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Author Topic: Food Processor  (Read 3225 times)

Norfolk Newby

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • West Norfolk, UK
Food Processor
« on: November 22, 2011, 02:46:41 pm »
I decided to buy a small food processor back in the summer. I wanted to try making different foods and one of them seemed like it might be useful. A few weeks ago I bought a small Magimix one. The model is 3200. I have been trying different recipes and though I would offer my findings.

If you have any experience of using a food processor, I would be interested in your thoughts.

I chose Magimix because I have another one of their machines - a small slicer - and it has been a good tool.

I already have a hand mixer, a small blender and a large Kenwood Chef Major mixer. The food processor overlaps with some of the other machines so that  some in some instances I am spoilt for choice.

The large bowl (there are three sizes provided) and rotating cutter works well chopping meat. I used this combination to turn some turkey thigh and cheap cuts of lamb into a fine smooth mixture which I fried and used to make a lasagne and to make a shepherds pie. The meat has more texture than the same meat minced so it is slightly different. However, the bowl and cutter are easier to clean than the mincer (which is part of the Kenwood collection of attachments).

I have just used the 2mm slicing disk to thinly slice 2 leeks, a pepper, 6 chestnut mushrooms, a tin of water chestnuts and 2 small steaks (still partly frozen). The resulting collection of ingredients was then stir-fried in oil into which I had finely chopped 4 cloves of garlic and half a teaspoon of chilli flakes in the small bowl using the small chopping blade. The resulting meal - served on a bed of brown rice - was very tasty. However, in future I might chop some of the vegetables using a 4m grater to produce a less uniform mixture. The water chestnuts and mushrooms cut coarser would give more bite to the final dish.

I have also made a lamb stew using a cheap cut of lamb plus chopped leaks, carrots, onions and potatoes. This was cooked for 40 minutes in a pressure cooker. I then used the large bowl and chopping knife with a deflector ring in the bowl to return the coarser particles back into the mixture to reduce the stew to a broth. The cutting action left quite a lot of small particles of meat and vegetable. This wasn't what I expected but the resulting bowl of thick soup was very much appreciated after a cold afternoon working outside.

The small size of the Magimix 3200 seems fine for 2 people (me and my wife) but there are 2 lager machines (4200, 5200). I have no complaints regarding the quality of the parts supplied. They all seem fit for purpose but of course it is early days.

I hope my comments here are of interest and if you have any suggestions regarding recipes or food preparation tasks, I would be very interested in your comments.


Novice - growing fruit, trees and weeds

Padge

  • Joined Aug 2009
    • Facebook
Re: Food Processor
« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2011, 08:11:34 am »
I have the 5200 version   and wouldn't be without it. I have used it    and its predecessor for a number of years for all manner of culinary tasks  from catering for a family of four   to catering for parties and its always been a boon :thumbsup:

Norfolk Newby

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • West Norfolk, UK
Re: Food Processor
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2011, 02:56:06 pm »
Thanks for your comments.

I was hoping others would add suggestions and advice on how to use food processors. However, I did find a selection of video clips on the Magimix web site which was helpful.

http://www.magimix.fr/index.php?rid=352&cid=8550&lg=502&video=1

 If you run the 4 minute video, it then loads some links to other clips which go further.

An example of the little problems I have encountered is that using it to chop meat or vegetables, the large pieces 'float' above the cutter if you run it continuously. You have to pulse the machine several times first so that the large pieces are all reduced to a small and even size.

An example of it opening opportunities is cutting root vegetable into thin slices which can then be fried to make crisps. The 2mm thick slicer does this very well provided you don't push the vegetable down while it is being sliced. The cutting action is so fast, the vegetable only falls a millimetre till the blade comes round again even though you would expect it to produce 2mm thick slices.



Novice - growing fruit, trees and weeds

 

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