Food processor and Liquidizers

When it comes to saving time, you just can't beat the food processor. This handy appliance can blend, chop grate, shred, mix, slice, and make crumbs. Food processors are available in large-capacity models as well as in compact model that are great for smaller processing jobs, such as mincing garlic.

Here are some additional hints to help you get the most from your food processor:

• Slice or chop vegetables in quantity to use in salads. Store these prepared vegetables in covered containers or plastic bags for use during the week.

• Process dry foods before moist ones, even if the dry ingredients are needed last. You won't have to wash the work bowl as often.

• Rinse the work bowl and blades immediately after use for easy cleanup.

• If you accidentally overprocess a food, don't discard it -- try to find another sue for it. Fruits can be used in sauces;  vegetables can be seasoned, cooked and served as pureed.

In the past few years there has been an innovation in the kitchen, a real step forward in terms of equipment - the food processor. It does everything it claims to do (it chops, shreds, minces, grates) and is especially good at pureeing. There are now several different makes on the market but the best is still the Magimix. Magimix have now introduced a cheaper version the Robot-Chef and prices start at about £50.  Less elaborate and cheaper are the various liquidizers or liquidizing satisfactorily.

At the lower end of the scale there is the hand vegetable-mouli. It comes with a choice of three blades, one for fine, one for medium and one for coarse pureeing. It works remarkably well and is a lot cheaper than an electric liquidizer.

Note: Purees can also be made by pounding the ingredients through a wire or nylon sieve. This is obviously the cheapest method, but the vegetables must be well cooked otherwise they will not puree satisfactorily.

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