Johannesburg - Jenny Kay reviews two kitchen appliances that make perfect Christmas gift ideas for budding chefs.
AMT GASTROGUSS INDUCTION FRYING PANS
If you subscribe to the notion that German engineering is the best in the world, then the name of these induction pans will come as no big surprise.
Developed in conjunction with Germany’s national culinary team, these pans were described by that country’s largest chefs’ association as “The World’s Best Pan”. So the makers AMT Gastroguss promptly trademarked the phrase.
The combination of aluminum and the cast iron base make for ideal heat transmission and retention. Once they have been heated, the pans retain the heat for much longer than most other pans. The handles are also heat resistant up to 240°C which makes them suitable to use in the oven as well as on a hob.
I’ve been using a 20cm pan in my own kitchen for four months and have been very impressed. Its non-stick surface has not deteriorated, and it’s easy to clean. All it requires is a wash with a nylon brush or soft scouring sponge in a basin of hot soapy water. It looks as good as the day I got it.
I have used the frying pan to cook a variety of dishes, from frying eggs to making frittatas and grilling all kinds of meat and chicken. What impressed me is that you need very little oil to fry.
Its heat-retention properties make it possible to switch the heat off about 5 minutes before the cooking time is up. To cook steaks, I heated the pan to searingly hot – admittedly, it took slightly longer than other pans – then browned my meat on both sides before turning off the heat. The steaks will cook to medium rare in about 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness.
The pans are available from YuppieChef, Hirsch’s in Fourways and Kitchenique in Woodmead. Prices range from R699 for a 20cm frying pan to R1500 for a 32cm braising pan.
KENWOOD BLEND X PRO
What sets this blender apart from most other machines is the four triple tiered blades. They ensure that the machine will chop anything from breadcrumbs to ice very efficiently.
The 6 pre-set programmes take the guesswork out of chopping and blending. If you want a smoothie, you merely press the drinks button. There are also settings for soups, dips and crushing ice.
You can also use the blender on manual function.
The blender’s safety feature means it won’t switch on unless the jug is securely locked in place. It also comes with a useful stir stick for boosting the blending of thick mixtures.
The 1.6 litre heat-resistant glass jug makes it suitable for blending both hot and cold liquids. It is also marked with graded measurements.
The jug has a small plugged hole in the top of the lid which is ideal for drizzling in ingredients like oil when making mayonnaise or pesto.
I made the most amazing hollandaise sauce in the blender and also used it to purée soups which turned out silky smooth. It chops nuts so well it can turn them into nut butter.
You can even use the blender for making mince out of small quantities of chicken and meat. The trick is not to put too much into the machine at once, rather in small batches.
It is ideal for making curry pastes as it efficiently chops tough ingredients like ginger and lemongrass.
The glass jug has just a couple of drawbacks. It’s very heavy, and if the ingredients are not liquid, it’s quite hard to scrape them out of the bottom.
The easiest way to clean the machine and blades is to add a cup of water and pulse for a few minutes.
The blender is not very bulky and won’t take up much space on your kitchen counter. It sells for R2000 from kitchen stores.
The Star