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COOKING GUIDE
Density
Porous airy foods heat more quickly than dense heavy foods.
Cling Film
Cling film helps keep the food moist and the trapped steam assists in speeding up cooking
times. Pierce before cooking to allow excess steam to escape. Always take care when
removing cling film from a dish as the build-up of steam will be very hot.
Shape
Even shapes cook evenly. Food cooks better by microwave when in a round container
rather than square.
Spacing
Foods cook more quickly and evenly if spaced apart. NEVER pile foods on top of each
other.
Starting Temperature
The colder the food, the longer it takes to heat up. Food from a fridge takes longer to
reheat than food at room temperature.
Liquids
All liquids must be stirred before and during heating. Water especially must be stirred
before and during heating, to avoid eruption. Do not heat liquids that have previously been
boiled. DO NOT OVERHEAT.
Turning & Stirring
Some foods require stirring during cooking. Meat and poultry should be turned after half
the cooking time.
Arranging
Individual foods e.g. chicken portions or chops, should be placed on a dish so that the
thicker parts are towards the outside.
Quantity
Small quantities cook faster than large quantities, also small meals will reheat more quickly
than large portions.
Piercing
The skin or membrane on some foods will cause steam to build up during cooking. These
foods must be pierced or a strip of skin should be peeled off before cooking to allow the
steam to escape. Eggs, potatoes, apples, sausages etc, will all need to be pierced before
cooking. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO BOIL EGGS IN THEIR SHELLS.
Covering
Cover foods with microwave cling film or a lid. Cover fish, vegetables, casseroles, soups. Do
not cover cakes, sauces, jacket potatoes or pastry items.
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