Many articles have been written about meals that you can cook in your dishwasher. There are a range of recipes available online that offer hearty, tasty and more importantly, well-cooked dishes that can be made in one both simply and easily. Even a relatively short 50 minute wash cycle can produce meals that could be served for a get-together or when entertaining a small group at home. The practice may seem unnecessary to some due to the fact that there are already a wide range of kitchen appliances that enable one to put together a meal including rice, pressure and slow cookers, however it can be a viable option for those who don’t own the aforementioned kitchen aids and simply enjoy trying something different in the kitchen.
Here are some benefits to dishwasher cooking:
1) It can make cooking a more desirable prospect on hot summer days when you don’t wish to stand over a stove for an extended period of time.
2) When cooking during holidays such as thanksgiving and Christmas, oftentimes there simply isn’t a sufficient amount of space in the oven and stove to cook all of the main dishes, appetizers, sides and desserts in a relatively short period of time. Luckily, there are plenty of holiday meals you can cook in your dishwasher for a spin on traditional cooking.
Limited counter space is another reason people are turning to dishwasher cooking. It allows the maximization of free space and is eco-friendly.
3) It’s considered to be more eco-friendly than cooking traditionally as the practice enables you to both clean dishes and cook at the same time. Italian environmentalist Lisa Casali recently published a book titled Cucinare in Lastoviglie which has been a popular read in Italy since its release. Those keen on conserving energy can try their hand at cooking recipes they find in it or similar books in order to decrease the amount of electricity they use on a daily basis.
4) Because dishwasher cooking uses less energy, it could be more economical than using several appliances.
Here are some of the foods that can be prepared in a dishwasher:
- Poached salmon
- Steamed vegetables
- Sides such as soft boiled eggs, vegetables and coucous
- Elaborate meals such as lasagna Florentine and curry chicken
Here is a recipe for dishwasher-cooked poached salmon:
1 whole salmon, cleaned and dressed (or 2 halves)
Salt, pepper, dill,
1 carrot sliced
1 onion, sliced
tbsp. chopped celery
Lemon juice from an entire lemon
1 c. white wine
Place salmon on 2 sheets of foil large enough to double fold all sides. Rub fish cavity and sides with seasonings. In cavity, place celery, onion, lemon juice and white wine. Fold up foil ensuring that contents are water tight however leave airspace for steaming. Run dishwasher empty to clean out soap residue. Place foil wrapped salmon on top shelf making sure no wire will tear foil. Run dishwasher 2 cycles. Serve with preferred sauce. Serves 10.
There you have it.
Now you’re only a quick dishwasher cycle away from having clean dishes, tasty cooked food and perhaps an anecdote about the entire process to tell your amused yet intrigued co-workers when it’s all been said and done.
