STOCKS, SOUPS AND SAUCES

1. What are the current top flavours and trends that caterers should be aware of to optimise their soup service – to patients and in retail?

Traditional favourites are still popular and a great way to incorporate lots of nutritious vegetables. What better way to prepare your soups than with the RATIONAL iVario Pro advanced bratt pan includes pre-defined settings for both soup and soup under pressure which takes operators step-by-step through the process, this enables 400 servings of vegetable soup to be prepared in 35 minutes.

2. If making soups in the hospital kitchen, what are the essential pieces of equipment to have?

With the iVario Pro, operators can cook soups from scratch, in bulk in a fraction of the time it would take in conventional cooking appliances. Once a process has been identified, it’s easy to develop and program the cooking process so that it can be replicated, to ensure consistency.

The iVario Pro's even heat distribution ensures that soups are cooked uniformly. This prevents scorching or uneven heating that can negatively affect the final product and increase waste. Using the iVario Pro’s iVarioBoost heating system, the delicate heating will prevent catching and burning and there is no need to constantly monitor as the iVario will communicate and alert operators when they need to stir. This lack of sticking also makes the pan extremely easy to clean between batches.

There are several optional features and accessories to assist with production of soups in the iVario Pro. For blending there is an integrated socket, so that soup can be blended in the pan, avoiding the need to decant. There is also an optional colander accessory to pass soups through as well as a scraper to facilitate the efficient removal of products, meaning less wastage.

3. How can soup recipes be formulated to help boost nutrition, especially for those most vulnerable to malnutrition?

RATIONAL systems help preserve the nutritional content of food items, ensuring that patients receive the necessary nutrients for their recovery and overall health. These systems are designed to minimise nutrient loss during cooking processes and retain more vitamins, colour, minerals, and flavour. The iVario offers 95%* less fat and, compared to conventional cooking technology.

4. How could pre-prepared stocks and sauces be used in a fresh-cook kitchen to help cater for free-from and other special dietary needs?

RATIONAL cooking systems allow for easy customisation of cooking programs to meet specific dietary needs and preferences whether dishes are made fresh or using pre-prepared stocks. This is important in hospitals where patients may have various dietary restrictions, allergies, or cultural preferences. With the impressive speed and ability to cook large quantities, stocks can also be made in bulk, in advance, even overnight of required. With the optional intelligent pressure-cooking function, casseroles, braised dishes, stocks, soups, and stews can all be cooked up to 35 % faster than in conventional appliances, without any loss of quality.

5. How can pre-prepared stocks and sauces help to reinvigorate the retail offer by enabling hospital caterers to tap into high street trends and offer theme days?

The RATIONAL iVario Pro can accommodate a wide range of recipes and menu items. This variety can help keep the menu interesting and appealing to patients, staff and visitors, improving their overall dining experience and appetite. RATIONAL’s digital kitchen management system, Connected Cooking includes a recipe library also offers lots of inspiration for soups.

To register for ConnectedCooking www.connectedcooking.com/en_gb/index.php

6. Can the use of pre-prepared stocks and sauces help the food preparation and service become more sustainable - for instance, by reducing waste?
Ideally chefs would always like to cook with fresh ingredients were possible, from a quality and nutritional point of view, but with rising cost and skill shortages there are times when ready-made or convenience products are required.

Using the RATIONAL iVario Pro to heat up these products can be useful. Powdered soup mix for instance. 18 litres of water can be boiled in the RATIONAL iVario 2-S in 8 minutes, to do this on a stove could take anywhere between 30-40 minutes, that is a significant time and energy saving. A chef could potentially make 18 litres of soup in only 10 minutes. When preparing ready-made custard or white sauce on a stove it is very easy to burn the bottom of the pan. Using the iVario Pro’s iVarioBoost heating system, the delicate heating will prevent the sauce from catching and burning and there is no need to constantly monitor as the iVario will communicate and alert operators when they need to stir.

RATIONAL is inviting businesses who are curious about the iVario, to trial its benefits in their kitchens, for free, by participating in the TrialBlazer challenge.
This free trial offers businesses the opportunity to have an iVario technologically advanced bratt pan installed and running in their kitchen for six weeks, backed by a tailor-made training and support package throughout the period.