Holiday Entertaining – Steam Convection Cooking Tips
By Larissa Taboryski on Nov 25th,2015Steam Ovens are one of the most exciting tools of the modern kitchen but in order to get the best out of your oven you have to plan to use it and of course the more you use the oven you will be able to fully embrace it’s potential and really benefit from the great features. Here are some tips that will help you get the most out of your oven during the holiday season, remember you don’t need special recipes just use your favorite recipes but reduce recipe times by 25 degrees when baking.
Breakfast & Brunch
Frittatas and Savory or Sweet French Toast Casseroles are great brunch dishes and easy to assemble, if you can make a sandwich you can make French Toast Casserole, put the filling between the bread slices mix the eggs and ½ and ½ and pour over till absorbed, use your favorite recipe and cook in the Combination Mode 320 degrees alternatively cook in advance and use the refresh Mode before serving Poached Eggs – crack the eggs into a buttered or oiled ramekin and cook in the Steam Mode 212 degrees for 5 – 6 minutes, depending on the size of egg. For an even more delicious treat place sautéed vegetables in the ramekin before adding the egg. Boiled Eggs – place eggs in the perforated pan and cook in the Steam Mode, 12 – 15 minutes for soft and 20 for hard. Muffins and Pancakes – make extra of your favorite breakfast treats store in the freezer and refresh before serving.Lunch
Steam some quick cooking grains or lentils to combine with Steamed or Steam Roasted Vegetables or to add to a Seasonal Green Salad Bake some potatoes in the Combination Mode, scoop out the flesh when cool enough to handle and combine with your favorite steamed vegetables and some cheese and reheat before serving. Steam some bone-in chicken pieces with 1 cup of water, ½ an onion a carrot and a stick of celery and of course salt pepper and your preferred seasoning, cook for 45 – 50 minutes. Cool the chicken remove the skin and use the meat for salads or sandwiches, strain the broth and reserve for cooking. Steam some fresh crab or a thawed lobster tail for a really special treat.Dinner
Roast meats, fish and vegetables in the Combination Mode 320 degrees, finish in the Convection Mode 400 degrees for additional browning or crisping. Braise your favorite winter meals in the Combination Mode 300 degrees, no need to cover the dish just let the steam do it’s magic, cooking time will be as per the recipe approx. 1 ½ – 2 hours. Slow roast your meats in the Slow Cooking Mode 200 degrees, this will take much longer but the results will be worth the wait. Once it has reached the desired internal temperature finish on high heat in the Convection Mode 400 degrees for browning.