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 flavour enhancers.

Claims

1. A cooking aid comprising: a) a sheet of flexible burn resistant material; b) a composition disposed on one face of the sheet, the composition comprising a mixture of: i. 1 to 34% by weight of a vegetable or animal oil with a melting point below 20 C.; ii. 66 to 99% by weight of a vegetable or animal fat with a melting point above 20 C.; and iii. one or more herbs, spices and flavor enhancers, wherein the one or more herbs, spices and flavor enhancers are coated with oil.

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

3. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein the 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, and palm kernel oil.

4. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein the 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, and rape seed oil.

5. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises 0.01 to 1% by weight of a monoglyceride, sterol, or lecithin.

6. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein the oil and fat together comprise 5 to 20% by weight of the composition.

7. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein the one or more herbs, spices and flavour enhancers comprise 0.5 to 75% by weight of the composition.

8. The cooking aid of claim 1, wherein the one or more herbs, spices and 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 and flavour enhancers comprise flavour enhancers that are 10 to 80% by weight of the composition.

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, and yeast extracts.

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

12. A method of cooking meat comprising: placing pieces of the meat on the cooking aid of claim 1 in direct contact with the composition; and then cooking the pieces of the meat on the cooking aid of claim 1.

13. A method of cooking vegetables comprising: placing pieces of the vegetables on the cooking aid of claim 1 in direct contact with the composition; and then cooking the pieces of the vegetables on the cooking aid of claim 1.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0053] 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 1

General Method

[0054] 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.

[0055] The basic method for cooking meat comprises the following steps: [0056] 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. [0057] 2. Open the cooking aid sheet. [0058] 3. Place the meat on the open sheet and fold or wrap the sheet around the meat. [0059] 4. Place the wrapped sheet on the pre-heated pan. [0060] 5. Cook for several minutes each side. [0061] 6. Remove from the pan. [0062] 7. Discard the sheet before eating.

Example 2

Recipes

[0063] The recipes below may be used for cooking beef or chicken, or any other suitable meat or food, depending on consumer preference.

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)

[0064] 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.