How many times have you dreaded going into the kitchen to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner? You might need a new perspective. Cooking can be enjoyable and relaxing if you try to see it in another way. Here are a few cooking tips that are sure to get your taste buds tingling and entice your inner chef to come out.
Creating large family meals for holidays and special occasions doesn’t need to be stressful. Instead of being overwhelmed, be prepared, starting the night before. You can put out all the ingredients you are going to use, and have your measurements and marinades all ready to go.
A fun spice to experiment with is saffron. Saffron gives your food a vibrant taste that is not available with any other spice. Though it is old, saffron is loved even in the present day. It is a highly sought after flavor that people all over the world enjoy, making it the spice that is most expensive.
Leafy greens, like kale, collards and mustard greens, have many health benefits. However, they can be a little difficult to prepare at times. One aspect that is tough is removing the stems. To make this easier, fold leaves in half along their length, then break or cut out the steam from the middle. An alternative course of action is to utilize a knife in cutting the stem from the folded leaf. You will have a green without a stem after you unfold the leaf.
When cooking with fruits and vegetables that you have never used before, gather as much knowledge about them beforehand as you can. Do some research, and you might be surprised at how versatile the new food is. If you do your homework before you start cooking, it will be more fun.
When cooking ground meat, blot it dry before cooking. The reason for the blotting is to remove the surface moisture. Any moisture that remains there will be released during cooking. It will not disappear harmlessly, though. This steams the meat, giving it a different texture than searing.
Reference your recipe to ensure you have the correct potatoes. Potatoes come in three classes: all-purpose, mealy or waxy. Potatoes that are considered mealy are good for mashing because of their dry consistency. A common kind of mealy potato is a russet. Yukon gold potatoes are designated all-purpose, and work fine for any type of dish. Waxy potatoes can maintain their shape extremely well. Because of this fact, they are excellent for steaming or boiling. Good waxy potatoes include the regular white potato and the red potato.
If you are preparing a recipe that calls for milk or water, try substituting with an alternate liquid to add new flavor to your meals. Use chicken broth, beef stock or vegetable broth instead. Instead of using milk, you can substitute yogurt, buttermilk or sour cream. Substituting the liquid in a dish can add nutrient content, flavor or both.
When you cook vegetables for a long time, like boiling them, a lot of essential nutrients will be cooked away. Pick methods that cook the vegetables quickly so they keep their goodness, or eat them raw.
If you love to use herbs and spices, make sure you keep them in a dark, cool place to keep them fresh. Herbs and spices that are stored in cabinets above or beside a stove or in similar locations that may become warm or moist will lose much of their flavor, consequently costing you money.
Now that you’ve read this article, take this advice, and apply it to your meals. The moment your first home-cooked meal hits your palate, you will begin to understand just how joyous cooking truly can be! You could actually come to love cooking and the world of interesting dishes that it opens to you. Consider trying your hand at cooking.