During the Christmas holidays we often meet with family and friends for rich lunches and sumptuous dinners.
What with Christmas Eve, Christmas lunch, New Year’s Eve and all the various celebrations that arise at this time, we frequently have to deal with considerable amounts of leftovers, either from the meals we have cooked ourselves or the food brought by our guests. How can we best cope with this abundance, without wasting food and enjoying it as if it were freshly cooked?
Fortunately, we can turn to the microwave: its technology allows food to be reheated without leaving it dry or rubbery, so as to savour our dishes even a good while after it was cooked.
Preserving leftovers
To enjoy leftovers to the full, first of all it is important to preserve food properly. If the dishes are still warm, they must reach room temperature before being stored in the fridge; then, cover them with cling film or put them in sealable containers. In order to avoid oxidation and the proliferation of bacteria, it is important not to leave dishes out in the air for more than three or four hours. Be particularly careful in the case of highly perishable foods such as sauces, fresh dairy products, fish and seafood, which should be consumed within 24 hours.
Egg dishes and legumes, instead, can safely be eaten up to 36 hours after being cooked. Cereals are the most resistant foods, and can be enjoyed up to 72 hours after being cooked.
With the microwave, it is possible to defrost frozen food in just a few minutes. This is handy in the event of large amounts of leftovers, which can be frozen and eaten after 3 or 4 months, provided they are stored in tightly sealed containers. For the sake of convenience, it is a good idea to label the containers before freezing.
How to reheat food in the microwave
The microwave reheats food in the blink of an eye, without having to use - or dirty - pots or pans. This saves a lot of time and makes cleaning the kitchen easier.
This appliance activates and heats the water molecules contained in food, thus significantly reducing the risk of drying the dishes out while reheating them compared to traditional methods. Simply remove the food from the container and place it on a plate or in a microwave-compatible container, then switch the microwave on and wait a few minutes to enjoy them as if they had been freshly cooked.
In the event of foods with crusts or crispy surfaces that tend to dry out quickly while the stuffing remains nice and juicy, it is advisable to place a glass of water inside the microwave, in order to help preserve the food’s moisture.
To ensure uniform heat and avoid cold areas, it is advisable to stir or turn the dish, especially if the microwave does not come with a rotating plate. Naturally, the heating time will vary depending on the quantity and the initial temperature of the dish: if it has just come from the fridge, for example, the microwave should be set for longer than for food at room temperature.
The microwave can be used to reheat practically every type of food, from pasta through to meat and vegetables; however, there are certain foods that reheat better in the traditional oven or in a frying pan, in order to reach higher temperatures, heat the dish evenly, and kill off any bacteria or microbes that could proliferate when reheating cooked food, especially if it has not been preserved properly. Such foods include rice, chicken, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, mushrooms and potatoes.
Candy has always been attentive to the needs of consumers; indeed, its catalogue offers a range of appliances designed to simplify our everyday life.
Candy’s microwaves allow you to bring tasty dishes to the table, quickly and without dirtying, while enhancing your kitchen with their attractive designs. The EGO microwave, for example, with its 1950s retro style, comes in a variety of colours, adding a touch of character to your interior decor.
The Cook-In-App models, instead, come with the simply-Fi app which offers you tips on how to prepare dishes and suggests many quick and tasty recipes conceived especially for the microwave.
