Every novice cooker has to begin at some point. Not everyone has that natural talent to cook. Luckily, everyone can learn to cook well. Learn a few key pointers to become a great cook. Here are some great suggestions on how to start on your culinary journey.
If you have bought fruit that is not ripe, put it in a plastic bag with holes.
As fruits ripen, they produce a gas called ethylene. Placing fruit in a perforated bag allows air circulation in the bag, retaining ethylene gas and keeping the fruit tasting good.
Grilled fruit is surprisingly delicious. You can fill a skewer with peach or nectarine slices, and melon slices can work well too. Grill them until marks appear. Serve the grilled fruit on some ice cream or pound cake that has been cooked a few minutes on the grill.
Reheating oily dishes in your microwave can have disastrous results. To avoid the mess, warm the dish in an oven instead. Because microwaves have intense heat, oil separates from other ingredients because it heats faster. Baking works differently from a microwave by heating the dish consistently and evenly through. This avoids the oily mess and the dish keeps all of its original flavor.
If you are trying to impress a new guest or important visitor, cook proven dishes that you excel in preparing. Avoid any new recipes or ones that rely on unfamiliar ingredients or techniques. This will help you feel less stressed when preparing your meal.
Don't cut cinnamon rolls the hard way. Sometimes it is difficult to cut the roll into small slices before baking. Place a piece of strong thread beneath the roll where you're going to make a cut. Draw the thread up on each side, and then make an "X" with the threads on top, and yank the ends toward the other sides. This will ensure perfect cinnamon roll slices!
bake tart or pie crusts longer that you think they should be baked. Wait until the crust turns golden rather than pale blond. This color means that the sugar has caramelized within the pie crust and will have a crunchy and sweet flavor.
Make preparations for cooking in advance. Often times, you can get ingredients ready up to several days in advance of when you will be making the meal. Sometimes, preparing your ingredients in advance yields a bonus in the form of better flavor. After you have cooked wit h advanced prep a few times, you may find it difficult to cook any other way again.
Want to add more protein to your diet? Consider incorporating beans and tofu! Most grocery stores sell both items. Tofu can be pan-fried with some seasonings, and makes a tasty meat alternative. Boil the beans with herbs to make a tasty protein-filled dish.
Try to fix up your pie crust! If you have been too rough with your pie, the crust may be cracked. Remedy these cracks by sprinkling cold water on them and using your finger to rub the dough together. If the cracks pop up on the top of the crust, dab it with milk and then sprinkle some sugar over it. This creates a glaze that hides cracks.
Many liquids are interchangeable within a recipe; try replacing the water or milk with something new. For instance, you can use broth, stock, juice or a bit of wine to replace the water in a recipe. Rather than using milk, think about yogurt, buttermilk or sour cream. Adding different and interestin g liquids to a recipe can help the dish become more interesting and nutritious.
Don't forget to skim the unwanted fat from your simmering stews and soups. You can remove excess fat from soups and stews by skimming it off the top of cooled dishes. Next, skim a spoon containing an ice cube over the surface of the liquid. The excess fat will affix itself to the ice. You can also use a regular paper towel for blotting the fat.
Always make sure that the cooking utensils you are about to use are clean before starting any cooking. This is a basic but very important rule for any cook. If your utensils are not completely clean, you run the risk of introducing old food residue into whatever you are cooking. This can also spread harmful bacteria.
Your cutting board retains the odors of certain herbs and vegetables despite repeated scrubbings. Mark your chopping board using indelible ink in order to keep track of which side you used.
More often than not, we add way to much salt to our dishes, however it is not yet ruined. Just chop up some raw potatoes and place them in the sauce, allowing them to simmer for approximately fifteen minutes. The extra salt is absorbed by the potatoes. If your recipe is tomato-based, you can add simply dilute the sauce by adding extra tomatoes. Cook until they soften.
If you are working on creating more home-cooked meals, try the library for cookbooks that offer a variety of easy recipes that will be fun to prepare. Try different recipes until you come up with something that works for you.
Cooking talent does not come naturally to many, but if you know how to read and follow directions with accuracy, being an amateur chef is within your grasp. It's not as hard as you think. Apply the tips that you have read here, and nothing will be able to get in your way.
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