The Beauty of Boiled/Steamed Vegetables
Boiling and steaming are two underutilized techniques that deserve so much more of our attention. Both offer a very quick and direct way of cooking that, when applied to vegetables, gives beautiful, even, and silky texture. Almost any vegetable can be made delicious by boiling or steaming, then dressing it with oil, a kiss of acidity, spices, and herbs. Next time you don’t know what to do with your veggies, take out your tall pot or steamer basket, and enjoy the simplicity of the process. I wrote a little guide for boiling or steaming vegetables below.
Boiled/Steamed Vegetables
sea salt
seasonal vegetables
olive oil
sesame oil
chile flakes and/or black pepper
lemon/lime juice or vinegar
fresh herbs like green onion, dill, parsley, cilantro, chives, etc.
arugula or other greens (optional)
Bring plenty of well-salted water to a boil, or bring a few inches of water to a boil below your steamer basket, if steaming. Cut your vegetables into chunks, wedges, or florets. It’s nice to have a variety of vegetables, especially a combination of starchy ones (potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, beets), medium density vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, summer squash), and light, quick cooking vegetables (asparagus, snap peas, snow peas, dark leafy greens).
If boiling, start with the most dense, starchy vegetables and give them a head start of about 10 minutes, or until a fork or knife goes through them somewhat easily, but the vegetables still feel undercooked. Add any medium cooking vegetables and let boil for another 5-8 minutes, then add any quick cooking vegetables and let them cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. If steaming, you can start all the vegetables at once and remove them in stages, as they’re done.
Transfer the boiled/steamed vegetables to a large bowl. Drizzle the vegetables with enough olive oil to coat, plus a few drops of sesame oil. Sprinkle with salt and chile flakes/black pepper, to taste. Drizzle with citrus juice/vinegar to taste. Shower the vegetables with fresh herbs and arugula/other greens, if using.
Enjoy the vegetables as they are, or with a side of beans, bread, grains, tofu/tempeh, etc.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
See the recipe :)
