Stop Start

  After all the talk of roasted vegetables, I thought I'd mention their quieter cousins, steamed vegetables. What they lack in razzmatazz compared to fried and roasted veg, they make up for in delicacy and flavour and, I'd even go as far as to say, sophistication.

  Steaming allows the natural flavours of vegetables to be really showcased so, especially for the subtle flavours of leafy brassicas, you really get the actual subtle taste of the vegetables. As an extra bonus, steaming is a super easy as well as very flexible technique. All upside then.

  Steaming is such a part of my cooking that I have quite a large steamer that sits over a saucepan, but if you're not that way equipped, you may have to improvise. No problem, let's get you started. You're pretty likely to have a sieve or colander somewhere in your arsenal, and that, along with a lid, is all you need.

  Chuck whatever you want to steam into the sieve or colander and cover with a lid. Place the whole lot over a pot of simmering water and leave it to do its thing. What is useful is that if you realise you started the steaming too early and want to stop the process, just take off the lid and turn off the heat until you're ready to finish the cooking.

  Because of the gentle flavours, steamed veg go particularly well with fish, but I'm also quite happy to sit down for a bowl of steamed broccoli, seasoned simply with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. You may be used to boiling your greens and though the effect is very similar, steaming is a bit more gentle. If you've not tried it then give it a go, you'll be amazed to find out how simple it is.

Kirk out

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