Kitchen Tricks
Sauteing: Literally means "to jump". The cooking is done in an open pan, which is kept in motion. The process is fast, the food usually thin or minced and the heat must be kept up from the moment cooking starts. Any reduction in heat will draw juices. Keep temperature constant until foods are tender. The small quantity of fat or oil used must be hot enough, when the food is added, to sear it at once -- again to prevent the loss of juices. This can only be accomplished if the food is 70 degrees or more, cut to a uniform thickness and size and dry on the surface. If it is too cold it will lower the heat and if it is wet, it will not brown properly. Worst of all, steam will form and break the seal holding the juices. To insure a dry surface, food is frequently floured or breaded. Do not crowd the pan, there must be room between the foods. Skillets, cleaning: To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stovetop. Steaming: Steam can be duplicated by submerging a colander of veggie's in boiling water in any pot that has a tight-fitting lid. Stir-Frying: An ideal way to cook mixed tender vegetables quickly -- the whole process lasting only 3 or 4 minutes. Preparation is the slow part, as the vegetables must be precisely, uniformly cut. Those that need longer cooking are put in first, and so on, in order, so that all the vegetables are done at the same time. Use any cooking oil other than olive. Allow 2 teaspoons of oil to 1 pound of vegetables. Have the pan very hot and heat the oil to the point of fragrance. A slice or two of fresh ginger root or garlic may be put in at this time and discarded before the vegetables are added. Stir the vegetables quickly to make sure they are well coated with oil. Continue to cook, uncovered, over high heat, stirring constantly until the vegetables are just tender. Watery vegetables like cucumber, tomato and zucchini, and thin leafed types like spinach, chinese cabbage, bean sprouts and salad greens may need no water. Sour Milk: Combine 1 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of vinegar; let sit for 15 minutes. May be used in place of buttermilk. For recipes only. Tupperware, preventing stains: Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains. Vegetables, cooked, maintaining color and flavor: Vitamin C is most easily lost in the cooking process. Still, cooked carrots and spinach will have more nutrients available for the body than raw. The greatest losses come in mashing and pureeing. If done while hot, exposure to air during these processes will involve losses of 1/4 to 1/2 of the vitamin C content. Compensate by serving a salad or citrus fruit with this meal. Nutritional value breakdown: first, fresh; second, frozen; third, canned. The addition of vinegar or lemon juice to water will stabilize color. Greens, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, turnips, and beets will need about 1 teaspoon for each 2 cups of water. Another method of preserving color in vegetables without losing nutrients is to cook them in milk. This tenderizes them but sometimes, due to acid in the vegetable, the milk may curdle harmlessly. It is recommended to cook most vegetables either by steaming or simmered. Always bring water to rolling boil before adding vegetables then lower heat to a steady simmer, not boil. Additional Alphabetical Tips: © Copyright 2008 bommer for http://www.sakara.net |
