9
UK
Tips & advice
Browning agents
After more than 15 minutes cooking time food acquires
a brownness, although this is not comparable to the
deep brownness and crispness obtained through
conventional cooking. In order to obtain an appetising
brown colour you can use browning agents. For the
most part they simultaneously act as seasoning agents.
In the following table you will find some suggestions
for substances you might use for browning and some of
the uses to which you might put them.
BROWNING AGENT
Melted butter and dried paprika
Dried paprika
Soya sauce
Barbecue and Worcestershire sauce, Gravy
Rendered down bacon fat or dried onions
Cocoa, chocolate flakes, brown icing, honey and
marmalade
Poultry
Oven baked dishes"Cheese toasties"
Meat and poultry
Roasts, Rissoles, Small roasted items
Oven baked dishes, toasted items,
soups, stews
Cakes and desserts
Coat the poultry with the
butter/paprika mixture
Dust with paprika
Coat with the sauce
Coat with the sauce
Sprinkle pieces of bacon or
dried onions on top
Sprinkle pieces on top of cakes
and desserts or use to glaze
DISH
METHOD
Heating
• Ready-prepared meals in aluminium containers
should be removed from the aluminium container
and heated on a plate or in a dish.
• Remove the lids from firmly closed containers.
• Food should be covered with microwave cling film, a
plate or cover (obtainable from stores), so that the
surface does not dry out. Drinks need not be
covered.
• When boiling liquids such as water, coffee, tea or
milk, place a glass stirrer in the container.
• If possible, stir large quantities from time to time, to
ensure that the temperature is evenly distributed.
• The times are for food at a room temperature of 20° C.
The heating time for food stored in a refrigerator
should be increased slightly.
• After heating allow the food to stand for 1-2
minutes, so that the temperature inside the food can
be evenly distributed (standing time).
• The times given are guidelines, which can be varied
according to the initial temperature, weight, water
content, fat content or the result which you wish to
achieve.
Defrosting
Your microwave is ideal for defrosting. Defrosting times
are usually considerably shorter than in traditional
methods of defrosting.
Here are a few tips. Take the frozen item out of its
packaging and place on a plate for defrosting.
Boxes & containers
Boxes and containers suitable for microwaves are
particularly good for defrosting and heating food, since
they can withstand temperatures in a deep freeze
(down to approx. –40° C) as well as being heat-resistant
(up to approx. 220° C). You can therefore use the same
container to defrost, heat and even cook the food,
without having to transfer it.
Covering
Cover thin parts with small strips of aluminium foil
before defrosting. Defrosted or warm parts should
likewise be covered with aluminium strips during
defrosting. This stops the thin parts becoming too hot
while thicker parts are still frozen.
Correct setting
It is better to choose a setting which is too low rather
than one which is too high. By so doing you will ensure
that the food defrosts evenly.
If the microwave setting is too high, the surface of the
food will already have begun to cook while the inside is
still frozen.
1. AG-21+22D-EU English 22/11/2005 15:34 Page 9
