Whatever the level of your cooking skills, you want to have a kitchen appliance that can do exactly the job you need it to do. If you’re a beginner to intermediate-level cook, how do you choose the right appliance for the job? With everything that’s available on the market nowadays, the choices can be confusing. If you are looking for something that gives you the most value for money in both efficiency and budget, look no further than the food processor.
What exactly does it do?
A food processor consists of a central container with rotating blades inside it. It makes certain repetitive tasks like chopping and slicing much easier, plus you end up with more or less similarly-sized pieces, thanks to the automated blades.
Is that it?
The short answer is no. Food processors can do a large variety of jobs much more quickly than we humans can, and you pick the functionality based on what you need. Whether you want to blend, puree, mince or shred, everything is within reach with a food processor – the secret lies in its size and construction.
What’s the difference between a food processor and a blender?
While their functionality is broadly similar, there are certain differences, mostly stacked in favour of the food processor. While you can make smoothies in a food processor, you cannot knead bread dough or chop vegetables in a blender.
What about a juicer and a food processor?
These two appliances cannot be compared at all. A juicer cannot chop, and a food processor cannot extract juice. There is no crossover whatsoever.
So what can I make with a food processor?
Quite honestly, the sky is the limit when it comes to the capacity of a food processor. Although it is not recommended that you use it to make any sort of beverages, it is absolutely perfect for making soup. Anything that requires solid or semi-solid ingredients to be broken down and mixed, can be perfectly executed with the use of a food processor. Once you have a handle on the basics, you can expand your skills into more complicated dishes, like the chopping and mixing of salads, or even making dough.
Who needs a knife anyway?
You’ve probably watched one of the famous TV chefs strut their stuff by manually chopping complicated ingredients with a knife, then nodded knowingly, and exclaimed how you couldn’t possibly do that. You will agree with me when I observe that most people resort to the slow, arduous task of chopping with a knife, which is very 20th century. There is a far better solution: for the most perfectly chopped ingredients, and the ultimate in sliced and diced goodness, turn to your friend, the food processor.
At the end of the day, as with any appliance, you want something that suits your lifestyle and can accommodate your growing skill set. Get ready for a long and fruitful relationship with your new food processor.
*Collaborative post*