Cooking aid

Abstract

A cooking aid includes a sheet of flexible burn resistant material and a composition disposed on one face of the sheet. The composition contains a mixture of vegetable or animal oil with a melting point below 20 C., vegetable or animal fat with a melting point above 20 C., and one or more herbs, spices and flavor enhancers.

Claims

1. A cooking aid comprising: a) a sheet of flexible burn resistant material; b) a first blend disposed on one face of the sheet, the first blend comprising a first oil having a melting point below 20 C. and a vegetable or animal fat having a melting point above 20 C.; c) a second blend disposed on the first blend, the second blend comprising one or more herbs, spices or flavor enhancers; and d) a coating disposed on the second blend, the coating comprising a coating of a second oil on the one or more herbs, spices or flavor enhancers, the second oil having a melting point below 20 C.

2. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein the sheet is baking paper.

3. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first oil or the second oil is selected from the group consisting of sunflower oil, rape seed oil, cotton seed oil, peanut oil, soya oil, olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and mixtures thereof.

4. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein the vegetable or animal fat is selected from the group consisting of pork fat, tallow, lard, bone fats, butter, fractionated palm fat, any fully or partially hydrogenated or inter-esterified palm oil, cotton seed oil, peanut oil, soya oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, rape seed oil, and mixtures thereof.

5. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first blend, the second blend or the coating further comprises 0.01 to 1% by weight of a monoglyceride, sterol, or lecithin relative to the total weight of the first blend, the second blend and the coating.

6. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein the first oil, the second oil and the vegetable or animal fat together comprise 5 to 20% by weight relative to the total weight of the first blend, the second blend and the coating.

7. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein the one or more herbs, spices and flavour enhancers comprise 0.5 to 75% by weight relative to the total weight of the first blend, the second blend and the coating.

8. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein the one or more herbs, spices or flavour enhancers comprise at least one of parsley, rosemary, pepper or chives.

9. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein the one or more herbs, spices or flavour enhancers comprise flavour enhancers that are 10 to 80% by weight relative to the total weight of the first blend, the second blend and the coating.

10. The cooking aid of claim 9, wherein the flavour enhancers are selected from the group consisting of inorganic salts, salts of amino acids, protein hydrolysates, flavouring preparations, yeast extracts, and mixtures thereof.

11. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of the first and second oils to the vegetable or animal fat is from 1:99 to 34:66.

12. A process for the preparation of the cooking aid of claim 1, the process comprising: a) extending the sheet of flexible burn resistant material on a flat surface; b) spreading the first blend comprising the vegetable or animal fat and the first oil on the sheet; c) distributing the second blend comprising the one or more herbs, spices or flavour enhancers over the first blend; and d) coating the second blend comprising the one or more herbs, spices or flavour enhancers with the coating comprising the second oil.

13. A method of cooking meat comprising: placing pieces of the meat on the cooking aid of claim 1 in direct contact with at least one of the first blend, the second blend or the coating; and then cooking the pieces of the meat on the cooking aid of claim 1.

14. A method of cooking vegetables comprising: placing pieces of the vegetables on the cooking aid of claim 1 in direct contact with at least one of the first blend, the second blend or the coating; and then cooking the pieces of the vegetables on the cooking aid of claim 1.

Description

EXAMPLES

(1) The invention is further described with reference to the following examples. It is to be appreciated that the examples do not in any way limit the invention.

Example 1General Method

(2) The cook takes a portion of food and places it on the cooking aid. The food portion is covered on both sides with the sheet or loosely wrapped in the sheet. The cooking aid containing the food portion is placed on a pre-heated pan and cooked for the required time period, and on each side if appropriate, at moderate temperature. Low temperature cooking avoids fast protein degradation and improves palatability, taste perception and natural bite. The food portion is ready to serve by removing from the sheet. The ingredients of the composition give flavour to the cooked food, and the sheet protects the food from drying out ensuring natural juiciness. Flavours are better perceived due natural preserved juiciness and palatability is enhanced.

(3) The basic method for cooking meat comprises the following steps: 1. Place a clean pan on the heating station (e.g. induction, electric or gas hob) at, for example, 50% of the maximum heating capacity. No need to add oil or fat. 2. Open the cooking aid sheet. 3. Place the meat on the open sheet and fold or wrap the sheet around the meat. 4. Place the wrapped sheet on the pre-heated pan. 5. Cook for several minutes each side. 6. Remove from the pan. 7. Discard the sheet before eating.

Example 2Recipes

(4) The recipes below may be used for cooking beef or chicken, or any other suitable meat or food, depending on consumer preference.

(5) TABLE-US-00001 Recipe Component Amount (%) provencale fractionated palm fat/sunflower oil 25 flavours & flavour enhancers 68 (including cultured wheat gluten, NaCl) herbs & spices (oregano, basil, 7 tomato granules, thyme, black pepper, marjoram) garlic fractionated palm fat/sunflower oil 25 flavours & flavour enhancers 60 (including cultured wheat gluten, NaCl) herbs & spices (garlic powder, 15 onion powder, dehydrated garlic pieces, parsley) tomato fractionated palm fat/sunflower oil 25 flavours & flavour enhancers 57 (including cultured wheat gluten, NaCl) herbs & spices (tomato pieces, 18 marjoram, oregano, parsley) paprika fractionated palm fat/sunflower oil 25 flavours & flavour enhancers 65 (including cultured wheat gluten, NaCl) herbs & spices (bell pepper powder 10 & pieces, parsley)

(6) It is to be appreciated that although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred to in this specification.