LG MH6042D, MH6042DS, MH6042U, MS2042U, MS2042D Owner's Manual

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OWNER'S MANUAL

MICROWAVE OVEN WITH GRILL

PLEASE READ THIS OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY BEFORE OPERATING.

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ENGLISH

MAGYAR

БЪЛГАРСКИ

HRVATSKI

You cannot operate your oven with the door open due to the safety interlocks built into the door mechanism. These safety interlocks automatically switch off any cooking activity when the door is opened; which in the case of a microwave oven could result in harmful exposure to microwave energy.

It is important not to tamper with the safety interlocks.

Do not place any object between the oven front face and the door or allow food or cleaner residue to accumulate on sealing surfaces.

Do not operate your oven if it is damaged. It is particularly important that the oven door closes properly and that there is no damage to the: (1) door(bent), (2) hinges and latches (broken or loosened), (3) door seals and sealing surfaces.

Your oven should not be adjusted or repaired by anyone except qualified service personnel.

Warning

Precautions to avoid possible exposure to excessive microwave energy.

Precautions

When heating liquids, e.g. soups, sauces and beverages in your microwave oven, delayed eruptive boiling can occur without evidence of bubbling. This could result in a sudden boil over of the hot liquid. To prevent this possibility the following steps should be taken:

1 Avoid using straight sided containers with narrow necks. 2 Do not overheat. 3 Stir the liquid before placing the container in the oven and again halfway

through the heating time.

4 After heating, allow to stand in the oven for a short time, stir or shake

them(especially the contents of feeding bottles and baby food jars) again carefully and check the temperature of them before consumption to avoid burns (especially, contents of feeding bottles and baby food jars). Be careful when handling the container.

Warning

Always allow food to stand after being cooked by

microwaves and check the temperature of them

before consumption. Especially contents of feeding

bottles and baby food jars.

Please ensure cooking times are correctly set as

over cooking may result in the FOOD catching fire

and subsequent damage to your oven.

How the Microwave Oven Works

Microwaves are a form of energy similar to radio and television waves and ordinary daylight. Normally, microwaves spread outwards as they travel through the atmosphere and disappear without effect. Microwave ovens, however, have a magnetron which is designed to make use of the energy in microwaves. Electricity, supplied to the magnetron tube, is used to created microwave energy.

These microwaves enter the cooking area through openings inside the oven. A turntable or tray is located at the bottom of the oven. Microwaves cannot pass through metal walls of the oven, but they can penetrate such materials as glass, porcelain and paper, the materials out of which microwave-safe cooking dishes are constructed.

Microwaves do not heat cookware, though cooking vessels will eventually get hot from the heat generated by the food.

A very safe appliance

Contents

Your microwave oven is one of the safest of all home

appliances. When the door is opened, the oven

automatically stops producing microwaves. Microwave

energy is converted completely to heat when it enters

food, leaving no “left over” energy to harm you when

you eat your food.

Precautions Contents

Unpacking & Installing Setting the Clock Child lock Micro Power Cooking Micro Power Level Two Stage Cooking Quick Start

(QHUJ\6DYLQJ

Grill Cooking

Combination Cooking

Auto Cook Auto Defrost Quick Defrost

More or Less Cooking

Important safety instructions

Microwave - safe Utensils Food characteristics & Microwave cooking Questions & Answers Technical Specifications

2 3 4 ~ 8 9 ~ 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 ~ 21 22 ~ 23 24 ~ 25 26 27 28 ~ 29 30 31

1.D

o not attempt to tamper with, or make any adjustments or repairs to the door, door seals, control panel, safety interlock switches or any other part of the oven which would involve the removal of any cover protecting against exposure to of the microwave oven are faulty. Repairs should only be undertaken by a qualified service technician.

Unlike other appliances, the microwave oven is a high-voltage and a highelectrical-current piece of equipment. Improper use or repair could result in harmful exposure to excessive microwave energy or in electric shock.

2.D

o not use the oven for the purpose of dehumidification. (ex. Operating the microwave oven with wet newspapers, clothes, toys, electric devices, pet or child etc.)

It can be the cause of serious damage to safety such as a fire, a burn or a sudden death due to an electric shock.

Improper use may cause damage such as a fire, electric shock or burn.

4.A

ccessible parts may become hot during use. Young children should be

kept away.

They may get a burn.

5.L

iquids or other foods must not be heated in sealed containers since they are liable to explode. Remove the plastic wrapping from food before cooking or defrosting. Note though that in some cases food should be covered with plastic film, for heating or cooking.

They could burst.

6.B

e certain to use proper accessories on each operation mode.

Improper use could result in damage to your oven and accessories, or could make spark and a fire.

7.T

he children should not allow to play with accessories or hang down from the door handle.

They may get hurt.

This is the safety alert symbol. This symbol alerts you to potential hazards that can kill or hurt you and others. All safety messages will follow the safety alert symbol and either the word “WARNING” or “CAUTION”. These word means :

This symbol will alert you to hazards or unsafe practices which could cause serious bodily harm or death.

This symbol will alert you to hazards or unsafe practices which could cause bodily injury or property damage.

WARNING

CAUTION

T his appliance can be used by children aged from 8 years and above

and persons with reduced physical, sensory or mental capabilities or lack of experience and knowledge if they have been given supervision or instruction concerning use of the appliance in a safe way and understand the hazards involved.

Important Safety

Instructions

Please keep for future reference. Read and follow all instructions before using your oven toprevent the risk of ﬁre, electric shock, personal injury, or damage when using the oven. This guide does not cover all possible conditions that may occur. Always contact yourservice agent or manufacturer about problems that you do not understand.

WARNING

CAUTION

8. If the door or door seals are damaged, the oven must not be operated

until it has been repaired by a competent person.

9. It is hazardous for anyone other than a competent person to carry out

any service or repair operation that involves the removal of a cover which gives protection against exposure to microwave energy.

10. When the appliance is operated in the combination mode, children

should only use the oven under adult supervision due to the temperatures generated.

1. You cannot operate your oven with the door open due to the safety

interlocks built into the door mechanism. It is important not to tamper with the safety interlocks.

It could result in harmful exposure to excessive microwave energy. (Safety

interlocks automatically switch off any cooking activity when the door is opened.)

2. Do not place any object (such as kitchen towels, napkins, etc.) between

the oven front face and the door or allow food or cleaner residue to accumulate on sealing surfaces.

It could result in harmful exposure to excessive microwave energy.

3. Do not operate your oven if it is damaged. It is particularly important

that the oven door closes properly and that there is no damage to the: (1) door(bent), (2) hinges and latches (broken or loosened), (3) door seals and sealing surfaces.

It could result in harmful exposure to excessive microwave energy.

4. Please ensure cooking times are correctly set, Small amounts of food

require shorter cooking or heating time.

Over cooking may result in the food catching on ﬁre and subsequent

damage to your oven.

5. When heating liquids, e.g. soups, sauces and beverages in your

microwave oven, * Avoid using straight sided containers with narrow necks. * Do not overheat. * Stir the liquid before placing the container in the oven and again halfway through the heating time. * After heating, let it stand in the oven for a short time; stir or shake it

again carefully and check the temperature of it before consuming to avoid burns (especially, contents of feeding bottles and baby food jars).

6. An exhaust outlet is located on the top, bottom or side of the oven.

Don’t block the outlet.

It could result in damage to your oven and poor cooking results.

7. Do not operate the oven when empty. It is best to leave a glass of water

in the oven when not in use. The water will safely absorb all microwave energy, if the oven is accidentally started.

Improper use could result in damage to your oven.

Microwave heating of beverages can result in delayed eruptive boiling, therefore care has to be taken when handling the container.

Important Safety

Instructions

CAUTION

8. Do not cook food wrapped in paper towels, unless your cook book

contains instructions for the food you are cooking. And do not use newspaper in place of paper towels for cooking.

Improper use can cause an explosion or a ﬁre.

o not use wooden containers and ceramic containers that have metallic (e.g. gold or silver) inlays. Always remove metal twist ties. Check that the utensils are suitable for use in microwave ovens before use. Metallic containers for food and beverages are not allowed during microwave cooking.

They may heat-up and char. Metal objects in particular may arc in the

oven, which can cause serious damage.

10. Do not use recycled paper products.

They may contain impurities which may cause sparks and/or ﬁres when

used in cooking.

11. D o not rinse the tray and rack by placing it in water just after

cooking. This may cause breakage or damage.

Improper use could result in damage to your oven.

12. B e certain to place the oven so the front of the door is 8 cm or

more behind the edge of the surface on which it is placed, to avoid accidental tipping of the appliance.

Improper use could result in bodily injury and oven damage.

13. B efore cooking, pierce the skin of potatoes, apples or any such fruit or

vegetable.

They could burst.

14. Do not cook eggs in their shell. Eggs in their shell and whole

hardboiled eggs should not be heated in microwave ovens since they may explode, even after microwave heating has ended.

Pressure will build up inside the egg which will burst.

15. Do not attempt deep fat frying in your oven.

This could result in a sudden boil over of the hot liquid.

16. I f smoke is observed (or emitted), switch off or unplug the appliance

and keep the door closed in order to stifle any flame.

It can cause serious damage such as a ﬁre or electric shock.

17. When food is heated or cooked in disposable containers made of

plastic, paper or other combustible materials, keep an eye on the oven and check it frequently.

Your food may be poured due to the possibility of container

deterioration, which also can cause a ﬁre.

18. The temperature of accessible surfaces may be high when the

appliance is operating. Do not touch the oven door, outer cabinet, rear cabinet, oven cavity, accessories and dishes during grill mode, convection mode and auto cook operations, before clearing make sure they are not hot.

As they will become hot, there is the danger of a burn unless wearing

thick culinary gloves .

19.

The oven should be cleaned regularly and any food deposits should

be removed. Failure to maintain the oven in a clean condition could lead to

deterioration of the surface that could adversely affect the life of the appliance and possibly result in a hazardous situation.

Important Safety

Instructions

CAUTION

20. Only use the temperature probe recommended for this oven.

You can not ascertain that the temperature is accurate with an unsuitable

temperature probe.

21. Follow exact directions given by each manufacturer for their popcorn

product. Do not leave the oven unattended while the corn is being popped. If corn fails to pop after the suggested times, discontinue cooking. Never use a brown paper bag for popping corn. Never attempt to pop leftover kernels.

Overcooking could result in the corn catching a ﬁre.

22. This appliance must be earthed.

The wires in the mains lead are colored in accordance with the following codes BLUE ~ Neutral BROWN ~ Live GREEN & YELLOW ~ Earth

As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this appliance may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals in your plug proceed as follows:

The wire which is colored BLUE must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter N or Colored BLACK. The wire which is colored BROWN must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter L or colored RED. The wire which is colored GREEN & YELLOW or GREEN must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the letter E or

If the supply cord is damaged, it must be replaced by the manufacturer, a service agent or a similarly qualiﬁed person in order to avoid potential hazards.

Improper use may cause serious electric damage.

23. This oven should not be used for commercial catering purposes.

Improper use could result in damage to your oven.

2.

T he connection may be achieved by having the plug accessible or

by incorporating a switch in the ﬁxed wiring in accordance with the wiring rules.

Using improper plug or switch can cause an electric shock or a ﬁre.

2. C hildren shall not play with the appliance. Cleaning and user maintenance

shall not be made by children without supervision.

2. The devices are not intended to be operated by an external timer or

by a separate control.

2. Only use utensils that are suitable for use in microwave ovens. 2.This microwave oven must not be placed in a cabinet. .

This microwave oven is intended to be used freestanding.

3. Keep the appliance and its cord out of reach of children less than 8

years.

3. The door or the outer surface may get hot when the appliance is

operating.

Important Safety

Instructions

CAUTION

32. This appliance is intended to be used in household and similar

applications such as

- staff kitchen areas in shops, offices and other working environments

- farm houses

- by clients in hotels, motels and other residential environments

- bed and breakfast type environments

33. T

he microwave oven is intended for heating food and beverages.

Drying of food or clothing and heating of warming pads, slippers, sponges, damp cloth and similar may lead to risk of injury, ignition or fire.

34. T

he contents of feeding bottles and baby food jars are to be stirred or shaken and the temperature is to be checked before consumption, in order to avoid burns.

35. A

ccording to the installation requirements set, otherwise the impact of

heat, prone to danger.

Important Safety

Instructions

Place the oven in the level location of your choice with

more than 85cm height but make sure there is at least 30cm of space on the top and 10cm at the rear for proper ventilation. The front of the oven should be at least 8cm from the edge of the surface to prevent tipping. An exhaust outlet is located on top or side of the oven. Blocking the outlet can damage the oven.

Unpack your oven and place it on a flat level surface.

By following the basic steps on these two pages you will be able to quickly check that your oven is operating correctly. Please pay particular attention to the guidance on where to install your oven. When unpacking your oven make sure you remove all accessories and packing. Check to make sure that your oven has not been damaged during delivery.

THIS OVEN SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR COMMERCIAL CATERING PURPOSES

ROLLER REST

Unpacking &

Installing

GLASS TRAY

HIG H RACK

Open your oven door by pulling the DOOR HANDLE. Place the ROLLER REST inside the oven and place the GLASS TRAY on top.

Plug your oven into a standard household socket.

Make sure your oven is the only appliance

connected to the socket. If your oven does not operate

properly, unplug it from the electrical socket and then plug it back in.

MINU TOS

Seconds

The DISPLAY will count down from 30 seconds

When it reaches 0, BEEP sounds. Open the oven door and test the temperature of the water. If your oven is operating the water should be warm. Be careful

when removing the container it may be hot.

YOUR OVEN IS NOW INSTALLED

Fill a microwave safe container with

300 ml (1/2 pint) of water. Place on the GLASS TRAY and close the oven door. If you have any doubts about what type of container to use please refer to page .

Press the START

button once

to set

30 seconds

of cooking time.

27.

Setting the

Clock

You can set either12 hour clock or 24 hour clock. In the following example I will show you how to set the time for 14:35 when using the 24 clock. Make sure that you have removed all packaging from your oven.

When your oven is plugged in for the first time or when power resumes after a power cut, a ‘0’ will be shown in the display; you will have to reset the clock.

If the clock (or display) shows any strange looking symbols, unplug your oven from the electrical socket and plug it back in and reset the clock.

Make sure that you have correctly installed your oven as described earlier in this book.

Press STOP/CLEAR.

Press CLOCK once.

(If you want to use a 12 hour clock, Press CLOCK once more. If you want to change different option after setting clock, you have to unplug and plug it back in.)

Press 10 MIN fifteen times. Press 1 MIN three times. Press 10 SEC five times.

Press CLOCK to set the time.

The clock starts counting.

Child

Lock

Press and hold STOP/CLEAR until “L” appears on the display and BEEP sounds. The CHILD LOCK is now set.

The time will disappear on the display if you have set the clock.

“L” remains on the display to let you know that CHILD LOCK is set.

To cancel CHILD LOCK press and hold STOP/CLEAR until “L” disappears. You will hear BEEP when it’s released.

Your oven has a safety feature that prevents accidental running of the oven. Once the child lock is set, you will be unable to use any functions and no cooking can take place. However your child can still open the oven door.

Press STOP/CLEAR.

Micro Power

Cooking

Make sure that you have correctly installed your oven as described earlier in this book.

Press STOP/CLEAR.

Press START.

In the following example I will show you how to cook some food on 80% power for 5 minutes and 30 seconds.

Your oven has five microwave Power settings.

POWER HIGH

MAX M

EDIUM

HIGH MEDIUM

MEDIUM LOW L

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

Power Output

Press MICRO twice to select power. “ ” appears on the display.

Press 1 MIN five times. Press 10 SEC three times.

700W

560W

420W

280W

140W

560

Micro Power

Level

Your microwave oven is equipped with 5 power levels to give you maximum flexibility and control over cooking. The table below shows the examples of food and their recommended cooking power levels for use with this

microwave oven.

POWER LEVEL

(%)

HIGH * Boil Water

* Brown minced beef * Cook poultry pieces, fish, vegetables * Cook tender cuts of meat

MEDIUM HIGH * All reheating

* Roast meat and poultry * Cook mushrooms and shellfish * Cook foods containing cheese and eggs

MEDIUM * Bake cakes and scones

* Prepare eggs * Cook custard * Prepare rice, soup

* All thawing

MEDIUM LOW

* Melt butter and chocolate * Cook less tender cuts of meat

LOW * Soften butter & cheese

* Soften ice cream * Raise yeast dough

USE

POW ER OUTPUT

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

700W

560W

420W

280W

140W

Two stage

Cooking

Press STOP/CLEAR.

Set the power and the cooking time for stage1.

Press MICRO once to select HIGH power.

Press 10 MIN once. Press 1 MIN once.

Set the power and the cooking time for stage2.

Press MICRO four times to select power.

Press 10 MIN three times. Press 1 MIN five times.

Press START.

During two stage cooking the oven door can be opened and food checked. Close the oven door and press START and the cooking stage will continue.

At the end of stage1, BEEP sounds and stage 2 commences.

Should you wish to clear the programme press STOP/CLEAR twice.

In the following example I will show you how to cook some food in two stages. The first stages will cook your food for 11 minutes on HIGH; the second will cook for 35 minutes on

280

Quick

Start

In the following example I will show you how to set 2 minutes of cooking on high power.

Press STOP/CLEAR .

Press START four times to select 2 minutes on HIGH power. Your oven will start before you have finished the fourth press.

During QUICK START cooking, you can extend the cooking time by repeatedly pressing the START button.

The QUICK START feature allows you to set 30 seconds intervals of HIGH power cooking with a touch of the START button.

Energy

Saving

Press STOP /CLEAR(ECO ON). “0” appears on the display.

ECO ON feature saves energy by turning off the display. The display will also turn off when the unit is not active for 5 minutes.

Press STOP /CLEAR(ECO ON).

Press any key to turn the display back on.

Grill

Cooking

Press STOP/CLEAR.

This feature will allow you to brown and crisp food quickly.

In the following example I will show you how to use the grill to cook some food for 12 minutes and 30 seconds.

Press START.

Press GRILL.

Set the cooking time.

Press 10 MIN once. Press 1 MIN twice. Press 10 SEC three times.

Press STOP/CLEAR .

Your oven has a combination cooking feature which allows you to cook food with heater and microwave at the same time or alternately. This generally means it takes less time to cook your food.

The sheath heater grills the surface of the food while microwave heats inside. Moreover, preheating your oven is not necessary.

Combination Cooking Mode

CATEGORY MICRO POWER (%) HEATER POWER (%)

Co-1 20 80 Co-2 40 60 Co-3 60 40

Press START.

Be careful when removing your food because the container will be hot!

In the following example I will show you how to programme your oven with combi mode Co-3 for a cooking time of 25 minutes.

Combination

Cooking

Set the cooking time. Press 10 MIN two times. Press 1 MIN five times.

Press Combi three times. “Co-3” appears on the display.

AUTO COOK allows you to cook most of your favorite food easily by selecting the food type and entering the weight of the food.

In the following example I will show you how to cook 0.6kg of fresh vegetable.

Press STOP/CLEAR .

Press AUTO COOK twice to select Fresh vegetable.

Auto

Cook

Press

Category

MEAT

POULTRY

FISH

BREAD

Press

DEFROST

time

times

Enter the weight of the frozen food that you are about to defrost.

Press START.

During defrosting your oven will “BEEP”, at which point open the oven door, turn food over and separate to ensure even thawing. Remove any portions that have thawed or shield them to help slow down thawing. After checking close the oven door and press START to resume defrosting.

Your oven will not stop defrosting (even when the beep sounded) unless the door is opened.

Press AUTO DEFROST twice to select the POULTRY defrosting programme.

Press STOP/CLEAR. Weight the food that you are about to defrost. Be certain to remove any metallic ties or wraps; then place the food in your oven and close the oven door.

Press MORE fourteen times to enter “1.4Kg”.

AUTO W EIG HT DEFROST G UIDE

* Food to be defrosted should be in a suitable microwave proof container and place uncovered on the gla ss turntable. * If necessary, shield small a reas of meat or poultry with flat pieces of a luminum foil. This will prevent thin areas becoming warm during defrosting. Ensure the

foil does not touch the oven wa lls.

* Separate items like minced meat, chops, sausages a nd bacon as soon as possible.

W hen BEEP, a t this piont remove the food fromthe microwave oven, turn the food over and return to the microwave oven. Press start to continue. At the end of the program, remove the food from the microwave oven, cover with foil a nd allow to stand until completely tha wed.

To tha w completely, for example joints of meat a nd whole chickens should STAN D for a minimum of 1 hour before cooking.

Category Weight Limit Utensil Food

0.1

~ 4.0 kg

Microwave ware

(Flat plate)

Meat Minced beef, Fillet steak, Cubes for stew, Sirloin steak, Pot roast, Rump roast, Beef burger Pork chops, Lamp chops, Rolled roast, Sausage, Cutlets(.2cm)

Turn food over at beep.

After defrosting, let stand for 5-15 minutes.

Poultry Whole chicken, Legs, Breasts, Turkey breasts(under 2.0kg)

Turn food over at beep.

After defrosting, let stand for 20-30 minutes.

Fish Fillets, Steaks, Whole fish, Sea foods

Turn food over at beep.

After defrosting, let stand for 10-20 minutes.

Meat

Poultry

Fish

0.1 ~ 0.5 kg

Paper towel

or flat plate

Sliced bread, Buns, Baguette, etc.

Bread

Separate slices and place between paper towel or flat plate. Turn food over at beep. After defrosting, let stand for 1-2 minutes.

(dEF1)

(dEF2)

(dEF3)

(dEF4)

Quick

Defrost

Use this function to thaw only 0.5kg of Minced meat very quickly. This will require a standing time to allow the center to thaw. In the following example will show you how to defrost

0.5kg of frozen minced meat.

Your oven has a microwave quick defrost setting (MEAT).

Press STOP/CLEAR. Weight the food that you are about to defrost. Be certain to remove any metallic ties or wraps; then place the food in your oven and close the oven door.

Press QUICK DEFROST. The oven will start automatically.

Your oven will not stop defrosting (even when the beep sounded) unless the door is opened.

UTENSIL INSTRUCTIONS

Minced meat

Microwave ware

Use this function to defrost quickly for minced meat.

Remove the meat completely from it's wrapping. Place the mince onto a microwave-safe plate. When BEEP, at this point remove the mince from the microwave

oven, turn the mince over and return to the microwave oven . Press start to continue. At the end of the program remove the mince from the microwave oven ,

cover with foil and allow to stand 5-15 minutes or until completely thawed.

Minced meat

AUTO W EIGHT DEFROST GUIDE

CATEGORY WEIGHT

0.5kg (Flat plate)

After defrosting, let stand for 5-15 minutes

Turn food over at beep

More or Less

Cooking

In the following example I will show you how to change the preset AUTO COOK programmes for a longer or shorter cooking time.

Press STOP/CLEAR.

Set the required AUTO COOK programme. (Select weight of food.)

Press START.

Press MORE( ). The cooking time will increase by 10 seconds for each press of the key.

Press LESS( ). The cooking time will decrease by 10 seconds for each press of the key.

If you find that your food is over or undercooked when using the AUTO COOK or AUTO REHEAT programme, you can increase or decrease cooking time by pressing the

key.

When cooking without Auto function you can extend the cooking time at any point by pressing

key. There is no need to stop the cooking process.

Microwave-safe

Utensils

Never use metal or metal trimmed utensils in your microwave oven

Microwaves cannot penetrate metal. They will bounce off any metal object in the oven and cause arcing, an alarming phenomenon that resembles lightning. Most heat resistant non metallic cooking utensils are safe for use in your microwave oven. However, some may contain materials that render them unsuitable as microwave cookware. If you have any doubts about a particular utensil, there’s a simple way to find out if it can be used in your microwave oven. Place the utensil in question next to a glass bowl filled with water in the microwave oven. Microwave at power HIGH for 1 minute. If the water heats up but the utensil remains cool to the touch, the utensil is microwave~safe. However, if the water does not change temperature but the utensil becomes warm, microwaves are being absorbed by the utensil and it is not safe for use in the microwave oven. You probably have many items on hand in your kitchen right now that can be used as cooking equipment in your microwave oven. Just read through the following checklist.

Dinner plates

Many kinds of dinner-ware are microwave-safe. If in doubt consult the manufacturer’s literature or perform the microwave test.

Glassware

Glassware that is heat-resistant is microwave-safe. This would include all brands of oven tempered glass cookware. However, do not use delicate glassware, such as tumblers or wine glasses, as these might shatter as the food warms.

Plastic storage containers

These can be used to hold foods that are to be quickly reheated. However, they should not be used to hold foods that will need considerable time in the oven as hot foods will eventually warp or melt plastic containers.

Paper

Paper plates and containers are convenient and safe to use in your microwave oven, provided that the cooking time is short and foods to be cooked are low in fat and moisture. Paper towels are also very useful for wrapping foods and for lining baking trays in which greasy foods such as bacon are cooked. In general, avoid coloured paper products as the colour may run. Some recycled paper products may contain impurities which could cause arcing or fires when used in the microwave oven.

Plastic cooking bags

Provided they are made specially for cooking, cooking bags are microwave safe. However, be sure to make a slit in the bag so that steam can escape. Never use ordinary plastic bags for cooking in your microwave oven, as they will melt and rupture.

Plastic microwave cookware

A variety of shapes and sizes of microwave cookware are available. For the most part, you can probably use items you already have on hand rather than investing in new kitchen equipment.

Pottery, stoneware and ceramic

Containers made of these materials are usually fine for use in your microwave oven, but they should be tested to be sure.

CAUTION

Some items with high lead or iron content are not suitable for cooking utensils. Utensils should be checked to ensure that they are suitable for use in microwave ovens.

Keeping an eye on things

The recipes in the book have been formulated with great care, but your success in preparing them depends on how much attention you pay to the food as it cooks. Always watch your food while it cooks. Your microwave oven is equipped with a light that turns on automatically when the oven is in operation so that you can see inside and check the progress of your food. Directions given in recipes to elevate, stir, and the like should be thought of as the minimum steps recommended. If the food seems to be cooking unevenly, simply make the necessary adjustments you think appropriate to correct the problem.

Factors affecting microwave cooking times

Many factors affect cooking times. The temperature of ingredients used in a recipe makes a big difference in cooking times. For example, a cake made with ice-cold butter, milk, and eggs will take considerably longer to bake than one made with ingredients that are at room temperature. All of the recipes in this book give a range of cooking times. In general, you will find that the food remains under-cooked at the lower end of the time range, and you may sometimes want to cook your food beyond the maximum time given, according to personal preference. The governing philosophy of this book is that it is best for a recipe to be conservative in giving cooking times. While overcooked food is ruined for good. Some of the recipes, particularly those for bread, cake, and custards, recommend that food be removed from the oven when they are slightly undercooked. This is not a mistake. When allowed to stand, usually covered, these foods will continue to cook outside of the oven as the heat trapped within the outer portions of the food gradually travels inward. If the food is left in the oven until it is cooked all the way through, the outer portions will become overcooked or even burnt. You will become increasingly skilful in estimating both cooking and standing times for various foods.

Density of food

Light, porous food such as cakes and breads cook more quickly than heavy, dense foods such as roasts and casseroles. You must take care when microwaving porous food that the outer edges do not become dry and brittle.

Height of food

The upper portion of tall food, particularly roasts, will cook more quickly than the lower portion. Therefore, it is wise to turn tall food during cooking, sometimes several times.

Moisture content of food

Since the heat generated from microwaves tends to evaporate moisture, relatively dry food such as roasts and some vegetables should either be sprinkled with water prior to cooking or covered to retain moisture.

Bone and fat content of food

Bones conduct heat and fat cooks more quickly than meat. Care must be taken when cooking bony or fatty cuts of meat that they do not cook unevenly and do not become overcooked.

Quantity of food

The number of microwaves in your oven remains constant regardless of how much food is being cooked. Therefore, the more food you place in the oven, the longer the cooking time. Remember to decrease cooking times by at least one third when halving a recipe.

Shape of food

Microwaves penetrate only about 2.cm into food, the interior portion of thick foods are cooked as the heat generated on the outside travels inward. Only the outer edge of food in cooked by microwave energy; the rest is cooked by conduction. The worst possible shape for a food that is to be microwaved is a thick square. The corners will burn long before the centre is even warm . Round thin foods and ring shaped foods cook successfully in the microwave.

Covering

A cover traps heat and steam which causes food to cook more quickly. Use a lid or microwave cling film with a corner folded back to prevent splitting.

Browning

Meats and poultry that are cooked fifteen minutes or longer will brown lightly in their own fat. Foods that are cooked for a shorter period of time may be brushed with a browning sauce such as worcestershire sauce, soy sauce or barbecue sauce to achieve an appetizing colour. Since relatively small amounts of browning sauces are added to food the original flavour of the recipe is not altered.

Covering with greaseproof paper

Greaseproofing effectively prevents spattering and helps food retain some heat. But because it makes a looser cover than a lid or clingfilm, it allows the food to dry out slightly.

Arranging and spacing

Individual foods such as baked potatoes, small cakes and hors d’oeuvres will heat more evenly if placed in the oven an equal distance apart, preferably in a circular pattern. Never stack foods on top of one another.

Food characteristics &

Microwave cooking

Food characteristics &

Microwave cooking

Stirring

Stirring is one of the most important of all microwaving techniques. In conventional cooking, food is stirred for the purpose of blending. Microwaved food, however, is stirred in order to spread and redistribute heat. Always stir from the outside towards the centre as the outside of the food heats first.

Turning over

Large, tall foods such as roasts and whole chickens should be turned so that the top and bottom will cook evenly. It is also a good idea to turn cut up chicken and chops.

Placing thicker portions facing outwards

Since microwaves are attracted to the outside portion of food, it makes sense to place thicker portions of meat, poultry and fish to the outer edge of the baking dish. This way, thicker portions will receive the most microwave energy and the food will cook evenly.

Shielding

Strips of aluminium foil (which block microwaves) can be placed over the corners or edges of square and rectangular foods to prevent those portions from overcooking. Never use too much foil and make sure the foil is secured to the dish or it may cause ‘arcing’ in the oven.

Elevating

Thick or dense foods can be elevated so that microwaves can be absorbed by the underside and centre of the foods.

Piercing

Foods enclosed in a shell, skin or membrane are likely to burst in the oven unless they are pierced prior to cooking. Such foods include yolks and whites of eggs, clams and oysters and whole vegetables and fruits.

Testing if cooked

Food cooks so quickly in a microwave oven, it is necessary to test it frequently. Some foods are left in the microwave until completely cooked, but most foods, including meats and poultry, are removed from the oven while still slightly undercooked and allowed to finish cooking during standing time. The internal temperature of foods will rise between 5

F (30C)

and 15

F (80C) during standing time.

Standing time

Foods are often allowed to stand for 3 to 10 minutes after being removed from the microwave oven. Usually the foods are covered during standing time to retain heat unless they are supposed to be dry in texture (some cakes and biscuits, for example). Standing allows foods to finish cooking and also helps flavour blend and develop.

To Clean Your Oven

1 Keep the inside of the oven clean

Food spatters or spilled liquids stick to oven walls and between seal and door surface. It is best to wipe up spillovers with a damp cloth right away. Crumbs and spillovers will absorb microwave energy and lengthen cooking times. Use a damp cloth to wipe out crumbs that fall between the door and the frame. It is important to keep this area clean to assure a tight seal. Remove greasy spatters with a soapy cloth then rinse and dry. Do not use harsh detergent or abrasive cleaners. The glass tray can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher.

2 Keep the outside of the oven clean

Clean the outside of your oven with soap and water then with clean water and dry with a soft cloth or paper towel. To prevent damage to the operating parts inside the oven, the water should not be allowed to seep into the ventilation openings. To clean control panel, open the door to prevent oven from accidentally starting, and wipe a damp cloth followed immediately by a dry cloth. Press STOP/CLEAR after cleaning.

3 If steam accumulates inside or around the outside of the oven door, wipe the panels

with a soft cloth. This may occur when the microwave oven is operated under high humidity conditions and in no way indicates a malfunction of the unit.

4 The door and door seals should be kept clean. Use only warm, soapy water, rinse

then dry thoroughly. DO NOT USE ABRASIVE MATERIALS, SUCH AS CLEANING POWDERS OR STEEL AND PLASTIC PADS. Metal parts will be easier to maintain if wiped frequently with a damp cloth.

5 Do not use any steam cleaner.

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