There are things that all good cooks need to know. Take the advice given in this article to become a better cook. Read on and take note of these tips so that you can cultivate your cooking prowess.
Many veggies and herbs have a scent that remains on cutting boards even after they are washed. Get two different cutting boards or mark one side of your board and make sure you use it for certain ingredients only.
Use airtight containers to store baking mixes, sugar and flour. These containers keep your food safe from pests and help your items stay fresh by sealing out the unwanted air. Airtight containers can be purchased at many retailers.
For people who love cooking fish, they should consider catching the fish themselves if they have time. If one catches their own fish and prepares it the same day they will not only have a delicious fresh fish to eat but will have also provided for themselves.
To improve the flavor of your dishes, mix your own broth and other stock. Extra stock can be stored in the freezer and used later. Doing so will give you the best stock for any dish that calls for it. When you prepare your stock from scratch, you will be certain that it is 100% natural, not loaded with preservatives.
Your spices should be stored in any area that is dark and cool. If they are stored in an area that they are exposed to light, heat and humidity, their shelf life is shortened. To keep your spices spicy and fresh, store them in an area that is cool and dark. You can prepare tastier meals if you use fresher spices.
To maintain nutrients and color in your vegetables, quickly steam them until just crisp-tender. Using slow cooking methods can rob vegetable of their taste and nutritional value. A plus is that faster cooking methods usually yield vegetables which are, generally, simply better for you health. Discovering how to quickly cook veggies in a safe manner is an important step in preparing more nutritious vegetables.
Give pie and tart crust a little longer baking time than you normally would for the best results. They should be golden caramel in color instead of pale blonde. 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.
If you are cooking dried beans, you should wait until the beans become soft before adding salt or garlic. These ingredients can keep your beans from softening as they cook, particularly if you’re using old beans. Wait to add spices until the beans are close to the texture you’d like they to have.
Leafy greens have many health benefits, but getting them prepared to eat is not easy. The stem is the most difficult to deal with. A simple way around it is to lengthwise fold the green in half and try to break the stem at the middle. Particularly tough stems can be sliced out of the leaf with a knife. Once you unfold the leaf, you will have a nicely unstemmed green.
When trying to add protein to a diet, you need to remember that beans and tofu are great sources. They can be bought at pretty much any grocery store. Make a yummy meat alternative by pan frying the tofu with some seasonings. You can boil the beans with a bit of herbs to give the protein more flavor.
A lot of cooking skill comes down to practice, but tricks and secrets play their roles, too. Some people naturally love cooking, while others need a push. They just need a little information. By carefully applying the knowledge you’ve gained from this article, you’ll be cooking like a pro in no time.