Using Utensils When Preparing Food - Melissa 16330128 Manual

Microwave power
The choice of power setting depends on the condition of the
food to be cooked. In most cases, the food is cooked on full
power.
• Full power is used, among other things, for reheating food
quickly, boiling water or similar.
• Low power is principally used to defrost food and prepare
dishes containing cheese, milk or egg. (Whole eggs in their
shell cannot be cooked in the appliance, as there is a risk
of the eggs exploding.) In addition, lower power settings are
also used to finish off and to retain the excellent aroma of a
dish.
General information on cooking
• If the whole meal is to be prepared in the appliance, it is
recommended that you start with the most compact foods,
such as potatoes. Once these are ready, cover them while
the rest of the food is prepared.
• Most food should be covered. A close-fitting cover retains
the steam and moisture, which shortens the cooking time
in the appliance. This is particularly the case when cooking
vegetables, fish dishes and casseroles.
• Covering food also distributes the heat better, thus ensuring
rapid and excellent results.
• In order to achieve the best possible results, it is important
to position the food correctly, as the microwave rays are
most powerful in the centre of the appliance. If, for example,
you are baking potatoes, you should position them along
the edge of the glass turntable so that they cook evenly.
• In order to cook compact dishes such as meat and poultry
evenly, it is important to turn the meat a few times.
• You can use the appliance for baking, although not recipes
that include yeast.
• When preparing food with a thick skin, e.g. potatoes,
apples, whole squash or chestnuts, you should prick holes
in the skin to prevent the food from bursting during cooking.
• When preparing food in a "traditional" oven, you normally
avoid opening the oven door as much as possible. This is
not the case with this appliance: no energy or significant
heat is lost. In other words, you can open the oven door and
look at the food as often as you want.
USING UTENSILS WHEN PREPARING
FOOD
• Before starting to prepare food in containers, you should
check that the containers you wish to use are made of a
suitable material, as some types of plastic may become
limp and deform, while some types of ceramics may crack
(particularly when heating small quantities of food).
• In order to test if a container is suitable for use in a
microwave oven:
• Place the container in the appliance.
• At the same time, place a half-full glass of water in the
container.
• Start and run for 15-30 seconds on maximum power.
• If the container becomes very hot to the touch, avoid using
it.
Suitable utensils and materials
When you prepare food in the appliance, you should preferably
use the following utensils and materials: Glass and glass
bowls
UK
Stoneware (glazed and unglazed).
The food stays hot longer in glazed stoneware than in other
dishes.
Plastic containers. Can be used for many heating purposes.
Caution! Plastic containers made from melamine, polyethylene
and phenol must NOT be used.
Porcelain. All porcelain can be used in microwave ovens,
although ovenproof porcelain is preferable.
Fireproof covered dishes. Glass dishes with lids that fit so
closely that steam cannot escape are ideal for vegetables and
fruit to which no liquid is added (however, the cooking time must
not exceed 5 minutes).
Browning dishes. You must be very careful when using this
type of dish. Never heat the browning dish for more than 5
minutes on the turntable. Suitable insulation, such as a heat-
tested plate, should be placed between the browning dish and
the turntable to prevent the turntable from overheating.
Microwave roasting film. Used particularly for soups, sauces,
stewed dishes or when defrosting food. Can also be used as
a loose covering to prevent fat, etc. from spraying out into the
oven compartment.
Kitchen roll. Kitchen roll is ideal, as it absorbs moisture and fat.
For example, bacon can be placed in layers, with kitchen roll
between each layer. The bacon will then be completely crispy,
as it does not sit in its own fat. Home- baked bread can be
taken directly from the freezer, packed in kitchen roll and heated
in the appliance.
Wet kitchen roll. Can be used for fish or vegetables. Covering
the food prevents it from drying out.
Greaseproof paper. Fish, large vegetables such as cauliflower,
corn on the cob and similar can be wrapped in wet greaseproof
paper.
Roasting bags. Roasting bags are ideal for meat, fish and
vegetables. However, they must never be closed using metal
clips. Cotton thread should be used instead. Prick the bag with
small holes, and place it in the appliance on a plate or glass
dish.
Unsuitable utensils and materials
When you prepare food in the appliance, you should not use the
following utensils and materials:
Sealed glass jars/bottles with small openings, as they may
explode.
General-purpose thermometers
Silver foil/foil trays, as the microwave rays cannot penetrate
the material and the food will not cook.
Recycled paper, as it may contain small metal splinters that
could cause sparks and/or fire.
Closed tins/containers with tightly sealed lids, as excess
pressure may cause the tin/container to explode.
Metal clips and other lids/foils, containing metal wires.
These can form sparks in the appliance and must therefore be
removed.
Metal bowls/containers and packaging, unless they
are designed specifically for use in microwave ovens. The
microwaves are reflected and cannot penetrate the food through
the metal.
Plates, dishes and bowls/containers with metal, gold and
silver decorations.
They may break and/or cause sparks to form in the oven
compartment.
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