Learn by Harts
Harts Kitchen
Learn by Harts
Processed Ease
Grate , slice and chop your way to kitchen glory with a food processor . It ’ s easy when you know how says Magimix expert Christine Hudson …
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ou know what they say about too many cooks ... A food processor can be your own personal sous chef , chopping , blending , mixing and kneading all without any backchat or the need to dish out blue plasters when their knife slips . They are arguably the most versatile piece of kitchen equipment available and yet often even owners don ’ t realise quite how much they can do .
Any chef will tell you that the secret of cooking great food is preparation ; to have all your ingredients ready for the pan or pot at the precise moment when you need them . A food processor makes light work of chopping , grating slicing , blending , puréeing and even mixing too – so it could take the job of a stand mixer . We asked Christine Hudson , Training and Demonstration Manager for Magimix , what to look for when buying one . She suggests buying the best you can afford , checking the manufacturer ’ s guarantee and not skimping on size : “ Choose a model with the best possible capacity . You can always put less in a larger bowl but you can ’ t put in more in a small one .” According to Christine , a good way to cut through the complexity of different models is to decide what you want to make with your food processor and pick one that can deliver . As she suggests – “ if you want to make bread for the family , choose a processor that can take up to 750g of white bread flour , this will give you a supermarket sized loaf . If you love summer barbecues and make your own burgers check on the chopped meat capacity . These are a guide for machine power and capability .”
But what about all the different settings ? They look confusing . “ Make it easy on yourself !” reckons Christine . “ Choose a processor that automatically adjusts the power according to what you are making . This takes away the guesswork .”
So what ’ s the most satisfying thing about owning and using a food processor ? “ I made the food myself and know everything that went into it .” says Christine . Ironic as it may sound then , a food processor is actually the last word in helping you eat more unprocessed food .
Focaccia Serves 6 This recipe from Magimix shows how easy it is to make a foolproof loaf without the kneading …
Ingredients
500g strong white bread flour 1 tsp salt 1 level tsp sugar 2 sachets quick yeast 2 tblsp olive oil 300ml water
Topping
Olive oil for drizzling Fine sea salt 1 tblsp chopped rosemary 15 small sprigs rosemary
Method
1 . Mix oil and water . 2 . Put salt , sugar , dried yeast and flour into main bowl . Add water / oil . Run for one minute to knead . 3 . Leave to rise until doubled in size . 4 . Lightly oil a baking tin 36cm x 25cm approx . Flatten the dough into the baking tin , pushing the dough into the corners Leave to rise in a warm area for 1hr ( dough will be spongy ). 5 . With the round handle of a baking spoon press dimples into the dough , touching the bottom of the tray each time . Drizzle with oil . Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and sea salt . Push rosemary sprigs into dimples . 6 . Bake in a pre-heated oven , 220 ° C / 425 ° F / gas mark 7 for 20-25 minutes or until risen and golden brown .
Magimix 5200XL Premium Satin Finish Food Processor
RRP : £ 419.99 Harts Price : £ 377.99
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