Cal -- isn't the baking soda used with the brocoli -- it intensifies the color.
jack
(me, gotta be careful with the sodium for the XYL)
Yep, you don't want the veggies to acidify because then the acids react with the available metals (primarily magnesium) and the chlorophyll denatures. There goes your pretty colors.
Heretical though it may be, I prefer microwave cooked/steamed broccoli -- breaking down the broccoli first into closer to bite-sized pieces, rinsing, draining, then covering a glass bowl with saran/plastic wrap. 5 or so minutes in the nuke, then peel the plastic off and eat.
Tends to come out quite bright colors because you aren't leaving any extra water around. Also way fast, easy to time with the rest of the meal, and frees up a spot on the stove.
*oven roasted broccoli is lovely, but something totally different
**broccoli and eggs are basically how I got through grad school
Heretical though it may be, I prefer microwave cooked/steamed broccoli -- breaking down the broccoli first into closer to bite-sized pieces, rinsing, draining, then covering a glass bowl with saran/plastic wrap. 5 or so minutes in the nuke, then peel the plastic off and eat.
Tends to come out quite bright colors because you aren't leaving any extra water around. Also way fast, easy to time with the rest of the meal, and frees up a spot on the stove.
*oven roasted broccoli is lovely, but something totally different
**broccoli and eggs are basically how I got through grad school
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Pressure cooker? Don't tell Scott! I have never owned a PC, though my mother did and so did my wife's mother. When I started getting intobIndian cuisine I realized they are very popular in India (lentils and whatnot I guess). The recipes often had instructions I didn't understand like "Leave in pressure cooker for two whistles". When our parents used PCs it was cook at x pounds pressure for y minutes.
Normally I just throw the cut up broccoli in boiling water and just boil it which leaves it very bleached and bland taste (I know, not very culinaristic), so a few days ago thought I would steam cook it, but this time around I tried something new, I threw the broccoli into hot boiling water and stirred quickly for a very short time, something like 10-15 seconds only and then poured out the water and I noticed the broccoli had turned into very strong bright green color, anyhow I went on and steam cooked it for the rest of the time and the green color was preserved which did baffle me a bit.
Some day ago I steam cooked another batch broccoli but skipped the preceding quick boil step mentioned above but the broccoli didn't turn out as green this time, something happens to the broccoli when it gets shocked in boiling water, I have to try it out again to see if it repeats as I use the same supply/brand of broccoli as before.
Some day ago I steam cooked another batch broccoli but skipped the preceding quick boil step mentioned above but the broccoli didn't turn out as green this time, something happens to the broccoli when it gets shocked in boiling water, I have to try it out again to see if it repeats as I use the same supply/brand of broccoli as before.
Ask and ye shall find, Culinary Physics: How to Keep Cooked Broccoli Bright Green
This really good stuff, lots of historical info about how people develop cooking techniques empirically.
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OK, I'm listening but this is hardly put it all in and turn on the gas.
Culinary Physics: Best Boeuf (beef) Bourguignon by Julia Child is Better than Jamie Oliver's Recipe- Instant Pot - Electric Pressure Cooker Recipe
Two of my grandaughters will eat an entire head of broc between them.
We cook it several different ways. My midwestern sensibilities allow it to be boiled until the water turns green. Wifey prefers it steamed, somewhat as you describe but to the point that all the healthy stuff isn't cooked out. My son puts it in the broiler with a spray of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
The worst of brocoli stories relates to it being consumed before the wife nurses the baby.
Oh, of course not. Well, I rate pressure cooked stock highly, and that may be an exception. But I agree a PC is a tool to be used wisely, or it quickly becomes a mush-maker.
*E.g. bolognaise or other meat sauces are pretty amazing done in the PC, and then you add the sauteed onions/veggies to the mix. In general it makes for an effective power-braiser when the intended meat is supposed to break down. Great for beans/lentils that you may have forgotten to soak. I also like the carrot soup recipe from modernist cuisine, but will admit that an oven-roasted carrot soup is better; and it's better with a head of cauliflower added to punch up this really good nutty flavor.
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Speaking Scott's link and Daniel's post above:
I was waiting for the shine to wear off on all those Instant Pots that were the hit of the Christmas season, and for someone to say 'I used it for a bit but now it gathers dust'.
Didn't happen. In fact when I go on line now there are people doing funny things with their cookwear that make me believe the world is a bit strange. Anyway, the cult these things seem to have formed is intriguing to say the least. OK, so what the heck, I guess I better see what the fuss is about. I bought it Friday night and that's the last thing I remember. I have tried some of the presets and of course steered my own way through the manual settings and am beginning to understand the marvel of these things. I have the Duo80 V2.
If you've been wondering yay or nay and you believe what someone might tell you, then go get one and find out.
My wife says 'you've been playing with that thing all day.' I said' 'it's not playing, it's a tool to increase the speed of production.'
The more I use it, the more I think she's right.
So far:
Eggs soft boiled
Eggs hard boiled
Salted eggs hard boiled
White rice
Brown rice
Beef rib finger meat
Pork tongue
Soup stock
Soup
Sweet potatoes
All good except the salted eggs. They blew up, real messy. The regular eggs are great and super easy to peel.
I was waiting for the shine to wear off on all those Instant Pots that were the hit of the Christmas season, and for someone to say 'I used it for a bit but now it gathers dust'.
Didn't happen. In fact when I go on line now there are people doing funny things with their cookwear that make me believe the world is a bit strange. Anyway, the cult these things seem to have formed is intriguing to say the least. OK, so what the heck, I guess I better see what the fuss is about. I bought it Friday night and that's the last thing I remember. I have tried some of the presets and of course steered my own way through the manual settings and am beginning to understand the marvel of these things. I have the Duo80 V2.
If you've been wondering yay or nay and you believe what someone might tell you, then go get one and find out.
My wife says 'you've been playing with that thing all day.' I said' 'it's not playing, it's a tool to increase the speed of production.'
The more I use it, the more I think she's right.
So far:
Eggs soft boiled
Eggs hard boiled
Salted eggs hard boiled
White rice
Brown rice
Beef rib finger meat
Pork tongue
Soup stock
Soup
Sweet potatoes
All good except the salted eggs. They blew up, real messy. The regular eggs are great and super easy to peel.
Pepperoni can get you into real trouble, especially in British Columbia:
40 Sea Gulls Wrecked His Hotel Room. 17 Years Later, a Pepperoni Pardon. - The New York Times
40 Sea Gulls Wrecked His Hotel Room. 17 Years Later, a Pepperoni Pardon. - The New York Times