I recently received a lovely Halogen Oven from Argos. This was something which Todd and I had been thinking about getting for quite some time. Our friends Sheilagh and Ralph had gotten one last year and waxed rhapsodical about it's qualities and how deliciously it roasted chicken.
You may be wondering that is a Halogen oven? Well, a Halogen oven is a portable, multi-purpose, table-top oven which uses halogen technology which enables food to be cooked using infrared waves from a halogen light source. It is said to cook up to 40 % faster than a conventional oven, and in doing so, uses less power and is therefore very economical to use. A Halogen oven will roast, grill, defrost, bake and steam with the convenience of merely plugging it into an earthed mains power socket.
It consists of a large glass bowl, which rests on a metal base. The workings are all in the lid which sits atop the glass bowl. It should come with two racks (a lower one and a taller one) and a set of tongs which are useful for lifting the racks out. You can also buy special cooking pans that will fit perfectly into the oven. You can cook either directly on the racks, or in dishes and trays which are the right size to fit in. There are two control switches on the top, one which controls the temperature of the oven and the other which controls the time. Easy peasy.
The first thing I cooked in it was a chicken crown. It was one I had picked up at the grocery store and was already seasoned with lemon and pepper. I added a nice knob of butter to the top. It was quite interesting to watch the oven at work. That light was really bright. It didn't stay on the whole time. It flashed on and off and the fan inside blew the hot air around.
It was a fairly large chicken crown and so I put it in at 200*C/400*F for approximately 45 minutes, which was slightly less than the time recommended in the package. I was glad that I had. It does seem to cook a lot quicker than the conventional oven.
In fact I was quite concerned when I took it out, thinking I had actually cremated it. Scary! It looks quite black doesn't it. But . . .
The chicken meat itself was really moist and perfectly cooked. I think the herb mixture on top had caused the skin to blacken somewhat, which really wasn't a problem at all.
Next I decided to cook a potato and parsnip gratin in it.
It was a very simple gratin, composed simply of thinly sliced potatoes and parsnips, layered with some chopped onion, herbs and cheese, along with some milk.
Apparently it can take some vegetables longer too cook in the Halogen Oven than others. I hedged my bets by slicing mine really thin and the dish was perfectly done in about an hour. I removed the foil from the top for the last fifteen minutes so that the top would brown.
It went really well with the chicken. The vegetables were cooked perfectly, and maintained their shape. Taking the cover off for the last fifteen minutes made for a lovely golden topping, and it wasn't dry at all. In short perfect. I was very impressed with it's performance.
*Potato and Parsnip Gratin*
Makes 2 to 3 servings
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
large bunch of parsley
Alternately you can do this in a regular oven at the same temperature and for the same time.
I am going to try to bake something in it next. I think possibly a flourless chocolate cake. What do you think???
So my verdict. The oven did indeed cook in a shorter time and so would save a bit on the electric bill, and everything I cooked in it was moist and not dry. The chicken was especially succulent, which is good for a chicken breast which can dry out so very easily. It was fairly easy to use. It is a bit on the bulky side, but I have a very small kitchen and so something doesn't have to be very large in order to cause storage stress. It is the perfect size for Todd and myself, but I can see where it would be somewhat limiting to anyone who had a large family to cook for. A small to medium size chicken could fit in quite nicely, but I don't think you would get a large one in, or a small turkey either. It would have to be very small.
Here is one of the biggest bonus's of all . . . .
It is basically self cleaning, which is just fabulous! You just add cool water and a bit of soap to the bowl, once it has cooled down. (Don't add cold water to a hot bowl!) Turn it onto the clean cycle for about 10 to 15 minutes and Bob's your uncle! Done! Most impressive. All I had to do was to rinse it and wipe it out with a towel to dry.
You can get one of these lovely ovens at Argos right now for £44.99, which is 25% off the regular price. The delivery time is really quick or you can pick it up sooner if you have an Argos in your immediate area. I highly recommend.
The 2013
Christmas Wine Guide
With Christmas just weeks away
you may have started to plan your sumptuous Christmas feast - and there's a lot
to consider. Do you opt for the old favourite, turkey, or perhaps something a
little more adventurous such as goose? That's before you start worrying about
the myriad of side dishes and desserts you'll need to prepare.
The choice of table wine however
can often make or break a festive feast, and it can be hard to know exactly
what species of grape will accompany a particular meat perfectly. With this in
mind, the experts at Hard
to Find Wines have put together this guide,
offering some suggestions for your Christmas meal to take the stress out of the
decision-making process.
Turkey or Chicken
Both of these birds are the
popular choices for the Christmas meal, and one of the best things about them
from a wine point of view is that they go so well with a wide range of
different wines. Instead, consider the side dishes and accompaniments you will
be serving with the meat.
If you are preparing spring
vegetables, for example peas, consider a white wine that has a similar 'green'
taste, like a Domaine Phillippe Raimbault Sancerre. If you'd prefer a red wine,
a Chianti would work well.
For veg with a more 'earthy'
feel consider something like a particularly woodsy Merlot or a Californian
Chardonnay like Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks.
Beef
For a roast beef Christmas
dinner, Hard to Find Wines would recommend choosing a red that is well-balanced,
with firm but smooth settings and an oaky flavour.
Some examples of the sorts of
reds that go great with this particular meat include full-bodied, dry Bordeaux
wines such as the South African Constantia Uitsig, an Australian Shiraz like
Oakridge Over the Shoulder or a bold and spicy Rioja such as the Medievo
Crianza.
Goose
A dry Riesling is ideal if
you're going to be making an apple stuffing to accompany your goose, while a
spätlese Riesling is great for cutting through that fat and adding a touch of
sweetness.
If red wine is more to your
taste then you can't go wrong with a Barolo or Barbaresco, both of which cope
well with the rich flavour of the meat thanks to their structure and acidity.
For something a little more crowd pleasing however you should probably opt for a
Pinot Noir that displays some sweet, silky fruit flavours - don't over work
your palate with big tannins.
Pork
This is another popular choice
for a Christmas meat selection, and the wine that you choose should depend on
the style of pork you're cooking up.
If you're preparing something a
bit spicy then something like the Madonna Estate Gewürztraminer would be
perfect, offering up nuances of grapefruit and honey alongside a hint of spice
and a crisp finish.
For herbed pork you want to
ensure you don't overwhelm the mild flavours of the meat. A creamy Chardonnay
should be perfect, especially if there are notes of apple, citrus or oak.
Ultimately the wine you choose
will come down to what you like, however by following this advice from the
experts, you can feel confident that your tipple will go down a treat alongside
your choice of food.
This guest post was written on behalf of Hard to Find
Wines, specialist providers of quality wines from all over the world that are
hand-picked for their exclusivity.
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