Cooking vegetables correctly doesn’t have to be a guessing game. By following a few simple instructions, you can be sure that your fresh or frozen vegetables will turn out to be tasty, attractive, and cooked to perfection. each time.
cooking fresh vegetables
To cook fresh vegetables, place the vegetables in a pan that is almost completely full once you insert them. When cooking with waterless cookware, cooking vegetables in a pan that is too large for the amount you are cooking can be a problem. Then rinse the vegetables under cold water and pour off excess water. The water that sticks to the vegetables plus the vegetable’s own natural moisture will provide enough moisture to cook without water.
Cover the pan, close the vent and cook medium-low heat. When the cover rotates freely on a cushion of water, the vapor seal has been formed. Cook according to the time table below: do not look. Doing so not only prolongs cooking time, but also increases the risk of burning the vegetables because the steam seal is broken. When done cooking, test for doneness with a fork. If it’s not done, cover the pan, close the vent, and add 2 to 3 Tbsp. of water to the brim to restore the vapor seal. Cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
Cooking Frozen Vegetables
Do not defrost vegetables. Once again, the size of the pan used to cook the vegetables is important. Once the vegetables have been placed in the pan, the pan should be almost completely full. Rinse the vegetables under cold water and remove the excess water. The water that sticks to the vegetables plus its own natural moisture will provide enough moisture for cooking.
Cover the pan, close the vent and cook medium-low heat. When the cover rotates freely on a cushion of water, the vapor seal has been formed. Cook according to the time table. Do not look. Removing the lid will destroy the steam seal, prolong cooking time, and possibly cause the vegetables to burn.
Vegetable cooking times:
Artichokes (whole) (30 to 45)
Artichoke hearts (10 to 15)
Asparagus (10 to 15)
Beans, green (fresh, cut) (15 to 20)
Beans, green (fresh, French cut) (10 to 15)
Beans, green (frozen) (10 to 12)
Lima beans (fresh) (30 to 35)
Lima Beans (frozen) (10 to 12)
Beets (whole) (35 to 40)
Broccoli (15 to 20)
Brussels sprouts (15 to 20)
Cabbage, shredded (10 to 15)
Carrots, sliced (15 to 20)
Cauliflower (10 to 15)
Corn (fresh) (15 to 20)
Corn (frozen) (10 to 12)
Eggplant (5 to 8)
Greens (10 to 12)
Leeks (12 to 15)
Mushrooms (5 to 10)
Okra (15 to 20)
Onions (whole) (15 to 20)
Parsnips (sliced) (15 to 20)
Peas (frozen) (5 to 7)
Potatoes (quartered) (20 to 25)
Potatoes (whole) (30 to 35)
Sweet potatoes (30 to 35)
Spinach (frozen) (8 to 10)
Spinach (fresh) (15 to 20)
Zucchini, summer (yellow) 15 to 20)
Pumpkin, winter (25 to 30)
Pumpkin, zucchini (20 to 25)
Tomatoes (10 to 15)
Turnips and rutabagas (25 to 30)
*Cooking times reflect the weather after the steam seal is formed, which usually takes 3-5 minutes. Note: To keep vegetables warm and ready to serve, keep lid on and vent closed. The vegetables will stay hot in the pan for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Don’t be scared off by the concept of cooking without water. When you try it, you’ll soon discover how easy it is to use waterless cookware if you follow the principles above. Yes, cooking with waterless cookware is healthy because the vegetables cook in their own natural juices, but you’ll soon discover how tasty and unique your prepared meals are. The Gourmets Cookware offers a wide variety of quality waterless stainless steel products along with healthy tips and recipes that can be easily adapted to your waterless cookware.