This reminds me. Would The Kitchen like to do a food processor round-up sometime soon? Like real soon, so I can beg for one for my upcoming birthday? I've been living without one for way too long.

mjoe,

I LOVE my food processor. Of course, it's the only one I've ever had, and I've owned it less than a year. In any case, I think the ones KitchenAid makes are just great (and have good reviews). They have many different sizes; I'd suggest a larger one with a 4-cup mini-bowl, since sometimes you just don't need to process 9-cups of whatever (and sometimes you do).

cilantro question: any tips on measuring fresh herbs? it's hard to measure before cutting them up (since they have stems and whatnot) and once they are cut up they tend to stick to everything. I tend to just estimate and throw them in, but there must be some trick, right??

eliza,
I understand your cilantro difficulties, but have resigned myself to the rough estimate method. I don't usually use the stems, so I end up with a pile of leaves, which might be easier to guess-timate quantities for.

Food processor...for salsa? I don't get it. I guess I like my salsa chunky, for good chip dipping.

i just bought all my ingredients to make my first ever salsa! and i'ma throw in a bit o' mexican mango, too :)

i'm actually glad i don't have a food processor...i really love prep work. since i'm a wretched cook, it's my only kitchen consolation ;)

I don't ever process tomatoes, and next time I probably wouldn't throw in the green pepper either. But I find that garlic, onion, and jalapenos are so strong in larger chunks that the salsa is more balanced when they're whizzed fine in the processor and more distributed through. But that's just my preference.

for cilantro - sometimes the recipe will say packed which is what i normally do, because i love fresh herbs - and to be on the safe side if it doesn't say packed, you could pack it before cutting out the stems so it will be slightly less after you do. that's just what i do.

sorry - i didn't mean to double post - but what is the price range for a good food processor. i have been dying for one for years and never really have the over 100 bucks to plunk down for one all at once. now i've saved up for one, but it still seems like a lot. i've seen them for cheaper, but my friend swears by the pricier ones. and what about kitchenaid vs cuisinart?

just made great salsa, which I invite you to steal
chopped up (food processor) garlic scapes and a fresh habanero
fried it a little, added quartered tomatillos and water
bring to a light simmer
toast several dry chiles - I used puya, but pasilla or arbol or whatever you like is good - and add it to the simmering

salt, and simmer for 1/2 hour or so
run some of what you're cooking with all the dry chiles in a small food processor and incorporate back into the simmering, so you can adjust the taste. Or wait until the whole thing is cooked and cooled to blend it smooth.
Add fresh cilantro, just before you are done cooking, and after if you like. Lime optional.

Hmmm, never had garlic in salsa, guido. Sounds pretty good.

It's the garlic scapes -- the green stems, preflowering, that are rampant right now for a short season which is right now in the NEast. You get an herby onion-garlic base flavor from them . . . goes great with the tart tomatillos etc

Elizabeth in AL,

I have a Kitchenaid, which was recommended by Cooks Illustrated. I never really compared KitchenAid vs Cuisinart.

There are various sizes-- the big ones run about $180 and the little ones are about $50. I got my mom an $80 one for Christmas from Amazon.com. She loves it. It really depends on how large you want your food processor to be. If you don't need a 12-cup one (and I have yet to fill mine up), get something smaller that's in your price range. You can also cut corners by getting fewer accessories.

Also, I can't say enough about how much I love it. I can make pie and pizza dough in it! (I didn't think this was possible, but the dough came out great and it was SO FAST!) Chopping and mincing large amounts of veggies is a cinch.

hrhprincessfiona,
you may have heard of the Mexican herb epazote? It has a nice herbaceous flavor that would be good in salsa. Even shiso leaf, which you could get at an Asian market would be interesting.

I was wondering if there is a trick to using liquids in the food processor. I have the mini one which I used to puree soup in batches all the time. I got the 9 cup for Christmas and when I put my soup in it leaked out the bottom. Any help is appreciated! Thanks.

guttersnipe,
you may have better luck with a regular blender or a good commercial (waring) immersion blender. If you use a regular blender just use caution when blending hot soups. You will have to pulse it a couple of times to let the steam escape so you don't burn yoursef.

You shouldn't have a problem using the food processor as long as you don't allow the liquid to get into the whole where the blade is attached to the shaft. Give the immersion (stick blender) a try if you haven't yet. You can blend the soup right in it's pot.

Trying to jump back in here before this post falls off the first page... Thanks for the rec's, but I"ll echo Elizabeth's question: KitchenAid vs. Cuisinart? Anyone?

I'm thinking I'll go with the Cuisinart, both for lower price and because all the gadgets are available for C's 7-cup, whereas (according to Amazon reviewer) KA doesnt make all the gadgets for the 7-cup. Stupid.

But is there anything bad I should know about C?

Monkeyme and Kdkaboom -- Chopping is my LEAST favorite part of cooking. Ugh, I hate it. Chunky is great, but the way I chop, that chunk of tomato will be as big as the chip. Thus, I have not made salsa since I lived with my mom and had access to her food processor. But what I most need it for is soups. (Don't have a blender either).

I am seriously amused and fascinated by this country's love of the red onion, and it's versatile use. However, the correct onion for authentic Pico is the yellow onion.

guttersnipe, on my food processor at least, there's a liquid level indicator. Higher than that, much spillage. If you keep it under that line (sometimes annoying to do soups in batches, but not so bad) you shouldn't have any trouble.

As for the C v KA discussion, I have the Cuisinart and I *love* it. I use it all the time to make dough, hummus, smoothies, soups, and so much more. Get one!