Pure veggie flavors can be chosen to meld without sauces or butter

• Sausage, shrimp star in one-pot meals

By Donna Deane
Los Angeles Times

A steamer retains the natural flavor of cooked vegetables, for better or worse. So choosing the right combinations makes a difference in savoring this kind of low-fat meal. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

When you steam, you usually get the pure personality of the food, for better or worse. There is no olive oil to soften and marry the ingredients. No sweet butter to compensate for less-than-perfect produce. No high, dry heat to add a charred crust.

Yet steaming can produce some of the most satisfying light meals you can imagine. And the easiest: With a little thought, you can put together an entire dinner in a single pot.

The trick is choosing ingredients. Begin with a starchy vegetable such as red or Yukon gold potatoes or squash. Add one or two other vegetables; they will determine the character of the dish. You want the flavors to naturally complement each other, as there won't be a puddle of broth or sauce to bring them together.

Some good combinations are the potatoes with green and yellow beans, or carrots and brussels sprouts, or asparagus and whole mushrooms.

Once that's settled, think about adding a touch of richness. Some meat or fish will do that, and so will a simple dipping sauce.

One of my favorite steaming meats is fully cooked chicken or turkey sausage. Large shrimp or scallops also are great — just add them at the end of steaming so they don't overcook.

For subtle notes, try sprinkling fresh herbs or slivered ginger over the vegetables while they're steaming.

For a sauce, plain yogurt with chopped herbs and minced garlic is nice, along with a little Spike saltless seasoning. Fat-free sour cream is another option. Or go in an Asian direction by making a dipping sauce of shoyu, vinegar, minced ginger and a little hot sauce.

Steamers come in many sizes and shapes, so steaming time will vary. Collapsible baskets, bamboo steamers, and double-boiler models all get the job done.

But to me, none compares with the electric Oster Food Steamer. It's been a Los Angeles Times test kitchen workhorse for years: The clear plastic steaming bowl is big enough for a whole chicken or large piece of meat, and lets you monitor cooking without lifting a lid (and letting steam escape). You can see the moment when mussels open and shrimp turn pink. You can steam a whole meal at once in its stackable bowls. It steams rice beautifully, and reheats soup and stew without scorching. (The Oster Food Steamer sells for about $40 at Costco, Macy's and other retailers.)

While you're cooking, check the level of the liquid in the bottom of the steamer to be sure it doesn't evaporate.

For even cooking, cut food into uniform pieces. Place the densest foods in the bottom of the steamer; you may even want to steam them for a while before adding more delicate and quick-cooking ingredients.

And remember, each time you lift the lid and that fragrant steam escapes, it will add a little extra time to the cooking.

Sausage, shrimp star in one-pot meals

Instead of a mixed grill, here are mixed steamer meals.

One-pot Steamer Meal

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
• 3 boiling potatoes (about 1 pound), cut in 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound broccoli crowns, cut up
• 2 yellow squash, cut into 1-inch thick diagonal slices
• 2 fully cooked turkey sausages, cut into thirds

Stir together the yogurt, garlic, dill, tarragon and seasoning. Set aside.

Bring water to boil in the bottom of a two-quart saucepan with a steamer insert set over, but not touching, the water. Place the potatoes in the insert, cover and steam over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add the broccoli crowns; cover, and steam 5 minutes. Add the squash and sausages, cover, and steam another 4 to 5 minutes. Check the vegetables with the tip of a knife — they should be crunchy yet tender. Steam a few minutes more, covered, if necessary.

To serve, arrange the vegetables on two plates. Spoon the yogurt sauce over the potatoes and season to taste.

Each serving: 562 calories; 1,516 milligrams sodium; 112 milligrams cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 62 grams carbohydrates; 31 grams protein; 7.70 grams fiber.

Total time: 30 minutes.

Servings: 2.

One-pot Shrimp Steamer

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons slivered green onion, divided
• 2 tablespoons slivered fresh ginger root, divided
• Dash Asian chile sauce (sold in Asian-food aisles of many supermarkets)
• 1/2 head bok choy, cut crosswise into
• 1-inch slices (about 6 cups)
• 6 shiitake mushrooms
• 2 cups Chinese pea pods
• 8 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

Stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, lemon juice, sesame oil and 1 tablespoon each of the green onion and ginger. Stir in the chile sauce to taste. Set aside.

Bring water to boil in the bottom of a two-quart saucepan with a steamer insert set over, but not touching, the water. Arrange the mushrooms in the steamer, top side down. Place the bok choy over them and top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of ginger and green onion.

Cover and steam over medium-high heat 5 minutes.

Add the pea pods and shrimp. Cover and steam until the shrimp are pink and firm and the pea pods are crisp yet tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Divide between two plates and serve with some of the sauce (reserve the rest for another use).

Each serving: 390 calories; 1,498 milligrams sodium; 442 milligrams cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 59 grams protein; 7.86 grams fiber.

Total time: 20 minutes; servings: 2