STEAMING

Steaming’s a cracker — it’s great at transmitting subtle flavour even though it’s through the slightly indirect method of hot steam. This can be done at varying pressures — for example, the Japanese will steam slowly in a bamboo basket, and my nan has a pressure cooker that heats, cooks and nukes anything at a very high temperature. This basically means that cooking times can be reduced by up to half while keeping the food juicy and succulent.

COOKING IN THE BAG

This method was first recognized in France — known as cooking en papillote, or in greaseproof paper. Even though this still works well, these days tin foil is much easier to use, more pliable and definitely a better conductor of heat. This is a fantastic way to cook, because you get a variation of cooking methods happening inside the bag, from boiling to steaming to even a bit of baking, and most importantly you don’t make any mess because you chuck the bag away when you’ve finished.