Food Processors

From LoveToKnow Recipes

Add to recipe box Print Full Page Print 3x5 inch

Please login or register as a new user in order to save recipes to your personal recipe box.

Good food processors can offer tremendous help to the busy cook. Known for making speedy work of chopping and slicing vegetables, processors can also help with making dough, pureeing soups, and creating all kinds of sauces.

Choosing a Food Processor

One of the first things to consider in purchasing a food processor is how it's going to be used. Will you be using it to help preparee for large parties or just for whipping together simple snacks for yourself? The combination of the appliance's motor, as well as the bowl size will determine the best choice for you.

Motor Size

The motor is the heaviest part of the appliance and its weight is more relevant than you may first think. Consider how much more stable a food processor that weighs twenty pounds is compared to one weighing five or six pounds. The weight of a heavy motor keeps the food processor in one place and allows cooks to process greater capacities of food without the appliance dancing down the counter. A food processor with a larger motor is a necessity for commercial chefs. Home cooks that feed large crowds or families also appreciate the sturdiness and ability of a powerful processor.

Bowl Size

The size of the bowl is generally related to the motor size. Though not always the case, often the larger the bowl, the larger the motor. Home food processors can be found in sizes ranging from 1 to 20 cup capacity. There are three standards of size:

Full-size bowls hold 11 to 20 cups.
Compact-size bowls hold 5 to 11 cups.
Mini-size bowls hold 1 to 5 cups.

By figuring out what you will be using the food processor for, it's easy to determine what size appliance is best for you. For proficient chefs, the choice is often to have one full-size and one mini. The largest one is ideal for putting together big meals or batches of dough. The mini is a speedy choice for mincing garlic or small amounts of onions and hot peppers.

A Variety of Uses

You've figured out the size, now let's look at the attachments. What kind of blades come with the appliance (or are available for an purchase) should also impact your purchase decision.

A food processor does what it name implies. It processes food or transforms it in some way. This can be done by blending, chopping, shredding, combining, etc. The attachments are what determine how the food will be processed. Let's take a look at some of the common food processor attachments.

The sabatier blade. Usually made of metal, the "S" blade has a curved blade. It is the workhorse of the food processor. Use it for mincing onions or blending together all kinds of homemade condiments, salad dressings and spicy sauces.
The shredding disc is used primarily for grating cheese and shredding vegetables. It is also usually made of metal and can be found in a variety of sizes from fine to course.
A julienne disc is a blade that's used for cutting vegetables into matchstick sized pieces. It's also metal and has a row of short blades that look a bit like teeth. Julienned veggies are perfect for coleslaws and stir fry.
The slicing disc is great for cucumbers, carrots, even cabbage. This metal blade cuts thin slices perfect for salads. Usually one standard slicing blade is included with the original processor. Additional blades of varying thickness are often available for additional purchase.
The dough blade looks similar to the Sabatier blade though it is made of plastic and not quite as prominently curves. Instead of making dough by hand, this blade can be used for quickly putting together bread, bagel, or pizza dough.

In no way is the above list exhaustive. Some food processors are available with blades or attachments to juice citrus, cut French fries, or cross cut vegetables. A little research into the wonder of this little appliance and you'll be amazed at all the things you can accomplish. .