Tefal Actifry Doesn't Just Do Chips : Sausages !

It's been a while since I did a "Tefal Actifry Doesn't Just Do Chips" blogpost but today, I tried cooking sausages in it for the first time. It was actually someone on twitter who had told me ages ago that they cooked sausages in their Actifry and that it worked really well so, as the Actifry was out and in need of a wash (having just been used to cook up some chips for lunch), I decided to try it out for browning off the sausages for the slow cooker casserole I was about to prepare.

I had no idea how long they would take to cook, so did mine (non frozen) for about 15 minutes. They browned up really nicely and, although a couple split, that was literally in the last couple of minutes and may be because I left them too long.

What absolutely stunned me was the quantity of fat that came out of them. The photo doesn't really show it enough but there must be a glass full of fat there ! I didn't add any oil at all to the sausages so this is all just fat that has come out of the sausages during cooking. Better out than in ! You don't get anywhere near as much fat out of them when frying or grilling them so I was amazed !

So there you have it. Perfectly browned sausages ready for the slow cooker (or to be served up on your plate). Another bonus ? You don't get hot fat splattering your T shirt or hands as you often do if you cook them in a frying pan.

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Tefal Actifry Doesn't Just Do Chips ! : Apple Wedges with Apricot

Tefal Actifry Doesn't Just Do Chips ! - Chicken & Pineapple

Tefal Actifry Doesn't Just Do Chips ! - Chilli Con Carne 

 

Tefal Actifry Doesn't Just Do Chips ! : Apple Wedges with Apricot

I've been having great fun trying out different recipes in the Actifry this week - I never dreamed it was so versatile - but this dessert recipe really caught my eye. The recipe is really simple but delicious - and you even get a sneak peek of the Easiyo ice cream we made (review to follow).

If you want to try out these apple wedges, you just need to peel and quarter (what do you call it when you chop it into eight - eighther ?!) six apples. (Our funky apple slicer/corer from Oxo Good Grips did it in double quick time - I highly recommend you check out that review here, just for the look on Juliette's face when the apple magically sprung into perfect segments !)

Coat the apple in oil and let the Actifry work it's magic for 12 minutes, add some chopped dried apricots, cook for a few minutes more and that's it. Serve sprinkled with sugar/cinnamon, or - as we did - with vanilla ice cream. Yum !

The apple wedges cooked in the Actifry have a slightly strange texture - they're drier and spongier than stewed apple, kind of like a cross between stewed apple and dried apple slices. Then the cooked dried apricots add some wonderful gooeyness and sweetness.

It got a big thumbs up from all three kids, and me too, because it's a quick and healthy dessert that you can knock up in 1/2 hour.

To make it easier, I've added a special "Actifry" label so that you can discover all our other Actifry experiments with one simple click (at the bottom of the review). Please feel free to share any of your own inventions in the comments box  and I'll happily try them out !

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Tefal Actifry Doesn't Just Do Chips ! - Chicken & Pineapple

Tefal ActiFry - the healthy chips dream come true ?

Tefal Actifry - Makes Fab Chips !

Tefal Actifry Doesn't Just Do Chips ! - Chilli Con Carne

Tefal Actifry Doesn't Just Do Chips ! - Chicken & Pineapple

Well, the Tefal Actifry is getting a thorough roadtesting this week ! I've been trying out some of the recipes in the little booklet that comes with it to see just how versatile it is, and I have to say I've been incredibly impressed. After the obvious choice, starting off with their trademark almost oil-free chips, we very successfully tried chilli con carne earlier in the week and yesterday gave their Chicken with Pineapple recipe a go.

As I mentioned in my earlier review, I love the fact that the Actifry is a relatively safe piece of equipment for young cooks to use. The metal tin part does get hot so you do need to be careful but there are no flames or red hot rings to burn yourself on, and no boiling pans for little fingers to pull down. As it automatically turns itself off when you open the lid, I even let 9-year-old Sophie make dinner almost single-handedly last night (under my supervision, I hasten to add) which made her feel very proud ! Here you can see her pouring in the chicken pieces that she'd just covered in spiced cornflour.

As always, I did tweak the recipe a bit. I used Turkish chicken spice (a holiday souvenir !) in place of ginger and curry and omitted the soy sauce. I also threw some cashew nuts in at the end to add some crunch. The girls absolutely wolfed it down and asked for more ! I found the chicken to be much juicier and softer than usual when I cook this in a frying pan on the hob - maybe because it cooks so much quicker ?

Another resounding success ! Hmmm what shall we try next ? Any other Actifry users got any recipes you can recommend ?!

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Tefal ActiFry - the healthy chips dream come true ?

Tefal Actifry - Makes Fab Chips !

Tefal Actifry Doesn't Just Do Chips ! - Chilli Con Carne

Tefal Actifry Doesn't Just Do Chips ! - Chilli Con Carne

I was over the moon when I was offered the chance to receive a Tefal Actifry to test but I have to admit, I was dubious about how well it would actually work. Well, I've already shown you how well the almost oil-free chips come out, but after flicking through the enclosed recipe ideas booklet, I decided I wanted to try some of those out too to see how well they worked.

I have to admit, cooking chilli in the Actifry goes against all my cooking instincts - I always start off with the onions and garlic, then brown the mince before adding the peppers, mushrooms and carrots, throw in the tomatoes and leave it all to reduce for a good hour or so. With the Actifry, it all seems back to front but, for once, I followed the recipe.

You start off cooking the peppers and onions (and I added mushrooms - I didn't dare add carrot though as I didn't think it would cook enough) in a spoonful of oil. The smell that wafts out just in front of the machine is gorgeous.

Then you add in the mince and chop it up a bit with a fork. No need to brown it in advance, no need to add extra oil and it all browns really nicely within a few minutes. You actually need to keep a close eye on it as it cooks really quickly and would burn if you're not careful. Luckily, watching the Actifry paddle go round and round is strangely mesmerising and soothing so I usually end up watching it for the first ten minutes anyway !

I had a jar of spicy tomato cooking sauce that needed using up after making fajitas earlier in the week, so this is where I stopped following the Tefal recipe to the letter. They mentioned adding a tin of tomatoes and stock, which sounded like a lot of liquid to me, so if you've tried it, let me know how it worked ! I also used a packet of Epicure beans which I will be reviewing shortly. A final mix and it was ready.

It didn't taste better than my usual chilli but it did taste just as good, and using the Actifry does have several advantages. Firstly, it cooked quicker. Secondly, I used less oil than usual and Sophie said that she found the finished dish less greasy. Thirdly, there are no cooking smells all over the house. Fourthly, it's a contained unit well back on the worktop so I don't have to worry about little fingers pulling down saucepans on the hob or touching the flames. This also means 9-year-old Sophie can cook dinner "all by herself" - she already helps me chopping up the vegetables and adding things into the mix, but I won't let her stir bubbling pots on the hob as I'm scared she'll burn herself. But the Actifry switches off when you open the lid so it's a much safer option and she can feel all grown-up doing it all by herself, with me just standing by to keep an eye on things !

The final bonus is that there's no washing up - the Actifry pan goes straight in the dishwasher and there are no wooden spoons or other utensils to deal with.

I'll be trying out some other recipes from the Actifry recipe book later in the week so I'll keep you posted.

star rating : 5/5

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Tefal Actifry - Makes Fab Chips !

Tefal ActiFry - the healthy chips dream come true ?

Tefal Actifry - Makes Fab Chips !

Well, I did a blogpost a few weeks ago (here) about the theory behind the Tefal Actifry - a revolutionary fryer that cooks chips (amongst other things) with just a small spoonful of oil. I love the idea but really couldn't see how it could actually work. I thought you'd end up with soggy or half-cooked chips, or something dried out resembling oven chips that always give me indigestion. But then the lovely people at Tefal sent me one and the whole family has been amazed at how nice the chips are !

I still don't understand how it all works to be honest ! I've been describing it to my friends as something vaguely based on the logic of cooking chips in a salad spinner with a hairdryer attached ! So strangely enough, they can't get their heads around it either ! But the important thing is, it really does work. I'm absolutely amazed that you can get crunchy, crispy, tasty chips with barely any oil that taste like they've come out of a deep-fat fryer.

I must admit, the first time we got off to a false start. I planned on cooking chips to go with the steak I'd cooked but didn't read the instructions until the last minute, so I didn't realise the Actifry would need 40 minutes to cook the chips. Eeeek, the steak would have been charcoal by then so it was put away for another day and we had quick cook rice instead !

But the next day, I allowed myself more time and it worked perfectly. It made me laugh because me, Sophie and Juliette all stood there for the first five minutes watching the chips go round going "ooooh" ! To be honest, I never really expected it to cook chips properly so I was intrigued to watch the process from start to finish. When the timer beeped, I opened the lid and - as usual - poured the chips out on to absorbent paper on a big plate. This normally soaks up some of the excess grease but just look at the picture - there isn't any grease at all !

Everyone tucked in so fast that I didn't actually get a chance to take a photo of my freshly cooked chips but they look just like normal chips from a deep fat fryer. I asked what everyone thought and Sophie said that they're nicer than usual because they're not so greasy. I honestly couldn't taste any difference. Juliette was the only one brave enough to be photographed eating her chips, but as you can see, they look golden, crispy and totally normal.

The little recipe book that comes with the Actifry gives other ideas of things to cook, including curry, which again has me scratching my head wondering how it can work. But the difference now is that I actually believe the claims. To answer my question in my previous post, yes, the dream of healthier but equally tasty, oil-free chips really is a possibility now. The only slight downside is that it take longer to cook so you need to plan ahead slightly and it is a bit expensive. But the health factor and the fact that I no longer have a stinky, greasy deep fat fryer in my kitchen make me think it is worth the price.

star rating : 5/5

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Tefal ActiFry - the healthy chips dream come true ?

Bio Synergy Skinny Water

Colman's Season and Shake

Haynes Healthy Eating Guide - Carina Norris