Five Recipes for Food Processors

So You've Got One, Now What? Taking a back seat to the oven and stovetop, the food processor is one tool that the professional kitchen needs. Responsible for making things creamy, smooth, well-incorporated, and generally delicious, the food processor can quickly elevate your cooking to a higher level. But it is intimidating with its sharp implements, outrageous speeds, and unprecedented potential for splatter. Fear not - with some common sense and a few practical fundamentals, you'll be whipping up everything from aioli to pastry dough in no time. A quick look at your food processor will likely present you with a wealth of attachments, blades, and other silly devices. Professionals discard the vast majority of these tools that profess to slice, dice, mince, and so on. It is probably best for you to do so as well. The food processor does not rival the speed with which a competent cook can prepare vegetables. When the recipe says "puree," then you break out the machine. Aioli and Other Oils A common feature seen in flashy restaurants is a variety of oil-based sauces, often served with fried foods. Developing a knack for whipping these together is fun and easy, and it provides a new avenue for creativity in the kitchen.

• Put one or two egg yolks in the work bowl of your food processor. Blend thoroughly until the yolk is a shade or two paler than it was.
• Slowly, while the blade is spinning, pour up to a half a cup of oil per yolk into the bowl.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

You've just made mayonnaise. Adding oil makes it thicker, until the yolks can't take any more. A little water will thin it out to the consistency you want. If you want more, but don't think you can add another egg yolk, don't add more oil - this is not advised. The following are some variations on this technique for spicing up your meals.

• Add dry spices to the egg yolk. Try a pinch of saffron or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne per yolk.
• Add a tablespoon of your favorite vinegar per yolk.
• Lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy, garlic, Dijon mustard, and Parmesan cheese will get you Caesar dressing.

Egg-based dressing should be used within a few days to be safe, but a little acid will lengthen its life. If you don't want the egg, you can make some very flavorful oils using herbs, spices, and your food processor. Just don't expect it to be as creamy.

Potato Problem
The starches and proteins in potatoes don't like to be beaten mercilessly by the food processor. If you think mashed potatoes will be a snap, think again. Any kind of high-speed device will suck all the air and fluffiness out of potatoes and leave you with a pasty, sticky mess.

For soups, on the other hand, the food processor does great. This is a basic technique for making potato soup, to which you can add just about anything you like:

• Peel and boil, or boil and peel (it's your preference) about 3 pounds of potatoes. Cool them off under running water or in an ice bath.
• In a separate pan, saut? some aromatic vegetables; 1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 celery stalk, and garlic. If you want a soup that is solid white, ditch the carrot for parsnip.
• Once the vegetables are soft, not browned, add a little white wine if you like, and reduce the heat by half. Add your potatoes and enough chicken or vegetable broth to cover.
• Have a second pot over medium heat.
• With your food processor nearby, ladle the contents of your pot into the work bowl and pulse until smooth. Transfer contents to the empty pot and repeat until all the soup is pureed.
• Add more broth until you get the consistency you like and then season with salt and pepper.

Pesto
Thick, rich pesto sauces are a culinary rage that can be easily mimicked at home. The trick is to remember ratios and to not over-puree. The following is classic basil pesto.

• 2 C loosely packed basil leaves (Do not substitute dried basil)
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
• 1/4 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
• Black pepper

Mix and chop all of your dried ingredients a bit before adding the oil. Slowly stream in the oil until it is incorporated, you'll probably want a bit more than 1/4 cup. This will keep for a while, but it begins to darken in color immediately. Store it with plastic pressed on the surface to prevent this. Double or even triple the recipe and throw the extra in the freezer. Other herbs can be substituted, as can cheeses (it's best to use dry ones), oils, nuts, and spices.

Pastry Dough
Food processors are amazing at whipping together pastry dough. Don't think it will make you a master baker, though. Bread doughs are much more delicate and require knowledgeable hands or a mixer. The following recipe is great for quiche and other savory dishes.

• 1 1/4 C flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp cold water

Mix your dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, then add chunks of the butter, slightly softened. When you see many chunks about the size of peas or hazelnuts, add your egg. A little cold water will finish the job. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least a half an hour, until the dough is firm and workable. Doughs require experience, but you should get something that stays together and is flaky when baked. Pastry doughs can also be made ahead of time and frozen for up to a month.

Romesco sauce

• 1 sweet roasted red bell pepper
• 1 slice bread, toasted
• 10 blanched almonds, toasted
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1/3 C olive oil
• 1 to 2 tbsp warm water

Add the almonds and bread to the food processor first and finely chop. Then add the tomato, red bell pepper, garlic, and spices. Slowly stream in the olive oil until a smooth paste is reached. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the water; otherwise, leave it out.