Anyone can learn how to cook. You can shop for ingredients, and follow a recipe’s instructions, right? Do you have the basic equipment for cooking? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you are going to be able to cook. This article contains some simple advice and a few creative ideas which will help you to advance your culinary skills to the next level, so that you can effortlessly produce delicious meals night after night.
A good cook takes pride in keeping a set of well-sharpened knives. Not only can it be difficult to cut with dull knives, but it is dangerous to use them too. Attempting to force a blunt blade through a tough root vegetable is much more likely to lead to an accident, than quickly dicing and slicing the same tough root vegetable with a sharp blade.
Are you going to cook with fresh basil? Store basil in a glass jar. Make sure the stems are in water. Put the basil on your counter and it will remain fresh for up to seven days! The basil will grow roots if you occasionally change the water. Plant the fresh basil in a small pot with rich soil to have fresh basil available at all times.
If you do any lengthy cooking process like boiling, many of the nutrients will be cooked out. Rather than boiling, quickly steam or sauté your vegetables to retain nutrients. Even better, eat them raw!
Mashed Potatoes
Get more flavor from the milk you mash your potatoes with by heating it first. Your mashed potatoes should come out fluffy and light. This technique also minimizes lumps. No one wants to eat mashed potatoes that are lumpy and bland.
Consider creating your own stock, in order to add some customized flavor to your dishes. If you cook large quantities, you could store the leftovers in resealable bags inside your freezer. Then when you make a soup or other dish that calls for stock, you always have some right at your fingertips. When you prepare your stock from scratch, you will be certain that it is 100% natural, not loaded with preservatives.
Reserve some pasta water for use in your pasta sauce. Use about a fourth of a cup for this tip. Add some of it in as you mix the pasta with the sauce. The water contains starch from the pasta, and will make your sauce nice and creamy.
Beans and tofu are great sources of protein if you need to add some to your diet. Both are easily available to buy 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 boiled with herbs is a flavorful source of protein.
It is always recommended that you use a fair amount of salt, when you are boiling water for a pasta dish. This allows the salt to be absorbed by the pasta. Salting cooked pasta will not have the same effect.
If you are just starting out with cooking, consider doing your research at your local library. There are plenty of cookbooks with simple recipes available. Pick a few simple, interesting recipes and work up to more elaborate dishes as your skills increase.
Dark, leafy greens tend to be healthy, but it is rather stressful to prepare them. It’s time consuming to get those tough stems out. It’s much easier to just fold the leaf along the stem and then break it off. Alternatively, you can utilize a knife to remove the stem from the folded leaf. When you unfold the leaf, you will have a perfect leaf with no stem.
Spices should be stored in an area with little light and low temperatures, like a pantry. Putting them in a warm, lighted area can reduce their useful life, due to light and heat exposure. Your spices will have a longer shelf life and retain their good taste if stored in a dark, cool spot. Using fresher spices can make tastier meals.
Always bake your crusts a little longer than is absolutely necessary. Go past the usual pale tan color and take them to a caramel gold. This is because the golden color lets you know that the sugar from the crust has caramelized, which give it that sweet, yet crisp taste.
Don’t throw out turkey leftovers, whether it is from a holiday dinner or an everyday meal. The efficient thing to do is put the turkey in a plastic container and freeze it for later. This will keep the turkey fresh, so it can be reused for salads or sandwiches.
A new and challenging recipe won’t make a good impression if you haven’t mastered it. It is wiser to stick with the tried and true. Whether it is for friend, family or employer, you want to present your best effort. Make sure you please them by cooking something you know you can cook well.
Let your food rest a bit before sitting down to eat. Many individuals don’t know it’s important to let your meal sit for a bit before dishing it up. We are inclined to serve meat and other foods as soon as they are cooked. But many foods need to “rest” for a few minutes before being served in order to taste their best. Always allow your meat sit for about 5 minutes before eating.
Impress your friends and family by creating an especially tasty sandwich, by making sure the dressing and fillings are adequate and there are no dry corners to the bread. Lots of times, people get lazy and just throw some mayonnaise in the center. If you spread it evenly, your sandwiches are complete with overall flavor.
The art of cooking can be a hobby, an asset and even a source of income. There are so many ways to make food, the most optimal way to learn is to take some advice from great cooks. So be sure to try out these tips when you have the kitchen!