PRACTICING WITH FOOD
Try practicing with some food before you process food to eat. A zucchini or potato is a good choice. First cut it into 1-inch pieces.
Insert the metal blade and put the pieces in the work bowl. Put on the cover and the pusher assembly; press the pusher assembly down to lock it into place. Press and release the OFF/PULSE lever two or three times and see what happens. Each time the blade stops, let the pieces drop to the bottom of the bowl before you pulse again. That puts them in the path of the blade each time the motor starts.
Using the pulse/chopping technique, you can get an even chop without the danger of overprocessing. Check the texture frequently by looking through the cover of the work bowl. If you want a finer chop, press and release the OFF/PULSE lever until you achieve the desired 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 it is not overprocessed.
Try chopping other food, like meat for hamburger or sausage. Then make mayonnaise, pastry or bread, as described in the recipes in this book. 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 (see table inside front cover).
REMOVING PROCESSED FOOD
Before you do anything, wait for the blade to stop spinning.
When it does, remove the cover first. You can remove the cover and pusher assembly in one operation. Hold the pusher assembly with your fingers away from the descending tabs and turn it clockwise. Lift it off, and the cover will come with it.
Never try to remove the cover and the work bowl together; this can damage the work bowl.
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 it from the base and lift it straight up to remove it.
A locking device prevents heavy dough from driving the dough blade up the motor shaft. If the blade holds the bowl locked when the motor stops, move the handle of the bowl rapidly back and forth – first clockwise, then counterclockwise.
To prevent the blade from falling out of the work bowl onto your hand, remove the metal blade before tilting the bowl, using a spatula to scrape off any food sticking to it. 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 workbowl with your thumb. Or hold the blade in place with your finger or a spatula while pouring out processed food. Be sure hands are dry.
TECHNIQUES FOR CHOPPING AND PUREEING WITH THE METAL BLADE
To chop raw fruits and vegetables
First, cut the food into 1-inch 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 Capacity Chart, page 2). Lock the cover in place. Press the OFF/PULSE lever at the rate of 1 second on, 1 second off until the food is coarsely chopped. Then hold down the OFF/PULSE lever, letting the machine run continu- ously until the food is chopped. Check frequently to avoid overprocessing. Use the spatula to scrape down any pieces that stick to the sides.
To purée fruit and cooked vegetables
First, cut the food into 1-inch 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 Capacity Chart, page 2). Lock the cover in place. Pulse to chop coarsely, then press the ON lever and process con- tinuously until the food is puréed.
NOTE: Cooked potatoes are an exception to this procedure. They develop a gluey texture when processed with the metal blade. (See the recipe for mashed potatoes at the end of the book.)
When making soup, you will want to purée vegeta- bles that have cooked in liquid. Don’t add the liquid to the work bowl – just the cooked vegetables; remove them with a slotted spoon. They will purée faster and smoother without liquid. Then add just enough liquid to make the purée pourable, return it to the soup and stir to combine.
Occasionally, a piece of food may become wedged between the blade and the work bowl. If this hap- pens, unplug machine, remove cover, lift the blade out carefully and remove the wedged piece. Empty the bowl, reinsert the blade and lock the cover into place, first removing the small pusher. Press the ON lever and drop the food pieces through the small feed tube while the machine is running. After adding a cupful this way, add the remaining food to the bowl and process in the usual way.
To chop hard foods like garlic, hard cheese
Remove the small pusher, press the ON lever and drop the food through the small feed tube while the machine is running.
Small foods like garlic can be dropped in whole. Larger foods like hard cheese should be cut into 1-inch pieces. This method of processing minces garlic, shallots and onions. Hard cheese and coconut will have the same texture as if they had been hand grated.
