26
COOKING FRESH VEGETABLES
COOKING GRILLING AND BROWNING
DEFROSTING AND COOKING
Details for this can be found in the table: Cooking
fresh vegetables (see page 29).
● When buying vegetables try to ensure that, as
far as possible, they are of similar size. This is
particularly important when you want to cook
the vegetables whole (e.g. boiled potatoes).
● Wash the vegetables before preparing them,
clean them and only then weigh the required
quantity for the recipe and chop them up.
● Season them as you would normally, but as a
rule only add salt after cooking.
● Add about 5 tbsps of water for 500 g of
vegetables. Vegetables which are high in fibre
require a little more water. You will find
information about this in the table.
● Vegetables are usually cooked in a dish with a
lid. Those with a high moisture content, e.g.
onions or boiled potatoes, can be cooked in
microwave foil without adding water.
● After half the cooking time has elapsed
vegetables should be stirred or turned over.
● After cooking allow the vegetables to stand for
approx. 2 minutes, so that the temperature
disperses evenly (standing time).
● The cooking times given are guidelines and
depend upon the weight, initial temperature and
condition of the type of vegetable in question.
The fresher the vegetables, the shorter the
cooking times.
Details for this can be found in the table: Cooking,
grilling and browning (see page 30).
● When buying food items, try to ensure that, as far
as possible, they are of similar size. This will
ensure that they are cooked properly.
● Before preparation wash meat, fish and poultry
thoroughly under cold running water and pat them
dry with kitchen paper. Then continue as normal.
● Beef should be well hung and have little gristle.
● Even though the pieces may be of a similar size,
cooking results may vary. This is due, amongst
other things, to the kind of food, variations in the
fat and moisture content as well as the temperature
before cooking.
● Turn large pieces of meat, fish or poultry half way
through the cooking time, so that they are cooked
evenly from all sides.
● After cooking cover roasts with aluminium foil and
allow them to stand for approx. 10 minutes
(standing time). During this period the roast carries
on cooking and the liquid is evenly distributed, so
that when it is carved a minimum amount of juice
is lost.
Deep-frozen dishes can be thawed and cooked at
the same time in one process in your microwave.
You will find some examples in the table. Do take
note, however, of the general advice given on
"heating" and "thawing" food.
Please refer to the manufacturer's instructions on
the packaging when preparing deep- frozen
dishes. These usually contain precise cooking times
and offer advice on preparation.
