DPinBucks
Distinguished Member
Ours is on even as I'm typing this, doing spicy potato wedges.Have a look at the cook book supplied with the Actifry. There are some lovely recipes in there and they do work. The chicken and pineapple one is especially nice and there is a vegetable stirfry type recipe in there (can't remember what they call it - something julienne?) but if you like meat, then add in some cooked meat 5 mins before the end.
I use my Actifry for various things as well as chips/roast potatoes/cubed potatoes. You can vary the chips and potato dishes by adding garlic (5 mins from the end) or curry powder (added in the oil at the beginning) or paprika or other flavours.
With chips - (I make my own so cannot say about oven chips) make sure they are dry before you put them in. give them at least 30 mins (if you are cooking for 2) longer for more chips/portions. increase it by about 5 mins per portion after that till you are sure they are done. Maris Piper spuds make the BEST chips/roast potatoes.
I would not do sausages in it - unless I had already browned them and started them off on the grill (then you can chop them into chunks and add them in halfway thru cooking some cubed potatoes.
I have also done corned beef hash, numerous stir fry meals, and several of the recipes from the book.
You can do any vegetable in it - but don't bother trying to brown onions. Onions will cook and tenderise as will other veg.
Dont add baked beans to anything unless it's less than 3 mins from the end - (the sauce dries up really quick!) but you can throw them into corned beef hash at the very end.
I'm on my 3rd actifry - the first 2 caught fire - but I would not be without mine. I never leave it unattended EVER and have had no problems at all with this one.
If you buy one - get it from Lakeland - their customer service is excellent!
I broke the paddle on my Actifry and they sent me a new one free of charge.
We use it a lot.
As you say, stir-fry type veg is great (peppers, mushrooms, aubergine, large chunks of onion, courgettes, etc), plus spices. Not so good for runny veg like tomatoes.
Does chicken a treat: cut into cubes and do by itself or with the veg as above.
We use tiny amounts of olive oil: don't bother with the measure and just sprinkle a teaspoon or less over the spuds.
Drying the potatoes before frying does make a difference. The easiest place to dry them is in the Actifry itself. Simply add the oil 5 minutes after starting.
To answer the question about onions: I agree with you that the machine is not ideal for browning.