Excellent food has many uses and is the subject of a number of cliches. By following these tips, you can enhance your cooking skills.
To saute vegetables, use chicken broth in place of oil or butter. The chicken broth adds to the taste of the veggies and, you will not have the extra fat. This makes for a delicious way to prepare veggies.
Air tends to turn fresh fruits like avocados, apples and pears brown. If you sprinkle some lemon juice or salt water on them it might slow down the process, but dipping the fresh fruit in pineapple juice is a tastier alternative. As a rapid dip will suffice, you don’t need to immerse the fruit.
If you are first embarking on a quest to prepare more of your own food, head to the nearest library or bookstore and find a cookbook with simple, basic recipes that you will enjoy preparing. Try a few recipes, and be patient with yourself as you are mastering this new skill.
Are you using fresh basil to cook with? Take a large bunch of this fresh herb and place it in a glass. Put enough water into the glass to cover the stems but not the leaves. Keep it on the kitchen counter and it should stay fresh. Refresh the water quite often, and you will notice that the basil starts to grow roots. Trim or cut the basil regularly to encourage growth and you will be able to enjoy fresh basil!
Don’t add the dressing until right before serving. It is essential that the prep work is completed before cooking commences. Cooking can get stressful when you’re working to deadline. You can save yourself a lot of stress by doing as much preparation ahead of time as you can.
When cooking, wash dishes and tools as soon as you’re done with them. Have one sink prepared for washing, hot and full of soap. Set the other aside for rinsing, warm and clean. Mixing bowls and your utensils rinse rather easily and can be cleaned and wiped before the next ingredients in your meal.
Potatoes such as russets, which are designed for baking, will provide the harder shell needed when you make “twice baked” potatoes or potato-skin appetizers. Red potatoes are not suitable, because their skin is not thick enough and the filling may break through.
Before you begin to cook, you must make sure that your kitchen utensils are clean. Any leftover food post-washing can ruin whatever you plan on cooking next. Another concern is the potential cost to your health, as you could possibly be exposed to bacteria.
If you want to have flavorful dishes, try to create your own stock. Made in large batches, it’s easy to store in the freezer, if you use resealable plastic bags. When you do this, you will have delicious, healthy stock ready-to-use whenever you make soups and stews. Preparing your own stock in advance will reduce your need to use cheap over-salted options instead.
Invest in good cutting utensils to use in the kitchen. In addition to the practical benefits, you will also improve your safety when cutting foods with sharp utensils. More accidents and cuts happen due to dull utensils than properly sharpened ones.
Don’t ever try a recipe for the first time when you’re cooking for someone that you want to impress. Your date, boss or family will be impressed with your cooking if you prepare something great, not if you try a complicated recipe you are not mastering. Make sure you can offer your guests a pleasing, satisfying meal by preparing a menu of items you have experience preparing very well.
Food is the essence of all life, and satisfying appetites with delicious food carries a great deal of power. Impress people close to you with the delicious variety of food you serve them, using the tips given here.