GE 164 D20~PO19 Manuel D’Utilisation

In both conventional and microwave

cooking, covers hold in moisture and speed heating.
Conventionally, partial covering allows excess steam to
escape. Venting plastic wrap or covering with wax paper
serves the same purpose when microwaving.

In conventional baking, you

position foods, such as cake layers or potatoes, so that
hot air can flow around them. When microwaving, you
arrange foods in a ring, so that all sides are exposed to
microwave energy.

In range top cooking, you stir foods up from

the bottom to help them heat evenly. When

microwaving, you stir cooked portions from the outside
to the center. Foods which require constant stirring
conventionally will need only occasional stirring.

In range top cooking, you turn over

foods such as hamburgers, so both sides can directly

 the hot pan. When microwaving, turning is often

needed during defrosting, or when cooking foods such
as hamburgers from the frozen state.

In conventional cooking, foods such as

roasts or cakes are allowed to stand to finish cooking or
set. Standing time is especially 

 in microwave

cooking. Note that the microwaved cake is not placed on
a cooling rack.

In a conventional oven, you shield chicken

breasts or baked foods to prevent over-browning. When
defrosting, you use small strips of foil to shield thin
parts, such as the tips of wings and legs on poultry,
which would cook before larger parts were defrosted.

Steam builds up

pressure in foods which are tightly covered by a skin or
membrane. Prick potatoes (as you do conventionally),
egg 

 and chicken livers to prevent bursting.

 Occasionally, repositioning a dish in the oven

helps food cook evenly. To rotate 1/2 turn, turn the dish
until the side 

 to the back of the oven is to the

front. To rotate 1/4 turn, turn the dish until the side
which was to the back of the oven is to the side.

In both conventional and microwave

cooking, dense foods, such as a potato, take longer to
cook or heat than light, porous foods, such as a piece of
cake, bread or a roll.

Since microwaves penetrate foods to

about l-in. from top, bottom and sides, round shapes
and rings cook more evenly. Corners receive more
energy and may overcook. This may also happen when
cooking conventionally.

Foods with a delicate texture such as custards

are best cooked at lower power settings to avoid
toughening.

of food affects how it cooks. Very

moist foods cook evenly because microwave energy is
attracted to water molecules. Food uneven in moisture
should be covered or allowed to stand so heat can
disperse evenly.

 Size. Small pieces cook faster than large ones.

Pieces which are similar in size and shape cook more

evenly. With large pieces of food, reduce the power

setting for even cooking.

In both types of cooking, thin areas

cook faster than thick ones. This can be controlled in
microwaving by placing thick pieces near the outside
edge, and thin pieces in the center.

Foods taken from the freezer or

refrigerator take longer to cook than foods at room
temperature. Timings in our recipes are based on the
temperatures at which you normally store the foods.

In both types of cooking, small

amounts usually take less time than large ones. This is
most apparent in microwave cooking, where time is
directly related to the number of servings.

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If you use a meat thermometer while cooking, make
sure it is safe for use in microwave ovens.