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F ood
April 22, 2015
Steamed Vegetables
One of the simplest ways to prepare fresh or even frozen vegetables
is to steam them over simmering water. This method is quick, light,
and retains flavor and nutritional value. As long as you take care not
to overcook them, steamed in-season vegetables often taste perfectly
wonderful as they are.
1. Fresh herbs - Toss whole sprigs of fresh herbs like parsley, thyme,
or dill over the steaming vegetables, or chop up the leaves and sprinkle
them over the vegetables after they’re cooked.
2. Garlic - Add sliced or chopped garlic to any vegetable, but leafy
greens like kale really benefit from this extra zing. You can also sauté
garlic with olive oil and toss it with vegetables
after they’re steamed.
3. Ginger - Place thinly sliced ginger at the
bottom of the steaming basket and cover with
butternut squash or other winter root vegeta-
bles. Like garlic, sauté ginger in olive oil first
before tossing with steamed vegetables.
4. Lemon - Add a few slices of lemon or lem-
on zest to vegetables like broccoli, green beans,
and summer squash. You can also add lemon
juice to the steaming water.
5. Olive oil - Before steaming, toss vegetables
in the classic combination of olive oil, salt, and
freshly ground black pepper.
6. Sesame oil - Toss Asian vegetables such as
bok choy or gai lan with toasted sesame oil, salt
or soy sauce, and white pepper before steaming.
7. Fish sauce or soy sauce - Add a couple of
tablespoons of fish or soy sauce directly to the
steaming water.
8. Vinegar - Toss sweet vegetables like sweet
potatoes or carrots with a splash of balsamic,
red wine, or other vinegar in before steaming to
play off their natural sweetness.
Peanut Sauce
INGREDIENTS
• 1” piece ginger, peeled
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
PREPARATION:
1. With motor running, drop ginger and gar-
lic clove into a blender and blend until finely
chopped.
2. Add peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice,
brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and 1/3 cup
water and blend, adding more water by table-
spoonfuls if needed to thin, until smooth. Will
keep refrigerated for a few days; serve at room
temperature.