Convection Ovens have been a mainstay in restaurant and hotel kitchens, bakeries and pizza parlors for many years because of their speed, even browning and even cooking. During my chef training and years working in professional kitchens, I was always impressed with these commercial convection ovens — the roasts of beef that chefs would make and hold to perfect degrees of doneness; the golden and crusty baguettes, flaky croissants and crisp pastries that the pastry chefs produced; the trays of bacon that could be cooked up so quickly for sandwiches.
Although I grew up on a farm where most of the cooking was done on a woodstove, when I had an opportunity to build my own kitchen, I knew I wanted a convection oven. I would load up my semi-commercial convection oven with breads, pies and cookies (I could bake sixteen dozen cookies at a time) before heading off to the local Saturday morning market to sell my wares. My oven could also cook and roast large quantities of fish, vegetables and meat for catering functions. (At our annual Rotary Club fundraising dinner, we would grill four hundred filets mignons and then finish them to absolute perfection in a commercial convection oven — a technique that can also be used at home.)
As with many kitchen appliances adapted from industry for the home market, convection ovens have become increasingly popular and mainstream. And as technology improves, manufacturers are offering additional features that enhance the ovens' versatility even more. The Canadian Appliance Manufacturers Association (CAMA) projects that convection will continue to grow in popularity because of the improved cooking speed and consistent results that a conventional oven cannot provide.
Today I mostly use a domestic convection oven for teaching and for cooking for family and friends. I also love my convection toaster oven when I am cooking small quantities or small family meals.
Having worked with a variety of convection ovens, I am hooked on them all, and I now take them for granted. So I am always surprised when someone tells me that they have never used theirs. Many new and renovated kitchens come equipped with convection ovens, but often people don't know what to do with them. Yet this oven is easy to use, and you will instantly notice the difference in your cooking — both in time and in the finished result.
The recipes in this book have been developed to make the most of the convection oven and highlight its versatility. You can cook several batches of muffins and cookies at once without worrying about uneven cooking or the bottoms burning (I package the extras for giveaways, donations or freezing). Poultry and meats become brown and crisp on the outside while sealing in the juices. Gratins and casseroles cook quickly, with crisp, golden toppings. Pizzas, breads and pies bake evenly, and meringues dry perfectly. Angel food cakes — my childhood specialty cook — to perfection in the convection oven. Even steaks can be as brown and juicy as any grilled on an outdoor barbecue — just sear them quickly on the stovetop and finish them in the convection oven.
You can also cook entire meals in the oven. Look for Easy Oven Meal menus throughout this book for suggestions on how to cook a main course, side dish and dessert at the same time, using energy, and your time, efficiently.
So make the most of your convection oven and cook something. You will quickly become familiar and comfortable with the features and potential of your oven — and you will never roast a chicken the same way again.
