Amana ACM0720A Benutzerhandbuch

6

Keep an eye on things. The instructions in this
book have been formulated with great care, but
your success in preparing food depends, of course,
on how much attention you pay to the food as it
cooks. Always watch your food while it cooks. Your
microwave oven is equipped with a light that turns on
automatically when the oven is in operation so that
you can see inside and check the progress of your
recipe. Directions given in recipes to elevate, stir, and
the like should be thought of as the minimum steps
recommended. If the food seems to be cooking
unevenly, simply make the necessary adjustments
you think appropriate to correct the problem.

Factors affecting cooking times. Many factors
affect cooking times. The temperature of ingredients
used in a recipe makes a big difference in cooking
times. For example, a cake made with ice-cold butter,
milk, and eggs will take considerably longer to bake
than one made with ingredients that are at room
temperature.  All of the recipes in this book give a
range of cooking times. In general, you will find that
the food remains under-cooked at the lower end of
the time range, and you may sometimes want to cook
your food beyond the maximum time given, according
to personal preference. The governing philosophy of
this book is that it is best for a recipe to be
conservative in giving cooking times. While
undercooked food may always be cooked a bit more,
overcooked food is ruined for good. Some of the
recipes, particularly those for bread, cakes, and
custard, recommend that food be removed from the
oven when they are slightly undercooked. This is not
a mistake. When allowed to stand, usually covered,
these foods will continue to cook outside of the oven
as the heat trapped within the outer portions of the
foods gradually travels inward. If the foods are left in
the oven until they are cooked all the way through,
the outer portions will become overcooked or even
burnt. 
As you gain experience in using your microwave
oven, you will become increasingly skillful in
estimating both cooking and standing times for
various foods.

Browning: Meats and poultry that are cooked fifteen
minutes or longer will brown lightly in their own fat.
Foods that are cooked for a shorter period of time
may be brushed with a browning sauce to achieve an
appetizing color. The most commonly used browning
sauces are Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and
barbecue sauce. Since relatively small amounts of
browning sauces are added to foods, the original
flavor of recipes is not altered.

Covering: A cover traps heat and steam and causes
food to cook more quickly. You may either use a lid or
microwave cling-film with a corner folded back to
prevent splitting.

Covering with waxed paper: Waxed paper
effectively prevents spattering and helps food retain
some heat. Since it makes a looser cover than a lid or
cling-film, it allows the food to dry out slightly.

Wrapping in waxed paper or paper towel:
Sandwiches and many other foods containing
prebaked bread should be wrapped prior to
microwaving to prevent drying out.

Arranging and spacing: Individual foods such as
baked potatoes, small cakes, and hors d’oeuvres will
heat more evenly if placed in the oven and   equal
distance apart, preferably in a circular pattern. Never
stack foods on top of one another.

Stirring: Stirring is one of the most important of all
microwaving techniques. In conventional cooking,
foods are stirred for the purpose of blending.
Microwaved foods, however, are stirred in order to
spread and redistribute heat. Always stir from the
outside towards the center as the outside food heats
first.

Turning over: Large, tall foods such as roasts and
whole chickens should be turned so that the top and
bottom will cook evenly. It is also a good idea to turn
cut-up chicken and chops.

Placing thicker portions near the edge: Since
microwaves are attracted to the outside  portion of
foods, it makes sense to place thicker portions of
meat, poultry and fish to the outer edge of the baking
dish. This way, thicker portions will receive the most
microwave energy and the foods will cook evenly.