Learning to be a five-star chef is not as hard as you might imagine. It’s encouraged to experiment while cooking, and find your own unique flavors to display. The tips will give you the guidance you need to have confidence when cooking and to try new and interesting things. Use this advice to improve your cooking quickly.
Put any of the unripened fruits you buy in a plastic bag with small holes on the bag. As they ripen, they will create ethylene gas. When you store the fruit in a perforated bag, the ethylene gas can escape so that the natural decay process slows down. This allows your produce and fruits to stay fresh longer.
To add interest to to the normal dishes you prepare, add a new sauce or a new spice. The addition of spices can change a dish drastically with minimal effort. Something that people do not think of is shopping at a ethnic food store for new spices.
Don’t add the dressing until right before serving. It is essential to have all prep work finished before it’s time to begin cooking. Having a deadline for an important meal or event can become quite stressful when you are starting from scratch. Prep work helps take the stress out of meal planning and preparing.
You may have felt regret when you threw away a moldy orange or lemon. Do you think it is accepted practice to salvage the fruit by removing the rotting parts? Never try to salvage fruit that is past its prime. If you see that fruit is starting to rot, just throw it away because even if some parts look healthy, the mold has most likely already spread throughout.
Always bake pie and tart crusts for longer than the recipe specifies for best results. Go past the usual pale tan color and take them to a caramel gold. The golden color is a sign that the sugars in the crust have finally caramelized.
Do you enjoy the flavor of fresh basil? Fill an empty glass with fresh basil. Fill with water to cover the stems. Basil will stay fresh in bowl of water for up to four weeks. If you are sure to add fresh water, your basil will even form roots and become a plant. Plant the fresh basil in a small pot with rich soil to have fresh basil available at all times.
Incorporate winter greens into your cold-weather cooking. Once the first frost has hit, kale, collards and broccoli rabe will have a much sweeter flavor. Stay away from ones that appear soft or discolored and pursue rich and bright colored ones. It’s also important that you remember to wash your greens. The leaves of greens like to hold on to dirt, so a thorough cleaning is suggested. Dunk them in fresh water and shake gently, then continue rinsing until no dirt remains.
If you want to make fat free stew or soup, begin by using a soup stock or broth that is fat free. Take advantage of the vast array of colorful, tasty vegetables and lean meats to keep fat content low. Once it is complete, cool the soup in the refrigerator before eating it. Any excess fat will harden and rise to the top. Then, all you have to do is spoon out the excess fat from the top of the soup. This can save you about 100 calories per teaspoon that is removed.
Take advantage of these handy tips to improve your skills in the kitchen. Give each suggestion a shot at least one time. Put these ideas into practice and you’ll be able to perfect your cooking techniques. You can become the best cook in your family if you set your heart on it.