Cuisinart Mini-Prep DLC-2A Series - Plus Processor Manual

Also See for Mini-Prep DLC-2A Series:

Instruction/recipe booklet (29 pages)

Instruction and recipe booklet (14 pages)

Instruction/recipe booklet (13 pages)

Table of Contents

Contents

1 IMPORTANT UNPACKING INSTRUCTIONS
2 IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
3 ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
4 PREPARING THE FOOD
5 PROCESSING FOOD
6 TO REMOVE PREP BOWL
7 CLEANING, STORAGE AND MAINTENANCE
8 TROUBLESHOOTING
9 OPERATING TECHNIQUES
10 Documents / Resources
- 10.1 Download manual

Cuisinart Mini-Prep DLC-2A Series - Plus Processor Manual

IMPORTANT UNPACKING INSTRUCTIONS

This package contains a Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Processor and the standard parts for it: SmartPower Blade metal chopping / grinding blade, spatula, and instruction / recipe booklet.

THE CUTTING BLADE HAS VERY SHARP EDGES.
To avoid injury when unpacking, please follow these instructions:

Place the box on a table or kitchen counter. Be sure the box is right side up.
Lift up and remove the pulp tray lid from the work bowl cover.
Grasping the work bowl, lift the unit up and out of the box and place on the tabletop.
Turn the work bowl clockwise to unlock it from the unit base. Lift up and remove.
Carefully lift the protective cardboard off the chopping / grinding blade shaft.
CAREFULLY REMOVE THE METAL BLADE BY GRASPING THE CENTER WHITE HUB AND LIFTING IT STRAIGHT UP. NEVER TOUCH THE BLADE, AS IT IS RAZOR SHARP.
Read the instructions thoroughly before using the machine.

NOTE: Remember to return your product registration card with all information carefully and completely filled out.

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

When using an electrical appliance, basic safety precautions should always be adhered to, including the following:

Read all instructions.
To protect against risk of electric shock, do not put motor base in water or other liquid.
This appliance is not intended for use by children or by persons with reduced physical, sensory, or mental capabilities, or lack of experience and knowledge. Close supervision is necessary when any appliance is used near children. Children should be supervised to ensure that they do not play with the appliance.
Unplug from outlet when not in use, before assembling or dissembling parts and before cleaning.
To unplug, grasp the plug and pull from the outlet. Never pull from the power cord.
Avoid contact with moving parts.
Do not operate any appliance with a damaged cord or plug or after the appliance malfunctions, or is dropped or damaged in any manner. Contact the manufacturer at their customer service telephone number for information on examination, repair, or adjustment.
The use of attachments not recommended or sold by Cuisinart may cause fire, electric shock or injury.
Do not let cord hang over edge of table or counter, or touch hot surfaces.
Do not use outdoors.
Keep hands and utensils away from moving blade while processing, to prevent the risk of severe injury to persons, or damage to the chopper/grinder. A scraper may be used, but must only be used when the chopper/grinder is not running.
Blade is extremely sharp. Handle carefully when removing, inserting or cleaning. Always allow blade to stop moving before removing cover.
To reduce the risk of injury, never place cutting blade on base without first putting work bowl properly in place.
Be certain cover is securely locked in place before operating appliance. Do not attempt to remove cover until blade has stopped rotating.
Do not attempt to defeat the cover interlock mechanism, as serious injury may result.
Before using, check work bowl for presence of foreign objects.
Do not operate your appliance in an appliance garage or under a wall cabinet. When storing in an appliance garage always unplug the unit from the electrical outlet. Not doing so could create a risk of fire, especially if the appliance touches the walls of the garage or the door touches the unit as it closes.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

FOR HOUSEHOLD USE ONLY

NOTICE
This appliance has a polarized plug (one blade is wider than the other). As a safety feature, this plug will fit only one way in a polarized outlet. If the plug does not fit fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician. Do not attempt to defeat this safety feature.

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Parts of the Unit
* All parts that come in contact with food are BPA-Free.

With the base unit on the tabletop, place the work bowl over the center stem and turn slightly to the right, until bowl drops down to the bottom of the stem.
Turn the work bowl counterclockwise to lock onto base.
CAREFULLY pick up the blade by its hub and place on the center stem until it drops to the bottom of the stem. NEVER TOUCH THE BLADE ITSELF.
Add food ingredients.
Place the cover on the work bowl with the long tab to the right of the rear column.
Turn cover counterclockwise to securely lock into locking post.
Plug unit into wall socket.
You are ready to CHOP/GRIND.

PREPARING THE FOOD

Size

Always cut large pieces of food into smaller pieces of even size – about ¹⁄2 inch (12mm) to a side or as specified under "Operating Techniques". If you don't start with pieces that are small and uniform, you will not get an even chop.

Quantity

Do not overload the work bowl. Overloading causes inconsistent results and it strains the motor. Use the quantities given in the recipe section as a guide. As a rule of thumb, remember that after being processed, food should not reach more than ²⁄3 of the way up the central hub of the blade assembly.
Note: Due to the powerful motor provided with this unit, Cuisinart recommends using one hand to support the Mini-Prep Plus Processor during operation.

Selecting the Right Operating Control

Use the chop function for chopping, puréeing and mixing. It is the right choice, for example, for chopping soft, fragile food such as herbs, celery, onions, garlic and most cheeses. It is also the right choice for puréeing cooked vegetables, making mayonnaise and mixing salad dressing.

Pulse action is best when you are using the chop function. Two or three pulses are often enough. Be sure to check the food frequently to prevent overprocessing. If you overprocess, you are likely to get a watery paste instead of a fine chop.

Use the grind function for grinding spices, and for chopping hard food such as peppercorns, seeds, chocolate and nuts.

Continuous-hold action is best when you are using the grind function. You may have to operate the Mini-Prep Plus Processor for several seconds with some food to achieve the desired results – as long as 20 seconds for some seeds.

When you operate the unit for more than 10 seconds, use a pulse action every 10 seconds or so to allow food to drop to the bottom of the work bowl. This provides more consistent results.

Never operate the Mini-Prep Plus Processor continuously for longer than 1 minute at a time.

Note: The work bowl and cover may become scratched when you use them for grinding grain and spices. This does not affect the performance of the Mini-Prep Plus Processor. However, you may want to reserve the original bowl for grinding, and purchase an additional bowl and cover set for other uses.

These are available from the Cuisinart Customer Service Department, which you can reach by dialing our toll-free number: 800-726-0190.

Adding Liquid

You can add liquids such as water, oil or flavoring while the machine is running. For example, you might want to add oil when making mayonnaise or salad dressing, or you could add vanilla or alcohol when making frozen yogurt. Pour the liquid through one of the two openings in the cover.

Add liquid through only one opening at a time. The other opening must be left free to allow air to escape. If both openings are blocked, liquid cannot flow smoothly into the bowl.

Removing Food from the Sides of the Bowl

Occasionally food will stick to the sides of the bowl as you process. Stop the machine to clear food away.
AFTER THE BLADE HAS STOPPED MOVING, remove the cover, and use the spatula to scrape the food from the sides of the bowl back into the center. Do not put hands into bowl unless unit is unplugged.

PROCESSING FOOD

Place the work bowl firmly on the motor base and insert the blade assembly. Opening at back of bowl must face column at back of Mini-Prep Plus Processor. Turn counterclockwise to lock in place.
Place food in the work bowl. Be sure the food is cut in small pieces, and the bowl is not overloaded.
Lock the cover into position. Note: Due to the powerful motor provided with this unit, Cuisinart recommends using one hand to support the Mini-Prep Plus Processor during operation.
Press the appropriate Chop or Grind Control, depending on the food you are processing.
When you have finished processing the food, stop the machine by releasing the control button.
WHEN THE BLADE STOPS MOVING, remove the cover.
Unplug the unit.
Carefully remove the blade assembly, holding it by the handle on the top of the sheath. NEVER TOUCH THE BLADE ITSELF.
Remove food with the spatula. Note: Do not operate Mini-Prep Plus Processor without food contents in work bowl.

Tip: Process foods in order from dry to wet to avoid having to clean bowl and blade between each task.

TO REMOVE PREP BOWL

Turn the work bowl cover clockwise and remove.
Turn the work bowl clockwise to unlock and lift off of the base.
Carefully remove the blade by lifting it up from the hub.

CLEANING, STORAGE AND MAINTENANCE

To simplify cleaning, rinse the work bowl, cover, and blade immediately after each use, so that food won't dry on them. Wash blade assembly, work bowl, cover, and spatula in warm soapy water. Rinse and dry. Wash the blade carefully.

Avoid leaving blade in soapy water where it may disappear from sight. If you have a dishwasher, you can wash the work bowl, cover, blade assembly, and spatula on the top rack. Insert the work bowl upside down and the cover right side up. Put the blade and spatula in the cutlery basket. Unload the dishwasher carefully to avoid contact with the sharp blade.

Wipe the motor base clean with a damp sponge or cloth. Dry it immediately. Never submerge the motor base or the plug in water or other liquid.

The Mini-Prep Plus Processor stores neatly on the countertop in a minimum of space. When it is not in use, be sure to leave it unplugged. The hidden cord storage underneath the motor base will help to keep excess cord off the countertop. Store the unit assembled to prevent loss of parts. Store the blades as you would sharp knives – out of the reach of children.

The Mini-Prep Plus Processor is intended for HOUSEHOLD USE ONLY.

Maintenance:
Any service other than cleaning and normal user maintenance should be performed by an authorized Cuisinart Service Representative.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Motor doesn't start or blade doesn't rotate

Check that plug is securely inserted into outlet.
Check that work bowl and cover are securely locked into place.
Be sure to press only one operation control button at a time.

Food is unevenly chopped

Either you are chopping too much food at one time, or the pieces are not small enough. Try cutting food into smaller pieces of even size and processing a smaller amount per batch.

Food is chopped too fine or is watery

The food has been overprocessed. Use brief pulses, or process for a shorter time. Let blade stop completely between pulses.

Food collects on work bowl cover or sides of prep bowl.

You may be processing too much food. Turn machine off. When blade stops rotating, remove cover, and clean bowl and lid with spatula.

Food catches on blade

You may be processing too much food. Carefully remove blade. Remove food from blade with spatula, and start over again.

OPERATING TECHNIQUES

With the Mini-Prep Processor you can chop, grind or purée small amounts of foods. Use this listing of ingredients and techniques as a basic guide for processing.

* Surface scratches that may occur will not impair the function of the Mini-Prep Plus Processor. You may want to consider purchasing a second work bowl specifically for these tasks.

Food	Operation/Technique	Comments/Notes
Anchovies	Chop. Pulse to desired consistency.	Drain first. Cut in half.
Bacon	Chop. Pulse to desired consistency.	Cook crispy; drain well. Break into 1-inch pieces.
Baking chocolate/ chocolate chunks/ chips	Chop. Pulse on chop to break up, then process continuously until desired chop size is achieved.	Process no more than 1½ ounces at a time. For best results, chill chocolate for 3–5 minutes in freezer before chopping. chocolate chunks/chips. Cut baking chocolate squares into ½-inch pieces to chop.
Bread for crumbs	Chop. Pulse to break up, then process continuously until desired crumb size is reached.	Use day-old, hard bread for dry crumbs; fresh bread for moist crumbs. Cut or break into pieces no larger than 1 inch. For buttered crumbs, add 1 teaspoon of butter per slice after crumbs have started to form, and process to combine and coat.
Butter	Chop continuously.	Cut in ½-inch pieces. Best at room temperature. Process up to ¾ cup at a time. Add to freshly chopped citrus zest, garlic, herbs or shallots to create compound butters.
Celery	Chop. Pulse to desired size.	Cut in ½-inch long pieces.
Cheese – hard (Parmesan, Asiago, Romano, etc.)	Chop. Pulse on chop 10 times, then process continuously on chop until desired consistency.	Remove and discard rind or reserve for another use. Cut into ½-inch pieces. If possible, remove from refrigerator 20–30 minutes before processing. Up to 3 ounces.
Cheese – soft	Chop. Pulse to break up, then process continuously to "cream."	Chill cheese first.
Cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, other hard spices	Grind. Pulse to break up, about 5 times, then process continuously until finely chopped.	Hard spices may cause scratches on the work bowl and lid.*
Citrus zest	Chop. Pulse to break up, then process continuously until finely chopped.	Use vegetable peeler to remove zest (color only) from citrus; scrape off any white with sharp knife. Cut strips in half. Adding a small amount of sugar or salt will help achieve a finer texture.
Cookies, graham crackers	Chop. Pulse 5 times to break up, then process continuously until finely chopped.	Hard cookies only. Break up into 1-inch or smaller pieces. For buttered crumbs, add 1 teaspoon of butter per graham cracker sheet or for every 3 cookies.
Fruits, cooked; fresh or frozen thawed berries	Chop. Pulse to break up, then process continuously until desired consistency.	Cooked fruits may be processed to make baby foods or purées; liquid may be added for consistency. To process fresh or frozen thawed berries for sauce, pulse to chop, then process until puréed (sugar may be added to taste).
Garlic	Chop. Pulse to chop roughly, then process continuously for fine chop.	Peel garlic cloves first. Scrape work bowl sides and bottom as needed.
Ginger root, fresh	Chop. Pulse to break up, then process continuously on chop to reach desired consistency.	Peel first; cut into ¹⁄2-inch pieces or slices. Scrape work bowl sides and bottom as needed. Up to 4 ounces.
Green onions, scallions	Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency.	Trim and cut into ³⁄4 inch pieces.
Herbs, fresh	Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency.	Rinse and dry completely. Remove leaves from stems to chop.
Horseradish	Chop.	Peel first. Cut into ¹⁄2-inch pieces. Process up to 4 ounces at a time.
Leeks	Chop.	Trim off root end and tough outer skin. Wash thoroughly to remove sand and grit; dry completely. Cut in ¹⁄2-inch pieces.
Meats	Chop. Pulse to chop, or process continuously to purée (add liquid as needed).	Uncooked meats should be cold, but not frozen; cut up to 8 ounces into ¹⁄2-inch pieces, trimmed of gristle and soft fat; some hard fat may remain. Cooked meats can be cold or warm; cut up to 8 ounces in ¹⁄2-inch pieces. Add liquid (water, broth or from cooking) as needed to process to purée consistency.
Mushrooms	Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency.	Choose firm, fresh mushrooms. Cut into quarters or even-size pieces, no larger than ³⁄4 inch.
Nuts	Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency before chopping.	Toast nuts first for maximum flavor. Allow to cool completely.
Olives	Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency.	Use only pitted olives. Drain well for best results.
Onions	Chop. Pulse 5-10 times to chop to desired size.	Peel; cut into ³⁄4-inch or smaller pieces of similar size.
Peppercorns	Grind. Pulse first, then process continuously until desired consistency.	Combine peppercorns with dried herbs or spices or coarse salt to create rubs and seasonings. Hard peppercorns may scratch work bowl and lid.*
Peppers, fresh	Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency.	Core, seed and cut into ¹⁄2-inch pieces. Do not overprocess.
Seeds, dried berries	Grind. Pulse to break up, then process continuously to desired consistency.	Coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, sesame, poppy, and juniper berries.
Shallots	Chop. Pulse 5-10 times to chop to desired consistency.	Peel first; cut into quarters, or pieces no larger than ³⁄4-inch.
Vegetables, cooked	Chop. Pulse 5-10 times to chop, then process continuously until desired consistency is reached.	Cook vegetables until tender. Process to a smooth purée for baby food or sauces; may need to add liquid for consistency.