Your 5 favourite kitchen gadgets - Page 6

thinkpad · 08-09-2011, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beppe

I am taking this up as a challenge. I am going to make falafel in the actifry and see if I can make it nice. It might take some experimenting, but I have a couple of ideas.

Beppe, let me know if you manage to get a decent result. All my results thus far has ended in not so tasty falafel

beppe · 08-09-2011, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkpadx

Beppe, let me know if you manage to get a decent result. All my results thus far has ended in not so tasty falafel

I will, although the taste might have more to do with the ingredients, rather than with the frying system. Just an impression that popped up in my thoughts.

thinkpad · 08-09-2011, 05:22 AM

I should have specified that it was hard to get the same texture as in a fryer, it didn't get cooked right through, hard on the outside and hardly cooked on the inside.

beppe · 08-09-2011, 07:52 AM

Fine.
I did them for lunch and they encountered the favor of my two resident angel/devils.

The ingredients do not matter. Let's see how I cooked the bean patties. Let's call them so, although they are actifried falafel.
a) I took away the rotary wedge. I spooned the stuff like so

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b) 10 minutes of actifry. I took them out, repositioned them with the soft part up, like so

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c) 10 minutes again and they were just perfect (IMMO, of course). You can see how they went on the table, with a Greek yogurt and dill sauce (few drops of lemon juice).

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I used chickpeas, white beans, plenty of coriander, some caraway seeds, 2 garlic cloves, a small red onion, a big batch of basil, and fresh savory, salt and baking powder. I tightened up the mix with some flour. Ah yeah, some lemon juice. No pepper or arissa or anything strong because of Little Daughter. We had a big crisis at the table, because after she had 2, she wanted all the remaining 4 on her plate, the little rascal. I did not give in.
I served them with tomatoes and thinly chopped chicory salad from the garden. A glass of Sauvignon.

thinkpad · 08-09-2011, 08:55 AM

Brilliant

. I think my problem might have been that I took them out from the Actifry too early. I don't think I fried them more than a couple of minutes. Next time I will try to keep them there longer.

Ea · 08-09-2011, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkpadx

I'm thinking of buying a bread baking machine. Just have to find one I like. Anyone with experience who can share there thoughts?

I've had one - also a Severin - a plain, no-frills model. It was easy enough to use and the bread was fine. Didn't use mixes, because I can't get any here. But I quickly ended up using it only to knead the dough, which I then used for baking rolls. I like bread fresh and it's easier to keep rolls and re-heat them than a loaf.

If I had to feed a family and needed new bread every 1-3 days, then I think a bread machine is fine - but not otherwise. The bread tends to get a bit fluffy and mediocre compared to really nice bread, and you don't have quite the same feeling with the dough that you have if you do it all by hand.

Sweetpea · 08-09-2011, 01:58 PM

Hmm, 5, you said?

1. My ovens.

2. My baking tins (especially the small ones I have!)

3. My kitchen machine.

(something like this, can't find mine, because that one is ancient)

4. My kitchen Aid blender

(I want the kitchen machine to match!)

5. My husband, as he always cooks. I only make the sweet things, like smoothies, cakes and pies

Sweetpea · 08-09-2011, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phogg

5.My Joie Eggy collection, They just cheer me up. I started with a whisk and then they took over a shelf...

I've got one of those too, sadly, one of the metal ends has come loose from the base. But it's so handy if you want to whisk one or two eggs!

Ea · 08-09-2011, 02:09 PM

A few comments on the falafel...
Since air is a bad heat-conductor compared to oil, I think that you probably can't expect the same results for baked falafel than fried. My guess is that the Actifry dries out the falafel more, as they heat up slower. In oil they'll cook quicker and will get a nice crust without drying out so much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkpadx

#2. Tefal actifry (good for making french fries not so good for falafel)

Quote:

Originally Posted by beppe

I am taking this up as a challenge. I am going to make falafel in the actifry and see if I can make it nice. It might take some experimenting, but I have a couple of ideas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkpadx

I should have specified that it was hard to get the same texture as in a fryer, it didn't get cooked right through, hard on the outside and hardly cooked on the inside.

Ea · 08-09-2011, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

5. My husband, as he always cooks. I only make the sweet things, like smoothies, cakes and pies

Now, there's a gadget!

Phogg · 08-09-2011, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I've got one of those too, sadly, one of the metal ends has come loose from the base. But it's so handy if you want to whisk one or two eggs!

Get a new one. When I wore out my first one, I removed the wires and with a little help from some epoxy, I produced an eggy pickle fork. When I wear the current one out, it will be recycled into an eggy ice pick with a handle that doesnt split when soaking in the sink overnight.

Sweetpea · 08-10-2011, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phogg

Get a new one. When I wore out my first one, I removed the wires and with a little help from some epoxy, I produced an eggy pickle fork. When I wear the current one out, it will be recycled into an eggy ice pick with a handle that doesnt split when soaking in the sink overnight.

Can't find them anywhere! I believe I got it from my sister-in-law who got it in the US...

pdurrant · 08-10-2011, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkpadx

I'm thinking of buying a bread baking machine. Just have to find one I like. Anyone with experience who can share there thoughts?

I have a Panasonic, SD254. I got it in November 2009, and have baked over 500 loaves in it. I'm extremely pleased with it. I bake almost every day, just putting the ingredients in in the evening, and taking out the fresh bread first thing in the morning. It also mixes and does the first rise for dough if you want to do rolls or fancy shaped bread.

I have had to replace the paddle, as it eventually became slightly less non-stick than it needed to be. Through mis-use (not by me!) the pan has become a little scratched, but is working OK so far. If it eventually deteriorates too much, I think it'll be time for a new machine.

The current model is the SD-2500 WXC.

It is certainly one of my favourite kitchen gadgets, and probably the most used.

My other favourites are

* some stainless steel mixing bowls, no particular make
* Black iron frying pans - similar to this one
* Microplane zester/grater

beppe · 08-10-2011, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

* Microplane zester/grater

I also love this one.

One of my preferred flavor is gremolada. That gadget makes it very easy.

Phogg · 08-10-2011, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Can't find them anywhere! I believe I got it from my sister-in-law who got it in the US...

Can you buy from Amazon UK?
Joie is a Canadian company and I am pretty sure there would be several sellers on Amazon UK.

They are so cute.

08-09-2011, 07:52 AM	#79
beppe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,161 Karma: 81026524 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Italy Device: Kindle3, Ipod4, IPad2	Fine. I did them for lunch and they encountered the favor of my two resident angel/devils. The ingredients do not matter. Let's see how I cooked the bean patties. Let's call them so, although they are actifried falafel. a) I took away the rotary wedge. I spooned the stuff like so b) 10 minutes of actifry. I took them out, repositioned them with the soft part up, like so c) 10 minutes again and they were just perfect (IMMO, of course). You can see how they went on the table, with a Greek yogurt and dill sauce (few drops of lemon juice). I used chickpeas, white beans, plenty of coriander, some caraway seeds, 2 garlic cloves, a small red onion, a big batch of basil, and fresh savory, salt and baking powder. I tightened up the mix with some flour. Ah yeah, some lemon juice. No pepper or arissa or anything strong because of Little Daughter. We had a big crisis at the table, because after she had 2, she wanted all the remaining 4 on her plate, the little rascal. I did not give in. I served them with tomatoes and thinly chopped chicory salad from the garden. A glass of Sauvignon.

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08-09-2011, 05:22 AM	#78
thinkpad David Posts: 1,808 Karma: 8916183 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Norway Device: Kindle, E.Edge (sold), Irex Iliad (retired)	I should have specified that it was hard to get the same texture as in a fryer, it didn't get cooked right through, hard on the outside and hardly cooked on the inside.

08-09-2011, 08:55 AM	#80
thinkpad David Posts: 1,808 Karma: 8916183 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Norway Device: Kindle, E.Edge (sold), Irex Iliad (retired)	Brilliant . I think my problem might have been that I took them out from the Actifry too early. I don't think I fried them more than a couple of minutes. Next time I will try to keep them there longer.

08-09-2011, 01:58 PM	#82
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	Hmm, 5, you said? 1. My ovens. 2. My baking tins (especially the small ones I have!) 3. My kitchen machine. (something like this, can't find mine, because that one is ancient) 4. My kitchen Aid blender (I want the kitchen machine to match!) 5. My husband, as he always cooks. I only make the sweet things, like smoothies, cakes and pies

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