Cooking involves a variety of methods and techniques that come together to make delicious foods. Though some can be approached with little skill at all, others will be more involved. In this article you will find some simple and fast tips to generally improve your cooking, no matter what you current skill level.
To cook with less stress, prepare your ingredients before starting. When you have your prep work done and all your ingredients readily available, you will be able to complete your meal without delays. You may be able to find a suitable substitute in the pantry but it’s better to have the proper ingredients.
Use cooking oil for measuring sticky foods! Just coat your measuring spoon with an oil that has a very mild flavor (Canola is a good option). When you use that spoon to pick up the sticky substance, it will slip off the spoon, and into your mixing bowl, with ease. Peanut butter and honey can be measured this way as well.
Double up by setting a watch timer in addition to the oven timer. By having a watch set up to beep when food is done, you do not have to worry about under or overcooking your foods.
Place meat in the freezer for a few minutes to make slicing easier. This technique is particularly good for meats served in Asian cuisine. Partially freezing the meat will help the fibers to stay together when it is being sliced. Just remember, though, to let the stripped meat completely thaw out before you start cooking. This keeps the meat from cooking unevenly.
If you leave some sliced fruits, such as avocados, bananas, and pears out in the open air, they can become brown. You can stop the browning by brushing them with lemon or salt water but pineapple juice is recommended because it will not adversely affect the taste. As a rapid dip will suffice, you don’t need to immerse the fruit.
To reduce fat and calories in mashed potatoes without sacrificing texture or taste, replace some of your potatoes with an equal amount of cauliflower. The taste of cauliflower will blend nicely with the potatoes. When they’re mashed, cauliflowers have the same appearance and consistency as potatoes, too. Adding a little cauliflower can take calories out of your favorite mashed potato recipes and add in a little vegetable goodness, too.
Only cook with wine that you have tasted before and that you enjoy. You risk the final flavor of any dish if you make it with an unfamiliar wine or one with an off taste. There are cooking-specific wines available at the supermarket.
When serving salad to guests, leave the dressing on the side. Some people enjoy lots of dressing when eating salads so it is important that each person add their own dressing. It is also a good idea to offer several dressing choices.
Do you enjoy cooking with the flavors of fresh basil? If you want to keep it fresh, first place it in a glass. Make sure the basil’s stems are covered in water. You can keep basil fresh for weeks on top of your kitchen counter this way. You can even promote the growth of roots if you replace the water from time to time. Encourage growth by cutting or trimming the basil now and then, and you will be able to use fresh basil for a long time!
Have you heard the saying, “too many cooks spoil the broth?” The same is true about too many techniques, ingredients, or elements to a dish. Establishing a simple cooking method will result in tasty, healthy and quick meals. By using the tips presented above, you can begin to improve your cooking skills and be on your way to creating mouth-watering dishes night after night.