18
•
Using a lid will reduce cooking times and save energy by retaining
the heat.
•
Minimise the amount of liquid or fat to reduce cooking times.
•
Start cooking on a high setting and reduce the setting when the
food has heated through.
Simmering, cooking rice
•
Simmering occurs below boiling point, at around 85
˚
C, when
bubbles are just rising occasionally to the surface of the cooking
liquid. It is the key to delicious soups and tender stews because
the flavours develop without overcooking the food. You should
also cook egg-based and flourthickened sauces below boiling
point.
•
Some tasks, including cooking rice by the absorption method,
may require a setting higher than the lowest setting to ensure
the food is cooked properly in the time recommended.
Searing steak
To cook juicy flavoursome steaks:
1. Stand the meat at room temperature for about 20 minutes
before cooking.
2. Heat up a heavy-based frying pan.
3. Brush both sides of the steak with oil. Drizzle a small amount of
oil into the hot pan and then lower the meat onto the hot pan.
4. Turn the steak only once during cooking. The exact cooking time
will depend
on the thickness of the steak and how cooked you want it. Times
may vary
from about 2
–
8 minutes per side. Press the steak to gauge how
cooked it is
–
the firmer it feels the more
‘
well done
’
it will be.
5. Leave the steak to rest on a warm plate for a few minutes to
allow it to relax and become tender before serving.
