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What oil or fat to use for different purposes?
I understand that one of the main reasons to use different kinds of fat or oil is the temperature at which it burns, e.g. an extra-virgin olive oil to fry a steak wouldn't work. Taste is also a very important aspect. Can you give a list of the most commonly used oils/fats... | "Commonly used" depends mostly on the culture, I'd assume. There's a lot of different oils, so I've organized by use rather than try for a complete list.
Some of the ones that you might find in a "typical American" foodie's kitchen include:
For frying: something with a high smoke point : peanut, sunflower, soy, extra ... |
Can I make my own chestnut puree?
I've got a recipe that calls for chestnut puree. I live in Australia and it's proving difficult to find. Chestnuts on the other hand are pretty easy to find so I googled around to see if I could find a recipe to make my own. The results really only returned other recipes that contain ... | Yes, but chestnut purée comes in sweetened and unsweetened varieties, so making your own depends on what you'll be using it for. Chestnuts are pretty versatile, but I've come across using sweetened purée in old world desserts, while the unsweetened purée is typically used with root vegetables and winter squashes (the E... |
Is it safe to deglace a cast-iron pan?
I've heard that pouring a cold liquid into a very hot cast-iron pan can destroy it (because it's more brittle than a steel pan for instance). Is that true or do most of you deglace in cast-iron pans as well? | A metal pan will not crack simply from cold liquid. If you heat it up to a very high temperature and submerge it in cold water, that's not such a good idea. But deglazing is just a tiny amount of liquid.
Now, aluminum is another story - if it's hot enough and you pour cold water (or cold anything) on it, it can warp,... |
How do I flip an egg when preparing it "over easy"?
I tend to break a lot of yolks when preparing eggs over easy. I also can't do it too fast, making it hard to cook multiple eggs at once (they tend to overcook).
Sometimes the spatula I'm using doesn't want to slide under the egg very easily. Is there anything specia... | The best thing I've figured out about turning eggs is: do not do it too early. You need to wait for the cooked part of the egg to develop a strong texture before it will support its own weight. It's very difficult to turn a floppy, soft egg, where it's comparatively easy to flip an egg that has been cooked more complet... |
Ground beef storage and use past sell-by date
When I buy food it's at least a few weeks worth, and I bought some ground beef the other day with the intention of using it over a couple weeks. I have a couple questions regarding storage:
I use about a pound of it a time, so I took it out of its wrapping, cut it up, and... | (1) Yes, that's fine. If you use freezer bags, you don't need foil even. For longer-term frozen storage, vacuum sealed bags work better.
(2) Frozen food stored at 0°F (or lower) is basically safe to eat forever. Eventually, the flavor will be affected and you won't want to eat it (but it won't make you sick). Three to ... |
What's the right way to hard boil eggs?
I find I always have trouble scaling the amount of time the eggs should be boiled, cooled, etc. for different-sized batches of hard-boiled eggs.
I've heard a variety of "folk lore"-type rules for how it should be done, but what's really the right way? | I've never adjusted the length of time based on number of eggs. As long as the water is boiling I don't think it would take any longer to cook a dozen than to cook one (it might take the water longer to come up to boiling, I guess).
For hard boiled I normally bring them up to the boil and then turn the heat off, and le... |
Cooking cakes with Pop Rocks / Space Dust
I want to build a cake with Pop Rocks / space dust. Has anyone got any ideas on how I would do this? If I add the Pop Rocks straight to my cake mixture, then I believe it'll just react. Any suggestions? | Never tried anything like this, but you asked for ideas...
Can you even frost the cake with them w/o them reacting? If they only react w/ water, you may be able to get them in a fat-based frosting. Especially if you use this for the middle frosting of a two-layer cake, this may work.
If you really want them in the cake... |
What's the best way to cook brown rice?
Apparently the ratio of water to rice for brown rice is 1.5:1. I simmered my rice for about half an hour with the lid on the pan and the rice was still hard and the water nearly all gone. What am I doing wrong? | The recipe on my bag of brown rice says:
1:2 ratio of rice and water
No salt in the water
Cook for 35 minutes
Rest for 5 minutes
Remove any surplus water
They always come out good and soft :-) |
What exactly is "Sushi Grade" fish?
What exactly makes some fish "Sushi Grade"? | "Sushi grade" means that it is safe to prepare and eat raw. In order to do that, it must be frozen to kill any parasites. That means it either has to be:
Frozen at -20° C (-4° F) for 7 days; or
Frozen at -35° C (-31° F - "flash frozen") for 15 hours.
There aren't any official regulations about the fish itself or it... |
What are alternative gelling agents to gelatine? And what are their properties?
I recently was making some orange jelly which was going to be dipped in chocolate. I couldn't use gelatine to set the jelly as it returned to a liquid below the temperature of the melted chocolate. What other gelling agents could I have ... | For your application you may want to use agar. It is easy to find, gels at room temperature, and will remain so to about 90C. The acidity of the orange juice will slowly (a few days) break down the agar, but it should give you enough time for a dish. Other agents include:
sodium alginate
carrageenan
xantham gum
A... |
How can I fix a hollandaise sauce after it has split?
I made a hollandaise sauce on the weekend and it split so I threw it out and started again but I was wondering if there is anything you can do to save it once it splits? | You can rescue it by starting the process again, with an egg yolk in a bowl over a bain-marie which you whisk until it starts to thicken a little. then incorporate a little warm melted butter into the egg yolk. Once this is incorporated you can slowly start to add the split hollandaise and this should then incorporat... |
Alternative to arrowroot
I have a lovely recipe (for stir-fried tofu) that uses arrowroot as its thickener. This is easy to use, and adds a nice subtle flavour of its own to the dish. However, I am now living somewhere where I can't find any - what would you recommend as an alternative? The flavours of the dish are qu... | Corn starch (aka cornflour) will usually work and is more readily available, but it won't work well for acidic sauces, where you'll want to use tapioca starch. (aka. cassava flour; if all you can find is tapioca in granule form, grind it up first).
For a more thorough list of starch based thickeners and their alternat... |
How can I cook a perfect deep-fried Mars bar?
I've seen on Internet the description of deep-fried Mars bar (dish originated at chip shops in Scotland), and I wonder how can I do it at home. | The trick is to chill the Mars bar in a fridge for a few hours before cooking.
Prepare a batter mix (the kind you deep fry fish in) and get your oil heated to temperature. Here's a batter recipe I've used before:
Basic Fish Batter (Delia Smith Online)
(You can't fault Delia!)
You can use sparkling water to introduce... |
Making my meringues form peaks
Last week I made a meringue icing for my cupcakes and had problems making my meringue form peaks. This makes me ask what are some of your tips/tricks? What do you do or add to your egg white mixture in order to help it form peaks when you are having troubles. | It's important to let your eggs get to room temperature. I use this simple recipe for all meringues:
4 egg whites
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar
The cream of tartar is what really makes the egg whites to firm up nicely. |
How to make - succulent - Bruschetta?
What ingredients do you need, and what steps to perform to make Bruschetta?
While on honeymoon in Tuscany we got bruschetta with chopped tomato and herb topping, on crusty bread (I think there was some olive oil on the bread?)
Is there a trick to making the tomatoes succulent, o... | There's just no comparison between in-season, local tomatoes that you get in Italy and the supermarket crap you get anywhere else, which probably accounts for most of the difference.
Your best bet is to look for heirloom tomatoes, in season. Failing that, try New Jersey beefsteak tomatoes, again, in season. Or any of t... |
What's the best way to defrost ice-cream/sorbet quickly?
I made some sorbet at the weekend, and realised just when we were due to serve that I had forgot to take it out of the freezer to soften, and so it was rock hard.
What is the best way to bring it to a usable temperature quickly? We chucked it in the microwave a... | Don't. Ice cream is hard. It melts slowly. Instead, focus on scooping.
Get the largest spoon you have, or ideally, an ice cream scoop. Fill up a cup with boiling water, or as hot as your faucet will get it. Dip spoon/scoop in the water. Scoop. Dip. Scoop. Shake off excess water as you go.
Like a hot spoon th... |
When making sushi, why do you have to rinse the rice?
I'm interested in learning to make my own sushi.
Every guide I have read has stressed that the rice has to be rinsed thoroughly.
The bags of rice I generally buy say not to rinse the rice in order to preserve the nutrients. What is the reason behind rinsing rice? | It removes excess starch, so your sushi rice doesn't turn into nasty glutinous slop. The texture of the rice is very important, so you'll need to rinse it several times before you steam it. Make sure the water is nice and clear after the last time you rinse it, and make sure you buy japonica or similar: if you use regu... |
When is it necessary to cover food with aluminum foil during baking/roasting?
Often a recipe calls for covering a dish while it bakes. I understand that this can help to trap steam.
How do you know when it's necessary to use aluminum foil when baking a dish without a recipe?
What are the other advantages of using alu... | If it calls for tightly wrapping it, they're trying for steam. More than likely, they're just trying to shield the top from radiant energy, so the top doesn't brown before the whole thing is cooked through.
If you're ever baking a cake, and it's starting to brown, but a toothpick is still coming out wet, I'll move it ... |
Arborio and Risotto
I ran out of regular rice the other day, and subbed in some arborio (the traditional risotto rice). I figured it would serve well enough, since it's a tough variety, and I planned on a multi-stage cooking process. I threw it in a pot with some broth, and boiled it like regular long grain.
What I wa... | It's the starch that gives risotto its creamy texture. If you try to do it with regular rice with low starch there is no way you have that texture. Stirring is to prevent rice from sticking and it is not necessary (at least not constantly).
In the Do The Rice Thing episode of Good Eats, Alton Brown says:
I have to tel... |
Translating cooking terms between US / UK / AU / CA / NZ
This post is an attempt to keep track of the terms that differ between dialects of English or exist in some dialects but not others: British (UK) / Australian (AU) / Canadian (CA) / American (US) / New Zealand (NZ), etc.
Please note that Canada may be difficult ... | US : jam/jelly/preserves/etc
In the US, there are specific definitions from the Food & Drug Administration on what can be labeled as jam, jelly, etc.
From CookingLight.com, but preserved here in case of link rot:
Jelly is a clear, bright product. It is generally made by cooking fruit juice and sugar with pectin as a j... |
How to melt glucose?
I recent backed a pie that included glucose and the recipe pretty much only said melt glucose...nothing about how to use it which lead me to much agony :)
So the question is ... is there a common ratio of glucose/water that you should use? I clearly failed in the beginning thinking that it should ... | If it's for a pie, by melt the recipe author probably meant to dissolve in the least amount of water. You can do that by making a glucose syrup, as Pulse mentioned. Place one cup of dextrose with a third of a cup of water in a pot and heat until dissolved. Commercial glucose syrups are typically 10 to 25% water.
If ... |
What is the difference between sea salt and regular table salt?
I often sea sea salt sold in grinders to be used at the table, with comments about how it tastes better. What sort of taste differences would I notice using sea salt vs table salt, and what other differences might using one over the other impart?
I've als... | I can say, as a salt snob, that sea salt is a far more flavorful product. I can't even use regular table salt anymore.
Sea salt is salt formed from evaporated sea water, is not iodized, and because it doesn't come from salt mines requires very little processing. Some people will say that because it's "natural", sea sa... |
Best variety of garlic for slow cooking?
Take a couple of heads of garlic, sit them in some oil with spices, and cook for an hour or two, then spread it on bread. It's great...with the right kind of garlic. With the wrong kind, you'll be praying for death, and so will everyone around you.
I've tried this a couple of t... | Almost all readily available garlic is of the softneck variety. The mildest of true softnecks is artichoke garlic. Aside from a true softneck garlic, you may also want to try Elephant garlic. This is milder than true garlic, as it is actually part of the leek family, and might be too mild for what you're attempting to ... |
How do I use no-boil lasagna noodles in a normal recipe?
How do I convert a normal lasagna recipe to use no-boil noodles? Do I need to add extra liquid or just make sure that the dish is covered really well? | You can use 'no-boil' pasta straight from the box, alternatively, you can soak it it warm water for a few minutes. The soaked pasta may prove to be a little easier to manipulate when building the lasagne. However, providing there is enough liquid in the sauce, soaking is unnecessary.
Personally, I'd cover the dish with... |
Peeling tomatoes
I have a recipe that calls for peeling tomatoes. I've found elsewhere that this is often done by boiling them and letting the skin lift away during that process.
Is there anything else that can make this easier? Even after boiling, they are still difficult to peel. | If you boil them for more than a few seconds, you'll start cooking the tomato, which can make it harder to work with -- you effectively want to cook just the bit under the skin, which only takes a few seconds.
I work with a paring knife and a set of spring loaded tongs (but you could use a spider or strainer).
start ... |
Garlic turning green?
When I try to make garlic bread or, in general, something where the garlic is not in a liquid, it sometimes turns green while cooking! It's worth noting that the taste doesn't seem to really be "off", but the color certainly isn't appetizing. Without doing a ton of experiments myself, does anyone... | As far as I'm aware there are a few possible reasons for this to occur.
Young garlic can turn green when the presence of an acid, in this case the butter.
As a possible chemical reaction between the garlic and certain types of cooking utensil, such as cast iron or copper.
It will sometimes change colour if it has prol... |
How to recover jam that has set too hard?
Every time I make jam I always manage to set it too hard. Is there any way to recover it once it's done this? | The only way I know is by adding some more liquid and warming the mixture, It may or may not improve things...
For what its worth, the consistency of the jam after cooking, tends to be related to the amount of sugar added for a given fruit, with hard skinned fruit typically requiring a slightly different process to sof... |
Which thickener should I use for fake spaghetti out of fruit juice?
I would like to experiment with flavoured 'spaghetti' by taking a juice and gelling it in spaghetti shape, so I could have beetroot strands that I could use in a pasta dish.
Anyone done this? Got any tips on gelling agents to use and what I could mak... | I've seen it done with agar-agar on the Danish show "Spise med Price". They made spaghetti with lemon balm. They sucked the warm liquid with agar-agar in it up with a syringe, pushed the liquid into a thin plastic tube, which they lowered into ice water. Before they served it, they pushed the spaghetti out of the tube ... |
How to stop meatballs falling apart when frying
I tried cooking meatballs as a change to what I usually cook but I found that they didn't stay together when being fried.
I made the meatballs with about 500g of mince, a chopped onion, some herbs and a beaten egg. I then mixed everything up in a mixing bowl and then fri... | You might consider a different approach - don't fry them. Drop them (carefully) into a pot of boiling sauce instead. They come out perfectly even, very tender, and more flavourful than frying. Usually the sauce we're talking about is a sweet tomato-based sauce, but it could be anything that's reasonably thick (so th... |
What would be a good substitute for rice wine?
I like to prepare various Asian dishes and one of the important ingredients I use is rice wine; unfortunately, it's become difficult to obtain lately, and sherry, which is sometimes used, never was a beverage available in my country.
So, what else could I substitute for ... | If you can get it, sherry is usually a good bet but since you can't, I've used just regular white wine before as a substitute when you're cooking a dish but you just need to be a little less liberal as you might be with rice wine as I find the flavour tends to be a little stronger.
Another alternative is Sake, but I'm ... |
What are the advantages of a Santoku over a French Chef's Knife?
When it comes to general cooking knives the santoku and french chef's are generally the ones most often mentioned. Is the style of use very different? The only real difference I'm aware of is that you can use a "rocking" motion with the french chef's but... | Both the Santoku and French knives will work for the same types of things, so a lot of it comes down to preference. Santoku knives are lighter, so this can lead to less hand strain and quicker cutting. One thing that the Santoku are very good at is very thin slicing of vegetables, for two reasons: first, as you point o... |
Is there any difference between bakers yeast and regular yeast?
I'm looking at this bread recipe and it says to use "Bakers Yeast" but when I make pizza dough I just use regular yeast (which I also have in my cupboard at the moment). So I'm wondering if I could just use my regular yeast instead of bakers yeast? | There is certainly a difference between different yeasts. Different kinds of yeast react differently, are "happy" at different temperature ranges, produce different amounts of gas, live for different amounts of time. In my little world, however, it's better to use a yeast that you use commonly and understand than it is... |
How many ceramic knives do I want?
I've heard that ceramic knives are the new thing. It's far easier, though, to find metal knives that look and feel nice.
So, budget notwithstanding (within reason) and assuming that I have to buy a whole knife set (which I do), how many ceramic knives do I "need"? Do I want a full se... | Yes, ceramic knives are the "new thing," but that doesn't make them superior. The problem with ceramic knives is that you can never sharpen them, and, as mentioned in the comments, they may chip. Don't get a ceramic chef's knife or paring knife; the answer to your question is zero.
If you really want a ceramic knife, t... |
How to get rid of the smell from the fridge?
Storing various meals and products in fridge (or freezer) can result in mixing different flavours, which isn't that great. What are your best practises to avoid the smell? | Baking soda seems to work well for me, but the best thing is to get rid of old food that is causing the smell, and seal strong-smelling foods in airtight containers. |
How can I make bacon powder?
I want to make bacon powder, I assume the means cooking all of the fat out without burning the meat. Is this right? if so how should I do this? If not what should I do? How should I turn the bacon into powder? just in a blender? | My wife loves bacon that's cooked to the cusp of burning, so I've got a good knowledge of the properties of bacon on that fine line. It's so brittle, you can powder it very easily.
I myself would probably just stick it in a plastic bag, and whack it a few times with a pan, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't p... |
How to chill beer quickly?
We all know the situation.
The party is about to begin, it's really hot outside and we forget to put the beer (or similar drink) into the fridge...
What is your way to chill beer really fast? | Use a salted ice-water bath. The water increases the contact and heat dissipation, and adding salt allows the temperature to go below freezing. |
Is there a way to grate a block of cheese entirely without hurting one's fingers or knuckles?
You know the scenario: You grate the cheddar until you're left with a quarter-inch. What do you do? Try to grate it and risk cutting your knuckles, or pop it in your mouth and enjoy?
Usually I do the latter, but I wondered if... | By the wording of the question, I'm pretty sure you're using one of those pyramidal graters or a "sheet" grater.
That's great for getting the "bulk", but if you want to grate a small amount of cheese (or the last bit of a large amount, if you don't want to just eat it) then you really need to get yourself a rotary grat... |
Is Beer Can Chicken safe?
Some time ago I've read about Beer Can Chicken.
I've never heard of this in my area, but it seems (and looks) tasty! So I would like to give it a try. There is just one thing that worries me:
Is it safe to bake a can on the grill (or in the oven) like this? Doesn't it give off any chemical fl... | My main concern (would have been) BPA, as most cans nowadays are coated with BPA plastics inside to protect flavor. Cooks Illustrated evaluated the BPA leeched into chicken using this method:
Beer can interiors are coated with an epoxy that contains Bisphenol A
(BPA). Is the popular method of cooking a chicken perc... |
What should I check when buying a pineapple?
I live in middle Europe so pineapple (so called "ananas") is an exotic fruit for me.
What should I check when buying a pineapple to make sure it would taste well? Should it smell specific? Should it be soft or hard? Should it be big or small?
I believe this questions is val... | you can test if a pineapple is ripe by trying to pluck out one of the leaves near the centre. If it comes out fairly easily then the pineapple is good to go. if its hard to get out its not ripe yet. |
How to peel hard boiled eggs easily?
This is one of the most annoying duties in the kitchen, for me.
What are yours tips and tricks to peel hard boiled eggs easily? | Buy almost-late eggs.
The worst-case scenario of egg-shelling is a farm-fresh egg. That annoying film that sticks to both the shell and to the egg will detach, the older the egg gets. The bubble at the fat end, too, will get bigger as the egg ages, which also makes the bottom cap pop off more easily.
Obviously, we don'... |
Do I really need pastry flour in my molasses cookie recipe?
I have a recipe for molasses cookies that calls for 3 parts regular flour to 1 part pastry flour for the flour component. It mentions that you can use whole wheat flour instead of pastry flour if necessary.
Would pastry flour be better? What purpose does it s... | Pastry flour is a lower protein flour than the regular flour. From here
the protein content of any given type
of flour determines how tender,
strong, elastic, stretchy, pliable,
etc., the dough is that you make with
it, and also the texture of the
finished bread, waffle, cookie,
croissant, etc.
So basica... |
How can I grate soft cheeses?
Sometimes I need to shred a block of a soft cheese such as mozzarella, or cheddar. When I use my grater, the cheese starts to get kind of chunky as I'm grating it. I end up wasting a lot of cheese when I try to grate it.
It never happens when I grate harder cheeses like peccorino.
Is the... | I usually freeze mozzarella and then grate it (longer the better, unless you are in a hurry, then 20 minutes or so works OK). This works very well. Other soft cheeses, such as those meant to be eaten at room temp, brie, for example, I wouldn't freeze... Of course, I don't think many of us are grating brie anyway. |
Properties of a good steak?
I'm talking about what makes a good piece of meat for a steak.
not how to cook it.
What type of cut? Thickness? dry aged? to marinate or not? seasoning?
I've always been partial to a Ribeye (high fat content), cut to a minimum of 1.5 inches to achieve a nice crispy (more brown then grey) ou... | I've come across two great, and very different, types of steak. The first is typical in Argentina and is not aged at all, but from a young calf (6-10 months old), free ranging and grass fed (hence not like classic veal). This is really juicy, tender, and with a very "bright" taste. Good high-end Argentine restaurants u... |
What determines the shape-holding ability of cookies?
What things can you vary to make cookies hold their shape better during cooking, and not spread out like a pancake? From my experimenting, the initial temperature of the dough before cooking seems to make a difference - refrigerated dough spreads less than room te... | Cookies really only spread out because of their fat content: when it gets warm it flows, and if it flows too much before the glutens start binding to give it structure, you get flat cookie. So, in this case, if the dough is colder at the start the fat stays stable longer, and lets the cookie set up.
You can try experim... |
What heat & fat do you use for fried mushrooms?
I like fried mushrooms with my steak.
What techniques should I use when cooking them?
What sort of fat (if required) should I use?
What heat is suggested? | I cook 'em on medium-high heat in butter until they're browned and crisped to my liking. I don't cover - that seems to result in soggier mushrooms than I prefer. |
How do you peel garlic easily?
How should I approach peeling a clove of garlic to get the skin off most quickly? Is it different if I'm doing a bulb whole? | Even with a whole bulb, break it into cloves.
Put clove(s) on a cutting board. I usually cut off the root end of each clove. Lay a large chef's knife flat on the clove, then smack the knife to crush the clove. This breaks the skin of the clove and makes it much easier to peel. |
How do I prevent an egg cracking while hard boiling it?
Sometimes when I cook hard boiled eggs they will crack in the saucepan, and some of the egg will seep out into the water.
Am I boiling the water too vigorously, or can I add something to the water to prevent it? | Before you submerge the egg, prick the large end of the shell with a (clean!) thumb tack or safety pin. This will allow the trapped air bubbles - which are normally responsible for cracking - to escape during the boiling process.
Also take care to avoid any impacts:
Don't overcrowd the pot - the eggs should form a si... |
How do I pick a watermelon at the supermarket?
Lately, every watermelon I bring home form the organic section of the supermarket has not been sweet. Among the small, seedless varieties, I try to pick the densest. How do I know if it is ripe? Can I ripen them at home? Should I keep them in the fridge? | I don't believe there is a fool-proof way to determine 'ripeness' without taking a slice out of it. The best you can do is look for certain signs:
Ripe melons have a hollow sound when you tap or slap the outside
Look for the patch where the melon would have been on the ground (called the field spot). If it's a yellow ... |
Is it worth to install a gas stove with a big gas bottle in the kitchen?
There are several options when it comes to choosing a stove. From my own experience, electric stoves are not really that great. I guess most households have them because their are convenient to install. Induction stoves are expensive. Gas seems t... | Yes.
It's much more fun to cook with gas, and the way I see it, any incentive I can provide for myself to cook good food at home is a major net positive in quality of life.
The setup I have is three gas burners and one electric stove top element, and an electric oven. The electric stove top really comes in handy when ... |
How to keep fruits and vegetables fresh
I enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables, but the problem is that they seem to go back extremely quickly. It isn't realistic for me to go shopping multiple times a week. Are there any tricks to keeping fruits and vegetables fresh for a longer period of time? | As for fruits (including, for example, tomatoes), ethylene gas is released by fruits and causes them to ripen. You can buy "produce bags" that absorb ethylene gas, and slow the process of ripening. (Some fridges have drawers that absorb ethylene gas, but I doubt you feel like buying a new fridge.)
Update: See Vicky's a... |
What all fruits/crops can be stored in natural temperature for a long time?
I want to know about foods (fruits/crops) which can be stored in room temperature or natural temperature (20 degree centigrade) for long time (for a year)?. | Nature has designed some food-stuff to last a long time. Grains (wheat, rice, corn, oats, ...), which are the seeds of grasses, will last the longest, often more than one year. Seeds need a long shelf-life if the plant is going to make it to the next growing season. Next come roots (onions, potatoes, ...), which nee... |
How should I cook pigs cheeks?
I like the idea of eating pigs cheeks, I've heard they are delicious, but difficult to cook so they are not chewy. How should I cook them so they are succulent and delicious? | Restaurants quite often cook pigs cheeks 'sous vide', but unless you have, or fancy investing in a water bath, you can do things the old fashioned way.
How you prepare the cheeks for cooking will, to some extent, depend on which part you're cooking. If you're going to cook the whole cheek, you really should think about... |
Storing bread dough before baking
I'm looking to make a start in the world of baking bread, and have a quick question:
Once my dough is kneaded, proved and ready to go in the oven (i.e. in the tin) - does it need to be baked immediately, or can it be stored in the refrigerator overnight for example? | You can absolutely do that and in fact it will enhance the flavors of the baked bread and it is a recommended approach.
The yeast activity is reduced in colder environments, so, your dough will not rise too much after cooling some time. However, it's best to de-gas your dough and let it rise in the fridge (although no... |
How can I bake bread using a mother culture?
If I want to make bread using a 'mother' culture what do I need to do? How do I go about starting the 'mother'? How should I keep the 'mother' going? and how do I use the mother in my bread? What should I use to make the 'mother' for different qualities? | There is a good blog post on the Al Dente blog that talks about getting started with a sourdough starter. They use a starter from King Arthor Flour that is supposed to be 250 years old. :) |
How hot should the oil be when preparing schnitzel?
I frequently fry breaded chicken breast, but I can't seem to get the temperature right. Sometimes the first couple pieces come out overdone and sometimes if I don't let them sit in the pan for a while, they will come out under-cooked. I would like to get the outsid... | I generally use about 1cm deep of olive oil when I'm making schnitzel which may or may not be the right oil but it works for me.
I generally find that if the oil is smoking, it's too hot so I tend to get it to a temperature that is very hot, but not smoking.
Once I get it to that temperature, I don't cook too many schn... |
In reference to baking bread, what is a "mother culture"?
I saw this question entitled "How can I bake bread using a mother culture?", but I have no idea what a "mother culture" is. Can someone explain what the term "mother culture" means? | A mother culture is sometimes known as a starter dough and is a fermenting dough that is used to 'start' the fermentation process in the bread you are going to make by adding a bit of the starter dough to the dough you are making. Mainly sourdough I think, but I believe you can use different mothers for different brea... |
Is there an easy way to french trim a rack of lamb?
I had to be part of a lot of french trimming of racks of lamb at the weekend, and it seemed to take a long time, so it got me wondering, is there an easy way to do this? Some preferred tool? | Alton Brown demonstrates using a piece of string to scrape the bone clean. First he cuts and trims the bulk of the meat down to where he wants it. Then, he uses a string tied to a garage door handle (very cheap at any hardware store). Loop it around the bone a couple of times and pull, and it cleans it right up. |
Beer batter fish, keeping the breading from peeling right off while eating?
A few months back I made beer-batter fish. I don't remember the exact recipe I used but I think I got it from foodnetwork.com. I fried in vegetable oil at 350. Everything came out OK, but the breading seemed to peel clean off of the fish wh... | I usually dredge the fish in plain flour first and then the beer batter. I actually made beer battered fish tacos for dinner last night and the batter stuck perfectly.
It probably also depends on your batter consistency. The recipe I use says the batter should be slightly more liquid than pancake batter. |
What is a proper Manhattan?
I've ordered these a few times, and had wildly varying results - hardly surprising, given the general lack of training among bartenders around these parts, but confusing none the less!
So now I'm curious: what should a Manhattan be composed of? | A traditional Manhattan is two shots of rye or bourbon, one shot of sweet vermouth, a dash of bitters and a cherry, shaken and strained into a martini glass. I prefer on the rocks in a rocks glass, myself.
A perfect Manhattan is similar, but uses a half shot each of sweet and dry vermouth. They tend to be more interest... |
What kind of beer for beer bread?
Beer bread is bread wherein beer is used for liquid and leavening. I tend to use a basic pilsner, but I'm a beer snob, and I've taken to wondering what would happen if I substituted something a little more exotic.
Has anyone tried this? I don't want to do trial-and-error with expensiv... | I've used dark beer with good results. It just depends on what flavor you desire. I often use Lion stout, for example, which imparts a strong, intense flavor and color, which I quite like, but it would not be appropriate for all applications. Also Sierra Nevada porter has happily found its way into my bread. Keep in ... |
How might I roast coffee at home without investing in an expensive roasting machine?
Tired of the bland supermarket beans and too poor to sate my thirst at the local roaster, so I've ordered 20lbs of green coffee beans online...
But, now what do I need to do to turn them into The Life-Giving Elixir? Not interested in ... | Hot Air Popper
The cheapest and simplest is to use a (cheap) electric hot air popper. The old favorite is the West Bend Poppery, but you can use anything as long as the vent holes (where the hot air comes in) are on the sides rather than the bottom.
I've roasted a lot of coffee this way. It works, but there are a few d... |
Jello Shots Techniques: Alcohol Concentration
When making jello shots, what proportions do you typically use?
For hard liquor like Gin, Tequila or Vodka, I've been using 1 part hot water to dissolve the jello and then 1 part cold spirits. Some of these seem stronger than others.
For a liqueur like Pama (only 17%), it... | You are probably fine with the 1:1 ratio for your likely 80 proof liquors. For weaker liqueurs just add more. You probably want 2:1 if you can get it to work. |
What's the proper way to muddle mint for a julep or mojito?
Not a huge fan of the mojito, but my wife loves 'em. A good julep is another matter... But mine have a bad tendency to end up with lots of little mint pieces that get stuck in my teeth. So what's the proper way to prepare the mint in these drinks without endi... | The classic mistake when making a Mojito or a Julep is to over muddle the mint. Pounding away at the mint will release so much flavour from it, that you won't taste any of the other ingredients. A perfect Mojito should comprise a balance of flavours. The other main constituents do not have a particularly strong flavour... |
Is zesting lemons effective when making lemonade?
It's too hot. The air is oppressive and sticky, and it just keeps getting hotter... I need a nice, cold glass of lemonade.
Fortunately, I have a bag of lemons and plenty of ice! So now the question becomes one of technique. Keeping in mind that I'm hot (and consequentl... | You'll get a strong/different flavor using the lemon zest. I personally like it.
That said, if you mash/muddle the lemons you'll probably get much the same flavor as zesting. |
Why does my chicken breast become so dry?
When I roast a whole chicken, I always make sure that my chicken is cooked to the proper temperature. Quite often, this results in juicy legs and thighs, but dry breasts.
Is there a reason the chicken breasts end up so dry, while the legs and things are moist and delicious? Ar... | It's my opinion that the "proper temperature" is a number set by lawyers, not by chefs. The government standard for a roast bird is 180°F (83°C)! Are you kidding me? HTST pasteurization is 161°F (72°C) for 20 seconds, but my turkey has to get to 180°F for safe human consumtion? What the hell kind of bacteria do they th... |
What is the proper usage of a pie bird?
I have one of those ceramic pie birds that vent steam from a pie while it bakes. What benefit does using this provide to the end result? Also, in what types of pies should it be used? | From this site I found that there are two major benefits to using a pie bird
Prevent the pie from boiling over in
the oven by allowing the steam created
when the fruit filling or other
contents are cooking to escape from
inside the pie
Support the pastry crust in the center
of the pie, so that it did not sa... |
What are the differences between brown/golden sesame seeds and black ones?
Unhulled sesame seeds can be either light brown (golden) or black. Other than their color, are there other differences are their between these two varieties? Why might you choose one type over the other (again, I only care about reasons that a... | Dark sesame seeds are more common in Indian cooking. I personally think that they have a more intense taste. They are also smaller, for what little difference that makes. I wouldn't rush to use them to make tahini, because the color would be surprising and I suspect that the flavor would be a bit bitter. |
Less salty sauce based on soy
Basic ginger soy sauce:
Mostly soy sauce, grated ginger, scallions, some rice wine.
Some people find it too salty. What other liquids could I combine with the soy to end up with something a bit less salty in the same space? Just cranking up the rice wine isn't very attractive. | I may be jumping the gun here and making unwarranted assumptions about what this sauce is being used for, but assuming it's something like a marinade, rice, stir-fry, etc... I usually use some combination of the following:
Soy or teriyaki sauce (or both)
Toasted sesame oil
Honey or brown sugar
Chili oil (small amount,... |
Why use milk in scrambled eggs?
I've seen many recipes for scrambled eggs with and without milk / cream / half and half
So what does the milk do? The only difference I can see is color - without the milk the eggs are a brighter yellow.
What am I missing? | Well, it makes the eggs go further for one...
But it also produces softer, creamier results. You're moving toward something like a custard or quiche. If you like your eggs very stiff, this is probably a bad idea. |
How do I remove bitter flavor from lime rind in soup?
I just made a large pot of soup. It's a Mexican Caldo de Res. I added a bunch of lime juice, and thought, hey, maybe i'll throw the lime rinds in there too for a bit. This was a huge mistake. Now the whole thing has a really bitter flavor. I've removed the rinds, a... | You might be able to counter-balance it with other flavors (salt, sour, sweet, hot), but you're likely still going to have some bitter notes come through, it's just a question if it's tolerable or not, and some people dislike bitter more than others. (I can't understand how people can drink beers other than lambics)
I... |
What is the effect of using pasteurized milk in cheese making?
I am new to cheese making and I do not want to use raw milk to make cheese for health reasons. So, my next option is to use pasteurized milk. However, since pasteurization destroys some of the proteins one can say that there will be some differences consid... | Unfortunately, the usual store bought pasteurised milk undergoes a process that kills virtually everything needed for coagulation to occur, which basically means making cheese becomes a whole lot harder.
The cheese you buy from stores that is made from pasteurised milk is either made from low heat pasteurisation or by ... |
How can I measure the performance of my stovetop pots and pans?
Am I looking for the ratio of burnt dishes to fine dishes? Well-cooked to not? My general happiness? When should I replace a pot or pan? I am unsure where to begin. | I second Joe's advice.
Your pans may be too thin, that would make your dishes burn easily. You can test your pans with a simple experiment. Place a thin layer of water in your pan (an eighth of an inch, or just enough to cover the bottom). Turn on your burner to high. If you have an electric stovetop let the burner... |
How do you prepare and grill blackened salmon?
I've never grilled blackened salmon before, but is there anything more involved than simply sprinkling blackened seasoning on both sides and grilling it for 5-7 minutes on each side? | That's all there is to it. It seems you already know this, but just to be sure, be aware that "blackened" refers to the spice and not any burning or charring that is done. Burnt spices taste horrendous. |
Quickest, and safest way, to bring milk to boil
So I made homemade cottage cheese yesterday that had me cook the milk until it was just about to boil. I had it on the stove for at least half an hour because I didn't want it to start boiling the one time I looked away. This got me wondering if anyone has any 'tricks' t... | I put the pan with the milk inside a larger pan containing some water. This makes it much harder for the milk to boil; but it doesn't need to boil in order to turn for cottage cheese. It takes much longer to turn this way (1-2 hours), but during that time I can pretty much leave it alone and just check back every 5-10 ... |
How to get the burnt aroma off burnt food?
I sometimes burn the bottom of the pan due to carelessness, or not stirring enough. The burnt smell tends to persist even after I separate out the unburnt bits.
Is there any way to fix this? | Well, if the aroma is truly in the food then there's not much you can do. However, you can take steps to make sure that the aroma is subdued as much as possible. It's quite possible that a large portion of the burnt aroma is merely in the air.
Turn exhaust fans on to get the aroma out of your kitchen asap
Submerge the... |
How is mustard made?
I'd like to make mustard soon. What's the basic process to start with? | Mustard is one of those simple condiments to make, and is fun to experiment with. At it's most basic mustard is two ingredients:
Mustard Seed
Liquid
There are endless variations from there.
Mustard seed comes in white, yellow, brown and black variations. I suggest buying whole and grinding them yourself using either... |
Are there any reasonable substitutions for lemon juice?
In the past I cooked myself into a corner when I realized mid-recipe that I didn't have any lemons or lemon juice available. Nor did I have any limes.
I can't remember the exact recipe, but I believe it was some baked fish dish. What are some possible substitute... | When you find cheap lemons, buy a lot. Squeeze half a lemon in each of the cavities of an ice tray. Freeze. Within a day, remove the frozen slivers from the tray to a ziploc bag in the freezer. You now have measured units of fresh lemon juice you may use for cooking and will keep for months. The frozen lemons are a... |
What is the effect of the fat content of milk when making cottage cheese
I made cottage cheese yesterday using 1% milk while the recipe called for 2% milk. This got me wondering...
What effect does the fat content of the milk used in the recipe have on the final cottage cheese product? Does using milk with a higher fa... | Not having made cottage cheese before, I'm unsure of what effect it has on the quantity produced. However, I do know that it has a significant effect on the flavor of the finished product. Just like skim milk tastes blander than whole milk, the same applies to cheese. When you buy non/low-fat cottage cheese in the supe... |
What is the best knife/sharpener setup for an active cook?
There are several posts that get close to this but I am looking for a specific knife(ves)/sharpener(s) combo(s) that can be used routinely and that work(s) well. My opinion is in this answer. | If you have top quality knives, I generally discourage the use of any do-it-yourself sharpeners. I take my knives yearly to a professional knife sharpener who puts that amazing 17 degree edge back on my Shun knives.
In between sharpening you should be using a quality honing steel every time you use your knife.
Additio... |
How do you steam vegetables?
Assuming you don't have a "vegetable steamer" that you received as a wedding gift, how do you steam vegetables? | If you have a metal strainer then I
Fill a large pot with water. Just enough so it almost comes up to the bottom of the strainer when you place it on top.
Insert the strainer so it is balanced above the water.
Fill strainer with vegetables and cover with a lid
Boil
Take off when the vegetables are steamed to your sp... |
How can you melt chocolate without it getting wet?
I've tried a (few times) to melt chocolate but am obviously doing something wrong:
Put a pot of water onto the boil
Place a metal bowl over the pot
Put chocolate into the bowl
Wait for chocolate to go off!
(Obviously the steam is rising from the pot and going into ... | The way you've described is precisely how I melt chocolate. If you have a double boiler, that's even better, but a bowl on top of a pot is fine too.
I can only think of two things that might be affecting the quality of your end result:
Is the bowl big enough? The melting bowl should be larger than the pot if possibl... |
How do I get my spring rolls crispy?
I tried making spring rolls last night and for whatever reason they turned out soggy and I was generally disappointed.
I cooked them in about 5cm vegetable oil in a wok that was on a pretty high heat using generic spring roll "paper", but they just didn't crisp up.
I have a feelin... | As Brendon mentioned, the oil needs to be very hot. Just test this by dropping a cube of bread into the oil. If it 'sizzles' and starts to colour, the oil is hot enough. Also, cook the spring rolls in small batches, say 2 or 3 at a time. Overloading the pan or wok won't help. |
How do I cook scallops?
I like my scallops caramelized a bit, but every time I fry them I make an enormous mess. Oil splatters everywhere. Any tips? Should I grill them? Can I use the oven? (I try to use scallops without any sodium tripolyphosphate). | Most people I know who cook scallops actually overcook them. I always buy sushi-grade diver's scallops from my fishmonger. These can be eaten raw, and are most delicious when done so. However if you want to add a little extra flavor, and liven up the appearance of these then sear these briefly on a high heat. If you ca... |
What is a "roux" and what are its uses?
I've had excellent Macaroni and Cheese that I was told was made with a "roux." What exactly is a roux, when is it used and what are the benefits of using it versus other cooking methods? | It's actually spelled 'roux', and is a mixture of oil and flour, cooked to remove the starchy taste of the flour.
It's a great thickener any time that you don't need the sauce to be clear, and you have time to cook it down. I typically use it for cream sauce (including cheese sauces, such as for mac & cheese) and grav... |
What can you do with an infrared thermometer?
Infrared thermometers have plummeted in price in recent years, and are now inexpensive gadgets for the home cook, not to mention the pros.
What are the primary uses of an infrared thermometer in the kitchen? | Infrared thermometers work very well when measuring the temperature of hot oil. For deep frying it's not a big deal, as standard probe thermometers work fine. But for shallow frying or sauteeing, the IR thermometer does an excellent job at providing the temperature of the oil. (Note that IR thermometers are not accurat... |
How to take care of Silicone cookware
I am starting to collect various piece of Silicone cookware. I would like to find out how others keep their silicone cookware clean or if they try.
I put my Silicone cupcake tray into the dishwasher last night and sure enough its does not clean well and feels greasy still. In the ... | You're doing all you can. When I first started using Silpats (love them) I noticed the greasy feeling after washing. I googled and googled but all I ever found was that this just seemed to be a fact of life. I personally wash mine in the sink, and I think it turns out better, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's just my... |
Proper Technique for Rolling Sugar Cookies
I have an old recipe of my grandmother's for sugar cookies and I'd love for them to turn out just like hers. However, whenever I try to roll out the dough, I find I either can't get it thin enough, it is too sticky or it ends up tearing. What are the proper tools and techniqu... | There's a lot of things that can throw off baking recipes --
Regional variations in flour hardness. 'All purpose' flour from the US South tends to be softer than brands from other areas.
The humidity and temperature.
Altitude (affects the boiling point of water, which will require adjusting baking times and possibly ... |
What's the white liquidy substance that can appear when cooking salmon?
When I cooked salmon filets on the grill last night, after the filets had been on the grill for a while, I noticed that the salmon secreted through the surface of the filet a white liquidy substance that looked sort of like mayonaise or ranch dres... | That white stuff is albumen, the same protein that makes the white of chicken eggs. The albumen is part of the salmon's blood, which means that your fillet was fresh. A trick for dealing with it was developed by Bruno Goussault while collaborating with chef Michel Richard from Citronelle in DC: soak the salmon pieces... |
What fish have deliciously edible skins?
I love salmon skins, especially when fried or oven roasted. I also always eat the skin when I have a filet.
What other fish have deliciously yummy skins that can stand on their own like a salmon skin can?
Are there fish whose skins are generally avoided? Examples? | The skin of all the small fish I have tried is delicious. I have never tried, e.g. tuna skin, and I imagine that it is too tough and I also wouldn't eat shark skin. Back when I used to eat fish, I always ate the skin, and found it to be the best part. Beware, though, as while the skin concentrates the deliciousness, i... |
Converting oven recipe to slow cooker
I have a casserole recipe that I generally cook in the oven. I'd like to try it in my slow cooker for several reasons: convenience, timing, opening up the oven for another dish. Is there a general rule of thumb to convert the directions for the oven to an equivalent for a slow ... | Roughly speaking, the low setting on a crock pot is 200 degrees Farenheit, and the high setting is 300 degrees.
Crock pot time vs oven time:
4-6 hrs on low = 15-30 min oven
6-8 hrs on low = 35-45 min oven
8-18 hrs on low = 1-3 hrs in oven
In addition to the liquid notes above, you may want to make these changes as w... |
How do you make pork rinds?
The little bit I currently know is that they're fried pig skins. However, beyond that it's just a bunch of hand-waving on my part.
Do you buy pig skin from a butcher?
Is there a special type you need?
How do you judge pig skin quality?
I'm assuming they're deep fried, does the oil matte... | Funnily enough I made some of these just a week ago. They're not at all difficult to make and you can use any rind, which your butcher should be able to supply.
Depending on your health considerations, you can oven cook them or you can part oven cook part fry.
Oven cook method:
Cut the rinds into 4 by 4cm pieces
Plac... |
What oil to use when cooking steak, and what difference does it make?
When cooking steak, I have always been told groundnut oil is the best to use. But what difference does it make? Is it the best? And if it is the best, what's the next best? | For steaks I really prefer cooking butter instead of oils, I find that the flavor fits the meat better. |
How can you make a sauce less spicy/hot?
Sometimes when I'm making a sauce or soup that needs to be a bit spicy, I have no troubles spicing how I want to.
But if the dinner party is a bit late, or I made the sauce in advance to really draw out all the flavors of the spices, vegetables and meat, sometimes I end up with... | In general, it is a good idea to go light on spices when trying a new recipe, if you're not intimately familiar with the flavor and spice combinations in question. It's a great deal easier to add spice later than it is to mask it once you've added too much.
Assuming you are reading this because you didn't do that, and... |
Can I prevent honey from congealing/hardening in the pantry?
This question is inspired by this answer suggesting that honey lasts a long time. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to last so long in my cupboard. I make sure it's sealed tight, but usually after only a week or two it's looking pretty nasty.
Is there a way t... | Keep it stored in an airtight container, so that it doesn't absorb moisture from the air.
If it congeals, put the container in hot water until honey is liquid (~10-15 minutes). |
How do I feed a sourdough starter?
The cookbook I'm using tells me how to make a sourdough starter, but not how to feed it after I take out what I need for the bread. What do I do with the starter once I've used some? I don't think I'll use all of it at once. | When I've made and used starters in the past I've generally fed it 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup flour every other day. The challenge with sourdough starters is that you need to be using them regularly as the volume obviously grows if you're just feeding it and not using it regularly. Of course a friend, family member, o... |
How long does it take for buttermilk to go bad?
I love making buttermilk pancakes but I can never seem to use up my buttermilk before it passes the expiration date. The thing is, if I take a solid whiff of the "expired" buttermilk it smells great (even up to a month after the expire date).
How can I tell if it's stil... | Buttermilk is already thoroughly packed with live bacteria. During its manufacture, that bacteria already consumed some portion of the available lactose and turned it into lactic acid.
Because of the lack of food, acidity, and the extreme competition it is pretty hard for buttermilk to go bad. The good bacteria will st... |
How can I barbecue salmon steak?
I have two Salmon steaks that I would like to Barbeque. What are some effective techniques for barbecuing salmon? | Buy a cedar plank. Soak it in salted water for a couple of hours
Rub the salmon with olive oil and season it with a little bit of salt, I use kosher salt or smoked sea salt but regular table salt will work just fine. Then put the salmon on top of the plank, skin side down. Then put the plank on the BBQ. You can see the... |
How do I prevent cream puff shells from deflating?
Every time I try to bake cream puffs the shells deflate before I can fill them with the cream.
I have tried poking a hole in the shell with a toothpick in the last few minutes of baking. I have also tried leaving the shells in an "off" oven with the door open to slo... | hobodave is on the right track with his multi-temperature cooking suggestion: you really need that burst of high heat right away in order to get sufficient rise out of the dough (your aim is to create steam inside each pastry while the dough is still soft). In fact, I go over 400°F: try 425-450, depending on your oven,... |
How can I safely improve my cutting technique
I'm not bad with knives if I should say so myself. My cutting speed is definitely above average, but I've have never been trained by professionals. Most of what I know, I have picked a long the way, trying out some different stuff, practice etc.
I would really like to impr... | All of the following play an important role in cutting technique/speed:
Practice! Probably the single most important.
A very sharp, clean knife. Always hone your knife before use, and have it sharpened regularly (6-18 months depending on use)
A fast and stable cutting surface. A solid end-grain cutting board is ideal.... |
Fastest way to cook a baked potato?
Baked potatoes are great as everyone knows but what is fastest way to cook them (obviously preserving the taste).
Normally I do about 10 minutes in the microwave and then in the oven till the top starts to crisp.
But is there a better way? | Grilling / broiling the potato after it comes out of the microwave is quicker than baking it and achieves the same crispy outside.
If you really prefer them baked though, you can speed this up by inserting a large metal skewer into the potato while it's in the oven |
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