Cuisinart MP-14C Techniques for Chopping and Puréeing with the Metal Blade, To dislodge food

texture. Onions and other food with a high water content will quickly end up as a purée unless examined through the work bowl after each pulse to make sure they are not overprocessed.

Try chopping other food like meat for hamburger or sausage. Then make mayonnaise, pastry or bread, as described in the following sections. To obtain consistent results:

Be sure all the pieces you add to the bowl are about the same size.

Be sure the amount you process is no larger than recommended on the inside cover of this booklet.

Before you do anything, wait for the blade to stop spinning. Once it does, remove the pusher assem- bly. Then turn the cover clockwise to unlock and remove by lifting it off.

Never try to remove the pusher, lid and work bowl together; as a safety feature, the pusher assembly must be removed before the lid and work bowl can be unlocked. They can then both be unlocked at the same time.

Remove the bowl from the base of the machine before removing the blade. This creates a seal to prevent food from leaking. Turn the bowl clockwise to unlock from the base and lift straight up to remove.

To prevent the blade from falling from the work bowl onto your hand, when emptying the work bowl, use one of the following

methods. Be sure your hands are dry.

Grab the blade hub, and remove the metal blade before tilting the bowl, using a spatula to scrape off any food. Then carefully lift the blade out of the work bowl. Or insert your finger through the hole in the bottom of the work bowl, gripping the blade from the bottom, and grip the outside of the work bowl with your thumb. Or hold the blade in place with your finger or spatula while pouring out food.

TECHNIQUES FOR CHOPPING AND PURÉEING WITH THE METAL BLADE

To chop raw fruits and vegetables:

First cut the food into

1-inch (2.5cm) pieces. You get a more even chop when all pieces are about the same size.

Put no more than the recommended amount of food into the work bowl (see table inside front cover). Lock the cover in place. Press the PULSE button at the rate of 1 second on, 1 second off, until the food is coarsely chopped. For more finely chopped results, hold the PULSE button, letting the machine run continu- ously until the desired consistency is reached. Check frequently to avoid overprocessing. Use the spatula to scrape down the sides of the work bowl if necessary.

To purée fruits and cooked vegetables:

First, cut the food into 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces.

You get a smoother purée faster when all pieces are about equal in size.

Put no more than the recommended amount of food in the work bowl (see table inside front cover). Lock the cover in place. PULSE to chop coarsely, then press the ON button and process continuously until food is puréed. (NOTE: Cooked potatoes are an exception to this procedure. They develop a gluey texture when processed with the metal blade.)

When making soup, you will want to purée vegetables that have been cooked in liquid. Don’t add the liquid to the work bowl, just the cooked vegetables; remove vegetables with a slotted spoon. They will purée faster and smoother without liquid. Then add just enough liquid to make the purée pourable, return to the soup liquid and stir to combine.

To dislodge food

Occasionally, a piece of food may become wedged between the blade and the work bowl. If this happens, unplug the machine, remove the cover, lift the blade

out carefully and remove the wedged piece. Empty the bowl, reinsert the blade and lock the cover into place, then insert the pusher. Press the ON button and drop the food pieces through the small feed tube opening while the machine is running. After adding a

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