Induction cooking recipes

October 22nd, 2012

Cooktops Ovens & Cooking Recipes

So, you’ve just installed a shiny new induction cooktop…. but now what?

Don’t worry, help is at hand! Here is our simple guide to getting the most out of your induction cooktop:

Make sure your cookware is compatible

Induction cooktops work by creating an electromagnetic field that reacts with the pot to create heat.

This means your pots and pans need to be made from ferromagnetic materials, such as:
•    Cast iron
•    Enamel cast iron
•    Stainless steel (most types)

Materials that won’t work on an induction cooktop include:
•    Aluminium
•    Glass
•    Copper

Q: How do you tell if your cookware is ferromagnetic?

A: Easy! Simply take a fridge magnet and see if it will stick to the bottom of your pan.

Q: What if you have a favourite pot, but it’s not ferromagnetic?

A: It is possible to buy an induction disk that sits between the cooktop and the pot. The disk is made from ferromagnetic material, so it will heat up and then transfer this heat to your pot.

Using a wok on an induction cooktop

It’s also possible to buy a wok adapter that sits on top of your induction cooktop and acts as a cradle for a round-based wok:

Alternatively, you can buy an induction cooktop with a round depression that is designed to hold a wok:

Advantages of induction cooking

Probably the best feature of induction cooking is that it allows for incredible temperature precision.

Temperature precision is good because:

•    It reduces the risk of burning your food
•    It takes the guesswork out of cooking
•    It produces consistent cooking results
•    It’s ideal for both low-heat and high-heat cooking

Induction cooking recipes

Anything you would normally cook on a gas or electric cooktop can be cooked using induction. However you will need to be mindful of the fact that they heat up extremely quickly – especially if you’re using the ‘boost’ function. (On some models, a large pot of water can be brought to the boil in as little as 60 seconds).

Fast heat-up times means greater energy efficiency, and it also means less time spent slaving over a hot stove… literally!

Induction cooktops are also perfect for low-heat cooking. So if you want to melt chocolate – for instance – you don’t need to worry about it burning. Simply pop it in a pan, set your cooktop to ‘1’, and let it slowly and safely melt, like so:

Additionally, induction cooktops are great for keeping your food at a steady simmer.

Discover how to prepare a slow poached egg on an Electrolux induction cooktop here:

Another recipe you could try is Massimo Mele’s panna cotta (recipe below). Panna cotta can be tricky to prepare because the cream needs to be gently brought to the boil. By using an induction cooktop, you should be able to control the temperature so as not to scald or curdle the cream.

Massimo Mele’s Panna Cotta with Orange Blossom Jelly & Blood Orange Salad

Ingredients

125 ml apple juice
1 tspn orange blossom
1 tspn sugar
4 x gelatin sheets
1 x orange segment
1 x blood orange segment
115 g castor sugar
560 g plain yoghurt
375 ml cream

Method

To make the jelly –
Heat the apple juice.
Stir in the orange blossom.
Whisk in 1 soaked gelatine sheet(soak for around 2-3min in cold water)
Allow to cool at room temperature

To make the panna cotta –
Combined cream and the sugar in a saucepan bring slowly to the boil, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.

Remove from heat. Soak remaining gelatin sheets for 2-3mins.

Squeeze excess water from the gelatin and whisk the gelatin into the hot cream mixture. Strain mixture into another bowl and whisk in the yogurt.

Pour the mixture into eight 125mls capacity glasses until half full. Allow to set in the fridge for 2 hours.

Once the pannacottas has set completely, pour orange blossom jelly 5mm full and allow to set for another 30mins.

Garnish the pannacotta with blood orange segment, orange segments, and small mint leaves in each glass and serve.

For more recipe ideas, check out Best Home Chef – Australia’s newest and most delicious food community!

…And don’t forget to read our other blogs on the subject, Top Recipes for Induction Cooking and The Evolution of Induction Cooktops.