Something that everyone needs to do every now and again is cooking, it is also a great hobby to have. Anyone can cook well if they learn to do it the right way. You will be able to find some advice that can help you in this article.
The only utensils that won't damage nonstick cookware are those made of silicone, rubber or nylon. Hard utensils such as metal can scratch the nonstick coating which destroys the whole point, and it also could add the coating to cook into your food. Eating the coating could be potentially dangerous to your health.
To eliminate the stress of cooking, prepare and assemble all the ingredients you need before you start. This will help you go through the preparation easily and not have to run to the store for additional ingredients. It doesn't take longer to prepare things first instead of getting things as you need them; however, it does save time when you are cooking, and makes the entire process go much more smoothly.
Make sure that you never use a wine in your food that you would not normally drink. Using a wine that you are not familiar with in your food can cause you not to like the flavor that's produced. There are cooking-specific wines available at the supermarket.
To create low-fat soups or stews, start with fat-free broth or stock. You should next add ample vegetables and substitute your meats for leaner cuts to trim the fat from your pot of soup. Let your soup chill in the refrigerator when it is done cooking. Once cooled, the fat will separate out at the top of the soup. You can then remove the hardened fat and discard. This can save you about 100 calories per teaspoon that is removed.
When you are cooking pasta, use a fair amount of salt in the water. This allows the seasoning to soak into the pasta, which will retain its flavor. Salting cooked pasta will not have the same effect.
Fix a broken pie crust! Dough that has been overworked will crack when you roll it out. Sprinkle cold water on the cr acks and spread the dough. For cracks located on the top crust, a bit of milk can be brushed on it along with a bit of sugar. Baking will cause the sugar to form a beautiful glaze over the top of the pie and make any crust issues disappear.
To cook your meats to the proper temperature, make sure you are using a meat thermometer. There is a minimum internal temperature to which a meat needs to be cooked so that it is safe to eat. Bacteria can easily survive in meat, so unless it is thoroughly cooked, this bacteria can stay in the meat and make you ill.
To keep your dried herbs and spices flavorful, keep your spice rack tucked away somewhere cool and dark. Using a cabinet over the stove to store herbs and spices will cause them to lose their flavor and you will lose money too.
Don't do all of your seasoning during the cooking process. Spices, such as red pepper, garlic, or salt, are excellent for flavoring, but don't necessarily need to be used during the meal's preparat ion. Individual preferences regarding the strengths of the seasonings in a dish may vary, though. Rather than adding these spices to the food as you're cooking it, put them on the table so people can choose which ones they want to use. This way you are sure that every person enjoys their dish.
Many of the vegetables and herbs give off a strong odor which tends to leave your cutting board smelly no matter how hard you try to scrub it off. Mark your ends on the cutting board using indelible ink so that you can remember one side from the other.
For maximum sandwich enjoyment, make sure you spread mayonnaise evenly across the bread. People don't generally pay attention to perfection in sandwiches so just dollop the mayo into the middle. If you spread it evenly, your sandwiches are complete with overall flavor.
Place meat in the freezer for a few minutes to make slicing easier. If you are cooking an exotic dish that requires thinly sliced meat, this is the best way to do it . Uncooked meat is easier to cut when it is partially frozen. For the most even cooking, you should let the strips thaw before you cook them.
Rub your hands on stainless steel after you handle smelly foods such as garlic, fish, or onions to get the smell out. This strips the odors off your hands so that you don't contaminate other ingredients. There are purpose-built steel "soap bars" for this, but the sides of your sink or your spoons will work just as well.
Try drying your own tomatoes. Start by slicing a ripe tomato one-half inch thick, or you can cut Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise. Place on a cooling rack, cut-side up and lightly salt them. Heat your oven to 190 degrees and put the cooling rack with the tomatoes directly onto a cookie sheet, baking for no more than ten hours. Put the bags of tomatoes in your freezer. Also, you can put those dried tomatoes straight into a jar or can filled with fresh herbs and olive oil. Use them within two weeks of refrigerating.
Cooking is more complicated than just placing food onto a table. It can be a delicious, fun activity. Sure, you will mess up from time to time, but those screw ups can actually help you get better and will happen less often as you get better. These tips, used in a kitchen, can help you become successful in cooking.
No comments:
Post a Comment