Tips & Tricks

 

Cooking tips and tricks can change our lives and save us a lot of time. And the most important part is to share these with eachother to avoid these all-too-common cooking mistakes.

 1) Store spices in a cool, dark place, not above your stove. Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor.

2) Always make stock in a large quantity and freeze it in plastic bags. That way, when you want to make a nice soup or boil veggies, you can simply pull the bag out of the freezer.

3) Cook pasta 1 minute less than the package instructions and cook it the rest of the way in the pan with sauce.

4) After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on your stainless steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. It will remove the odor.

5) When you deep-fry, hold each piece of food with long tongs as you add it to the oil. Hold it just below the oil's surface for five seconds before releasing it. This will seal the exterior and stop it from sticking to the pot or the other food.

6). For creamy dressings made healthy, substitute half the mayo with turkish style yogurt.

7) When chopping herbs, toss a little salt onto the cutting board; it will keep the herbs from flying around.

8) Always season meat and fish evenly; sprinkle salt and pepper as though it's "snowing."

9) Do not use oil in the water when boiling pasta: It will keep the sauce from sticking to the cooked pasta.

10) To cut pancetta or bacon into lardons, put in the freezer for 15 minutes. This will firm up the meat and make it easier to cut.

11) Smash garlic cloves inside a resealable plastic bag with the back of a knife. That way, your cutting board and knife won't smell.

12) Add cheese rinds to vegetable or meat broths for another dimension of flavor.

13) Always use sharp knives.Not only is it safer but it will make your work much more efficient.

14) Plunge vegetables in ice water after blanching (boiling) them so they maintain a bright color.

15) If you overcrowd the pan when you're sautéing ? it'll make your food steam instead.

16) Before you grill, pull your steaks out of the refrigerator one hour ahead of time so they can come to room temperature.

17) To optimize the juice you get from a lemon or lime, roll it hard under your palm for a minute before juicing.

18) Before you add the egg, heat the spatula (if it's metal) in the oil first. That way the egg won't stick to it.
19) For clarified butter, slowly melt unsalted butter over low heat. Don't let the butter come to a boil, and don't stir it.

20) Thicken gravies with milk or broth blended in the blender with flour.
   
21) Stubborn stains can be removed from non-stick cookware by boiling, 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1/2 cup vinegar,and 1 cup of water for ten minutes. Before using the pan again,season it with salad oil.

22) To restore color and shine to an aluminum pan, boil some apple peels in it for a few minutes, then rinse and dry.

23) To keep cauliflower white while cooking -add a little milk to the water.

24) Do not use metal bowls when mixing salads.Use wooden, glass or china.

25) Microwave garlic cloves for 15 seconds and the skins slip
right off.

26) Fresh eggs' shells are rough and chalky; old eggs are smooth and shiny.

27) If your cake recipe calls for nuts, heat them first in the oven,then dust with flour before adding to the batter to keep them from settling to the bottom of the pan.

28)T o hasten the cooking of foods in a double boiler, add salt to the water in the outer boiler.

29) Store tomatoes with stems pointed down and they will stay fresher, longer.

30) Cheese won't harden if you butter the exposed edges before storing.

31) If a recipe calls for 1 cup sour cream, you may substitute 1 cup cottage cheese blended until smooth with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/3 cup buttermilk.

32)To keep salt from clogging in the shaker, add 1/2 teaspoon of uncooked rice.

33) When using dried beans and peas, keep in mind that 1 cup dry beans or peas makes 2 1/2 cups cooked.

34) Marinate red meats in wine to tenderize. Marinate chicken in buttermilk to tenderize.

35) Use margarine instead of butter to panfry or saute.Butter burns quickly.

 36) Vegetables dry out when they hit the heat without a little oil. Before they hit the grill, toss them with a light coating of oil.

 37) Cut them into smaller pieces if you want your vegetables to cook more quickly .