APPENDIX
Skins, peels, shells ...
Some foods have a skin or peel or a shell (eggs, potatoes, apples, liver, sausages).
Puncture the skin or peel with for example a fork to allow steam to escape and the food to
expand - this releases pressure and prevents the food from bursting.
Water
Cooking in a microwave needs very little water. For 100 g of vegetables or potatoes,
use 1 tablespoon of water.
Covering food
Food can be covered with foils or tops which let microwave through in order
◆ to prevent splashing
◆ to shorten the cooking time and/or
◆ to retain any natural moisture in the food (➝ Microwave suitable dishes and utensils).
Arranging food - size and shape
To achieve the shortest cooking times and the best results it is sometimes useful to arrange
the food in a certain way.
Small pieces cook faster than big pieces.
Pieces of the same size cook more evenly than different sized pieces.
In the case of irregularly shaped pieces, the thin sections will cook faster than the thick
sections.
When cooking several of the same item, e.g. stuffed tomatoes, arrange them on the rotating
plate in a circle to achieve even cooking.
When cooking irregularly shaped items or food with different thicknesses, place the
smaller or thinner parts in the middle and the thicker (denser) parts towards the outside.
Alternatively, cover thinner parts with a piece of aluminium foil to prevent drying or charring.
Where possible, place fish with the tail towards the centre, slit the skin to prevent the skin
tearing or bursting open. Another possibility is to cover the head and the tail ends with
aluminium foil to prevent premature drying or charring.
When warming up pre-cooked meals, place the thinner and lighter items towards the
middle, the heavier and denser items towards the outside of the plate.
Place thin slices (e.g. bacon) on top of one another (fully or partially).
Arrange sausages close together.
Drinks, sauces and gravy should be heated in separate containers. Fill tall narrow vessels
only
3
/4 full.
Stir or turn the food every now and then to help spread the heat more evenly.
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