The Freezer Cookbook [antikvár]

INTRODUCTION How Freezing Works Freezing preserves food by reducing its temperature co a point where the chemical changes are reduced and the organic processes which normally cause it to deteriorate are arrested. As long as the temperature is maintained at - 18°C/0°F or less, the food will virtually rernam as it was when it went into the freezer. As soon as the food is thawed, the process of deterioration will begin again. Freezing does not improve food, and food to be frozen must be of the best quality, hygienically prepared, and correctly packed and stored. Best results are obtained if food is frozen quickly - this helps to preserve the originál flavour, texture and colour. If food is frozen slowly, large ice crystals form in the cell structure. These expand during freezing and distort the cell structure of the food with the result that when the food is thawed the texture has changed. Often it is soggy and discoloured. If food is frozen quickly at a very low temperature, the ice crystals that form are tiny and the ceÜ structure is not disturbed. Fast freezing alsó ensures that the temperature inside the freezer remains as low as possible at all times. It prevents the formation of large ice crystals due to rises in temperature when fresh or cooked food to be frozen is put into the storage compartment, and ensures that already-frozen food is not affected. Fast freezing: the fast freeze switch (alsó known as super-cold, super-freeze or auto-freeze) overrides the thermostat, which normally keeps the freezer at - 18°C /0°F by switching the motor on and off to maintain this temperature. With the fast freeze switch on, the freezer will get colder until the temperature drops to about -28°C/-18°F. The fresh or cooked food is frozen solid and food already frozen is not disturbed. Somé models have a separate compartment for fast freezing insulated from the rest of the freezer. If there is no 'fast freeze' compartment, put fresh food in the coldest part away from food already being stored. The coldest part in both chest and upright freezers is against the sídes, although an upright may have condenser coils within the shelves. Tum on the fast freeze control two to five hours before you start freezing the fresh batch (manufacturer's instructions will guide you). How much can be fast frozen every 24 hours depends on the type of freezer and, again, manufacturer's instructions must be followed. As a generál rule, one-tenth of the freezer's storage capacity can be fast frozen every 24 hours. Very little extra power is used when the fast freeze switch is on, but too long a time is uneconomic and may cause the motor to overheat. Because freezers L and foods vary so much, times will be different, but liquids, sliced bread, meat, poultry, dairy produce, sliced vegetables and cakes generally take about one hour per 0-5 kg/l lb to freeze solid; prepared meals, joints (cuts) of meat, fish and prepared sweet dishes take about two hours per 0-5 kg/l lb. Once the switch is off, the freezer will return to its normál storage temperature. This can take up to ten hours. Choosing a Freezer Upright freezer This model resembles a refrigerator and takes up a similar amount of space. It has a front-opening door, several shelves (often adjustable) and/or pull-out baskets, providing easy access to the food. Somé models have a special fast freeze section; in others any shelf can be used. There is a wide rangé of sizes, beginning at 57 litres/2 cu ft - which can stand on a work surface or refrigerator - up to 566 litres/20 cu ft. Running costs of the upright freezer are slightly higher than the chest type, and defrosting must be done more often (two or three times a year) because each time the door is opened, cold air is lost throughout the storage compartment. Somé models have separate doors or flaps for each shelf, and larger ones have two doors, which minimize thé loss of cold air. Chest freezer The chest-type model tends to be less expensive to run than uprights of equivalent capacity and gives more storage space. However, food can be less accessible and a methodical storage system is vitai. Top layers have to be taken out before food lower down can be retrieved, and you must check that you can reach the far corners at the bottom of the cabinet - depth can be as much as 75 cm/30 inches. Many manufacturers now supply fitted sliding baskets and wire partitions to keep smaller items together - essential for ease in packing and selection. There are many sizes, starting at 113 litres/ 4 cu ft, but the most popular rangé is between 255-400 litres/9-14 cu ft. Most models have a counter-balanced, lift-up insulated lid which will stay open in any position. There is very little raising of temperature when the freezer is opened, as the dense cold air stays at the bottom of the chest. Running costs are therefore economical. Refrigerator/freezer A combined refrigerator/freezer is particularly suitable where kitchen space is limited. It usually consists of two front-opening cabinets of the same size which stand on top of each other, although sometimes they