Immersion Blender

Humans, in our arrogance, have devised numerous ways of taking a fruit or vegetable and dissecting, dissolving or distorting it from its natural state to make it into something, well, delicious. I’m not knocking the natural state of produce that Hashem blessed us with, but sometimes, we don’t want to have to do all that chewing.

[amazonify]B000EGA6QI:right[/amazonify]An immersion blender, or hand stick blender, is the magic wand of the kitchen. This is one of those gadgets that you never thought you would need, and end up reaching for it two to three times a week. Well, almost. In short, an immersion blender takes organic solids (fruits, vegetables, meat, etc.) and turns it into a liquid. Nothing special, nothing spectacular, but what it does, it does well. Immersion blenders have been around since the 1960s, making their appearance in American kitchens since the 1980s.

The advantage over more traditional appliances like a food processor or blender is that an immersion blender goes into the pot, rather than the contents of the pot going into the blender. This means that you’ll liquefy everything in one batch, rather than in several batches. And since hot liquids in a blender have a tendency to slosh out of the blender pitcher, it’s cleaner and safer, too. Same thing with a food processor. Plus, an immersion blender is easy to clean, especially if the shaft detaches from the motor. And they’re small, so they store easily.

A distinct disadvantage is its power. If you’re trying to chop nuts, you’ll wind up with nut butter before you realize it. Safety is also a major concern, because nothing shields your fingers from the spinning blades. There are simple rules to follow: don’t start the immersion blender unless it’s immersed. Don’t lift an immersion blender out of the liquid while it is still running (besides, you’ll get it all over the walls). Don’t try to whip potatoes with it, you’ll have a rubber mass instead of pillowy potatoes.

Immersion blenders tend to be cheaper than their more bulky counterparts, and more versatile too. I have one for dairy and one for pareve. I also have a dairy blender and a pareve food processor. I tend to think of the blender as the backup. Some immersion blenders come with attachments for frothing, chopping and whatnot, which is great if you have the need for it. If yours is dairy (or you have a dairy one), milkshakes are a snap. Making Baby food is a breeze. Salad dressings are emulsified with ease.

I make a large amount of soup. I like pureéd soups the most, so my immersion blender (actually my third) gets used all the time in the winter. Recipes like Butternut Squash & Leek Soup, Roasted Cauliflower and Yellow Pepper Soup and Creamy Carrot Soup all rely on my immersion blender for their silky textures. One thing I would like to share from my experience, remember to remove the bay leaf before you plunge the blender into the soup.

 

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