It is simple to learn to cook well. The next time you’re cooking a meal, don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. You can use this advice to help expand your comfort-zone and begin building a reputation as an excellent cook. Expand your limited cooking skills quickly with the following advice.
Texture and taste don’t have to suffer when you are trying to lighten up your mashed potatoes. Cauliflower makes for a great substitute to help drop the fat and calorie content. Cauliflower blends perfectly with your potatoes without changing the taste of your mashed potatoes. It also mimics the texture and color of the potatoes almost perfectly letting you up your vegetable intake, and drop the calories, all the while giving the same delicious potato experience we all know and love.
When you are cooking for someone for the first time, always stick with a recipe that you are comfortable with. You naturally want to impress certain people with your culinary skills, be it a romantic date, a business colleague or your persnickety mother-in-law. Ensure that they enjoy their meal by cooking a dish that you are familiar with.
Your cutting board retains the odors of certain herbs and vegetables despite repeated scrubbings. Mark your ends on the cutting board using indelible ink so that you can remember one side from the other.
When sauteing food, don’t put too much oil in the pan. The moisture that the extra food volume adds will cause the food to steam, which means it won’t be as crispy as intended. Always saute over a low flame or low setting on your stove-top.
Have you ever wanted to cook a meal using fresh basil? Place several sprigs of fresh basil into a glass container. Make sure the the stems are completely covered with water. Leave it on your counter and it will stay fresh for a very long time! If you continue to refresh the water, the basil will begin to grow roots for planting. Occasionally trim the basil in order to promote more growth so that you can have fresh basil for a while.
There are a number of delicious ways to prepare oysters. Usually oysters are eaten raw with a small amount of lemon juice, but there are many other ways you could prepare them. Put opened oysters on the shell in your broiler pan and cover with some cream. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and some freshly grated pepper, and the broil until they are bubbling. You can also saute your oysters. Cover them in some flour and fry them in very hot butter for about two minutes until they appear golden. Cook oysters right in their shells. Lay the oysters in a baking dish, spot them with butter, then top them with breadcrumbs. Bake for five minutes in an oven that is preheated to 425 degrees. Once the juices are sizzling away, serve hot with crunchy, toasted baguette bread.
If you are preparing a meal for a boss or new date, cook something that you are familiar with. Do not attempt to whip up a new dish or use an ingredient you have never used before. This can lessen the stress of your cooking.
Many liquids are interchangeable within a recipe; try replacing the water or milk with something new. When a recipe calls for water, you can try chicken or beef broths. You may even want to try something like juice. If your favorite recipes call for milk, try substituting with buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream. Using different liquids can add nutritional content to certain dishes and improve their flavor.
Use the tips you just read about to help you improve your cooking skills. Try any of the ideas that appeal to you at least one or two times. You should use these ideas to make your techniques in the kitchen perfect. You can be a better chef in no time if you treat these tips seriously.