Kitchen Garden Forum

In the interests of fuel economy i usualy cook mixed vegetables together (except potatoes) just adjusting the size I cut them so the're all ready at the same time but i do.notice that this can spoil the collour of some vegetables. Today we boiled carrots, with green and yellow beans and i presume it was the colouring in the carrots which made my yellow beans turn from a vibrant yellow into a dreary slate grey colour.
Is there any way of prevent this from happening? I dont, have a steamer and although I have a pressure cooker, don't use it for cooking vegetables.

Primrose, you would find a steamer sooo useful for cooking vegetables together!

I only ever steam vegetables, including potatoes. One of my steamer inserts even has a divider, so I can cook three vegetables in distinct compartments and, if I was really pushed, could boil the potatoes in the bottom water and use the tops for other vegetables.

I also use the steamer for blanching the vegetables before frezzing them. This does the trick but also keeps them drier than blanching them in boiling water.

Monika, I,m sure you're right but I,m already very cramped for storage space in our kitchen and acquiring new equipment will unleash a whole new decluttering can of worms when my husband is a keen cook and won,t get rid of anything, even if it's only used once a year!

You would have more success if you added them in order of how long they need to cook, then your green( or yellow) veg would be more likely to keep their colour as they wouldn't be over cooked.

As PP suggests you really have to get your head around what may not work.

I often cook vegetables together for reasons of economy of fuel and saucepans, classically I'll do potatoes and carrot. Some potatoes cook quickly so cut the carrots smaller. I also cook cauliflower in the same water but halfway through and whilst this is going on anything that can't go in can be steaming over the pan.

When it comes to getting rid of things I'm the same as your husband, far too many things get thrown away. If you don't have storage it's difficult. We have a tiny kitchen, it's more like the galley on a boat, no room for two people and not a lot of storage

I cook root veg together except potatoes and I find peas and beans work well together, cabbage, kale and cauli, need so little cooking that I do cook those separately.

I think you need to experiment to find what works best for you.

Beryl.

Primrose, I too have a small kitchen with not much storage space but the steamer takes up no more room than pans. I use the sort which goes on the stove, not one of these electric jobs which need space on your work top. It is a Viners one, cost around £18 ten years ago and consists of a pan and two steamers plus lid.

It is the best pan I have ever bought and I would rather part with any of the pans I have, (other than my maslin pan) than my steamer. The veg always retain their colour, shape and texture, taste wonderful and potatoes don't fall to bits or go to mush.

I agree, Elaine. I have two of those steamers and only three more saucepans, one small milk pan, a middle one for making soup and a very large one for jams, chutney etc. The last one lives in the garage when not in use.

Cooking vegetables in water rather than steam goes completely against the grain for me!

Primrose wrote:I dont, have a steamer and although I have a pressure cooker, don't use it for cooking vegetables.

Why not?

I have a similar small assortment of pans Monika.
I do have a Pressure Cooker but I don't like vegetables which have been cooked in it...there always seemed to be some sort of an after taste. I have used it to cook beetroots though, with no problems.

Could you not keep the vegetables apart by wrapping in cling film

FelixLeiter wrote:Why not?

Pressure cooking vegetables, whilst the conversation is leaning towards steaming, which suggests light-cooking, please explain Felix ?

It depends mainly on the time of cooking, you did well by cooking separately the potatoes. However, you should check the best time for the other veg.