Hot & steamy: Testing trendy veggie-cooking options

BY AMY CULBERTSON

McClatchy News Service

There's no cooking method better than steaming if you want to taste the pure essence of a vegetable. And it's the healthful way to go -- nutrients aren't boiled away, and no fat is involved.

Supermarket shelves are teeming with new steaming options designed for convenience -- special plastic microwave steaming bags, freezer-to-microwave packages, even steaming bags with their own seasoning mix.

We staged a steam-off to find out how the new methods compared with traditional microwaving and stove-top steaming. We picked green beans for the test, and aimed for a crisp-tender result.

GLAD SIMPLY COOKING MICROWAVE STEAMING BAGS

Cooking time: 4 minutes cooking, 1 minute standing.

Cost: $2.50 for a package of 10 bags, or 25 cents per bag, plus the beans.

Appearance: Similar to conventionally microwaved. Good color; not quite as bright as the traditionally steamed beans. Some shriveling.

Taste and texture: True green-bean flavor, though not quite as sweet as the traditionally steamed beans. Nice crisp-tender texture.

How did it rank? Very good, though, as with conventional microwaved green beans, cooking was a little uneven.

Tip: Be very careful to avoid the steam vents on the sides of the bag.

MICROWAVE-SAFE BOWL

Cooking time: 4 minutes

Cost: Beans bought fresh for $2.29 a pound.

Appearance: Good color; not as bright as the traditionally steamed beans. Some shriveling.

Taste and texture: Nice flavor, though not as sweet as the stove-steamed beans. Excellent crisp-tender texture.

How did it rank? A very good green bean, though cooking was a little more uneven than with the traditional steaming method.

Tip: If beans are freshly washed, the water clinging to them will be enough; if they are dry, sprinkle a little water over them before covering the microwave-safe container with plastic wrap.

COLLAPSIBLE METAL STEAMER

Cooking time: 3 minutes to bring water to a boil; 8 ½ minutes to cook beans.

Cost: Beans bought fresh for $2.29 a pound.

Appearance: Vibrant green, plump-looking.

Taste and texture: Very sweet, fresh-tasting. Juicy; almost burst in the mouth.

How did it rank? The winner in terms of taste and texture. Cooking time was longest.

Tip: For even cooking, beans should be in one layer, which makes a steamer insert or a large bamboo steamer preferable to the smaller collapsible metal kind. With a tiered bamboo steamer, you can steam another item at the same time.

TARGET ARCHER FARMS STEAM-IN-THE-BAG GREEN BEANS

Cooking time: 6 minutes cooking, 1 minute standing.

Cost: $1.99 for the 16-ounce bag.

Appearance: These green beans were much smaller than the fresh ones. Though not quite as bright as the beans produced by the other methods, they were still a nice, even color.

Taste and texture: Reasonably good green-bean flavor; tender, but a little dry and mealy.

How did it rank? If convenience is a priority, the bag's advantage may outweigh any taste/texture disadvantages. Cooking is no faster than microwaving from fresh, but with these you don't have to trim the beans. Also convenient is the fact that you can stash them in the freezer and have green beans available anytime. One disadvantage is that you have to cook the whole bag, even if you're just cooking for just one or two.

Tip: If you like the convenience of this packaging, shop around and try several brands to see which you prefer.

THE BOTTOM LINE

We deemed the traditionally steamed beans the best, but not by a commanding lead. The microwaved beans got high marks in flavor and texture. And even the freezer-to-microwave bag, though the clear loser in terms of taste and texture, produced pretty good results.

For traditional steaming, we couldn't discern any differences in taste and texture among beans cooked in a bamboo steamer, a collapsible metal steamer and a pot with a steamer insert.

The beans microwaved conventionally -- in a bowl covered with plastic wrap -- and in the special microwave steamer bags were just about identical, too. One major advantage of the steam-in bags was that they eliminated the need to wash a bowl.