Hello and help!

[lassie]

Hi all,

Have had our TM for about a month now. We have looked at this forum lots and it helped us decide to get the thermomix - you all seem very lovely! We think the machine itself is fantastic, but right now it feels like we're throwing out more $$ worth of food than we're saving.

A week ago DH made passata (tomato cooking sauce), following the recipe in the book and storing it in the cupboard as instructed. Well all week I've noticed a strange smell in the cupboard, and this morning we realised that the passata was off and had been oozing out of the bottles (and consequently took out some other food that was stored nearby). Poor DH opened it to tip it down the sink, where it promptly exploded all over the kitchen. It had also separated in the jars - a strange oil-like substance at the bottom and tomato pulp at the top. What did we do wrong? So much wasted food

The ice-cream/sorbets we've made have tasted ok initially, but after being in the freezer a couple of days they turned icy and really hard. Is this normal?

Does anyone else find the cooking times in the recipe book aren't terribly accurate? We often have to cook things quite a bit longer than it said.

Don't know what's going wrong - so very frustrated! Please help us get out of this! 

Thanks

[Zan]

Hi and welcome.

Passata, can't help as not made it (and won't be now, lol, until I hear what others say).
Sorbet - I tend to just make in a portion that will be eaten straight away (around 1/2 the recipe works for us), but if you do freeze it it needs to sit for 10-15 mins before serving. You could also pop it back in the tmx for a quick whizz I guess.
Icecream I use an icecream maker still as much prefer the texture, though tmx makes the mixture.
Not had any problems with cooking times though. Is this meat dishes? Maybe you are cutting your meat up larger?
Have you tried recipes from the forum?

[lassie]

Thanks Zan,

Have just returned after spending an hour cleaning up the tomato explosion in the kitchen!

That's a good idea with the ice-cream maker - use TM to make the mix, then have ICM stir it. Will try that one!
I tend to find sauteeing onion/garlic always needs longer than the recipe says. Maybe I need to try more recipes from the forum instead.

I'm also having trouble finding a good rice milk recipe - the first batch we made was too watery and not at all creamy and sweet like the commercial ones (even the commercial ones without sugar - we don't want to put sugar in ours as it's for our baby).

[cookie1]

How awful for you. Especially the cleaning up. Lots of people on here have had issues with times etc in the EDC. Perhaps until you feel more comfortable with the TMX and can adjust things you could try some of the recipes from the forum. Most have tweaks added to them as well. Good luck and let us know how things go. Most of us have a few failures, but the joke here is that they can usually be turned into soup or icecream.
There is a good recipe on here for MeganJane's passata. I'll see if I can find it for you.
This is the one I was thinking of. It may not suit your requirements.
http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?action=search2

[gertbysea]

Oh dear lassie what a mess.  I dropped a lava lamp once. that was much worse getting hot wax off everything. years later I am still finding bits of red wax.

Sounds like a bacteria build up and pop. Probably not in the process of cooking but but perhaps the bottles where not sterilized.
I put my passata in the freezer.  Living in the tropics  most everything has to be refrigerated or frozen. Don't give up.

Tomatos are so cheap here at the moment I am cooking them up but without garlic or onion. Just the fruit and a bit of basil with salt and pepper. Saves buying chopped canned at more than a $1.

Gretch

[judydawn]

Lassie, I can't imagine how much mess you were left with.  What a disappointment.  I've made MJ's passata but I freeze it in ziplock bags and just thaw out what I need.  I chop onion a lot less than some of the books tell you to and saute it longer but this is something that comes with experience.  Trying some of the forum recipes is a great idea, seasoned TMX users usually have their times right. I rarely make sorbet because there are only 2 of us and leftovers set like ice - trouble with me is when I want it, I want it now and not have to wait for it to soften.  Things will turn around for you though, believe me and one day you will laugh at your early disasters. 

[Zan]

Lassie, try Jo's rice almond milk (think it's linked here http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2010/03/gf-chocolate-banana-cake.html - that's the link I have in my blog and from memory there is a link to the milk in the recipe) - we aren't rice milk drinkers but I thought it tasted ok.

Judy, have you tried making a 1/3 of the recipe portion of the sorbet? I find 1/2 works fine though I do often open up and give it a stir 1/2 way through as it doesn't reach the spatula so well.

[judydawn]

That's why I haven't reduce the quantity Zan, didn't see how I could help mix it if the spatula wouldn't reach.  We've had so little hot weather here since last summer that it hasn't bothered me but I'm sure there will be some heat on it's way eventually (not that I want it to arrive mind you) and I can try your method then.

[Cornish Cream]

Hi and welcome to the forum Lassie.Sorry to hear about the disaster in the kitchen.There are great "tested" recipes here on the forum for you to try in the TM and the reviews on recipes are worth reading as well.

[cottchick]

Lassie sorry to hear of the exploding tomato passata! I always keep that sort of thing in the fridge and am manic about sterilising bottles if I know it will be stored for a while. I make it a lot and haven't had a problem with it but it usually gets used before the week is up.

With the sorbet I have the same problem and I put it back in the TM and whizz it up again. Making it in the right quantities would be better, I will remember that for next time.

Dont worry too much, as you get more used to it these things will all sort themselves out. I have only had mine a few months but it feels like a dear old friend already!! Don't know what I would do without this forum though!

[CreamPuff63]

make sure you put your food into suitably sized sterilized jar, and then turn it upside down while still hot (lid on  ). It should give it a bit of a vacume seal ie. the little popper on the lid should be sucked inwards.

(bet you wished you had a video handy  )

[lassie]

Thanks so much everyone. You're all so very welcoming and lovely!

Based on what you've all said I think the problem was with our sterilising. We used our baby bottle steriliser, but we didn't turn them upside down and I'm sure the lids weren't popped in. Better luck next time hey!

LOL @ turning disasters into soup or sorbet!

I made lasagne tonight and that was much more successful. When I get a free minute I'll def be browsing the forum for some yummy recipes.

Zan - thanks so much for the rice milk link. It looks like a really good recipe. Am unsure about using almonds though as my baby is only 9 months - but soon he'll be able to have nuts I guess. Until then I'll just leave them out. Although I can have it with the almonds (still nursing him so I can't eat dairy either). Can't wait to try the recipe.

Thanks again everyone!

[Thermomixer]

Belated welcome - hopefully things are going better