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A little reminder that these newsletters drop into your inbox on the 15th and 30th of each month, so you can expect the next one in a couple of weeks.
Editor’s note
Hello, my Steam Oven Insiders!
In Volume 2 of this newsletter we talked about what type of steam oven you own, and I promised that we’d delve more into oven and steam settings in future. In this edition we’re doing just that; welcome to a lesson on understanding the steam (or humidity) settings in your oven!
I have talked about steam settings in various articles on the Steam & Bake website over the years, but it really does need a deep dive approach. I expect there to be some questions that arise from this topic, so definitely send those in for next issue’s AMA section and I’ll clarify anything you want more information on.
This issue’s recipe is more of a guide. I’ve been immersed in creating a few different steamed fish recipes of late, but what I actually want to show you is how the different cooking options across steam and combi steam can affect the cooking of a simple fish fillet. Once you know that you can adapt almost any fish dish to come out exactly as you please.
Happy cooking and learning!
Emily x
Today we’ll delve into steam oven bread basics. Specifically, I’m going to talk about the proving and baking stages for yeasted doughs. There are many variables in making good bread, but proving and baking are the two areas where your steam oven really comes into play.
If you feel daunted by the process of bread baking this article will give you the confidence to try it out; if you’re an old hand hopefully you’ll learn a thing or two you can use to improve your loaves!
The idea for this how-to approach to fish actually came from one of you (thanks Barbara)! It’s not a recipe per se, but I think you’ll find it even more useful than the one-off fish recipe I’d originally planned.
Barbara asked whether I could create a kind of analytical process for different genres of foods or recipes, showing how to convert them to the different steam oven settings to achieve the best results. So this is my response and attempt at doing just that.
Read on to find out how to have a fish fillet turn out perfectly cooked with exactly the texture and finish you want, by applying different steam settings.
The Season Flip
A couple of lovely fish dishes that suit different seasons…
Southern Hemisphere
This is a gorgeous seafood-y soup with the slightly unusual addition of grated pumpkin or squash. It would make for perfect elegant-but-casual dinner party fare. You can make it in your steam oven using the steam setting; imagine the oven to be equivalent to your pot on the stove. The gentle consistent heat of steaming means you won’t accidentally boil the seafood and overcook it, so it is a more foolproof way of making it. You’re going to follow the recipe as written, but put your pot into the oven (uncovered!), to sweat the vegetables until they’re soft. Add the liquid ingredients, cutting the wine and the stock quantities in half so it’s not too watery (things don’t evaporate when you’re steaming!). Steam for 30-40 minutes, then add the seafood at the end and return to the oven until it’s cooked through.
Northern Hemisphere
I wrote this recipe for salmon fillets years ago, and many of you will be familiar with it already. It’s equally good made with nice thick pieces of white fish. Note the directions to either use steam or combi steam; this is exactly what I’m talking about in this issue’s ‘recipe’, where you can take the same meal and achieve different results depending on the cooking setting you choose. I find the steam-only version particularly great in hot weather, when I can’t bear the thought of cranking up the oven too hot or for too long.
A Thing I'm Loving
There are lots of things I use, eat, read about and enjoy in the kitchen that aren’t specifically related to steam ovens! Perhaps you’d like to know about some of them?
Today the thing I’m loving is an inexpensive but very helpful (to me, at least) little thing to stick on your fridge!
In my forever-effort to manage nightly dinner planning and execution, I added one of Organised HQ’s magnetic dinner planners to my fridge recently. It takes all of two minutes to scrawl out the meals we’ve decided on for the week, and having them right there in view has genuinely helped keep me on track (because planning a meal and actually getting it organized and made are two different things!). An unexpected bonus outcome is that now my two older kids don’t continually ask me “what’s for dinner?!” because they can read it for themselves.
*note: some of the links to A Thing I’m Loving are affiliate links, meaning I make a small commission if you make a purchase from that business. But rest assured I will never, ever share something I don’t personally recommend.
Ask Me Anything (AMA)
Here’s your opportunity to ask me anything you like related to combi steam cooking!
I really encourage you to submit questions, and will do my best to answer as many as possible. Though I may not be able to get to every single question, I will carefully curate ones which are relevant and represent a variety of topics. We all learn from each other, and I often learn new things based on questions from all of you!
If you have an AMA question, please email it to [email protected]. Make sure you include the phrase INSIDERS AMA in the subject line so I can collate and read all your submissions.
This edition’s questions:
Only one question from you all this fortnight! Come on, people, I know you have things you’re wondering about – no question too small or too silly; if you’re wondering, someone else probably is too).
From Cathy
Q: I have been using the no-knead bread technique for many years but I haven’t quite figured out how to adjust things for the steam oven. Do I still use a dutch oven…covered or not covered? My Miele CSO has a Master Chef setting for bread but it doesn’t mention HOW to do it…it’s just a pick-it-and-walk-away setting! Would love your thoughts.
A: I love no-knead bread and have made it plenty of times in the steam oven. I’ve gotten the best results using a Dutch oven without the lid. Try setting the oven to the same temperature as for a regular oven recipe, but using combi steam with 80% humidity for the first 15 minutes of the bake. Then shut off the steam for the remainder of the cooking time. You’ll get the benefit of that surrounding cast iron heat close to the loaf, but plenty of steam to help with oven spring and crust formation.