TIPS AND HINTS
blanching process to prevent further cooking, and
then allow it to drain. Pack and freeze the
vegetable in airtight containers.
PRESERVING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
Preserving fruit and vegetables
using the microwave is a quick
and easy process. You can buy
preser ving jars, seals and
preserving jar clamps specially
designed for microwave use. Precise instructions
are provided by the manufacturers of these items.
SMALL AND LARGE QUANTITIES
Microwave cooking times depend directly upon
the amount of food you want to defrost, re-heat or
cook, i.e. small portions cook faster than big ones.
The rule of thumb is:
TWICE AS MUCH = ALMOST TWICE AS LONG
HALF AS MUCH = HALF AS LONG
TALL CONTAINERS, FLAT DISHES
Both types of container have the same capacity but
cooking times are longer for tall containers than
for flat ones. Therefore it is
preferable to use dishes that are
as flat as possible, with the
largest possible flat surface.
Only use tall containers for foods
that are likely to boil over, e.g.
noodles, rice, milk etc.
ROUND AND OVAL DISHES
Food cooks more evenly in round and oval dishes
than in rectangular ones, because the microwave
energy concentrates into the corners of rectangular
dishes and the food there may get overcooked.
ADDING WATER
Vegetables and other foods containing a lot of
water can be cooked in their own juices or by
adding just a small amount of water. This will
retain many vitamins and minerals in the food.
FOOD WITH SKIN OR PEEL
Pierce foods such as sausages, chickens, chicken
legs, potatoes in their skins, tomatoes, egg yolk,
etc with a wooden skewer. This allows the steam to
escape and the food won’t explode.
FATTY FOODS
Food ‘marbled’ with fat or with layers of fat cook
faster than lean meat. You should therefore cover
these parts with some aluminium foil, and place
the food fatty side downward.
BLANCHING VEGETABLES
Before they are frozen vegetables should be
blanched. This is the best way of retaining the
quality and flavour.
How to blanch vegetables:
Wash and chop the vegetable, place 250g of the
vegetable in a bowl with 275ml of water, cover
and heat for 3-5 minutes.
Plunge into cold water immediately after the
Heating drinks (coffee,
water, tea, etc)
Heating milk
Heating soup
Heating stews
Poultry
Lamb
Rare
Well roasted
Roast beef
Rare
Medium done
Well done
Pork, veal
Drink/food items
Internal
Internal
temperature at
temperature after
the end of
10-15 mins
cooking time
standing time
65-75o C
75-80o C
75-80o C
75-80o C
80-85o C
70o C
75-80o C
50-55o C
60-65o C
75-80o C
80-85o C
85-90o C
70-75o C
80-85o C
55-60o C
65-70o C
80-85o C
80-85o C
CHART: USING A FOOD THERMOMETER
TO DEFINE COOKING TIMES
25
ENGLISH
R-33STD English 10/12/2002 15:19 Page 25
