Can you cook mash & steam vegies at the same time?

[Dutch]

As per the title, I would love to know if it's possible! I've made mash using the recipe in EDC but the vegies never steam in time. Any suggestions?

[cookie1]

I usually put things that I am going to mash into the basket and put that on about 10 minutes before the vegies go in the Varoma.

[Dutch]

Sorry cookie but I don't really understand what you mean? The vegies are always raw when the potatoes are ready, so should I put the vegies on first?

[I Love Bimby!]

yes you can put the raw potato/pumpkin or whatever you want to mash in the basket that sits inside the  (the one you can cook rice in), water in the bottom of the bowl and give it an extra 10 minutes before you put the varoma with veggies in it on the top. Then when cooking is finished, remove the varoma, empty the bowl of water, tip the potatoe etc into the bowl with milk, butter etc (depending on what you add to the mash) and mix on speed 2-4 until desired consistancy is reached.

[quirkycooking]

I often cook mashed potatoes and steamed veges at the same time - here's how:

- Weigh 1kg of cubed potato into the bowl.  Add 200g water + 200g milk (I use rice milk).  Place Varoma on top of lid, filled with veges that are thinly sliced for steaming, and cook on Varoma temp for 20 mins, speed 1.
- Remove Varoma (setting it on it's lid to catch drips), remove lid, and push butterfly into potatoes on the blade.  Add butter or olive oil and salt & pepper to season, and mash for 20 seconds on speed 4.

Easy!  We like the potato done like this as it gets a nice flavour from the vege juices.

 

[judydawn]

Dutch, I always cook my diced potato in the steaming basket then tip it into the  to mash.  I pour about 800-900mls boiling water into  , insert the steaming basket with the potatoes (+ any other vegie if you want) place the varoma dish on top with pieces of smallish vegies then place the tray on top of that with more vegies (the ones that need less cooking usually go up there).  Things like snowpeas I add much later as they only need a few minutes. I cook on varoma temp/speed 3/20mins usually, check to see if everything is cooked and give it more time if necessary, remembering to set all buttons again. Take the varoma tray and bowl off & place the butterfly in, add the cooked potatoes, some butter and milk, S & P and beat on speed 4 for around 10 seconds.  Go easy on the milk, you can always add more if the potato isn't fluffy enough but too much and you will have a custard consistency. The reason I prefer to cook the potatoes in the basket is because the bowl is easier to clean that way as nothing gets baked on. If the vegies in the varoma cook before the potato, just place them in the thermosaver until you have finished cooking and mashing the potatoes.  You will get the hang of it pretty quickly - I didn't use my varoma at all for months but now it is second nature to do mashed potato (or rice) with vegies on top. 

[Katya]

Dutch - it sounds like you are wanting to cook the veggies for longer than the potatoes.... a couple of suggestions spring to mind:

1.  Cut the vegetables into smaller pieces before steaming them

or

2.  Don't cut the potatoes so small so that you cook them for longer

or

3.   Put the veggies into the Varoma, place the basket into the bowl (without potatoes) and set the timer to cook for as long as you think the veggies need.  At the appropriate time, stop the machine and drop the potatoes into the basket.   You need to be a bit careful as there will be a lot of steam at this point.    Also don't forget to check the Varoma temperature is stil set when you start the machine again....

[andiesenji]

About mashed potatoes.
I think I must be doing something wrong.  I have tried  the mashed potatoes with different kinds of potatoes, Idaho (russets), Yukon gold (my favorite for regular mashed potatoes), Red Bliss and a locally-grown small russet and have yet to have them turn out the way I like mashed potatoes. 
I've always mashed by hand because using a mixer seems to produce a gluey effect that I don't like and I am getting the same thing with the batches I have made in the TMX.
I used both the recipes in the book that came with my TMX  and when I got the Fast and Easy cookbook (floury potatoes, i.e. russets), I tried that one, again with the same results. 
I then just cooked the same type of potatoes in the TMX, drained and mashed them with my old-fashioned hand masher and they were exactly the way I like them. 
Does anyone have an idea of where I am going wrong?

[judydawn]

You're probably not doing anything wrong Andie, mashed potatoes are a personal thing as far as taste is concerned.  We don't like a consistency like Deb Instant Mash here so I don't use too much liquid when mashing nor mash too long, just add liquid bit by bit until it looks right.  Your personal taste can obviously only be achieved by hand mashing so you may as well continue to go down that road.

[boonderoostudio]

I like to cook the potatoes in the basket and then use my potato ricer... straight into the thermoserver, as that is the way we like to have our mash, serve with the steamed vegies on top and and then the meat. Serve and enjoy.

[cookie1]

Hopefully one of these will help you Dutch.

Andie I always mash my potatoes by hand too. The family don't like the perfect texture of them if I use the TMX. Fusspots.

[Dutch]

Ok, I think my problem is that I WASN'T using the varoma setting, just using 100deg as stated in the EDC book and there was just not enough steam, will try varoma next time!!!

Thanks for everyones suggestions!

[judydawn]

You'll be OK now you've realised where you were going wrong Dutch.  Enjoy your mashed potatoes and steamed vegies tonight .

[Thermomixer]

Does anyone have an idea of where I am going wrong?

LOL - hit the Publish button too soon !!

Andie - I made some on Sunday and they come out like a creamy potato that has been Moulinexed and then rubbed through a sieve as per Joel Roubechon's potatoes.  Do you use the butterfly?

I found that they were looking a little dry as they were nearing completion so just tipped in some more milk and mixed a bit longer. 

Many years ago I tried in the Robot Coupe (Magimix) and got glue.

Shayla has posted here about the mash

[Katya]

The UK cookbook says that you need to make sure that the potatoes are really cooked before using the butterfly to mash them - if they are not cooked properly they will have  gluey texture.   This also applies to potatoes used in soups and it's true as I found out to my cost when I tried to rush things....

But that may not be the only cause of gluey potatoes.   

I use the butterfly to mash them but I don't run it for long and keep an eye on the texture as we like it "rustic".