Thursday, 22nd October 2009

Induction Cookware

Induction hobs only work with certain types of cookware.

We supply many different ranges to meet this need and are sure that you will find something suitable from the selection below:

Induction Cookware Manufacturers

• Berndes Induction
• Fissler Original Pro
• SKK Induction
• Le Pentole
• Le Creuset 3 Ply
• Couzon Cuisinox Elysee
• Le Creuset TNS
• Swiss Diamond Induction
• Swift Supreme

More »

Tuesday, 26th May 2009

How to choose Paella and Crepe Pans, Woks and Tagines

Paella Pans

Paella is a delicious rice based Spanish dish that has huge variations depending on which region (and sometimes which village) you are in. It is commonly made with chicken, seafood or chorizo sausage, with rice as the constant. The pan is similar to a shallow frying pan and is normally made from a untreated mild steel, but they are also available made from squeeze cast recycled aluminium with a tough ceramic titanium non-stick surface, and uncoated stainless steel. The large pan can measure from 34cm diameter to as much as 60cm. As the pan is carried and put directly on the table it should have strong side handles.

Woks

A wok is used for cooking Asian food quickly over a high heat. Traditionally woks had round bottoms and curved sides which spread the heat, making it easy to ‘stir fry’ the food quickly. Nowadays many woks are made with flat bottoms to enable them to be used more easily on Western style cookers. When the food is cooked it can be pushed to one side, leaving the centre of the pan for cooking new ingredients to be added. Woks usually range in diameter from about 28cm to 50cm and are available with either a long side handle or two smaller handles on each side. Traditionally they are made from cast iron which needs ‘seasoning’ before use and occasional attention to prevent rusting, but they can also be made from forged aluminium with a non-stick coating, stainless steel, and the more expensive aluminium with diamond or ceramic reinforced non-stick coating.

Crepe Pans

Crepe pans, or pancake pans, are extremely shallow with sloping sides, designed so that a palette knife can be slid easily under the crepe to turn it over during cooking. If using a pan without a non-stick coating, it is always best to keep it for cooking only crepes; once seasoned there should be no need to wash it.

Tagines

In North Africa stews, called tagines, are simmered in a pot of the same name. This uniquely shaped, thick earthenware dish needs very little liquid added as the conical lid provides a large cool surface on which steam condenses and then drips onto the food. Traditionally used on an open fire, or a bed of charcoal, most tagines have now been modified for use on the hob and glazed for ease of cleaning.

Thursday, 7th May 2009

Choosing Casserole Dishes and Stockpots

In English “Casserole” has evolved to mean a wide, straight sided pot with a close fitting lid and ‘ear-like’ side handles.  It has also come to describe the method of cooking which produces a rich stew of meat and vegetables and to achieve this it is important to give some thought to the type of casserole you choose to buy.

Casseroles can be made of a variety of materials including cast iron, ceramic, stainless steel and heavy duty metal with reinforced non-stick coatings.

Generally the heavier it is the better, as the meat needs to be browned quickly at a high heat on the hob at the start of cooking, followed by a long and slow process to continue cooking the stew at a very low heat  either on the hob or in the oven.

If the casserole is made of a thin poor quality material it will be difficult to keep it at a low heat without burning, unnecessary heat loss, or undesired rapid evaporation.

A thick pot with a heavy base will ensure that the heat is slowly absorbed, retained and evenly transmitted to the contents so that the food at the top of the pot is cooked just as thoroughly as the food at the bottom.

Round casseroles tend to be used for cooking stews and ragouts, with oval pans for pot-roasts and braising.

Stockpots are essential for anyone who enjoys making good quality soup, and indeed stocks, for a variety of other recipes.  The choice of material tends to be the same as for casseroles but the design is rather different.

Stockpots have higher sides and tend towards a narrow shape which slows evaporation of liquid and allows the solids (bones or vegetables) to remain submerged for hours at a time, so as to get the best flavour out of them for the stock.  Some manufacturers produce stockpots with pasta inserts which lift out easily leaving the water behind, and can double up as a strainer for blanching vegetables.

We recommend these manufacturers:

Berndes Pans
Chasseur
Emile Henry
Le Creuset Cookware
SKK Cookware

Thursday, 18th December 2008

Tips on cooking a really tasty turkey

Choose the size of turkey you need
First of all decide on the size of bird that you need.  For birds up to 4.5kg/10lb, allow 350-450g/12oz – 1lb per person and for larger birds allow 200-350g/8-12oz per person.  Then check that you have a roasting tray large enough to fit the bird in and also that the bird plus tray together will fit in your oven!

Baste the bird
Baste the bird with butter or olive oil, cover loosely with foil and then place in the roasting tray.  If you roast the turkey upside down, the juices from the back and legs will run down into the breast and keep it moist.  You should baste the turkey every 30 to 40 minutes and remove the foil for the last 40 minutes of cooking time so that the skin can become crisp.

Make sure the juices run clear
To make sure that the turkey is properly cooked, pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer.  The juices should run clear.  An even better way to check is with a meat thermometer – the centre of the bird should reach 75C/167F.

Rest the bird
When the turkey is cooked, remove from the oven, cover with foil again and leave it to rest for about 30 minutes.  If you have an Aga, just move it into the simmering oven (if it will fit!)  Like all meat, turkey benefits from a rest before it is eaten, as this will make it easier to carve and more tender.