Flavourful, various and essential to a balanced diet, vegetables are the full package. Not to waste time and vary your preparations, better be well equipped. Here are the essential tools to have!
1. The vegetable peeler
If you only had to have one, this would be the one! The vegetable peeler not only allows to peel many vegetables (potatoes, carrots, parsnip, beetroots...), but also to cut ribbons to enjoy raw, cooked al dente or sautee (carrots, zucchini, cucumber...). Some models with scalloped blade are even adapted to vegetables with thin skin such as tomatoes and peppers. To choose between a horizontal or vertical format depending on preferences and comfort of use.
2. The steam basket
Easy, healthy and adapted to almost every vegetable – including Bonduelle’s frozen range –, steam cooking preserves their nutritional and appetizing qualities. Depending on needs and budget, it can be in an electric steam cooker, a couscous maker, a pressure cooker, a bamboo basket or a “daisy” basket at the bottom of a pan: ideal for beautifully colourful plates.
3. The blender
Hard to live without a tool to blend raw and cooked vegetables whichever their size or shape: a multi-functional robot, a small electric grinder, a hand-held blender. It is essential in the making of soups (with frozen vegetables when in a hurry) or green smoothies. For appetizers or as a sauce, hummus showcases chickpeas cooked in very little juice by Bonduelle to respect flavours and textures: tahini, a bit of garlic, some lemon juice, a few spices, a drizzle of olive and here you go!
4. The potato masher
Yet, a blender is not advised when making the typical family meal: the good old mashed potatoes – which it renders sticky and heavy. To mash potatoes – as well as carrots, celeriac or peas – quickly and efficiently, nothing better than a hand potato masher: flavourful, rustic and light mashed potatoes are yours!
5. The mandolin
How about some thinly chopped cabbage salad or homemade vegetable crisps? Here is the mandolin! They are in every price range and the most affordable versions are not necessarily the least efficient. Japanese mandolins – a Chef favourite – often exceptionally sharp (be careful). Some can be complete with accessories to cut vegetables in julienne (thin slices) or waffled slices.