butter as plain flour into a paste and add in small pieces to the sauce, off the heat, whisking to bring to the boil.
With this method the butter melts and draws the flour into the sauce. It must boil to cook the flour otherwise you will have that ‘uncooked flour’ taste.
Blind Baking:
Means to bake an empty pastry case so the pastry isn’t uncooked on the bottom. It is usually done for wet fillings in tarts. Line tart with baking paper and fill with baking weights, beans or rice. Another good way is to use two identical tins if you have any spare and bake the pastry ‘sandwiched’ between the tins. This works really well, especially for tiny tins where you can’t use baking paper.
Lining a Springform tin:
Not sure about all the different Springform tins around the world but in Australia we have tins where the base has a tiny pressed edge. Turn it upside down to cook something that you need to slide off! Yes, this is strange but it works a treat! No more stressing about getting things out of the base of the tin.
Keeping celery fresh:
Our friend Jennifer told us this trick to keep celery fresh for up to 10 days. Wash it, drain well and wrap in foil in a parcel. Place in the vegetable crisper section of your fridge and it will keep really well and be crunchy and delicious.
Quick Frittata:
When you need something quick to take to a lunch or picnic or just a quick dinner try this frittata:
6 eggs, beaten well with 1/2 cup milk, pinch of salt and pepper.
Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick frypan. Make sure that the base is all covered in a thin layer of the oil. Cover the base of the pan with left over spicy roast vegetables from the salad recipe.
Pour over the beaten eggs, cover and cook on medium heat until it is almost set.
Place under a hot grill to brown the top. Carefully revert onto a plate to serve. This is really delicious!
Perfect quinoa
1 cup quinoa washed
2 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
juice and rind of 1 lemon
Place quinoa and stock into solid stainless steel steamer dish. Steam @ 100°C for 20 minutes. Remove from steam oven, add lemon rind and juice and stir through.
Perfect cous cous:
1 cup cous cous
½ cup orange juice + finely grated rind
½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
¼ cup toasted pine nuts or almonds
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
1 tsp olive oil
- Bring the orange juice and stock to the boil in a small saucepan
- Place the cous cous into a pyrex bowl with the olive oil and orange rind
- Pour over boiling liquid and cover immediately with tight glad wrap
- Let it sit for at least 5 minutes, add nuts and herbs and fork until fluffy
Also great in the steam oven: Combine all ingredients in the solid steamer tray and Steam at 100C for 2 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add herbs and nuts before serving.
Rice noodles
Don’t overcook rice noodles on the cooktop or wait around for them to soften in boiling water. Flatten half a large packet of medium width rice noodles in the solid steam oven tray, pour over boiling water and cook @ 100°C for 2 minutes. Drain and serve. If you are using thinner noodles one minute would be plenty.
Removing those terrible stickers from new china!
Our friend David had a great tip for me to add on this page. They have recently purchased a steam oven (which they are loving and cooked us the most delicious lunch in it!)
You know those annoying stickers you get on new china that are impossible to remove? Those really, really difficult ones that leave a residue of glue on the bottom of the plate? Well 5 minutes in the steam oven @ 100°C and they just melt off! No sticky glue – all gone!
Thank you so much David, your tip is much appreciated by all who have battled with this terrible task. Another tick for a steam oven!
Sterilising jars
I wanted to try sterilising the jars in the steam oven when making my Spicy beetroot & orange chutney here, and removing those pesty labels! It is so easy, just place the jars and lids upside down on the perforated tray @ 100°C for 15 minutes. That’s it! If you have a combi steamer like I do you can also turn on the drying program to dry them out at the end. I don’t know what is worse, messing around with the jars or taking the labels off? It can all be done at once in the steam oven. Much easier than the old way but be mindful that some manufacturers have labels that just cannot be removed no matter what you do! My local brands were fine but one imported brand was impossible….
Warming Mexican tortillas or burritos
The steam oven is perfect for this as they don’t all stick together. Wrap 6-8 in foil making sure you cover well and steam @ 100°C for 5-8 minutes. Place into a basket lined with a napkin and they will stay warm for serving.
Reheating pizza
Don’t make last nights pizza soggy in the microwave, reheat in the combi steam oven on Combination mode 140°C + 30% steam for 10 minutes for a perfect pizza reheat!
Making your own yoghurt
See my post on how to make delicious, homemade yoghurt in your own steam oven here. No need to buy another small appliance to have natural, additive free healthy yoghurt.
Perfect duck breasts
Bring the duck breasts to room temperature, pat dry with kitchen towel then score through the skin and sprinkle with salt. Place skin side down in a cold, non-stick frypan on a Medium heat for about 10 minutes to render out the fat. Tip the pan towards you and spoon off the fat into a jar or container. This is excellent to use for roast potatoes later and will keep for many weeks in the refrigerator. Once the skin is super crispy and the fat all rendered from under the skin remove and place skin side up in the solid steamer tray. Preheat the combi oven to 190°C. Once it has reached temperature, turn it to Combination mode 190°C + 30% steam for 6 minutes. IF you are lucky enough to have a meat probe then set the temperature to 57°C for Medium rare. Place the duck breasts into the combi and push start. Remove and rest for at least 5 minutes wrapped in foil before slicing to serve. If your combi has a grill element you may wish to pop them under the grill for 1 minute prior to slicing to crisp the skin a little more, although I thought they were delicious just as they were. They should feel firm with just a little ‘spring back’ on touching. Don’t forget to pour any juices into your sauce 🙂
Crystallised honey
Don’t throw out that honey that has crystallised. Place jar on the bottom shelf of the steam oven when you are cooking something else at 100°C for 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the steam oven and set aside on a rack or placemat to cool so the glass doesn’t break on a cold surface. Shake and you should see clear, perfect honey that won’t re-crystalise in a hurry.
Perfectly cooked Pork fillet
Mix a quick Asian inspired marinade of soy sauce, grated ginger, crushed garlic, dash of sesame oil and honey and marinate a 500g lean pork fillet for at least one hour. Use quantities of your choice for the marinade, there isn’t a ‘recipe’ as such.
Place the pork fillet on the wire rack of the combi steam oven with a solid tray lined with baking paper underneath to catch the drips. Cook on Combination mode 220°C + 30% steam for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and rest before slicing thinly to serve. Garnish with fresh coriander and the juices from the resting. Delicious! Pork should be just pale pink at the thickest part and very tender.
You are a godsend!!! I recently purchased a Miele Como Steam oven which thrilled me to no end until I discovered recipes for this appliance are few and far between. Even the Miele site isn’t helpful. Until this very moment, I’ve been discouraged, but your recipes and tips are wonderful. My only suggestion is your recipes contain pounds, cups, ounces and Fahrenheit. For those of us living in the USA, it would be tremendously helpful and you would be the first to do it. I have checked so many sites and everything is in Celsius and metric. Thanks so much and keep those recipes coming. I’m trying one of your chicken recipes tomorrow.
Yes, please be one of the only sites that explains things to the U.S. Miele Combi Steam oven user in Fahrenheit, pounds, ounces. Also, some of your vocabulary is much different. For example, when you say, “Chicken mince,” does that mean canned cooked chicken or does it mean cook the chicken, then mince it, i.e., minced cooked chicken or cooked chicken minced. I also appreciate the site!
Hi Laura,
No ‘chicken mince’ is just that. Raw chicken minced through a mincer. Strange you can’t buy that already done in the US but I’m sure your poultry supplier or butcher would do it for you. Otherwise you can do it yourself by chopping up roughly and putting it through an attachment on your Kitchenaid or food processor.
Regards Trudy
Hi trudy. My combi steam oven is a siemens. If a recipe states hot air or hot air steam for say 10 minutes. Am I to preheat the oven and then put the food into it. Then take the cooking time from that point on. My combi steam would take up to six minutes to preheat to say the recipe temperature of 180 degrees. I was not sure if I just turned the oven on and place the food in straight away. The manual not so helpful. Thanks. Marie
Hi Marie,
It depends what your cooking. On my recipes I usually say if you need to preheat or not. Try to think logically, ie my Cream scones are quick cooking and yes, I preheat but a Roast doesn’t need preheating. Have a look at some of the recipes in my combi section and it will start to make sense. If your not sure and using a generic quick cooking recipe then preheat, turn the oven to your combi setting, pop in the food and press start.
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy
Love Cookwise – thank you!
I’m a recent owner of a Siemens combi steam oven and still finding my way to say the least.
I have a really basic question (sorry!) – is there a rule of thumb when steaming on whether to use the perforated stainless steel tray vs. the solid tray? I notice in some recipes you specify baking paper in the perforated tray, others use the solid tray or a casserole dish. (I understand the need for the solid tray if you are steaming rice, lentils, etc that need to be rehydrated).
Thanks!
Hi Julie,
I use baking paper in the perforated trays when I am cooking things that I want ‘even’ heat, ie dumplings, fish, chicken etc where there will be some juices that gather but I don’t want them to drip. As you said, you obviously use the solid trays for anything where you are adding liquid. The stainless steel trays have a better heat absorption than your own casserole dish so try to use them as much as possible. In saying that I am using my own open dishes more and more for ‘one pot dishes’ where I have sautéed something on the stove top before finishing it in the steam oven. Remember, food cooked in your own dishes may take a few minutes longer to cook.
Enjoy, regards Trudy
Hi Trudy. Thank you so much for the blog, OMG I’ve been searching for anything that helps me get the most out of my Miele combi steam. I’m guilty of only doing vegas as well. So silly question, but sous vide – is it a simple thing of just adjusting the time for the weight of steak? We rarely would eat a 400gm ribeye? Keep up the good work, this is awesome!
Hi Annie,
Great to hear you are enjoying my blog 🙂
Sous vide is based on the core temperatures so cooking times would need to be adjusted to reach that but it is a bit complicated because it relates to the type & thickness of meat cut too. You can refer to the book I mention or try cooking for less time at 56o for medium rare and test with a probe. I haven’t had time to do anymore sous vide as you can probably tell we don’t eat a lot of steaks!
Regards Trudy
Hi trudy. Could you tell me how long it would take to steam small pieces of barramundi. By small I mean a small fillet that has been cubed. I marinade the pieces first then steam. Thanks for your help it is much appreciated.
Hi Marie,
Not sure of the size or what your marinade is but my Thai fish skewers took 5 minutes. Have a look at that recipe.
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy,
I’m sooo glad I found your site. I am new to the steam oven concept. I have a Kleenmaid, steam only oven. I have so many questions but first up;
How do I cook a whole chicken? Do I have to have to put it in an oven bag? If I cook it uncovered what will happen?
Thanks, helen
Hi Helen,
Start with the basics, rice, fruit, fish, porridge, eggs and move on to chicken from there. The only whole chicken dish I have ever done is the http://cookwise.com.au/hainanese-chicken-in-the-steam-oven/ so try that. It’s delicious. Remember your steam oven doesn’t brown so you can’t just cook a whole chicken and you definitely DON’T use oven bags. I steamed my chicken breast fillets today for the Mango & Chicken Salad which were delicious but I think you need to get the whole ‘steaming concept’ first before you do this.
Regards Trudy
Dear Trudy
Thanks so much for your blog I discovered it yesterday when researching if I could cook my Christmas Pudding in my steam oven and I haven’t stopped reading it since! I had a group for breakfast this week and cooked poached eggs with smoked salmon and asparagus with hollandaise sauce and wish I had found your tip for poaching the eggs all at once in a muffin tray in the steam oven- we could have all had breakfast together
Hi Trudy
I have a Gaggenau steam oven in London and love it. but like all your other respondents was delighted to find your blog as Gaggenau supply no recipes with their oven.
A visit from their home support bought a very rudimentary folder of recipes, which as you describe for another brand tend to be very Germanic. Then i contacted the showroom who emailed me about half a dozen more.
As a fairly experienced home cook I have found using it pretty straight forward and successful, but its great to have some back up and inspiration.
Thank you
hi trudy
just a question on covering foods in the steam oven – i am never sure when reheating items in my steam oven whether to cover or not.. Recently I reheated a lasagne dish (uncovered) only to find it quite watering and tasting not so pleasant. I thought after I should have maybe covered it for the 15mins or so reheating period, I never seem to know what to do in these instances.
Thanks for your never ending supply of information and help – its very welcome.
Hi Marie,
It totally depends on what your reheating. If you don’t want the added moisture to ‘rehydrate’ then cover.
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy
I have just purchased a steam oven (Siemens) and am enjoying experimenting. I would like to make Beef Wellington. The fillet of beef is 750g and my recipe says “Bake for 20 minutes at 200ºC, then lower the oven setting to 180ºC and cook for another 15 mins.” Any tips on cooking times/settings for my steam oven? Also, if I double the quantity, ie. 1.6kg, how does that affect the cooking time?
Many thanks for a fab blog 🙂
Heather
Hi Heather,
Look at my Combi roasting table times for beef fillet and the times per weight. The combi would be great for Beef Wellington. Good luck.
Regards Trudy
I want to replace my new hardly used dg6100 steam oven what do you recommend?
Hi Helen,
Go for a Miele combi oven that will also brown the food & has a drying program. Not cheap but will do everything except not pyro. The more you spend the more you get with probe & great programs. You will need extra power. Read my post on which steam oven to buy.
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy,
I have an AEG combi steam oven and decided try to cook a christmas pudding. I will be cooking for six hours so filled the compartment with 800 mls of water. which I am sure will not cook for the amount of time required. There is nowhere that I have found that tells me that the oven will beep when I need to add more water and wondered if you have any experience with the AEG
Hi Dawn,
Sorry I haven’t personally used an AEG but it has to surely alert you when it needs more water somehow. Check in your instruction book or call them. As the AEG doesn’t cook at 100oC Steam only 96oC you may need to cook it longer, perhaps another hour I suggest. Test it with a skewer.
Good luck.
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy and Dawn
I have the AEG BS9314001M. It beeps to alert you when the water level is low.
Great site Trudy – just discovered it!
Thanks!
Bec
Hi Trudy, found your blog this week, I have a Siemens steam
Oven and Siemens built in normal oven. I was looking at cooking my Christmas cake in the steam oven. I happy to say it turned out perfect. I have your site now logged in to my reading page. It’s great to find a blog especially for steam ovens, as a lot of your other bloggers has said there’s not a lot of information out there regarding recipes etc. keep up the good work – Jenny
When you cooked your xmas cake did you use the steam and hot air combination and did you find that the cake was moist not soggy?
Hi Sandra,
No a Christmas cake is a normal Fan forced oven only, see my recipe. The Christmas pudding is steam oven only.
Sorry if there was any confusion. When I say I cooked the cake in the combi it is only for the more accurate temperature and smaller size. See there is no mention of adding steam? Cakes need radiant, dry heat only.
Regards Trudy
This is what I thought as I always have cooked my xmas cakes in a normal oven but then I saw that Jenny Kirk dated the 31 OCT had used a steam oven with good results..I also now have a Siemans steam- combo oven.
Hi Sandra,
I think she meant Christmas pudding but I will reply to her.
Regards Trudy
Hi Jenny,
Thanks for your earlier email. Did you mean Christmas pudding not cake? I have never tried to cook a Christmas cake in the steam oven as cakes need radiant, dry heat.
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy, can I use my silicon muffin tray to cook poached eggs in my steam oven.
Hi Faye,
I had a question about this earlier. I assume so, Silicon trays are developed to go to extremely high temperatures in a regular oven so the maximum temperature a steam oven goes to is 100oC so I can’t see why not….
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy
Would you have a recipe for a lemon tart
I have a Siemens combi steam oven
Many thanks …. Rachel
Hi Rachel,
See my ‘Work with me’ page. I can develop any recipes you like, in a pdf format with a picture at a very reasonable price. This is helpful especially for people who want me to convert old family, favourite recipes. Please email me for more information.
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy,
After attending a Siemens stem oven (and combi) demonstration I’m about to buy my Siemens steam oven + combi lightb steam oven + microwave (pyrolytic). I found it really amazing.
I’m not sure if I am making the right decision as a lot of money is involved ( should I have a combi full steam instead?). The only pyrolytic oven with stem function os that one with light steam + microwave. I wonder if I should forget the pyrolytic and maybe buy a full steam combi instead of two ovens. Sorry if I’m sounding too confused. Maybe it’s because I’m very confused, yes! Would live to know your opinion. Thanks!!
Flavia
Hi Flavia,
If you email me I can give you a quote to help you with this decision.
Regards Trudy
When baking any types of cakes in a combi oven shoild i lleave steamer on very low …please explain thanks
No, cakes need a dry heat except for bread, pastry, yeast dough @ scones. Please see my recipes.
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy,
A friend told me about your blog and I love it. I have had my Meile combi oven for 5 years and have always felt it is under utilised, even though I did several of the Meile cooking classes.
Have you made a cheese soufflé? I found the passionfruit one but not a savoury.
Many thanks
Meredith
Hi Meredith,
No problem, if you live in Sydney then we could do one at your place for an in-home cooking class!
Regards Trudy
Can i cook a roast in a neff combi oven in an oven bag? Previously i havent but i am trying to avoid the splatter of fat
Hi Helen
There is no point having a combi if you want to cook in an oven bag. Yes, you do have to clean it but the benefits of the tender roast should be worth it. Try cooking leaner roasts, that will help and never roast in any fat/oil. Use my recipes and just follow the instructions, placing the roast on the rack with a solid tray under as in the Combi roast chicken recipe.
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy,
So happy to find you, there are always so any questions with regards to the steam oven. If you are reheating food in the steam oven what do you use to cover the dish?
Hi Deb,
Read my post on reheating first as most dishes are not covered. Otherwise glad wrap, foil or baking paper depending what it is.
Regards Trudy
After I initially left a comment I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I receive 4 emails with the exact same comment.
There has to be a means you can remove me from that service?
Many thanks!
Hi, send me your name, email address, subject or where you posted it and date of comment and I will see if I can find it!
Hi Trudi, I have just purchased an Electrolux Combi Steam oven. I live on the Sunshine Coast in QLD. & would love to experience a demonstration using the oven.Do you know of anybody doing similar to yourself in Queensland?
Or is it possible to join a class in Sydney?
Have you published a steam oven cookery book yet?
Many thanks for all your helpful recipes.
Cheers Cynthia
Hi Cynthia,
Unfortunately no to all questions. Ring around the specialist retailers and ask if Electrolux do in store demos. Be mindful that your oven only goes to 96 degrees steam only so times are very different to my recipes.
Good luck.
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy,
Any tips on making jam and marmalade in the Miele steam oven? I want to use Weck jars and wonder if they work well in the steam oven instead of in an old fashioned water canner?
Hi Cathrin,
No sorry. We have Fowler jars here in Australia which are used for bottling fruit. They sound like your jars and are sealed with lids. Yes that would work in the steam oven but haven’t cooked an open pot of jam as it wouldn’t boil down. If anyone has tried this can you let me know?
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy,
Do you think I could use an oven bag in the steam combi oven to cook 2 turkey breasts? First Christmas using the oven and I’m nervous about the clean up afterwards.
Thanks,
Samantha
Absolutely not. That’s why you have a combi! Use my Roasting table chart, roll it in bacon & stuff it with something delicious. You can use the probe if you have one & cook for internal temp 165F or 75C in thickest part.
Don’t worry, not a lot of fat or cleaning with this.
Regards Trudy
Hi, I don’t understand it when repices say place liquids on perforated tray lined with baking paper, it spills ?
Hi Lorenzo
Small quantities of liquids, thicker marinades on fish etc are fine on baking paper. If you extend the paper up the sides of the tray a little it will contain the cooking juices. Cooking like this allows the heat to permiate through the food so is great with fish, dumplings etc
Regards Trudy
Of course, always use the solid tray for this.
Regards Trudy
Hello Trudy
I have a kleenmaid steam oven and love their recipe for sticky date puddings which I often do in silicone cup cake holders but I want to be able to cook it as one large pudding (approx 24cm) and am confused as to timing for this. The small ones are so moist and I would love the larger one to be the same. Can you please help me.
Kind regards
Joan
Hi Joan,
I wouldn’t bother to be honest. I don’t know your recipe so it could drop in the centre. My Quince steamed pudding as a large one takes 90 minutes.
Regards Trudy
I’d like to cook bacon (to serve with eggs ) in my ASKO combo steam oven !
Hi Jules,
You had better contact Asko for some help with that. I didn’t get any reply from them when they contacted me ages ago.
Regards Trudy
Hello,
I bought a combi steam oven with sous vide function (Siemens) as well as books on how to cook sous vide – but they all use the the stove top water bath method rather than an oven… I’m not sure whether to put the vacuum sealed food straight into the oven and then the steam function does what the water bath would normally do on the stove top – or if I pop the vacuum sealed food into a oven dish filled with water and basically transfer the stove top set up into the oven.
Help please please if anyone knows what to do
Hi Eva
Search Sous vide on my Home Page. It’s all there but check you can get the temperature you want or can change it in the Auto program, otherwise dial up my temperatures.
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy,
Thanks for such great info! I have the Miele combi steam oven and I was wondering if you could advise on using it to keep food warm or reheat food I made in advance. For example I cooked a casserole in my regular oven and want to use the Miele oven to keep it warm while I cook another dish in my regular oven. For large holiday gatherings I am usually juggling multiple dishes that require various cooking times some which I cook in advance which need to be reheated and kept warm. If you could point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks!!
Hi Shelley,
You need an oven lesson :). If you are in Sydney then contact me otherwise depending on your oven model there are numerous ways you can keep food warm. Auto programs, low oven covered, steam oven open for particular foods that won’t dry out the food. Read my ‘Reheating and defrosting post’ it depends a LOT what sort of food, casseroles are the easiest as just a low temp oven would be fine.
Regards Trudy
Trudy,
Thanks for your blog and all the valuable information. I’m based in London, originally from Perth, and yours is by far the most valuable steam cooking info I have found. Plus to Austral Asia element of the recipes always reminds me of home.
I’m still building up my steaming pans etc so any tips on the basic necessities would be good.
Hi Trudy
Fantastic blog! Just installed a Miele steam combi and a warming drawer so all this is new to me. I’ll definitely be trying some of your recipes. Thanks so much,
Julie