West Bend Back to Basics FD-600 - Manual (Page 15)

REHYDRATING METHODS
Dried foods taste great as is, or they can be rehydrated close to their
own original texture. Rehydrated fruits are great in pies and sauces.
Vegetables are used in stews, soups and casseroles.
Various methods for rehydrating are outlined here. Choose the method
that best fits your needs.
COLD WATER METHOD FOR FRUIT
« Soak fruit in refrigerator to keep free of molds or bacteria. Soak for
a few hours, until fruits reach desired consistency. Use enough
water to just barely cover fruits.
• One cup of dried fruits will yield about 2 cups of rehydrated fruit.
• Do not over soak fruits, this tends to reduce flavor and make them
soggy.
COLD WATER METHOD FOR VEGETABLES
• Wash vegetables in clean water. Soak in clean, unsalted water for
2-10 hours in a covered pan. Smaller pieces need shorter soaking
times, larger pieces of produce will have longer times.
• Add seasonings at the end of rehydrating, not during.
• One cup of dried vegetables will yield about 2 cups of rehydrated
vegetables.
BOILING WATER METHOD
Place 1 cup of fruit into 1 cup of water, simmer until tender. Place 1 cup
of vegetables into 1 cup of boiling water. Set aside and let soak for 5 to
20 minutes. This varies depending on the type of vegetable. After
soaking, use the vegetables for soups, stews or casseroles.
STEAMING METHOD
Fruits can be softened by steaming for about 3-5 minutes. This method
is ideal when using fruits for milk shakes or baking.
COOKING METHOD
Simply add the vegetables to the desired recipe. Be sure to add enough
extra water to sufficiently rehydrate the produce.
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