This little 250-watt workhorse comes in handy when a full-size food processor is unnecessary. The 3-cup work bowl is just right for making pesto or a salad dressing, and two receptacles in the lid have pinholes for one or two oils to stream into the bowl while the processor is blending a perfect emulsion. It's also ideal for chopping and grinding. Pressing the "chop" button deploys the sharp edge of Cuisinart's patented reversible blade to chop onions, herbs, or bread crumbs. Pressing the "grind" button whirls the blade in the other direction so its blunt side can grind nuts, coffee beans, or cheese. Compact at just 9 inches high and lightweight (it has a plastic body), the Mini Prep Plus can be tucked away in a cabinet, and the little spatula accompanying it goes into a drawer. It carries an 18-month warranty against defects. The plastic work bowl and lid are dishwasher-safe, but the stainless-steel blade should be hand washed to protect its edges.
Included components of the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Processor
Pulse controlled buttons
Why Is This The Perfect Mini Processor For You?
The Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Processor handles a variety of food preparation tasks including chopping, grinding, puréeing, emulsifying and blending. The patented auto-reversing SmartPower blade provides a super-sharp edge for the delicate chopping of herbs and for blending and puréeing other soft foods. The blunt edge offers a powerful cutting surface to grind through spices and other hard foods. Pulse activation gives maximum control for precision processing, whether chopping or grinding. Spatula, product manual and recipe booklet included.
Using Your Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Processor
The powerful high-speed 250-Watt motor works hard and fast to accomplish any small job with ease. Chop herbs, onions, garlic; grind spices, hard cheese, purée baby foods; blend mayonnaise and flavored butters, all with the same compact appliance. The Mini-Prep Plus Processor takes up minimum counter space and stores neatly on the countertop or in a cabinet.
Best Practices When Using Your Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Processor
Size
Always cut large pieces of food into smaller pieces of even size – about 1/2-Inch. If you don't start with pieces that are small and uniform, you will not get an even chop.
Quantity
You don’t want to overload the 3-Cup work bowl. Use the quantities given in the included recipe section of the product manual. As a rule of thumb, remember that after being processed, food should not reach more than 2/3 of the way up the central hub of the blade assembly.
Selecting the Right Operating Control
Use the Chop function for chopping, puréeing and mixing. It’s the best option, for example, when chopping soft, fragile food such as herbs, celery, onions, garlic and most cheeses. It is also the right choice for puréeing cooked vegetables, making mayonnaise and mixing salad dressing. Pulse action is best when you are using the chop function. Two or three pulses are often enough.
Use the Grind function for grinding spices, and for chopping hard food such as peppercorns, seeds, chocolate and nuts. Continuous-hold action is best when you are using the grind function.
Adding Liquid
You can add liquids such as water, oil or flavoring while the machine is running. For example, you might want to add oil when making mayonnaise or salad dressing, or you could add vanilla or alcohol when making frozen yogurt. Pour the liquid through one of the two openings in the cover.
Removing Food From the Sides of the Bowl
Occasionally food will stick to the sides of the bowl as you process. Stop the machine to clear food away. After the blade has stopped moving, remove the cover, and use the spatula to scrape the food from the sides of the bowl back into the center.
Cleaning and Storage
Read to clean up? No problem! To simplify cleaning, rinse the work bowl, cover, and blade immediately after each use, so that food won’t dry on them. Wash blade assembly, work bowl, cover, and spatula in warm soapy water. If you have a dishwasher, you can wash the work bowl, cover, blade assembly, and spatula on the top rack.
The Mini-Prep Plus Processor stores neatly on the countertop in a minimum of space. The hidden cord storage underneath the motor base will help to keep excess cord off the countertop. Store the unit assembled to prevent loss of parts.
Easily dice tomatoes in seconds!
Just a Few of the Many Foods You Can Prepare
| Food Item | Operation/Technique | Comments/Notes |
|---|
| Seeds and Dried Berries | Grind. Pulse to break up, then process continuously to desired consistency. | Coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, sesame, poppy, and juniper berries |
| Herbs, fresh | Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency. | Rinse and dry completely. Remove leaves from stems to chop. |
| Onions | Chop. Pulse 5-10 times to chop to desired size. | Peel; Cut into 3⁄4-inch or smaller pieces of similar size. |
| Mushrooms | Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency. | Choose firm, fresh mushrooms. Cut into quarters or even-size pieces, no larger than 3⁄4-inch. |
| Nuts | Chop. Pulse to chop to desired consistency. | Toast nuts first for maximum flavor. Allow to cool completely before chopping. |
| Vegetables, cooked | Chop. Pulse 5-10 times to chop, then process continuously until desired consistency is reached. | Cook vegetables until tender. Process to a smooth purée for baby food or sauces; may need to add liquid for consistency. |
