Our flat in Zurich will be equipped with small oven and a small steam oven but no microwave. I had never seen or heard of a steam oven before flat shopping last month. I'd love to hear how those are best used and if they can be a substitute for a microwave. Thanks !
It's not a substitute for a microwave. It's a particularly healthy way of cooking foods, particularly vegetables, but it isn't any quicker than a regular cooker. You can use a steam oven for re-heating dishes and compared with a microwave, the main advantage is that the food doesn't dry out. Again, it isn't a quick method of cooking, but a healthy one.
If you aren't familiar with steam ovens, I suggest you either have a good read of the instruction manual (which will probably have some basic recipes included), and/or buy a recipe book.
We have one of these in our apartment as well, and for my money, it's the most worthless piece of kitchen equipment you can buy. It makes twice the mess of steaming vegetables using a pot on the stove, and it's no quicker.
I'd much rather have a second oven, or a built-in microwave. I think I've used the steam oven twice in three years.
This is what I was afraid of. The ovens are teeny and I was excited to see two of them until I realized one was a steam oven. Thanks for your thoughts.
Thanks to both of you. This will be part of the adventure of living in Switzerland - figuring out how to use the appliances. . I'll look on line for recipes that specifically call for a steam oven.
We had a combi steam in our last flat- convection/steam. It was great for roasting a chicken and casseroles, lasagna, etc. I never used it for vegetables though...easier to use stove top steamer.
We have one too, and I have been experimenting with it. Things I have observed:
1. It does a nice job on rice. I am always boiling over rice on the stove, this does it much cleaner.
2. Steaming vegetables or potatoes is excellent. You can cut it up, toss w/ oil/salt/spices and steam.
3. Anything that would dry out in a regular oven cooks much nicer in the steam oven. Chicken, fish, meatballs. I haven't tried pork chops yet, but i think that it will leave them very moist.
4. If you make stuffed vegetables, it cooks them very nicely (i have stuffed zucchini in mine right now)
5. You can make multiple things. I often make rice and vegs at the same time.
6. It cooks in quantity. Those big pans can hold a lot of food and cook it in a quick time. You could cook a dinner for 6 at one time w/ your starch, vegs and meat and have it cooked perfectly without worrying about drying out the meat.
Thanks so much! Since we haven't moved into the flat yet I don't have a manual or a pan that apparently comes with it so can't try all of this out but am feeling much better about one of my teeny ovens being a steamer. I appreciate your thorough response.
I have a synthetic cloth (migros) that sucks up lots of water. I have dedicated it to the steam oven. When the oven is cool, i use the rag to mop up the water, squeeze out any extra in the sink, do one more wipe, fold it up and put it in the door of the oven so when I close it the door is still open a little. It helps let the oven dry out. The next day I can remove the rag, throw it in the oven, and close the door.