The process of becoming a chef is something that lots of people want to do, but it can be very tiring. You can teach yourself to cook well by following the step-by-step directions in a recipe. The advice in this article will give you a head start.
Try adding cauliflower to your mashed potatoes to lower the fat content. Cauliflower’s subtle flavors blend in with the potatoes and other ingredients easily. 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.
Cooking doesn’t have to be an exact science; that’s baking. But you should still measure the amount of oil you cook with. To have a lower amount of fat added to your cooking, make sure you measure your cooking oil carefully instead of just pouring right from the bottle to the pan. Doing this will make it easy for you to keep track of exactly how much oil is being used.
Fresh herbs and different types of natural seasonings can add a kick to the traditional dish. Basil and oregano are great additions to any type of dish for their zesty flavors and aesthetically pleasing appearance. Fresh herbs are preferable because of the more intense flavors that they add to the food. Starting an herb garden is an excellent way to make sure that fresh herbs are always on hand.
Add a little salt to your cutting board whenever you are slicing up some herbs. This should add flavor to the herb as well as keep them in place. If you add the salt to your cutting board, reduce the salt in the recipe by the same amount, so that you don’t add too much salt to your dish. The salt you put on the board will stick to the herbs and add a bit of flavor.
To add flavor to everything from mashed potatoes to soup, replace water with chicken or beef stock. Another option is to add in a couple of bullion cubes into the water as well. The dishes you prepare this way have ample moisture, but also receive an additional layer of taste.
If you are using garlic in the cooking, ensure it’s the freshest you can buy. A good rule of thumb is that fresh garlic will have a sweet taste to it. Truly fresh garlic will not be bruised, shriveled or overly soft.
When you are making mashed potatoes for your dinner and are getting ready to mash them, use hot milk, not boiling, to mix into the potatoes. Your mashed potatoes should come out fluffy and light. This technique also minimizes lumps. Boring, lumpy mashed potatoes are for the birds.
If you want to reheat a greasy dish, bake it again instead of making a mess in your microwave. Due to the way a microwave works to cook food it heats the oil first, which separates it from the rest of the food and causes it to splatter. When you use the oven to reheat a dish, the heat will come slower and more consistent, which will keep the ingredients cohesive and the dish flavorful.
Give pie and tart crust a little longer baking time than you normally would for the best results. Go past the usual pale tan color and take them to a caramel gold. This golden color means that the sugar has caramelized, leaving a sweet flavor.
Good cooks never go unappreciated, no matter who they are cooking for. Eating with family and friends is a custom that transcends place and culture. This article will put you in the right path to becoming a great cook.