Once you know what you are doing, cooking is a lot of fun. This article will show you how to become a good cook and get the confidence you need to hone your skills. Once you have acquired the necessary basic cooking skills, the fun can begin.
Adding salt to the boiling water when cooking pasta will help flavor it while it cooks. This will allow the pasta to take on the seasoning more efficiently. Salting pasta after cooking it results in a less flavorful pasta dish.
When cooking, get into the habit of washing your dishes as soon as you finish using them. Beside your sink you should have hot water and rinse water on the two sides. Cooking bowls and tools can be quickly cleaned as needed, and ready for their next use.
Eat lots of hardy winter greens. Once the ground has frosted once, winter vegetables, including collards, broccoli rabe, and kale, become much sweeter. Stay away from ones that appear soft or discolored and pursue rich and bright colored ones. Greens tend to accumulate dirt, so wash them thoroughly. Place the greens in cool water and rinse them until the water is clear.
Fruit works especially well on the grill. Try grilling melons, peaches or even apple chunks. Use a skewer to thread them. Cook them on a grill that is clean until you are able to see grill marks. Serve the grilled fruit with pound cake or ice cream.
You can make your pasta sauce tastier by saving some of the cooking water from the pasta. Measure out one-fourth of a cup and place it to the side. Put in some of the water when you mix the pasta and the sauce. The pasta water contains starch, which will give your sauce a thick creaminess.
Allow meals to rest before serving. It is a new idea to many, but allowing your food to rest can be quite beneficial. You may be tempted to serve people as soon as the meal comes out of the oven. But, you will not enjoy the full flavor and texture of your meal if you engage in this practice. The flavors intensify if you let the meal “rest” for a few minutes.
If you are making a roast and you need to cook it quickly, do not take out the bone. The bone helps the heat distribute on the inside of the roast, which helps it cook faster. When the meat is fully cooked you should just cut the meat off near the bone and then serve.
Dark leafy vegetables are full of nutrients; however, they are difficult to clean prior to eating. The stems are tough and take forever to remove. The easiest way to remove the stem is to fold the leaf lengthwise in half; then break the tough stem out from it’s middle. You can then use the knife to remove the stem from the folded leaf. Once the leaf is unfolded, you will have perfect greens.
By doing so, the mushrooms will absorb the water like a sponge. So, in order to clean them, wipe off each mushroom with a clean, wet cloth.
Use flavored butter spreads to add some zest to corn or rolls at dinner time. Soften your butter by letting it sit at room temperature or popping it in the microwave for a few seconds. Try incorporating some herbs and spices to spice up the flavor of the corn. Honey, lemon juice, chipotles or BBQ make a great combination with butter.
As was indicated in this article, you can pick up new cooking skills and enhance the ones you already have. A little effort and a little time go a long way. Using these tips, you can become proficient and get around the kitchen easily. With the right attitude, cooking can be much fun.