It’s long been said that the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. But men aren’t the only ones who love a great meal. Cooking is not just a technical skill; it’s a life activity that you use every day. Here are a few tips to enhance your cooking skills and make you even better at it.
Add flavor to boring roast chicken. Rather than using a roasting rack, place thick slices of onion in the bottom of the pan, and place the chicken on top of them. The chicken juices will be absorbed by the onion, creating a caramelization on the bottom of the pan. After roasting, remove the chicken, add a little water to the pan and cook on high heat for a few minutes. This will create a tasty sauce for your chicken.
It is extremely embarrassing to have lumps in your gravy. It happens to everybody from the beginner cook to the master chef. There is a simple trick you can use to eliminate them. Drain the gravy through a fine strainer and discard the lumps. This technique can be used for other sauces or soups too.
If you’ve forgotten to soak your beans over night, quick soak them instead. Just put the beans in a very large pot and cover with water. Bring this to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about two hours. This method is just as effective as an over night soak and can save you time.
After you have cooked a meal for someone, never rush them into eating as you should always take your time and engage in conversation to give your body a chance to digest. Part of the meal is the smells and aromas it gives off while the other part is your actual consumption.
Have you ever wanted to cook a meal using fresh basil? Store the basil within a glass. Pour water in the glass until the stems of the fresh basil are completely covered. Next, place the basil and glass on the kitchen counter; the herb will remain fresh for a week or more. Change the water from time to time so that the basil grows roots. Occasionally trim the basil, which will encourage more growth, and you will be able to have the benefits of fresh basil for quite some time.
Even the humble sandwich can benefit from a little cooking expertise. Mayonnaise, mustard and other condiments should be spread evenly from edge to edge of sandwich bread. This improves consistency and ensures that every bite of the sandwich gets the benefit of the condiments. Even spreading produces superior sandwich results every time.
When you are making fish or meat, make sure to sprinkle seasonings equally. You can compare the sprinkling to falling snow. By doing this, you are avoiding clumping. Also, the spices will be spread evenly so that one side of the meat or fish does not have more seasoning than the other.
Never cook when you are tired. You need to be alert when you are cooking, to increase your level of safety, and put you in the best position to create quality food. Besides, you’re not going to enjoy the experience if you feel exhausted.
If you are stuck trying to figure out what to cook for dinner during the week, consider building your meals around themes. “Mexican Monday” could mean burritos or a nice taco salad. How about “Tuscan Tuesday” featuring spaghetti and meatballs or maybe meatball subs? And “Fish Friday” offers lots of options for shrimp, salmon or even tuna. Bring the whole family into the fun by letting the kids pick a theme and help plan the meal that day.
Rather than using water or milk in a specific recipe, try a different liquid to add a new flavor. In place of water, try adding beef or chicken broth, juice or even water used to cook vegetables. Use yogurt, buttermilk or sour cream in place of milk. Using a variety of liquids can add a bit of zest to a favorite recipe and even make it more nutritious.
Get your cooking utensils squeaky clean before starting a new dish. If old, leftover food is stuck on your cooking utensils, it could ruin the meal you are making. Another concern is the potential cost to your health, as you could possibly be exposed to bacteria.
If you want a creative and efficient way to store your sauces, pour them in ice cube trays and leave them to freeze. That way you can choose how many cubes you need to make the right amount of a particular sauce, dinner or soup, plus they can be easily reheated.
Start your sear in a cold pan when searing duck breasts. Duck can turn very dry very quickly if not properly cooked. Using the cold pan technique for searing allows the fat to render slowly which will keep your duck moist and juicy. It will also give you more time to develop flavors and take care of some side dishes.
Cutting onions does not have to be a crying matter. The keys to success with onions are easy to follow and minimize tears. Chill the onions first before cutting, use your sharpest knife for cutting and turn exposed cuts down on your board. As you cut, be efficient, quick and constantly turn the largest exposed cuts down against the board. Running your vent hood will help circulate air as you cut as well.
Prepare ingredients for the week’s dinners. One great way to get a jump on time is to plan your dinners for the week on Sunday. When you know what you will be fixing each night you can take some time to portion and precook some of your ingredients. Vegetables can also be chopped and stored in Tupperware which will easily keep until used later in the week. By utilizing weekend time, you can save a lot of time during the week.
A great, home-cooked meal is the kind of thing all of us remember. Using these tips to improve your cooking is the same as an athlete who keeps training–the more you do it, the better you get. learn as much as you can about cooking. The more tips you have, the better your meals will taste.
