No one is perfect at cooking and the best chefs even have things to learn. Cooking is a skill that we never stop learning more about and improving as we get older. When you read this article you will be well on your way to improving your cooking skills greatly! Each tip will give you a fresh perspective and make your cooking approach much better.
Before washing your hands, try rubbing them on stainless steal to remove strong odors such as garlic or fish. Any stainless steel surface will absorb the nasty odor, and your hands will smell fresh and clean!
Make certain all your utensils are cleaned prior to cooking. If there is food leftover after washing, this could ruin whatever you are going to cook. Beyond that, dirty utensils allow bacteria to grow which could make you ill.
It is so easy to mistakenly add more salt than is needed, but there is nothing to worry about if it happens. To remove some of the saltiness, peel three potatoes, chop them in large pieces and add them to your simmering sauce for 15 minutes. These raw potatoes will absorb any excess salt. If your dish contains tomatoes, just put in more of them to take away the salty flavor and proceed with cooking until they become ready.
You can use it on other foods besides meat. For example, sprinkle it over roasted nuts or seeds, or use a dash when cooking eggs for breakfast. Anyone who tastes these is sure to wonder and ask if you have a special or secret ingredient.
Keep in mind that tofu and beans are excellent sources of protein when you want to add more protein to your diet. They are also easily located at almost every grocery store. Tofu can be fried in a pan with just a few seasonings. It is a tasty and healthy meat alternative. Beans can be used in vegetarian chili, added to baked goods, or just boiled with herbs and vegetables.
Unripened fruits should be placed into a plastic bag with holes in it. As they ripen, they will create ethylene gas. Placing fruit in a perforated bag allows air circulation in the bag, retaining ethylene gas and keeping the fruit tasting good.
When you are preparing salsa that will be stored rather than used immediately, dice your onions, rinse them in cold water and blot them with paper towels to get them completely dry. Onions from the store have gas that smells like sulfur. The gas can add a strange taste to your salsa. Thoroughly rinsing the onions after you cut them will get rid of the gas.
Keep all spices stored out of the sunlight. When spices are exposed to light and heat, they lose their flavor and it reduces their storage life. When a spice is placed in a cool area with very little light, its life is extended and it will taste better. Using fresher spices can make tastier meals.
When serving salads to guests, it is a good idea to leave the dressing on the side of the salad rather than on it. The amount dressing that people prefer on their salad varies so allow guests to add their own dressing. Also, give a variety of different dressings.
To make a soup or stew that is almost fat free, begin your recipe with a fat-free broth or soup stock. Add many different types of vegetables and choose a cut of lean meat to add to the soup to make sure that you are keeping the it low-fat. Before eating the soup, allow it to refrigerate for several hours. When the soup is cooled, you will find that the fat will have risen and congealed on top. The congealed fat can then be removed with a spoon and discarded. For each tablespoonful of fat that you discard, you will spare yourself as much as 100 calories.
Learning new aspects of cooking is fun and exciting. It can be just as exciting as when you are eating the food that you make! This article should have provided you with ideas you can use for your meals, and new ways to cook in general. Never settle for a microwave meal again!