West Bend Versatility L5800 - Manual (Page 6)

6
H
ELPFUL
H
INTS
• Adapting Recipes to Slow Cooking: Many of your favorite oven and range top
recipes can be adapted to slow cooking with a few minor changes. Here are
some important points to remember:
Amount of Liquid: Because little moisture evaporates during slow cooking,
reduce amount of liquid in your recipe by one-half (1 cup of liquid is enough
for most recipes). For soup recipes, add all ingredients except water or
broth to vessel; add only enough liquid to cover ingredients.
Amount of Seasoning: Reduce amount of seasoning in proportion to
reduced amount of liquid. Use whole or leaf herbs and spices rather than
crushed or ground forms.
Slow Cooking Meat: Less tender, less expensive cuts of meat are better
suited to slow cooking than expensive cuts of meat. Remove excess fat
before slow cooking if desired. Meat can be browned in the cooking pot on
top of the range before slow cooking.
Slow Cooking Vegetables: Add partially frozen vegetables, Chinese
vegetables and fresh mushrooms during the last hour of cooking. Strong-
flavored vegetables such as spinach, eggplant, okra and collard greens
should be precooked before adding to cooker. The amount of onion
normally used in your recipe should be reduced because its flavor gets
stronger during cooking. In most cases, fresh vegetables take longer to
cook than meats because liquid simmers rather than boils.
Slow Cooking Raw Meats and Vegetables: Most raw meat and vegetable
combinations need at least 4 to 6 hours of cooking at “HI” or 7 to 10 hours
at “LO.”
Slow Cooking Fish and Seafood: Fresh or thawed seafood and fish fall
apart during long hours of cooking. Add these ingredients an hour before
serving and cook at “HI.”
Slow Cooking Milk, Sweet or Sour Cream and Cheese: Because milk,
sour or sweet cream and cheese break down during long hours of cooking,
add these ingredients just before serving or substitute undiluted condensed
canned soups or evaporated milk. Processed cheese tends to give better
results than aged cheese.
Rice and Pasta: Rice and pasta may either be cooked separately, or
added uncooked during last hour of cooking time. If added uncooked, make
sure there is at least 1 to 1½ cups of liquid in vessel and heat is set at “LO”
or higher.
Dumplings: Dumplings may be cooked in broth or gravy at “HI.” Drop by
spoonfuls on simmering broth or gravy. Cook covered for 30 minutes.
Thickening Juices for Gravies and Sauces: To thicken juices for gravies
and sauces, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of quick cooking tapioca at start, or
thicken after cooking by adding a smooth paste made of 2 to 4 tablespoons
cornstarch or flour and ¼ cup cold water. Bring to a boil at “HI.” Solid foods
may be removed first.
• Don’t Remove Cover During Cooking: To retain heat, moisture and food
flavor, don’t remove cover during cooking unless necessary for adding additional
ingredients.