Steamer Uses and Recipes

Using your Steamer

Put the food you wish to cook inside the Steamer, replace the lid. Place the Steamer on a ordinary saucepan filled 1/2 to 2/3 with water, light the burner. It's as simple as that!
As the water boils, the steam shoots up through the central chimney cooking your foods and extracting flavours and nutrients. The rich broth which results is preserved and remains in the Steamer as there are no holes in the bottom.

It's easy!

- No particular preparation is necesary for the first use; your Steamer is ready to go! Not made for oven use.
- le Steamer must always be used on top of a saucepan.
- The bottom of the pot must stay above the water level to allow the steam to form.
- Check water level after 25 mn by removing steamer from saucepan, add water if necessary. cooking times will vary.
- Do not place your hand directly above the chimney when opening the Steamer to add ingredients, herbs or seasonings. Steam is very hot and can burn!
- To seperate the broth once the food is cooked, move the lid to one side and hold it securely with pot-holds along with the handles of the steamer, then pour into a bowl... Taste... this is what make's the Steamer special!

Try It

Now it's up to you to try the recipes, to improve on them and invent new ones. Happy Steaming!

A few ideas to get started

Provencale Tomatoes : 4 firm tomatoes , 2 cloves of garlic, parsley, bread-crumbs, salt, pepper. Cut the tomatoes in two, place face up in the steamer, sprinkle chopped garlic and parsley then bread-crumbs. Cover and cook about 20 mn.

Fennel and lemon : 2 Fennel bulbs cut in quarters, 1/2 lemon, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, coriander. cover the fennel with thin slices of lemon (preferably organic if you leave the rind) then sprinkle with parsley and coriander, salt and pepper to taste. cook 20 to 25 mn.

Salmon and potatoes : 2 or 3 pieces of salmon, 2 to 3 medium size potatoes per person, salt, pepper, fresh taragon. Peel, cut and rinse potatoes. Place in steamer, add salt. cook 15 to 20 mn. Open Steamer and stir potatoes. Add the salmon on top and sprinkle with taragon leaves and pepper. Cook another 5 to 10 mn depending on thickness of salmon pieces. Season with olive oil and soy sauce.

Steamed fruit and apple sauce : Peel and cut seasonal fruit in peices, add cinamon and brown sugar... or not. Try pears and kiwis with a few leaves of fresh mint, and of course the classic apples and bananas.

- Le Steamer is very useful for reheating food that is already cooked, without sticking or dying out. (Pasta, rice, even hotdogs!.) Also for thawing frozen fish or vegetables.

- For best results potatoes should be peeled, cut in pieces and rinsed before cooking.

Qiguo ji
Yunnan chicken soup

Bassic recipe: (for medium steamer)
1.5 lbs. chicken skinned and cut into pieces, 6 to 8 slices fresh ginger, 4 green onions, 1 cup Shaoxing cooking wine , ground black pepper to taste, 1 cup clear chicken stock.

Optional ingredients:
water chestnuts, bamboo shoot, shiitake mushrooms, thin slices Chinese ham, goji berries, chopped cilantro, shredded scallions, light soy sauce, Sesame oil.

Chop chicken into pieces, blanch in boilling water for 2 mn. Place chicken in Steamer on top of sliced onions. Add what optional ingredient you have in layers on the chicken, then rice wine, salt and pepper. sliced ginger. Place steamer on a saucepan and begin steaming. Check water level regularly, add when necessary. Steam for 1 hour. then add 1 cup boiling hot chicken stock, or more as needed and steam for 1 more hour. When done, discard ginger pieces and add soy sauce to taste , garnish with chopped cilantro.