Cooking Techniques
for Life After Mashed Potatoes

     Most recipes in the Life After Mashed Potatoes section use pan-steaming or oven roasting. These are the techniques that I have come to use, as my preferred balance in day to day cooking among outstanding flavor, cooking convenience, and preservation of nutrients. In your own balance, may wish to include stir-fry or other techniques directed to the same ends. 

Pan-Steaming (Stovetop Braising)
GENERAL TECHNIQUE
    In this general purpose technique a relatively small quantity of water is placed in the bottom of a large skillet. It is brought to a vigorous simmer. Vegetables are placed in the liquid, the pan is covered, and the vegetables steamed until done. 
     I then remove them to a plate. After they have steamed off, I pour some of the cooking water back over them. Any excess liquid, with its flavor and nutrients, goes into a stock pot  in the freezer.
     One great advantage for the home cook is that the vegetables do not need to be served right away. They survive well overnight in the refrigerator. By contrast the sauté technique, while producing quality second to none, requires immediate serving.
     Another advantage is that you do not need to wait while a big pot of water comes to the boil. 
     Also, nutrients are preserved as the quantity of liquid is small, therefore usable. In boiling or steaming they are lost, along with desirable flavors. Such losses can be quite significant for certain vegetables, and defeat the purpose of bringing them into your menu. 
     Finally, the technique allows you to cook each vegetable just the way you like. If vegetables are to be truly delicious, this must be accomplished in one way or another. the pan-steaming technique makes it entirely easy for the home cook.

A Note on Terms

     The technique is also called stovetop braising. This differentiates it from oven braising. (But then, often the term braising is used to mean oven braising). I use the term pan-steaming to avoid confusion.
    Many home cooks refer to pan-steaming simply as steaming. In cookbook writing this term usually connotes elevation above the water: in a little basket in a saucepan, or a multi-level steamer.  Again, pan-steaming avoids confusion.

Oven Roasting
GENERAL TECHNIQUE
     This technique is possibly even simpler, although it takes a while longer. It produces effects similar to grilling over a charcoal fire, an indoor version of the Italian barbecue verdura mista in gratticola.   Much of the quality of charcoal- grilled vegetables is attained, with better temperature control for moist, succulent flavor of the inner flesh, to say nothing of convenience.
     My typical technique is to split the vegetable in two, then place it cut side down on an oiled baking sheet. Baking at 375 degrees F. typically will take 30-40 minutes. Remember that this is unattended time. 
     Vegetables may be roasted ahead of time. Reheat gently in warming oven or microwave.
     Overnight refrigeration often works, but is not as certain as with pan-steaming.  

     Marcella Hazan (The Classic Italian Cookbook) identifies the following as typical of the verdura mista in gratticola: tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini.      Others that work well here include yams, carrots, turnips, winter squashes, Belgian endive.
      For some vegetables, such as yams and yellow onions, the skin will peel off leaving the flesh intact to be cut into pieces. But eggplant or acorn squash will be mushy, fine for whipping but do not expect pieces.