Many people want to learn to cook like a pro, but the time and effort required to do so can seem overwhelming. Understand that cooking is a step-by-step process, and this article will teach you how to become a better cook quickly.
Keep the dressing for a salad off to the side when you’re having guests over for a meal. Some people prefer more dressing than others; let guests pour their own dressing. Give them a choice of salad dressings.
Fruit works fabulously on a grill. Put sliced nectarines, melon, and peaches on a skewer and grill them. Cook them until you see the grill marks on them. Serve in conjunction with some ice cream or a pound cake.
Soaking raw potatoes for 30 minutes prior to frying will produce the crispiest French fries. A cold water soak helps the potatoes stand up to the rigors of deep fat frying.
There are many steps you can take towards prepping your food to make your whole cooking process easier. You can read the recipe to find out what you can do in advance. Much of the preparation can be done the day before it is needed. This takes a lot of the stress out of even the most complicated recipes and dishes.
Add some chicken broth to your pan when cooking vegetables. The chicken broth will help to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan and will also add some delicious flavor to them. Chicken broth can be found at any grocery store, and is very low priced.
Ketchup makes a great ingredient to batter for fried foods. Ketchup isn’t simply a condiment! Use it to dip your food into, prior to covering it in breadcrumbs. The ketchup adds a surprising zest to any fried food, and most people would never think of ketchup in that way.
Prepare to cook before you actually start cooking. It is essential to have all prep work finished before it’s time to begin cooking. When you have a schedule as to how long you plan to be cooking, things can get a little stressful in the kitchen. Do the prep work as early as you can to avoid stress later.
Soy products and beans are a wonderful place to get protein if you need to add some to your diet. Both are readily available in grocery stores. Try frying tofu and adding seasoning to replace meat. Make beans a less boring source of protein by including some herbs when you boil them.
As a habit when cooking, make sure you wash the dishes after you are done using them. Have full sinks of wash and rinse water at the ready. Just after use is the best time to wash up bowls and utensils. So clean as you go and you will always be ready with your next part of food preparation.
Prepare your own stock to enjoy dishes that are more flavorful. If you make it in large quantities, you can store the excess in resealable bags in your freezer. Then when you make a soup or other dish that calls for stock, you always have some right at your fingertips. By making and having your own stock on hand, you will know it doesn’t contain preservatives.
No matter who you are cooking for, being able to cook well is a valuable tool. In most places in the world, individuals enjoy having a meal with their peers or family members. If you use the above tips, you will become an awesome cook and everyone will ask you to cook for the next big family event.