CUISINART ECH4PE User Manual [fr]

INSTRUCTION
& RECIPE BOOKLET

Cuisinart® Elemental™ Series 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder

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

ECH-4 Series

IMPORTANT UNPACKING
INSTRUCTIONS

This package contains a Cuisinart® Elemental™

4-Cup Chopper/Grinder and the standard

Series
parts for it: SmartPower
blade with BladeLock System, spatula, and instruc­tion/recipe 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.
Be sure the box is right side up.

2. Lift and remove the cardboard lid from the work
bowl cover.

3. Grasping the work bowl handle, lift the unit up and out
of the box and place on the tabletop.

4. Turn the work bowl clockwise to unlock it from the unit
base. Lift up and remove.

5. CAREFULLY REMOVE THE METAL BLADE BY
GRASPING THE CENTER WHITE HUB AND
LIFTING IT STRAIGHT UP. NEVER TOUCH THE
BLADE, AS IT IS RAZOR SHARP.

6. Read the instructions thoroughly before using the
machine.

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

®

metal chopping/grinding

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 Chart ................................6

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

Warranty ............................................................10

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

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

5. Avoid contact with moving parts.

6. Do not operate any appliance with a damaged cord

motor base in water or other liquids.

is used by or near children or individuals with certain
disabilities.

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.

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

2

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, including the stove.

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

appliance 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.

SAVE THESE

S

)

Motor B

Work B

with Ha

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® Elemental™
Series 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder! It handles a variety
of food preparation tasks, such as chopping,
grinding, puréeing, emulsifying, and blending.
The patented SmartPower
features an 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
Grinder. Enjoy!

Elemental™ Series 4-Cup Chopper/

®

auto-reversing blade

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

1. With the base unit on the tabletop, place
the work bowl firmly on the motor base. 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 razor sharp.

4. Add food ingredients.

5. Place the cover on the work bowl with the small
tab to the left of the work bowl handle.

6. Turn cover counterclockwise (toward handle) to
securely lock.

7. Plug unit into wall socket.

8. You are ready to Chop/Grind.

SmartPower

Spatula (not shown)

patula (not shown

Cuisinart®

with BladeLock

Work Bowl

with Handle

Motor Base

®

Blade

System

Cover

4-Cup

4

3

TIPS FOR PROCESSING FOOD
Preparing the Food

Size

Always cut large pieces of food into smaller pieces of
even size – about ½ to ¾ inch (12mm) or as specified in
the Operating Techniques Chart 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 work bowl. Use the quantities

given in the chart 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

Elemental™ Series 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder

during operation.

Selecting the Right Operating Control

Use the Chop function for chopping, puréeing and
mixing. It is the right choice, for example, for chopping
soft, delicate foods 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 foods 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

™

Elemental

Series 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder for several

®

seconds with some foods 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

Elemental™ Series 4-Cup
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 grains and spices.
This does not affect the performance of the Cuisinart

™

Elemental

Series 4-Cup 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 Consumer 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. Pour
the liquid through 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 razor sharp.

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® Elemental™ Series 4-Cup Chopper/

Grinder. Turn bowl counterclockwise to lock in place.

2. Insert the SmartPower

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 RAZOR SHARP.

3. Place food in the assembled work bowl. Be sure

the food is cut into even, 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.

9. To remove liquids and sauces from bowl:

Simply pour ingredients out of work bowl. Our

convenient BladeLock System keeps blade safely in
place.

10. To remove thicker ingredients from bowl:

Carefully remove the SmartPower

the stem on the top and gently pulling up to
disengage blade lock. Remove food with spatula.
You can also remove ingredients while the bowl is
still on the base.

®

Blade. Carefully pick up the

®

Blade by holding

4

NOTE: HANDLE WITH CARE – THE BLADE IS

RAZOR SHARP.

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

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

Never operate the
Chopper/Grinder without ingredients in the work bowl.

Cuisinart® Elemental

™

Series 4-Cup

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, 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 and cover 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 liquids.

The Cuisinart
Grinder stores neatly on the countertop. 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 assembled
to prevent loss of parts. Store the blade as you would
sharp knives – out of the reach of children.

The
Grinder is intended for HOUSEHOLD USE ONLY.

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

®

Elemental™ Series 4-Cup Chopper/

Cuisinart® Elemental™ Series 4-Cup Chopper/

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
into place.

• Be sure to press only one operation control button at
a time.

• This appliance comes with a resettable protection
device to prevent damage to the motor in the case of
extreme overload. Should unit shut off unexpectedly,
unplug it and let it cool for at least 15 minutes before
continuing.

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

Food collects on work bowl cover or sides of prep

bowl.

• This is normal; turn machine off. When blade stops
rotating, remove cover and clean bowl and cover
with spatula.

Food catches on blade.

• You may be processing too much food. Carefully
remove blade. Remove food from blade with spatula
and start over again.

5

OPERATING TECHNIQUES CHART

With the Cuisinart® Elemental™ Series 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder you can chop, grind or purée a variety of foods. As a rule of thumb, most foods
should not reach more than 2⁄3 of the way up the work bowl.

Food Operation/Technique Comments/Notes

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

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

Butter Alternate pulsing between Chop and Grind and then

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 break up, then process continuously

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

*Surface scratches that may occur will not impair the function of the Cuisinart® Elemental™ Series 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder. You may want to consider purchasing a second work bowl specifically for these tasks.

until desired crumb size is reached.

run continuously on Chop.

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

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

until desired chop size is achieved.

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.

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 melted butter per
slice after crumbs have started to form, and process to combine and coat.

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

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 ½-inch pieces to
chop.

Break up 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 melted 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.

6

Food Operation/Technique Comments/Notes

Ginger root, 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 at a time.

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 desired consistency (add liquid as needed to
process to puréed consistency).

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.

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 puréed 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® Elemental™ Series 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder. You may want to consider purchasing a second work bowl specifically for these tasks.

7

RECIPES

CHUNKY GUACAMOLE

Our fresh guacamole is perfect for the Sunday game or served

alongside quesadillas for a festive dinner.

Makes about 11/3 cups

1 small garlic clove, peeled
½ jalapeño, seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 green onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves, stems

discarded
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¾ teaspoon kosher salt

TAPENADE

This spread goes great with fresh, crusty bread. Spread on

sandwiches or even bake a thin layer onto salmon or chicken.

Makes about 11/3 cups

1 garlic clove, peeled
3 tablespoons packed fresh parsley leaves
1½ cups pitted black olives, such as Kalamata or
Niçoise
1½ cups pitted green olives
¼ cup capers, drained and rinsed
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

HUMMUS

Serve this brightly flavored dip with warm pita

Makes about 12/3 cups

1 garlic clove
1 can (15.5 ounces ) chickpeas, rinsed and

drained

1

/3 cup tahini

1

/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ to ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Extra virgin olive oil, for finishing
Pinch za’atar (optional), for finishing

for a satisfying snack.

1. Put the garlic, jalapeño, green onion and cilantro in
the work bowl. Pulse on Chop to roughly but evenly chop,
about 8 to 10 pulses.

2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Scoop out the
flesh of the avocados, in pieces, and put directly into the
work bowl; add the lime juice and salt. Alternate pulsing
between Chop and Grind and then run on Chop
continuously to achieve desired consistency.

Nutritional information per serving (1/3 cup):

Calories 118 (74% from fat) • carb. 7g • pro. 1g • fat 10g

sat. fat 1g • chol. 0mg • sod. 434mg • calc. 13mg • fiber 5g

Put all ingredients in the work bowl. Pulse on Chop to
evenly chop the ingredients, and then run on Chop
continuously until desired consistency is achieved.

Nutritional information per serving (2 tablespoons):

Calories 51 (82% from fat) • carb. 2g • pro. 0g • fat 5g

sat. fat 1g • chol. 0mg • sod. 266mg • calc. 24mg • fiber 1g

8

1. Put the garIic in the work bowl. Run on Chop continu­ously to finely chop. Add remaining ingredients to the
work bowl. Pulse on Chop to start processing ingredients.
Continue pulsing to process until smooth and creamy.

2. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. To serve, drizzle
with olive oil and sprinkle with za’atar (if using).

Nutritional information per serving (2 tablespoons):

Calories 78 (40% from fat) • carb. 9g • pro. 3g • fat 4g

• sat. fat 0g • chol. 0mg • sod. 154mg • calc. 39mg

• fiber 3g