Besser AppliancesOperated by MQ Modern Living

Everyday cooking

A better weeknight dinner, one function at a time

Turn a tray of vegetables, a pan of sauce and a steam-cooked side into a calmer evening meal. Start with the result you want, then choose the function.

By Besser Appliances6 min readReviewed
Miele DGC 7660 HC Pro combination steam oven
Miele DGC 7660 HC Pro combination steam oven. A model example; functions and accessories vary across the range.

A good weekday dinner rarely needs the longest programme list. It needs a clear job for each appliance: brown the vegetables, cook the grain, keep the sauce moving and bring everything to the table together. Learning those jobs makes familiar ingredients more interesting without making the evening more complicated.

Use the ideas below with a recipe you already trust. Choose its quantities, preparation, temperatures and cooking durations first, then check the operating instructions for your exact Miele model. These are meal-planning ideas, rather than a tested recipe with one setting for every kitchen.

Start with the texture you want

Picture a bowl of roasted vegetables, rice and a tomato sauce. The vegetables need colour and a little crispness; the rice needs enough liquid; the sauce needs controlled heat and an occasional stir. Giving all three the same treatment would miss the point of the meal.

Fan Plus is a useful starting point for a recipe that calls for a fan oven. Steam suits a side you want to keep moist, while the hob lets you taste and adjust a sauce as it cooks. Your appliance may offer other functions, but there is no need to use them all in one dinner.

Miele reference

Make the vegetable tray the main event

Build the tray around vegetables with similar cooking needs, or prepare them differently so they finish together. A thick piece of carrot and a thin slice of courgette will not behave alike. Cut deliberately, follow your recipe's oil and seasoning quantities, and give the pieces room instead of packing the tray tightly.

Use the shelf position and preheating advice in the recipe and your model's cooking chart. Check the tray as it cooks: look for the colour and texture the recipe describes. If you add a delicate ingredient later, set a separate reminder so it does not disappear into the main cooking timer.

Finish at the table with something fresh: chopped herbs, a squeeze of lemon, a yoghurt dressing or toasted seeds prepared according to their own recipe. A change in texture can make the same vegetable base feel like a different dinner.

Let the steam oven look after the side

On a suitable steam oven, a perforated container lets steam reach vegetables, while rice and other foods that cook in liquid need a solid container and the correct liquid quantity. Miele's DG 7440 instructions give different ratios and durations for different grains; steam does not remove the need to measure the liquid.

Use a collecting tray where your manual specifies one. If your model offers automatic Menu Cooking, follow its prompts for adding foods. With manual cooking, work backwards from the serving time and add each dish according to its own cooking duration.

A single combination steam cavity cannot run two independent temperatures at once. If the vegetables need dry roasting while the rice needs a steam programme, use separate appliances, cook the components in sequence, or choose a model-specific combination recipe that deliberately cooks them together.

Miele reference

A simple order for getting dinner on the table

  1. Read the whole recipe and lay out the correct tray, steam container and saucepan before starting. Check which elements can wait and which should be served immediately.
  2. Start the longest component first. Prepare the dressing or topping while that cooks, and keep separate timers for later additions.
  3. Cook the sauce on the hob, adjusting the heat to its behaviour rather than leaving it at the initial setting. Stir and taste as your recipe directs.
  4. Check each component for the required doneness before serving. An appliance timer tells you how long a programme has run; it does not confirm that every ingredient is ready.
  5. Record the useful details afterwards: portion size, tray arrangement and the settings that worked on your model. Change one thing next time so you can see its effect.

Use the same pattern for a different dinner

Try the same division of jobs with a baked main dish and steamed greens, or a tray of roasted cauliflower with a grain salad. Start from a complete recipe for the main dish, then pick a side whose cooking method complements it.

For bread or a roast that specifically calls for moisture, investigate Moisture Plus or combination steam if your model supports it. Those functions have different controls and should be used with the appropriate recipe. Our oven-function and steam guides explain the distinction.

References & further reading

Based on Miele UK product information and operating guidance available at the review date. Use the instructions supplied for your exact appliance and a complete recipe for quantities and cooking settings.

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