Food processors can be the workhorse of a kitchen, performing, shortening, repetitive, and tiring chopping, slicing, shredding, and pureeing tasks. It is quicker and easier on the hands, wrists, and arms to push a button and let the food processor do the work. Below are some food processor tips for completing essential chopping and pureeing processing functions.
Chopping Raw Fruits And Vegetables
If you want evenly chopped food, the most important thing is to cut the whole food into more manageable pieces. Depending on the size of the processor, try cutting the food into 1 to 3-inch pieces. A more even chop will occur when the same-sized pieces are fed into the appliance. Consult the appropriate food processor instruction manual to determine the recommended amount of food placed into the chute. Lock the cover in place. Press the pulse button one second on and one second off until the food is coarsely chopped. If more finely chopped results are desired, hold the pulse button and let the machine continuously run. If the processor does not have a pulse button, use the chop or process button instead. If necessary, a spatula can scrape and push food down the sides of the work bowl.
Chopping Hard Foods
Hard foods like garlic, onions, and non-soft cheeses should be dropped into the processor while the machine runs. Smaller foods like garlic can be dropped in whole. Larger foods, like hard cheese, should be cut into 1 to 3-inch pieces, depending on the processor’s size. One caveat; if the cheese is too hard to cut with a knife, do not try and process it. Foods that are too hard can damage the unit’s blades.
Pureeing Fruits And Cooked Vegetables
First, depending on the size of the processor, cut the food into 1 to 3-inch pieces. This will help result in a smoother and faster puree. Again, consult the appropriate food processor instruction manual to determine the recommended amount of food placed into the chute. Lock the cover in place. First, pulse; if there is no pulse button, press on and off to chop coarsely. Second, continuously press the on or process button until the food is pureed. Two caveats; 1) Cooked potatoes do not puree well. It is better to whip them with beaters. 2) If making soup, when processing the food, do not add any of the liquids the vegetables have been cooking to the chute or work bowl. Just add the vegetables to be pureed. A small amount of liquid can be added after the vegetables have been pureed and before the vegetable puree is added back into the soup.
Food Processor Tips For Basic Chopping And Pureeing - FAQs
Any hot ingredients should be cooled to room temperature before adding them to the food processor. Chop large ingredients into smaller chunks to help them blend more easily.
Never wear a tie or loose clothing or jewelry when using a food processor. Tie long hair back or secure under a cap. Do not put a food processor motor base in water or other liquids. Keep the food processor and power cord away from stove burners or other sources of heat.
It can make quick work of otherwise tedious tasks.
Sizemore says food processors are great for chopping, from coarsely broken up to finely chopped. She suggests putting them to work on firm vegetables such as carrots, onions, celery, root vegetables and winter squash
If the food processor won’t run at all, be sure power is on at the outlet and check the electrical cord. Check the motor and the fuse. If the unit runs intermittently, check the wire connections and repair any that are faulty.
Your food processor can tackle the tough and rigorous work of shredding, kneading, dicing and grinding, but it can also blend a combination of ingredients into homogeneous mixtures in a similar fashion as a blender. Food processors often depend on a multipurpose blade set to a high speed to get the job done.
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