This post looks at three different ways to cook calamari in an Actifry: two coated, and one plain. There were two x 1 kg (2.2 pound) boxes of calamari (aka squid) in the basement deep freezer for ever. I wanted them out of there, and decided that because they’d been got on sale, it was… Read More »
Use your hot air fryer as your sous chef
Many people unnecessarily limit their thinking about hot air frying recipes to being complete, “one pot” type dishes made all or entirely in the air fryer. Thinking outside that box opens up a whole new range of dishes you can make. The hot air fryer can play a vital supporting role as your sous-chef —… Read More »
Crumb coating in hot air fryers
Hot air fryers are fabulous at cooking foods with crumb coatings on them. You can’t a use paddle-type air fryer with the paddle in, though, or the paddle will rip the coating off. You need to take the paddle out, or use a basket-type air fryer, or a paddle-type that has been specially adapted, such… Read More »
Good fats for hot air fryers
Hot air frying allows you to use a wider range of far more interesting cooking fats than you would normally, because they are needed in such small quantities – some would be either too dear or too strong tasting in large quantities, or both. This is a brief overview of some cooking fats you may… Read More »
How to use a potato chipper
A potato chipper to make chips / French fries with is very easy to use, and once you’ve used one, you’ll be spoiled for life from how easy it is. Whether you peel your potatoes or not is up to you — there are arguments for and against. If you don’t peel them, then give… Read More »
Actifry Flavoured Pre-Measured Oils
These flavoured, pre-measured oils are being sold by the LeSieur company for Actifry™ machines in France. The product is flavoured oil, measured and sealed in disposable tablespoons in a measurement of 1 tablespoon / 14 ml. Each tablespoon contains just the right amount of oil for one load of Actifry food, and contains a… Read More »
How to avoid mooshy fries in your Actifry
It is possible to make mooshy fries / chips in you Actifry, and the cause is almost always too much moisture present in the pan. If you are making your fries from scratch from fresh potatoes, then the excess moisture could be coming from: the variety of potato you used was very high in moisture;… Read More »
Risotto in an Actifry™: Tips and Tricks
Many people think of an Actifry™ as a chip / French Fry machine, but it could just as easily be branded as a “risotto” machine. It makes amazing risottos. There’s a basic Actifry risotto recipe here. But before you go there, I want to take a minute to discuss a few basics about risottos in… Read More »
Air-fried eggplant: Basket vs Paddle
Eggplant (aka aubergine) is very good air-fried. It’s tasty, without all the oil and grease that eggplant could soak up otherwise. You get different results, though, depending on whether you air fry by basket, or paddle. Basket Air-Fried Eggplant lighter drier more eggplanty-tasting, though not in the green horrible way, still quite mild good sprinkled… Read More »
Fixing a T-Fal Actifry Risotto Recipe
The risotto recipes that T-Fal™ provides are useful in letting us know that the machines can make risotto. The machines are definitely great risotto makers. (See here if you’re not sure of the definition of risotto.) Where the recipes provided by the manufacturer fall down is that, so far (as of autumn 2014), they don’t call… Read More »