Sometimes my job comes with perks. I cannot lie. This week I had the pleasure of attending the annual Thanksgiving “lunch and learn” hosted by Florida Builder Appliances, the dynamic go-to resource for all types of appliances from GE to the uber high end including Subzero-Wolf, Miele and even La Cornue. This little gathering for us peeps in the business is quickly becoming an annual ritual we look forward to.
We get to experience the amazing Chef Rachelle Boucher in action. She has cooked for the rich and famous including Catherine Zeta-Jones and George Lucas among others.
We enjoy the traditional Thanksgiving fare including turkey, stuffing and cranberry relish, served each year with a new culinary twist. In addition we learn all kinds of interesting expert tips.
Chef Rachelle recommends the “butterfly method” where she actually spreads the turkey, breast down for cooking. This is so that the white meat retains moisture.Perhaps the most impressive take away this year was learning about the combi-steam oven. You know I tout the induction cooktop as the future of cooking, now you can pair that with the combi-steam oven. This gem combines steam cooking with a convection browning/roasting function.
Everyone knows you can steam vegetables to retain flavor, nutrients and moistness but you can also reheat pizza in this bad boy!! Yes, and you will enjoy a crispy perfectly browned crust. The 14lb turkey at the top of this post was cooked entirely in a Thermador Combi-Steam Oven. It was steamed for one hour and 15 minutes followed by 30 minutes on browning mode (no basting needed) and voila'!
Commercial combi ovens have been used for years in the restaurant industry. Now the same technology is available for your kitchen. In addition to Thermador, you can get your combi oven from Miele or Wolf. Bosch makes one too but it's not available in the US :(
If you're eager to sample the benefits of steam convection cooking but don't have the space or funds to invest in the high end brands, you're in luck. Williams- Sonoma sells a smaller counter top model for around $300. It looks small but can hold a whole 5lb chicken or 12" pizza.
Next up: Is your kitchen tired, decrepit and outdated? You can refresh, renew and update without reinventing the wheel.