Not everyone is a good cook, and even those that are have room for improvement. Cooking is a skill that we improve upon throughout our lives. There are many things you can do to immediately improve your cooking ability, and this article provides several of them. The tips below will give you some great ideas to boost your cooking skills.
There are hardy winter greens that you can enjoy. Once the first frost has hit, kale, collards and broccoli rabe will have a much sweeter flavor. When choosing greens avoid those that are yellowed and limp, and select those with bright, deep color. Make sure you wash all the dirt off these greens. Allow them to sit in a bowl of cool water for a few minutes before removing and rinsing them and pat dry with a paper towel.
Carefully measure the oil you are going to cook with. It will be easier to control how much oil you consume by measuring instead of pouring “enough” oil into a pan. This will enable you to keep track of exactly how much oil you use.
Use a strainer spoon to remove fat from the top of cooled stew and soups. If you have a lot of fat in the soup, you should have the dish completely cooled so that the fat is able to come up to the top. Skin a ice-cube filled spoon across the surface. The ice will cause the fat to collect on it. You can skim fat off of the top of stews and soups by using a paper towel.
Make dishes you already feel confident cooking if you have invited a special guest to dinner. You don’t ever want to try new ingredients or recipes that you don’t have experience with. Cooking will become less stressful.
Do not dress your guests’ salads. Serve the dressing on the side and allow your guests to dress it to their liking. Amount and type of dressing are personal tastes, so let your guests dress their own salad. Also, give a variety of different dressings.
In recipes that call for milk or water, try substituting more flavorful liquids. Substitute plain water with juice, broth, or the water that you cooked your vegetables in. To replace milk, yogurt, sour cream and buttermilk can make good substitutes. By using different liquid ingredients in your side dishes, you can increase their flavor and nutritional value.
If you want to slice meat into thin strips, freeze it partially before bringing it to the cutting board. When you are making stir fry Asian dishes, this technique for thinly sliced meat is ideal. Uncooked meat is easier to cut when it is partially frozen. Then allow the slices to thaw so they’ll cook evenly.
Replacing some of your mashed potatoes with equal amounts of cauliflower is a healthy alternative, reducing fat and calories. Cauliflower does not have a strong taste and will be virtually undetectable when mixed with the potatoes and other ingredients. Cauliflower has the same texture and color as potatoes, offering you a perfect way to add another vegetable to your dish while cutting calories.
Place unripe fruits in a plastic bags you have poked small holes into. When fruits go through the ripening process, they release ethylene gas. When you keep these fruits in aerated bags, the gas that might normally build up and be trapped is released and allows the fruit to maintain freshness longer.
Expanding your cooking ability is an exciting thing. It’s really as much fun as eating! The hope is that with this information you’ll want to cook more, cook better, and cook a variety. The preparation of meals is a trek that should have no end.