Dacor ERD30 User Manual - Epicure Range - Page 15

Operating Your Range IMPORTANT: • When the cooktop is cool the igniters may continue to spark if the control knob is set to the LOW position. The igniters will stop sparking when the burner is warm. The tendency to spark when cold can be reduced by operating the burner at a higher flame setting for about 60 seconds. After 60 seconds, lower the flame to cook. The burner will also warm up faster if a utensil is placed on the grate. The igniter will also spark automatically if the flame is distorted by a draft or by the household ventilation system. Eliminate any drafts or reduce the ventilation blower speed to reduce this type of problem. Cooking Tips For superior cooking performance and to save energy: • Reduce the flame height to the minimum level necessary to perform the desired cooking process. Food cooks just as quickly at a gentle boil as it does at a vigorous, rolling boil. A higher than necessary boil wastes energy, cooks away moisture and causes flavor and nutrients loss. • Use low or medium flame heights when cooking in utensils that are poor conductors of heat, such as glass, ceramic and cast iron cooking vessels. Reduce the flame height until it covers approximately 1/3 of the utensil diameter to ensure even heating and reduce scorching. • Minimize the amount of liquid or fat to reduce cooking times. • Use a timer rather than repeatedly removing the lid to check food. Doing so will decrease cooking time and save energy. • Thaw foods prior to cooking to reduce cooking time. Burner Assembly • To keep the burners operating properly, keep the burner igniters and the rest of the burner clean and dry. See Cooktop Disassembly and Cleaning on page 17. Dirty or wet igniters will result in constant sparking, even if there is a flame present. • The flame should burn evenly around the perimeter of the burner. A normal flame is steady and blue in color. Foreign material in the gas line, especially in new construction, may cause an orange flame during initial operation. This will disappear with further use. Small yellow tips on the ends of the flames are normal when using LP gas. About the Burners • Your Epicure range burners are all rated at a maximum output of 15,000 BTU/HR. • All burners are sealed to the cooktop by gaskets around the underside of the burner bases, to prevent liquids spills from getting into the cooktop chassis. Using the Simmer Plate The simmer plate is specifically designed for simmering and holding food at the lowest safe temperature. Use the simmer plate only with the burner adjusted to its lowest setting. Use the simmer plate for simmering only. Remove it when performing other types of cooking. • To install the simmer plate, locate the five feet on the bottom and align them with the five longest fingers on the cooktop grate. Set the simmer plate on top. • When correctly installed, the simmer plate will rest about 1/2 inch above the top of the grate and will be locked in place to prevent turning. • Your simmer plate has a non-stick coating for easy cleaning. Take care in using abrasives on the non-stick coating because it can scratch. Some wear will occur on top of the simmer plate fingers during normal use. Simmer Plate Grate Stabilizer Feet 13