Method of preparing foodstuffs by means of boiling or steaming and means for performing the method

Claim 1

Apparatus for use with a cooking vessel and including a removable lid for heating solid and liquid foodstuffs either separately or together while spacing the foodstuff from the bottom and walls of the cooking vessel used to heat the foodstuff comprising: said vessel having an upper open end for receiving the removable lid and adapted to receive and contain water for heating; a holder received by said vessel and having a bowl-shaped perforated portion and an upper portion for supporting the holder in said vessel so that the side wall and bottom of the bowl-shaped perforated portion are respectively spaced from the side wall and bottom of said vessel; an insert positioned in said holder; said insert being a liquid-tight bowl-shaped disposable plastic member thermoformed so as to have a thin bowl-shaped body defined by a continuous side-wall and an integral bottom; the upper part of said bowl-shaped body being formed with an integral annular flange disposed generally outward and away from said insert wall and shaped to at least partially engage the upper edge of said holder, said flange being semi-rigid and sufficiently strong such that it cooperates with said thin bowl-shaped body to support and hold said insert upon the holder without the need for any additional holding means when said flange is in engagement with the upper edge of said holder; the continuous side-wall and integral bottom of the insert bowl-shaped body conforming respectively to the side wall and bottom of the holder to smoothly and substantially intimately engage the inner surface of the holder without having to be folded, enabling the heated fluid in the vessel and located between the vessel and the holder to intimately engage substantially the entire exterior bowl-shaped surface of the insert, the thickness of the insert being chosen to maximize heat transfer to the foodstuff through the insert.