A food mill is a food preparation tool that is used in a kitchen to puree, grind or mash food without the use of electricity. It is not always found in household kitchens but it can be useful for preparing certain dishes, especially if you have small children and you have dishes that are prepared from mashed food. Food mills are normally made from either stainless steel or aluminum (sometimes plastic) and can be found in most food supply stores. This article will talk about how it can be utilize it in your very own kitchen to prepare your favourite dish.
Things you will need
- A food mill
- A bowl
- Food of your choice
- Water and soap
- Buy a food mill or borrow one, depending on which one is more convenient for your cooking project. The Food Mill most likely will come completely assembled. It consists of several parts including the metal container (with no base), the perforated disk, the blade (or series of blades) and a hand crank to turn the food. Check to make sure the food mill is clean or wash it if necessary.
- When you are ready, prepare the food you wish to use in the food mill by cutting it up and have it placed into the food mill and place the food mill into a bowl to catch the food. Depending on the food you are grinding you may have to change the disk blade, smaller holes in the disk means it grates the food finer. When you have decided which to use, then place it back into the center of the food mill and install it with the holding pin.
- Use your hands to turn and press down on the paddle to the right about 3 to 4 times and then make a left turn until all the food has been strained. In this process the food is pushed through the holes in the disk positioned below the blade at the bottom of the mill. Cranking the blade of the food mill scrapes of the food and redistributes it to be scraped again like a food processor or a mechanical sieve. It is recommended to puree or mash food in small portions at a time. This allows the food mill to work more effectively.
- When you are done using the food mill, remove the scraper, the spring and the nut from the bottom of it and then lift out the paddle. Then wash each piece thoroughly with soap and water and then reassemble it when done.
- A food mill is particularly good for making sauces, jellies, baby food and soups. You can choose the type of disc you want to use depending on what you are grinding. The course disc is more appropriate for harder foods such as potatoes and carrots, while the medium disc is good for vegetable and baby food. It can also remove seeds from cooked tomatoes or to remove pulp.
Do’s and Don’ts
- Make sure you always disassemble and clean the food mill after every use. You don’t want food particle left back into it after you are done.
- When purchasing a food mill, secure that it is very sturdy and can be easily disassembled. The components have to be strong to withstand constant use and pressure. Try to avoid using cheap materials and brands.