Dacor SGM304 Use & Care Manuals - Page 9

Operating Your Cooktop IMPORTANT: • When a burner 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 cold 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 igniters 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. • To keep the burners operating properly, keep the burner igniters, burner rings and burner caps clean and dry. See the Care and Cleaning section starting on page 8. 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, except underneath each grate support finger, where the flame height is reduced by Dacor's Smart-Flame feature. 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. The orange color will disappear with further use. Small yellow tips on the ends of the flames are normal when using LP gas. Available Accessories Simmer Plate (Dacor Model# ASP10): The optional simmer plate is designed to spread the heat of a burner adjusted to a low setting evenly along the bottom of the cooking utensil. It is used for simmering and holding food at the lowest safe temperature. It has a non-stick coating for easy cleaning. Wok Ring (Dacor Model# AWR4): The optional wok ring is a safe, convenient way to stir fry. Place it on top of the grate, aligning the wok ring feet with the grate fingers. It will hold most standard sized woks. Griddle (Dacor Model# AG11 or AG13): The optional griddle is coated with a non-stick finish and easy to clean. It is good for cooking pancakes, eggs and various other foods. It is designed to sit on top of your cooktop burner grates. A maximum setting of medium is recommended to avoid damage to the cooktop. See the instructions included with the griddle for further information. 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 boil than is necessary wastes energy, cooks away moisture and causes a loss in food flavor and nutrients. • 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. 7