Varoma Vegies in top - mashed spuds in the jug

[Kellie]

Cooking for family this evening and was after a super quick tutorial on how this is (can?) be done?

I'm looking to steam broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and zucchini in the Varoma and make mashed potatoes in the jug.

Am I being too ambitious for a brand new TMX'er and should I just do them separately?

Cheers

Kellie

[Lellyj]

Hi Kellie

I haven't tried this myself, but I remember reading this thread where Jo from Quirky Cooking, a very experienced thermocook, gives another newbie advice on how to do this.  Might help . . .
http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=6121.0

[Kellie]

Thanks Lellyj!!  I knew someone would know something 

[judydawn]

I cook my potato (3cm dice) in the steaming basket.  I pour about 1 litre boiling water into the bowl, put the basket in place, put the lid on and then place the varoma on top. I'd put the cauli and carrot in the varoma bowl and the zucchini and broccoli in the tray.  Cook 15 - 20 mins/varoma temp/speed 3. The broccoli cooks fairly fast so you could leave that out and add it after 5 minutes.  Check that everything is cooked after 15 mins, remove those vegies that are and place them in the thermosaver whilst you give anything else that a bit longer.  Empty the bowl, insert the butterfly, tip in the potato, add a knob of butter, S & P and a splash of milk and mash for 10 sec/speed 4. Do not go over speed 4 with the butterfly in.  Check for consistency and add more milk if it needs it.  
I prefer this way as there is no fear of the potatoes catching on the bottom of the bowl if they are in the basket, making less to clean up later. You will soon learn how big to cut the individual pieces of vegies, which cook quicker etc.  After a while you will just do it without thinking about it.

[Zan]

The first thing I cooked in the tmx was mashed potato and steamed veg.
Pretty similar to Judy.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

This is how I do mine. I much prefer cooking the potatoes in the basket. 

[faffa_70]

I cook my potatoes in the rice basket as well. I start out with cold water in the bowl and rice basket in place. Set to 40 min (yes 40) or else I boil the kettle and use that water for 30 min depending on how much time I have.

Then I start preparing my veg. Potatoes first, adding them to the basket, replacing the lid and removing the MC. Place varoma in place and keep on cooking as I keep on preparing. I then prepare in turn all the veg in order of time it takes to cook (we eat a lot of veg lol) so next would come the beetroot, carrots and brussel sprouts, sweet potato, pumpkin, parsnip etc in the varoma bowl. Then on the tray I put things like the cauliflower, broccoli corn cobs, and if we are having them fresh / frozen peas or beans, and lastly frozen corn if that is what I am having to resort to

I find this way is also time saving as I am cooking as I am preparing instead of having all that time preparing and then having to come back and add or take veg out as they are cooked 

[Meagan]

I use Nico's recipe http://www.stephberg.com/?p=944 love it

[Renlor]

I do my veges this way nearly every night....pretty much the same as Judy does...except I add a decent amount of salt to the water that the potatoes cook in.  If you are steaming snow peas, zucchini or broccoli, then add them towards the end. 

I've tried to cook mash the same as the recipe books (in milk) and I think it taste blah 

[LeeJ]

ohhh, I think I see why my mashes spuds didnt work when I put them in the basket, I put cold water in!

It got to 30 odds minutes and they were still not cooked, I was getting rather frustrated 

Will make sure to add the boiling water next time!

[Renlor]

I normally add 800g water to jug (tap, not boiling)...add salt...fill basket with spuds....then place varoma on top with other hard veges eg carrot....then put on for about 30mins on varoma speed 1 ( I know you're sposed to go faster than that, but I find it too noisy)...I find that's enough and I never have to add boiling water.