The Ultimate Rice Cooker (55 page)

Beets: Trim ends and peel. Leave whole (baby beets can have some of the stem left on) or cut into slices or quarters.

Carrots: Trim ends, peel, if desired, and cut into chunks, coins, or strips. Baby carrots should be left whole.

Daikon radish: Trim ends and peel. Cut into chunks, coins, or strips.

Jerusalem artichokes: Same as for potatoes.

Jicama: Same as for potatoes.

Parsnips: Trim ends and peel. Cut into chunks, coins, or strips.

Potatoes (russet or Idaho bakers, red or white boilers, baby creamer new potatoes, purple potatoes, Yukon Gold): Scrub whole potatoes in their jackets or peel, as desired. Steam whole, quartered, or sliced.

Turnips and rutabagas: Same as for potatoes.

Water chestnuts: Trim ends, peel, and slice.

Yams and sweet potatoes: Trim ends and peel. Cut into chunks or slices.

Thistles

Timing:
Steam until tender, 20 to 45 minutes, depending on size.

Artichokes:
See recipe.

Cardoon: Discard outer ribs and trim away spines and strings if tough. Cut off stalk end and cut ribs like celery.

asparagus with hollandaise sauce

A classic dish; once you have this version of hollandaise you will never be without a luscious butter sauce again. The sour cream stabilizes it, allowing the sauce to sit in a warm water bath for hours before serving without breaking or you can make the sauce while the asparagus steams. Use on all sorts of steamed vegetables, including broccoli. The best!

MACHINE: Large (10-cup) rice cooker ;

on/off only

CYCLE: Regular

YIELD: Serves 5 (11/ 4 cups hollandaise)

2 pounds fresh asparagus, bottoms snapped off

SAUCE

4 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Dash of salt

Dash of ground white pepper

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and still hot