You might have a vague notion of a double boiler. You might even have one in that cabinet. You know the one: where the odd wedding gifts and the it-looked-so-handy-at-the-flea-market appliances go. If you only know the double boiler as that complicated-looking thing your Mom made candy in while she kept one eye on the clock and the other on a thermometer, it's time for another look, and a double boiler "how to."
The double boiler is actually a rather handy appliance for the 21st century woman's cooking, allowing delicate, heat-sensitive recipes to be cooked more predictably. The typical double boiler is made up of Siamese twin pans. The top pan fits snugly over the bottom one, which is filled with water and allowed to simmer, heating the ingredients in the top pan while keeping them far from the stovetop heating element (and thus, far from disaster).
The double boiler pan's predictable and even cooking by steam means that, unlike Mom, you can actually multitask. While the Hollandaise is cooking in the double boiler pan, you can actually prepare the asparagus at the same time. Melting chocolate? All you need is an occasional stir, rather than the eagle eye you need when trying to render the stuff in a saucepan (or even the microwave, where a few seconds too many leads to crystallization).
If you're ready to try out double boiler cooking, start with a simple recipe. Scrambled eggs are heavenly prepared this way, the slow cooking and the moist heat keeping them fantastically fluffy. Eggs are easy on the budget too, so if by chance you're the person who puts the "fool" in "foolproof", there's no tragedy in simply starting over. This recipe allows for wiggle room on the measurements, so it's even easier on the beginner.
Decadent Double Boiler Scrambled Eggs
Ingredients:
3 eggs
Cream or whole milk
Salt
1 tbsp. butter
Handful of fresh herbs: chives, thyme, basil, etc. (green onion work too)
Fill the bottom double boiler pan with water and simmer over medium heat. Melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk together the eggs and a splash or two of milk or cream in a bowl, and add to the top double boiler pan. Cover the eggs and let cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally (it's okay to peek while they're cooking). Before the eggs are completely set, toss in the fresh herbs and stir again. Remove from heat just before setting, as the eggs will continue cooking a bit after being removed from the heat. Enjoy with toast and fresh fruit.
When you're ready for the fancy-pants double boiler cooking leagues, you can wow your friends, family or a special someone with a recipe worthy of Julia Child. Beurre blanc sauce, or sauce au beurre blanc, is one of those sauces that only professionals can get right without the dependable double boiler (and even they would rather do it with one). The beurre blanc sauce, literally "white butter" in French, is so rich it's almost evil.
You can serve light, creamy beurre blanc sauce over meat or vegetables for an instant gourmet meal: salmon or chicken breasts are particularly yummy (saumon au beurre blanc or poulet au beurre blanc to you Francophiles). Scallops beurre blanc? Asparagus beurre blanc? Honestly, any food is instantly million-dollar rich in this buttery sauce.
Better-Than-Julia's Beurre Blanc Recipe
4 shallots, inced very fine
1 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 sticks butter, unsalted (cut into 1" pieces)
Salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp each, if you don't trust your judgement)
Put shallots and white wine in the double boiler pan over medium heat and reduce until the wine is almost evaporated, taking care not to let it brown. Add the cream and reduce again until the cream appears thick. Add the butter, just a few pieces at a time, stirring consistently until the butter is melted and incorporated into the sauce. Add salt and pepper to tatse.
Once you've mastered Beurre Blanc, you can make it even more drool-worthy by adding herbs or flavorings. Basil leaves, hot chilies, orange zest: you're limited only by your imagination. Try making a beurre blanc rouge recipe, by using red wine instead of white. Truffle beurre blanc might be worth the expense to impress someone once you master the recipe.
Now that you've mastered the double boiler, the whole world of fine cooking is open to you. And even better, that Forbidden Zone cabinet is open too!