how do you add flavor to boiled vegetables

While boiling vegetables can be delicious, I get it if you have a little PTSD from them. The thought of a boiled Brussels sprout still makes me nauseous.

But what if I told you there’s a better way? I’ve learned a new technique for boiling vegetables from the folks at Milk Street. It will make you forget about the bland boiled veggies of your childhood.

Here’s the gist. You create an aromatic base, add your veggies, and then pour in your water. But not a lot of water. Not even enough to cover all of your veg. 😲 Did I pique your interest?

Let’s dive into it! 🏊 Actually, let’s not. Because you know it’s gonna be hot. And shallow too. Yeah, since there’s not a lot of water in the pan. And it’s boiling… Get it?!?! Okay moving on.

A small amount of olive oil, vinegar and mustard, whisked together and then tossed through your hot vegetables can make all the difference. 4. Chop together some sundried tomatoes, lemon zest and parsley. Add a small amount of olive oil and then toss your vegetables in this mixture.

A Low Liquid Boil

First, things first. This technique works best for vegetables with a little heft. Root vegetables work great! So do denser cruciferous ones like broccoli or cauliflower. Even green beans are delicious this way. 🥦 🥕🥔ðŸ

Next, let’s talk equipment. You’re going to want a pot here. Not a pan. Something with taller sides and a heavy lid. A dutch oven works great. (I’ll explain why later on.)

This technique has four stages:

• Building the Base: Create an aromatic base of flavor with fat, spices, and herbs.
• Boiling: Cook the veggies with a low amount of liquid, with the lid on.
• Evaporating: Remove the lid, and cook off your liquid.
• Finishing: Use the last moment before serving to contrast flavors.

This technique builds on some of the principles I mentioned in last week’s newsletter on when to cover a pot or leave the lid off. Check it out if you haven’t yet!

The key to a flavorful ending is to start with a flavorful beginning. Add a good amount of butter or olive oil to the pan—about 3 tablespoons. Then cook down diced shallots or garlic if you so desire.

Next, add herbs and spices. I like to use whole spices here. They hold up well to heat and add a little texture. But ground spices work well too. And I’d pick a sturdy herb like rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, or cilantro stems. More delicate herbs like basil, parsley, and mint won’t hold up under heat. It’s better to add delicate herbs at the end. 🌿

Cook the herbs and spices directly in the fat for about 30 seconds. The heat and fat will coax more flavor out of them!

Let’s talk ratios. For 2lbs (~1kg) of vegetables, use 1 1/4 cups of water for root vegetables. Or if you’re cooking less dense vegetables like broccoli or green beans, drop the water to 1 cup. Again, your vegetables probably won’t be covered by the water. And that’s what we want! Using a small amount of water and cooking it off later keeps all the flavor in our vegetables. You don’t lose any “vegetable essence” to the boiling water.

After you’ve built the aromatic base, add your vegetables, a good pinch of salt, and your water. And bring that sucker to a boil. Once, you see the bubbles, cover the pot.

Covering the pot will do two things. It will keep in the steam—which we need to cook the vegetables fully through. And it makes sure the water won’t evaporate before the vegetables are done cooking. This is why using a dutch oven is important. The heavy lid and tall sides will make it more challenging for evaporation to happen. We want to keep the moisture in!

So how long do you cook them? Probably about 5-7 minutes for less dense vegetables and around 10 minutes for the thicker ones. But here’s the deal. The real way to know is to test them. You want the vegetables to have a slight resistance when you poke them with a fork. But be careful to not let them go too soft. Otherwise, it will turn to mush.

Once they have a slight resistance, remove the lid to finish cooking the veggies and evaporate any leftover water. 💨

It should only take about 5 minutes. The more vigorous the boil, the faster the evaporation will happen. Just make sure to check the doneness of your veggies as you go here.

Pro tip: Listen to your pot as it cooks. Sounds give you wonderful cues when cooking. For example, you can notice if the pot starts to sound dry when that bubbly sound that comes from the boiling becomes a sizzle. Listen for cues!

If your vegetables are done, but you still have liquid in your pan, you can drain the liquid. Be careful tipping a hot, heavy pot over a sink. Or you could remove the veggies from the pan and turn up the heat to reduce the leftover liquid leftover in the pan before adding the veggies back in.

Once most of the water has evaporated, you’ll have this beautiful saucy consistency. And that’s exactly what you’re going for!

But hold your horses! 🐎 You’re not done yet. Remember to always finish strong! One to two tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar goes a long way in brightening these vegetables! It beautifully balances the fat and spices we added early on. Plus you can use that acid to deglaze the pan and pick up any fond from the bottom. The fond are those brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. And they are full of flavor! #SaveTheFond.

And lastly, you can always throw in a handful of herbs!

Steamed vegetables| recipe

FAQ

How do you make boiled vegetables taste better?

How do you season vegetables when boiling?

How do you Flavour cooked vegetables?

How do I add more Flavour to my vegetables?

How do you make steamed vegetables taste better?

Like garlic, sauté ginger in olive oil first before tossing with steamed vegetables. Lemon – Add a few slices of lemon or lemon zest to vegetables, like broccoli, green beans, and summer squash. You can also add lemon juice to the steaming water.

How do you spice up steamed vegetables?

Flavor steamed vegetables by adding herbs like basil or rosemary towards the end of cooking, drizzling olive oil, sprinkling salt and pepper, or infusing citrus from lemons or oranges. Other options include a splash of vinegar or the addition of garlic or soy sauce. Customize these according to your taste preferences.

How do you cook vegetables at the same time?

This will help them cook at the same rate. Boiling Water: Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a rolling boil. Add a pinch of salt for seasoning, and optionally, you can also add herbs or spices to enhance the flavor. Add the Veggies: Carefully add the prepared veggies to the boiling water.