Cuisinart CH-4, CH-4DC Instruction Manual

INSTRUCTION
& RECIPE BOOKLET

Cuisinart Elite Collection® 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder

For your safety and continued enjoyment of this product, always read the instruction book carefully before using.

CH-4 Series

IMPORTANT UNPACKING
INSTRUCTIONS

This package contains a Cuisinart Elite Collection®
Chopper/Grinder and the standard parts for it:
SmartPower® metal chopping/grinding blade with
BladeLock
booklet.

CAUTION: THE CUTTING BLADE HAS VERY SHARP
EDGES.

To avoid injury when unpacking, please
follow these instructions:

1. Place the box on a table or kitchen counter.

2. Lift and remove the cardboard lid from the work

3. Grasping the work bowl handle, lift the unit up and out

4. Turn the work bowl clockwise to unlock it from the unit

5. CAREFULLY REMOVE THE METAL BLADE BY

6. Read the instructions thoroughly before using the

NOTE: We recommend that you visit our
website, www.cuisinart.com for a fast, efficient way to
complete your product registration.

System, spatula, and instruction/recipe

Be sure the box is right side up.

bowl cover.

of the box and place on the tabletop.

base. Lift up and remove.

GRASPING THE CENTER WHITE HUB AND
LIFTING IT STRAIGHT UP. NEVER TOUCH THE
BLADE, AS IT IS RAZOR SHARP.

machine.

CONTENTS

Important Safeguards ..........................................2

Introduction .........................................................3

Assembly Instructions .........................................3

Tips For Processing Food ...................................4

Processing Food .................................................4

Cleaning, storage and maintenance ...................5

Troubleshooting ................................................... 5

Operating Techniques .........................................5

Recipes ................................................................8

Warranty ............................................................11

IMPORTANT
SAFEGUARDS

When using an electrical appliance, basic safety precau­tions should always be adhered to, including the follow­ing:

1. Read all instructions.

2. To protect against risk of electric shock, do not put

3. Close supervision is necessary when any appliance is

4. Always unplug unit from outlet when not in use,

5. Avoid contact with moving parts.

6. Do not operate any appliance with a

motor base in water or other liquid.

used by or near children.

before putting on or taking off parts, before
cleaning, and before removing food from bowl.
To unplug, grasp plug and pull from electrical
outlet. Never pull cord.

damaged cord or plug after the appliance malfunc­tions, or if appliance has been dropped or dam­aged in any manner. Return the appliance to the
nearest authorized Customer Service (see Warranty
for details) for examination, repair, and electrical or
mechanical adjustment.

7. The use of attachments not recommended or sold by
Cuisinart may cause fire, electric shock or injury.

8. Do not let cord hang over edge of table or counter, or
touch hot surfaces.

9. Do not use outdoors.

10. Keep hands and utensils away from moving blade
while processing, to prevent the risk of severe injury
to persons or damage to the chopper/grinder. A
scraper may be used, but must only be used when
the chopper/grinder is not running.

11. Blade is extremely sharp. Handle carefully when
removing, inserting or cleaning.
Always allow blade to stop moving before
removing cover.

12. To reduce the risk of injury, never place cutting blade
on base without first putting work bowl properly in
place.

13. Be certain cover is securely locked in place before
operating appliance. Do not attempt to remove cover
until blade has stopped rotating.

14. Do not attempt to defeat the cover interlock mecha­nism, as serious injury may result.

15. Before using, check work bowl for presence of for­eign objects.

16. Do not operate your appliance in an appliance garage
or under a wall cabinet. When storing in an appli-

ance garage always unplug the unit from the elec­trical outlet. Not doing so could create a risk of fire,

especially if the appliance touches the walls of the
garage or the door touches the unit as it closes.

2

SAVE THESE
INSTRUCTIONS

FOR HOUSEHOLD USE
ONLY

NOTICE

This appliance has a polarized plug (one blade is
wider than the other). As a safety feature, this plug
will fit only one way in a polarized outlet. If the plug
does not fit fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it
still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician. Do
not attempt to defeat this safety feature.

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your new Cuisinart Elite
Collection
food preparation tasks, such as chopping, grinding,
puréeing, emulsifying, and blending. The patented
SmartPower
incredibly sharp edge for delicate chopping and
puréeing soft foods. The reverse edge is blunt, to
grind through spices and harder foods. And the
exclusive BladeLock System enables the blade to
lock into the bowl, so you can now pour ingredients
out of the bowl without first having to remove the
blade.

The powerful high-speed motor works hard and fast
to accomplish small jobs with ease. Chop herbs,
onions, garlic; grind spices, hard cheese; purée
baby foods; blend homemade mayo and flavored
butter – all in this one compact machine. You have
virtually unlimited options with the Cuisinart Elite
Collection

®

Chopper/Grinder! It handles a variety of

®

auto-reversing blade features an

®

Chopper/Grinder. Enjoy!

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

1. With the base unit on the tabletop, place
the work bowl firmly on the motor base. Opening at
back of bowl must face column at back of chopper/
grinder.

2. Turn the work bowl counterclockwise to
lock onto base.

3. CAREFULLY pick up the blade by its hub and place on
the center stem until it drops
to the bottom of the stem. Firmly push to ensure
that the blade is locked into position. IMPORTANT:
HANDLE WITH CARE – THE BLADE IS NOT
PERMANENT.

4. Add food ingredients.

5. Place the cover on the work bowl with the long tab to
the right of the rear column.

6. Turn cover counterclockwise (toward column) to
securely lock into locking post.

7. Plug unit into wall socket.

8. You are ready to Chop/Grind.

SmartPower

Cuisinart®

with BladeLock

Work Bowl

with Handle

Motor Base

®

Blade

System

Cover

4-Cup

Spatula (not shown)

3

TIPS FOR PROCESSING FOOD
Preparing the Food

Size

Always cut large pieces of food into smaller pieces of
even size – about
fied under Operation/Technique on pages 6 and 7. If you
don't start with pieces that are small and uniform, you
will not get an even chop.

Quantity

Do not overload the work bowl. Overloading causes
inconsistent results and it strains the motor. As a rule
of thumb, remember most foods should not reach more

2

than

⁄3 of the way up the workbowl. Use the quantities

given in the charts and recipe section as a guide.
Note: Due to the powerful motor provided with this

unit, it is recommended to use one hand to support the
Cuisinart Elite Collection
tion.

Selecting the Right Operating Control

Use the Chop function for chopping, puréeing and mix­ing. It is the right choice, for example, for chopping
soft, fragile food such as herbs, celery, onions, garlic
and most cheeses. It is also the right choice for purée­ing cooked vegetables, making mayonnaise, and mixing
salad dressing.

Pulse action is best when you are using the Chop func­tion. Two or three pulses are often enough. Be sure to
check the food frequently to prevent overprocessing.
If you overprocess, you are likely to get a watery paste
instead of a fine chop.

Use the Grind function for grinding spices, and for chop­ping hard food such as peppercorns, seeds, chocolate
and nuts.

Continuous-hold action is best when you are using the
Grind function. You may have to operate the Cuisinart
Elite Collection

1

⁄2 inch (12mm) to a side or as speci-

®

Chopper/Grinder during opera-

®

Chopper/Grinder for several seconds

with some food to achieve the desired results – or as
long as 20 seconds for some seeds.

When you operate the unit for more than 10 seconds, use
a pulse action every 10 seconds or so to allow food to
drop to the bottom of the work bowl. This provides more
consistent results.

®

Never operate the Cuisinart Elite Collection

Chopper/

Grinder continuously for longer than 1 minute at a time.
Note: The work bowl and cover may become scratched

when you use them for grinding grain and spices. This
does not affect the performance of the Cuisinart Elite

®

Collection

Chopper/Grinder. However, you may want
to reserve the original bowl for grinding, and purchase
an additional bowl and cover set for other uses. These
are available from the Cuisinart Customer Service
Department, which you can reach by dialing our toll-free
number: 800-726-0190.

Adding Liquid

You can add liquids such as water, oil or flavoring while
the machine is running. For example, you might want
to add oil when making mayonnaise or salad dressing,
or you could add vanilla or alcohol when making frozen
yogurt. Pour the liquid through one of the two openings
in the cover.

IMPORTANT: Add liquid through only one opening at a
time. The other opening must be left free to allow air to
escape. If both openings are blocked, liquid cannot flow
smoothly into the bowl.

Removing Food from the Sides of the Bowl

Occasionally food will stick to the sides of the bowl
as you process. Stop the machine to clear food away.
AFTER THE BLADE HAS STOPPED MOVING, remove
the cover, and use the spatula to scrape the food from
the sides of the bowl back into the center. Do not put
hands into bowl unless unit is unplugged.

Note: Handle with care – the blade is not permanent.

PROCESSING FOOD

1. Place the work bowl firmly on the motor base.

Opening at back of bowl must face column at back of
the Cuisinart Elite Collection
bowl counterclockwise to lock in place.

2. Insert the blade assembly. Carefully pick up the

blade by its hub and place on the center stem until
it drops to the bottom of the stem. Firmly push to
lock the blade into position. NEVER TOUCH THE

BLADE ITSELF AND NOTE THE BLADE IS NOT
PERMANENTLY LOCKED.

3. Place food in the work bowl. Be sure the food is cut

into small pieces, and the bowl is not overloaded.

4. Lock the cover into position.

5. Press the appropriate Chop or Grind control,

depending on the food you are processing.

6. When you have finished processing the food, stop

the machine by releasing the control
button.

7. WHEN THE BLADE STOPS MOVING,
unplug the unit.

8. Remove cover and work bowl

a. Turn work bowl cover clockwise to remove.
b. Turn work bowl clockwise to unlock it and lift it

off base.

NOTE: Thicker ingredients can be removed while

work bowl is still on base.

®

Chopper/Grinder. Turn

4

9. To remove liquids and sauces from bowl:
Simply pour ingredients out of work bowl. Our conve-

nient BladeLock System keeps blade safely in place.

10. To remove thicker ingredients from bowl:
Carefully remove the blade assembly by holding the

handle on the top of the sheath and gently pulling up
to disengage blade lock. Remove food with spatula.

NOTE: HANDLE WITH CARE – THE BLADE IS NOT

PERMANENT.

Tips: Always process foods in order, from dry to wet,

to avoid having to clean bowl and blade between each
task.

Never operate the Cuisinart Elite Collection
Grinder without ingredients in the work bowl.

®

Chopper/

CLEANING, STORAGE AND
MAINTENANCE

To simplify cleaning, rinse the work bowl, cover, and
blade immediately after each use, so that food won’t dry
on them. Wash blade assembly, work bowl, cover, and
spatula in warm soapy water. Rinse and dry. Wash the
blade carefully.

Avoid leaving blade in soapy water where it may disap­pear from sight. The work bowl, cover, blade assembly,
and spatula can be washed on the top rack of a dish­washer. Insert the work bowl upside down and the cover
right side up. Put the blade and spatula in the cutlery
basket. Unload the dishwasher carefully to avoid con­tact with the sharp blade. Wipe the motor base clean
with a damp sponge or cloth. Dry it immediately. Never
submerge the motor base or the plug in water or other
liquid.

The Cuisinart Elite Collection
neatly on the countertop in a minimum of space. When
it is not in use, be sure to leave it unplugged. The hid­den cord storage underneath the motor base will help
to keep excess cord off the countertop. Store the unit

®

Chopper/Grinder stores

assembled to prevent loss of parts. Store the blades as
you would sharp knives – out of the reach of children.

The Cuisinart Elite Collection
ed for HOUSEHOLD USE ONLY.

Maintenance: Any service other than cleaning and nor­mal user maintenance should be performed by an autho­rized Cuisinart

TROUBLESHOOTING

Motor doesn’t start or blade doesn’t rotate.

• Check that plug is securely inserted into outlet.

• Check that work bowl and cover are securely locked

• Be sure to press only one operation control button at

Food is unevenly chopped.

• Try cutting food into smaller, even-sized pieces.

• Try processing smaller amounts of food per batch.

Food is chopped too fine or is watery.

• The food has been overprocessed. Use brief pulses,

Food collects on work bowl cover or sides of prep

• This is normal; turn machine off. When blade stops

Food catches on blade.

• You may be processing too much food. Carefully

®

Chopper/Grinder is intend-

®

Service Representative.

into place.

a time.

or process for a shorter time. Let blade stop com­pletely between pulses.

bowl.

rotating, remove cover and clean bowl and cover
with spatula.

remove blade. Remove food from blade with spatula
and start over again.

OPERATING TECHNIQUES

With the Cuisinart Elite Collection® Chopper/Grinder
you can chop, grind or purée a variety of foods. See
Operation/Technique Chart on the following pages.

5

Food Operation/Technique Comments/Notes

Anchovies Chop. Pulse to desired consistency. Drain first. Cut in half.

Baking chocolate/chocolate
chunks/chips

Bread for crumbs Chop. Pulse to break up, then process continuously

Butter Chop. Process continuously. Cut into ½-inch pieces. Best at room temperature. Process up to ¾ cup at a time. Add

Celery Chop. Pulse to desired size. Cut into ½-inch long pieces.

Cheese – hard (Parmesan,
Asiago, Romano, etc.)

Cheese – soft
(cream cheese, etc.)

Chocolate Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency. Or

Cinnamon sticks, nutmeg,
other hard spices

Citrus zest Chop. Pulse to break up, then process continuously

Cookies, graham crackers
for crumbs, hard Amaretti or
macaroons

Fruits, cooked; fresh or
frozen thawed berries

Garlic Chop. Pulse to chop roughly, then process

Chop. Pulse to break up, then process continuously
until desired chop size is achieved.

until desired crumb size is reached.

Chop. Pulse 10 times, then process continuously
until desired consistency.

Chop. Pulse to break up, then process continuously
to “cream.”

Grind. Pulse first then process continuously until
desired consistency.

Grind. Pulse to break up, about 5 times, then
process continuously until finely chopped.

until finely chopped.

Chop. Pulse 5 times to break up, then process
continuously until finely chopped.

Chop. Pulse to break up, then process continuously
until desired consistency.

continuously for fine chop.

Process no more than 1½ ounces at a time. For best results, chill chocolate for 3–5
minutes in freezer before chopping. Cut baking chocolate squares into 1/2-inch pieces
to chop.

Use day-old, hard bread for dry crumbs; fresh bread for moist crumbs. Cut or break into
pieces no larger than 1 inch. For buttered crumbs, add 1 teaspoon of butter per slice
after crumbs have started to form, and process to combine and coat.

freshly chopped citrus zest, garlic, herbs or shallots to create compound butters.

Remove and discard rind or reserve for another use. Cut into ½-inch pieces. If possible,
remove from refrigerator 20–30 minutes before processing. Process up to 4 ounces at
a time.

Best at room temperature. Cut into 2-inch pieces. Process up to 12 ounces at a time.

Cut chocolate into 1-inch pieces. Process up to 1-1½ ounces at a time.

Break uo to 2 cinnamon sticks into 1-inch pieces. Up to ¼ cup of all other spices can
be processed. Hard spices may cause scratches on the work bowl and cover.*

Use vegetable peeler to remove zest (color only) from citrus; scrape off any white with
sharp knife. Cut strips in half. Adding a small amount of sugar or salt will help achieve a
finer texture.

Hard cookies only. Break up into 1-inch or smaller pieces. For buttered crumbs, add 1
teaspoon of butter per graham cracker sheet or for every 3 cookies.

Cooked fruits may be processed to make baby foods or purées; liquid may be added
for consistency. To process fresh or frozen (thawed) berries for sauce, pulse to chop,
then process until puréed (sugar may be added to taste). Fill work bowl up to  of the
way full.

Peel garlic cloves first. Scrape work bowl sides and bottom as needed.

*Surface scratches that may occur will not impair the function of the Cuisinart Elite Collection® Chopper/Grinder. You may want to consider purchasing a second work bowl specifically for these tasks.

6

Food Operation/Technique Comments/Notes

Gingerroot, fresh Chop. Pulse to break up, then process continuously

to reach desired consistency.

Green onions, scallions Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency. Trim and cut into ¾

Herbs, fresh Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency. Rinse and dry completely. Remove leaves from stems to chop.

Horseradish Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency. Peel first. Cut into ½-inch pieces. Process up to 4 ounces

Leeks Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency. Trim off root end and tough outer skin. Wash thoroughly to remove sand and grit; dry

Meats Chop. Pulse to chop, or process continuously

to purée (add liquid as needed).

Mushrooms Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency. Choose firm, fresh mushrooms. Cut into quarters or even-size pieces, no larger than

Nuts Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency. Or

Grind. Pulse first then process continuously until
desired consistency.

Olives Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency. Use only pitted olives. Drain well for best results.

Onions Chop. Pulse 5–10 times to chop to desired size. Peel; cut into ¾-inch or smaller pieces of similar size.

Peppercorns Grind. Pulse first, then process continuously until

desired consistency.

Peppers, fresh Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency. Core, seed and cut into ½-inch pieces. Do not overprocess.

Seeds, dried berries Grind. Pulse to break up, then process continuously

Shallots Chop. Pulse 5–10 times to chop to desired

Vegetables, cooked Chop. Pulse 5–10 times to chop, then process

to desired consistency.

consistency.

continuously until desired consistency is reached.

Peel first; cut into ½-inch pieces or slices. Scrape work bowl sides and bottom as
needed. Process up to 4 ounces at a time.

-inch pieces.

at a time.

completely. Cut into ½-inch pieces.

Uncooked meats should be cold, but not frozen; cut up to 8 ounces into ½-inch pieces,
trimmed of gristle and soft fat; some hard fat may remain. Cooked meats can be cold
or warm; cut up to 8 ounces into ½-inch pieces. Add liquid (water, broth or from cook­ing) as needed to process to purée consistency.

¾ inch.

Toast nuts first for maximum flavor. Allow to cool completely before chopping. Process
up to 1 cup at a time.

Combine peppercorns with dried herbs or spices or coarse salt to create rubs and sea­sonings. Hard peppercorns may scratch work bowl and cover.*

Coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, sesame, poppy, and juniper berries.

Peel first; cut into quarters, or pieces no larger than ¾-inch.

Cook vegetables until tender. Process to a smooth purée for baby food or sauces; may
need to add liquid for consistency. Fill work bowl up to  of the way full.

*Surface scratches that may occur will not impair the function of the Cuisinart Elite Collection® Chopper/Grinder. You may want to consider purchasing a second work bowl specifically for these tasks.

7

RECIPES

GUACAMOLE

This popular Mexican specialty is delicious with chips and veg-

etable crudités, or as a topping for grilled chicken or fish.

Makes about 2 cups

2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 green onions, trimmed and
cut into ½-inch pieces
1½ jalapeño peppers, cored, seeded and
cut into ½-inch pieces
3 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

(juice of 1½ medium limes)
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes

Place the garlic, green onions and jalapeño peppers in the
work bowl. Pulse on Chop 10 times; scrape the bottom
and sides of the work bowl. Add the avocados, lime juice,
cumin, coriander and salt. Pulse on Chop 10 times, then
process on Chop continuously for 15 seconds; scrape the
work bowl. Process on Chop for another 15 to 20 seconds
until smooth and creamy.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Stir in chopped tomatoes
before serving.

Nutritional information per serving (3 tablespoons):

Calories 90 (71% from fat) • carb. 6g • pro. 1g • fat 8g

• sat. fat 1g • chol. 0mg • sod. 180mg

• calc. 14mg • fiber 4g

TAPENADE

A favorite from the Provençal region of France.

Makes about 1½ cups

2 garlic cloves, peeled
1½ anchovy fillets
1½ cups pitted niçoise or other imported

black olives
¼ cup drained and rinsed capers
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
(from ½ medium lemon)
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence or thyme
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Chop the garlic for 5 seconds; scrape the work bowl. Add
the anchovies, olives and capers; pulse 10 times on Chop.
Scrape the work bowl. Add the mustard, lemon juice, her­bes and pepper. Process for 15 seconds on Chop; scrape
the work bowl. Process for an additional 15 seconds;
scrape the work bowl again then add the olive oil. Process
until a thick paste forms, about 20 to 30 seconds.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to
a week.

Nutritional information per serving (2 tablespoons):

Calories 80 (88% from fat) • carb. 2g • pro. 1g • fat 9g

• sat. fat 1g • chol. 0mg • sod. 280mg

• calc. 27mg • fiber 1g

HUMMUS

Add a roasted red pepper and 1 teaspoon of

herbes de Provence for a variation.

Makes about 2 cups

¹⁄³ cup loosely packed Italian parsley leaves
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 can (19 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons tahini*
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

to taste

Chop the parsley for 5 seconds; remove and reserve. With
machine running, drop garlic through feed tube. Process
until finely chopped, about 5 seconds. Add chickpeas, tahi­ni, lemon juice, water, cumin and reserved parsley to work
bowl; process until smooth, 1½ to 2 minutes, stopping to
scrape work bowl as needed one or two times. With the
machine running, add the olive oil in a steady stream and
process until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly
ground pepper.

*Tahini is a sesame seed paste available in most grocery
stores.

Nutritional information per serving (2 tablespoons):

Calories 80 (56% from fat) • carb. 6g • pro. 2g • fat 5g

• sat. fat 1g • chol. 0mg • sod. 60mg

• calc. 21mg • fiber 2g

8