Steam Oven Cooking: Neff's Healthy, Tasty Meals

NEFF offers a range of steam ovens with features like VarioSteam and FullSteam. These ovens are a great way to cook delicious and nutritious food while retaining the ingredients' nutrients and enhancing their texture. NEFF steam ovens can be used to cook a variety of dishes, from steamed fish and vegetables to pizzas, cakes, and even dumplings. The VarioSteam option allows you to add steam at three intensity levels, perfect for reheating, baking bread, or achieving a crispy outside with a moist centre. On the other hand, the FullSteam function uses 100% steam, ideal for cooking fish and vegetables while retaining their nutrients and flavour. With NEFF steam ovens, you can explore a wide range of recipes, from savoury mains to sweet treats, all while enjoying the benefits of speed, convenience, and enhanced flavour.

Steamed Chinese dumplings

Ingredients

For the dough, you will need:

• Active dry yeast
• All-purpose flour
• Kosher salt
• Vegetable oil
• Scallions
• Cilantro
• Ginger
• Rice wine vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Chili garlic sauce

For the filling, you can choose from a variety of options. A traditional mixture includes:

• Ground pork
• Ginger
• Scallions
• Seasonings

You can also experiment with other fillings, such as diced ham and grated cheese, chicken, shrimp, or a vegetarian option with Chinese chives, egg, and vermicelli.

Method

Start by preparing the dough. In a small bowl, mix the starter ingredients and let them sit for 30 minutes until it foams. Then, combine the starter with the other dough ingredients, slowly adding the flour. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is very soft, and place it in an oiled bowl to rise for about 2.5-3 hours.

While the dough is rising, make the filling by mincing the scallions, ginger, and cilantro, and mixing them with the other filling ingredients.

Once the dough has risen, punch it down and cut it into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time, stretch it out, and cut it into 12 pieces. Place a tablespoon of filling in the middle of each piece of dough, and fold and twist the ends to seal the dumpling.

Let the assembled dumplings rest for 20-30 minutes before steaming. You can use a bamboo steamer or a regular steamer basket, lining it with parchment paper, lettuce leaves, or slices of carrot to prevent sticking. Place the dumplings in the steamer, leaving some space between them, and steam for about 10-18 minutes.

Serve the dumplings immediately with a dipping sauce, such as black vinegar, spicy mustard, or a mix of homemade chili oil and black rice vinegar.

Tips

• Keep the store-bought wrapper covered to prevent drying.
• Use a teaspoon (preferably wooden) to fill the dumplings, and be careful not to overfill.
• Seal the edges of the dumplings tightly to prevent the filling from spilling out.
• If using a bamboo steamer, set it up over a pot or wok with water, ensuring the water does not touch the bottom of the steamer.
• To test if the dumplings are cooked, run a toothpick through one; if it comes out clean, they are ready.
• You can freeze uncooked dumplings by placing them in a single layer in a container, separated by parchment paper. Steam directly from frozen, adding extra cooking time.

Steamed fish

Steaming is a great way to cook fish, retaining its goodness and flavour. Here are some ideas for steamed fish dishes you can cook in your Neff steam oven.

Steamed Cod

This recipe involves creating a pickling liquid from green beans, half a chilli, rice vinegar, palm sugar, and a teaspoon of salt. Then, steam the cod fillet using Fullsteam for eight minutes before frying off the soup toppings. The whole dish should only take around 40 minutes.

Steamed Trout Fillet on Kaffir Lime Leaves

This recipe lets the trout's flavour do the talking, pairing it with a minimal zesty paste. Presentation is simple: spread the paste, place the trout on steamed kaffir lime leaves and garnish with basil.

Steamed Snapper with Ginger and Spring Onion

Score both sides of the fish and place some sliced ginger into the cavity. Place the fish on a large perforated tray with some ginger and spring onion. Drizzle with soy sauce and place another sheet of baking paper over the fish. Steam at 80 °C for 20-25 minutes. To finish, pour smoking oil made from macadamia nut oil and sesame oil over the fish, garnish with sliced spring onion and lime cheeks, and serve.

Simple Steamed Salmon

Place the salmon, skin-side down on a perforated steam tray with a solid base. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper, and arrange 2-3 lemon slices on top of each piece of salmon. Drizzle with olive oil (if using). Steam at 100°C Full Steam for 8-10 minutes, until the salmon is just tender. You can also steam vegetables to serve alongside the salmon.

Bread pastries and dough

Bread, pastries and dough

The NEFF oven's "Dough Prove" and "Bread Baking" settings make it easy to achieve great results when baking bread. The "Dough Prove" setting provides warm and moist air, creating the ideal conditions for yeast dough to rise. The "Bread Baking" setting, combined with the oven's Added Steam function, ensures a crisp, glossy crust and a moist crumb.

Tips for achieving the perfect loaf:

• Don't over-knead your dough.
• Use the "Dough Prove" setting to control the proving process and create the optimal climate zone for your dough to rise.
• Use the "Bread Baking" setting at 220°C with a high level of added steam and bake for 30 minutes.
• Wait until the bread has cooled before making the first cut to ensure a clean slice.

Ingredients:

• Plain flour
• Lukewarm water
• Dried yeast
• Light olive or canola oil
• Salt
• Sugar

Recipe:

• Place all the ingredients in a bowl with a dough hook attachment and knead the dough on medium speed for 10 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the mixer and knead for 1-2 minutes until it feels springy to the touch.
• Place the dough in a medium-sized bowl sprayed with oil spray and select "Dough Prove" level 1 for 45 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.
• Remove the dough from the oven, knead to knock out the air, and shape it as desired.
• Line a universal tray with baking paper and place the dough on top.
• Select "Dough Prove" level 1 and prove for a further 30 minutes.
• After proving, do not remove the dough from the oven. Select the "Bread Baking" function at 220°C with a high level of added steam and bake for 30 minutes.
• When cooked, remove the bread from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 20 minutes before cutting.

Other recipes to try:

• Honey Oat Sandwich Bread
• Wholemeal Quark Rolls
• Brioche

Additional notes:

• NEFF ovens also have a CircoTherm® setting, which enables you to bake and roast simultaneously on different shelves, allowing you to cook different dishes at the same time.
• The "Pizza" setting combines bottom heat with the fan to ensure pizza bases crisp up without overcooking the toppings. This setting is also great for pastry dishes.

Steamed cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (8oz/225g) butter, softened
• 1 cup (8oz/225g) sugar
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (5oz/142g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (2oz/57g) cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Method:

• In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Whisk in the eggs one at a time and mix until fully incorporated.
• Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into the batter and mix until combined.
• Pour the cake batter into a greased and lined 9-inch round cake pan.
• Lay an upside-down plate in the bottom of a wide and deep saucepan and fill with water until it almost reaches the top of the plate.
• Bring the water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Once simmering, carefully place the cake pan on top of the plate. You don't want the cake pan to be sitting in water, it should be just over it.
• Steam for about 25–30 minutes. It’s important to top up with hot water if you see it running low during the cooking process.
• Once risen and firm in the middle, wearing oven mitts, carefully remove from the pan. Leave to cool in the cake pan for 20 minutes and then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

NEFF also has a recipe for a steamed apple maple cake. This recipe is guaranteed to be moist and full of flavour.

Reheating food

Choosing the Right Oven Settings

The Vario Steam function in Neff steam ovens allows you to adjust the steam intensity to suit different types of food. For most dishes, a medium steam setting (around 50%) is recommended. For drier foods like pizza or pastries, reduce the steam to 20%-30%. The temperature setting will depend on the type of food you're reheating. For crispy results, use a higher temperature, and for softer foods, opt for a lower temperature.

Reheating Single Servings

For reheating a typical single serving of food, such as meat and vegetables, stir fry, pasta, or rice, use your oven's reheat program if available. Otherwise, set the oven to 250°F/120°C on a combi steam setting. If your oven requires selecting a steam level, choose 50% (medium) steam. Generally, 10 minutes is sufficient for heating a regular adult-sized meal. For denser foods like soup, you may need a little extra time.

Reheating Family Meals

When reheating meals with multiple components, such as a casserole and mash or pasta and sauce, it's best to use separate pans for each dish. This ensures even heating. Start from a cold oven and set the temperature to 250°F/120°C on a combi steam setting with 50% (medium) steam. For reheating frozen dishes like a whole lasagne or enchiladas, ensure the food is thawed first. Use a higher temperature of around 320°F/160°C with 50% (medium) steam for faster heating while still retaining moisture.

Reheating Meat

For larger quantities of cooked meat, it's recommended to use a low-temperature setting to prevent drying out the meat. The specific temperature and time will depend on the type of meat and the desired doneness. Here are some guidelines:

• Rare or medium-rare steak: 130°F/55°C on a steam setting (100% humidity)
• Roasted or steamed chicken: 165°F/73°C on a steam setting (100% humidity)
• Joint of roasted meat (pork, lamb, beef): 195°F/90°C (100% humidity). For larger joints over 2lb/1kg, consider cutting into smaller pieces or using a higher temperature for even heating.

Benefits of Reheating with Steam

Using a steam oven to reheat food offers several advantages over a microwave. Steam reheating preserves moisture, colour, nutrients, taste, and texture. It also ensures even heating throughout the food, preventing the rubbery texture that can occur with microwave reheating. While it may take longer than a microwave, the superior results make it well worth the wait.

Frequently asked questions