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oking. Standing time is the time for which you must leave
food to “rest” before cooking. Standing time ensures that
food has an even temperature throughout when cooking
starts.
HEATING
Your microwave oven is at its most useful and efficient when
heating up food.
Compared to traditional methods, microwaves save both time
and electricity.
• You are recommended to heat food (particularly if frozen)
to a temperature of at least 70°C (it must be piping hot!).
You will not be able to eat the food at once as it will be too
hot, but complete sterilisation will be guaranteed.
• To heat precooked or frozen food, always observe the fol-
lowing rules:
- remove the food from metal containers;
- cover with clear film (for microwave use) or greaseproof
paper. This will retain all the natural flavour and keep the
oven clean. You can also cover with an upturned plate;
- if possible, mix or turn frequently to make the heating pro-
cess quicker and more even.
- use extreme caution when following times indicated on
packaging. Remember that in certain conditions, these
times may have to be increased;
• Frozen food must be defrosted before heating starts.
The lower the initial temperature of the food, the longer it
will take to heat.
COOKING HORS D’OEUVRES AND FIRST COURSES
Soups in general can be made with less water because very little
water is lost through evaporation in microwave ovens.
Add salt at the end of cooking or during standing time because
salt has a dehydrating effect.
Note that the time required to cook rice (or pasta) in a micro-
wave oven is more or less the same as required to cook it tra-
ditionally on the stove. The advantage of preparing a risotto in
a microwave lies in the fact that it does not require continual
stirring (two to three times is enough).
COOKING MEAT
Cooking time depends directly on the size and homogeneity of
the food. Kebabs cook quicker than a joint because the pieces
are smaller and of the same size.
To keep roasts, chicken and kebabs tender, add 1/2 cup of water
when you start cooking.
COOKING SIDE DISHES AND VEGETABLES
Compared to traditional cooking methods, vegetables retain
more of their natural colour and nutritional goodness when
cooked in a microwave oven.
Before cooking, wash and clean the vegetables.
Cut larger vegetables into evenly sized pieces.
Add 5 spoons of water for every 500 g of vegetables (fibrous
vegetables need more water). Vegetables cooked using the Mi-
crowave Only function must always be covered with clear film.
Mix at least once halfway through cooking and add a little salt
at the end only.
Please note:
The cooking times in the table are purely
indicative and depend on weight, the temperature of the food
before cooking and the size and texture of the vegetables.
COOK FISH
Fish cooks fast and with excellent results.
It can be flavoured with a little butter or oil (or not at all).
Cover with clear film. Cut skin before cooking. Arrange fillets
evenly. Do not cook fish breaded with egg.
COOKING CAKES, PASTRIES AND FRUIT
At low power, cakes rise much more than with traditional coo-
king. As they do not form a crust, the surface should preferably
be garnished with cream or icing (chocolate for example). Keep
covered after cooking as they tend to become dry faster than
those cooked in a traditional oven.
If cooked with the peel, fruit should be pierced and kept covered.
It is important to observe the standing time (3 - 5 minutes).
COOKING USING THE PIZZA FUNCTION
This can be used to cook/heat all commercial frozen products in
the “snack” category such as bread, savoury snacks, mini-pizzas,
quiches, flavoured hamburgers, duchesse potatoes, pastries,
croissants, etc.
For best results, remember these simple general rules/tips:
• The special grill/pizza plate (D) must be preheated each
time you use it. The oven does this automatically when the
programme is set and the START button (5) is pressed (fig.
5).
• Before using the oven, ALWAYS consult the table (on next
page) to check the category of the food you are cooking.
Proceed as follows:
• Press the
button (3) once (fig. 13).
The
icon lights up on the display
• Set the cooking time by turning the TIME ADJUST dial (8)
(fig. 3). Always consult the cooking tables to establish the
correct cooking time.
• Place the grill/pizza plate (D) (oiled if you wish) in the oven
directly on the turntable (G). Close the door and press the
START button (5) (fig. 5). The oven will automatically heat
