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What technique best infuses spices into a dish?
If I have a group of spices, all dried and ground, say: nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper...
I'm curious about how to maximize their flavor for a drink or dish, and in what liquids spices are ideally soluble.
Do they need or benefit from sauteeing in o... | The classic technique for most spices is to roast them. This can be done in a dry pan because the spices cotain their own oils, you just need to make sure that they don't burn. The spices are usually used in the dish from the start so that they have time to infuse, but it is not always the case, for instance there are ... |
Tips for a small kitchen
I enjoy cooking but have a seriously small kitchen. There is only about 3 ft of work surface and that has kettle and toaster on it. I have a fair amount of shelf space but still need to larder goods and plates in another room.
I find it almost impossible to keep the kitchen clean and tidy whi... | Do what professional chefs do: clean constantly.
Put all of your ingredients out in an organized place. Use them. Put them away. Clean the station.
If you can, prepare. Put stuff that is prepped back in the fridge until you need it.
Try to use the same few tools for the whole meal--cutlery, mixing bowls, cuttin... |
Can I take off the gas deflector on my stove for cooking with a wok?
This question might be Off-Topic, due to the gas involvement, although it is equipment related, but I'll see what people think.
I have a gas stove top, and I like to cook with a wok. But the gas deflectors that are used to make the nice 'ring' of ga... | I've never heard of anyone trying this. I think its very unlikely though. Those gas deflectors are actually specially designed to pull in the appropriate amount of atmospheric air for a proper flame. This is why the flame you see is so blue and has very little orange.
I'd look into seeing if there is some way to get a ... |
An alternative to Baileys?
In this video of triple chocolate pudding recipe, a shot of Baileys is added to whipped cream. Other than Baileys, what can I add to the cream? | If you're looking for alcoholic alternatives then you could use O'Mara's or some other brand (see Wikipedia for a good list). A light coffee liquer could also serve as a workable alternative.
On the non-alcoholic side, Irish Cream flavored coffee creamers would work well.
Coffee syrups like Monin's or Torani's also ha... |
What to do with italian soda type syrups?
I go to an Italian grocery store near my house that has an aisle filled with different flavors of syrup. I know you can make Italian soda by mixing it with carbonated water but I was wondering what other things you can make with them? | Any kind of flavoring, really, so long as the application will accept a syrup substance. They make killer milkshakes / malts. Add them to all kinds of desserts, beverages.
I've occasionally replaced extracts and granulated sugar in a recipe with a flavored syrup but you have to experiment with the right combinations... |
What is Turkey Bacon?
Is there a standard part of the turkey that they use to process "turkey bacon"? Is it pressed from different sections of the turkey? | The meat for turkey bacon comes from the thigh of the turkey and can be cured or uncured, smoked, chopped, and reformed into strips that resemble traditional pork bacon.
Source: Wikipedia article |
What is the shelf-life for Homemade Jams?
If I'm making Homemade Jams/Preserves, how long will they last? | All home-canned food should be used within a year. This assumes you follow the strict sterilization regimen required by jarring/canning at home. You should also store them in a cool, dark, dry place between 50-70°F.
Over time changes in color, flavor, and texture is inevitable. This will result in a degradation of qua... |
Cooking an egg without oil or butter
I like scrambled and fried eggs but the butter or oil probably add unnecessary calories. How can I fry an egg with no butter? I tried in a Teflon pan but it was a mess. | Well, frying means to cook in oil, so technically you can't. Fat also is delicious, so you'll lose something in the process besides just calories.
If you are using teflon, ceramic, or some other non-stick, don't bring the heat up too much. Scrambling your eggs with milk will make them more fluffy, and I bet less likely... |
Tips/resources for learning how to plate dishes
I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on a couple books about plating from Amazon (Food Styling, by Custer, Dishing with Style, by Trovato, perhaps Culinary Artistry, by Dornenburg), but before I do, I figured I'd ask if anyone here has tips or resources that may be o... | http://www.tastespotting.com is everything you need. You will get hundreds of ideas there.
Also, remember what the director of my culinary school says: "Food should look like it fell from Heaven onto the plate." Don't get too fussy in other words.
Editing to add a more complete answer.
The ability to plate effectively ... |
How to freeze cabbage?
I have a glut of home-grown cabbage at the moment, more than I can eat before it goes bad! Is there any way to freeze cabbage (raw, cooked, whole, shredded...) or would I have to make gallons of cabbage soup / pickled cabbage? | I've never had particularly good experiences with freezing cabbage so that it's usable as a "fresh" vegetable afterwards. Personally I'd recommend going down the cabbage soup / picked cabbage route, I'm afraid. |
How do I sweat onions?
A recipe calls for me to sweat finely chopped onions. What do I do, and why? | First, finely chop the onions. This makes them smaller, faster-cooking, and less of a textural presence in the dish. Do it by cutting straight through the poles of the onion, resulting in two halves. Then chop off the knobs and peel off the outer layer. Run the knife 8 or 9 times along the vertical (from pole to po... |
Frothing Milk By Hand
What is a consistent method to froth milk if I do not have a steam wand? I have tried things like a whisk and an Aerolatte with mixed success. | I've used a french press with good success when a steam wand was not available. Pour some warm milk in and froth away. You're not going to get the same shimmery-silky texture that a steam wand will do, but it'll be pretty decent.
The combination of a wide surface area and lots of small holes is excellent for introduc... |
Can red wine vinegar replace white wine vinegar?
I have a recipe for broiled swordfish steak that uses the following ingredients for the baste:
olive oil, butter, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, and black pepper.
I only have garlic-flavored red wine vinegar (no lemon either). Can I use that or would it be better t... | Vinegar, in general, has distinct acidic characteristics that will affect a recipe; it's often used for this reason. For instance, in marinades, the acid is used to break down muscle fiber and help flavor penetrate. In Cevice, the acid component is used to "cook" the fish.
Additionally, the different types of vinegar... |
Tenderness of sous-vide pork chops
I made some sous vide pork chops this week that didn't turn out as tender as I expected. They were about as tender as when I grill them; maybe a little bit worse.
I had marinated them overnight in a Vietnamese soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, lemon grass, etc., marinate and them cooked... | The actual minimum temperature which kills the roundworm Trichinella spiralis is 137F.
Therefore it is recommended that you sous-vide pork at a temperature of 138F or higher. If you do not have a high quality immersion circulator with precise temperature control and your water bath temperature can vary by a few degree... |
In baking, can yoghurt replace butter?
By baking, I mean cakes / muffins / biscuits.
This is mainly to cut down on fat.
I've tried replacing butter with yoghurt in all of these and the results were OK.
Are there any cases where it's not a good idea?
I generally replace with equal ratios e.g 100 ml butter = 100 ml yogh... | I guess it depends on what the substitution is for.
Certainly if the butter is just for flavour, it's a reasonable substitute (I think I'd use slightly more yogurt). But 9 times out of 10, fat is the main reason the recipe is calling for butter! Yogurt cannot substitute for a fat (butter) because it has very little f... |
When should I pick elderberries?
Having made lots of elderflower cordial from the bumper crop of elderflowers in the hedgerows near my home in June, I can now see that we are also in for a bumper crop of elderberries.
How can tell when they are ready to pick? When I was small, my family made jam with them. Any other... | From Greenfootsteps' "Elderberry Recipes for a Healthy Winter Edinburgh":
Pick elderberries when they are fully ripe in early autumn. The bunches should be starting to droop downwards with the weight of the fruit. Use a fork or your fingers to gently prise the fruit away from the stalks. This can be a bit fiddly but y... |
Why does adding extra flour help with high altitude baking?
When baking at high altitude it seems that most recipes advise to include a little more flour to the mix. Is it related to boiling point? | The air pressure is lower at higher altitudes; when you add extra flour to your baked goods, it prevents them from rising too quickly or too much.
ETA (about the water): Water boils at a lower temperature at higher altitudes, so the extra water called for in high-altitude baking is to compensate for all the water turn... |
Homemade taffy turned out too thick and hard
I had found a recipe to make homemade Tootsie Rolls which was essentially just chocolate taffy. I've tried it a few times with the same result; it turns into basically a somewhat chewy hard candy.
I'm not a candy making expert, but I think the problem might lie in either t... | Temperature is certainly important. If you start out with a hard candy straight from the pot you're gonna be largely out of luck regardless.
But really, the signature taffy texture comes from the continual pulling, folding, pulling that happens after you remove it from the heat. Pulling taffy works lots of air into it ... |
How to make caramel sauce for sundaes?
I've been experimenting with making a caramel hot fudge sauce (something like on a McDonalds caramel sundae but better) and want some ideas.
My latest was:
Microwave brown sugar and butter, stirring often, until it's sort of mixed together
Mix in a can of sweetened condensed mix... | The classic way to make a caramel sauce is to cook approx (this is what we use at the restaurant, because sometimes we get distracted and have to run away; it's more forgiving. Use less water if you can concentrate) 4:1 sugar:water until the sugar has taken a golden colour. Remove from heat, whisk in cream and butter u... |
How much fat does "low fat" cheese have?
I was wondering how low is a "low" in low-fat cheese. It can't be 0%, because then cheese wouldn't exist, right? :)
In my country, there's something called "fresh cheese", and fat percentages are in range of 5-10%, but in dry matter, fat percentage is higher, like 20%-30%...
An... | In Europe at least, the rules on advertising say:
"for a product to be able to make a claim that it was low in saturated fat under EU Regulation 1924/2006 on Nutrition and Health Claims Made on Foods, it should contain no more than 1.5 g of saturated fat per 100 g of solids"
(from the ASA Adjudication on Youngs Seafo... |
What is a cheap but good cut of beef for grilling?
If I grill filet mignon it comes out tender and easy to cut and delicious of course but no matter what other cut of beef I grill it's like eating leather.
I've read about "salting" the meat for about an hour before I grill and wanted to try that but there were so man... | I've had great results with flank steak.
Best to marinate it with a mix of salt, sugar/honey, vinegar/lemon/lime, water/whiskey/tequila/soda, olive oil, spices, and herbs for at least a few hours before grilling. More salt will help tenderize but can't be left too long at too high concentrations (search "brining"). ... |
Converting between Egg sizes
In the UK eggs are sized as, small, medium, large and extra large.
What weights/ratios do these correspond, so if a recipe calls for 1 large egg, how many small eggs could I use in its place?
I assume that other countries have similar sizing standards, so if we can aggregate non-UK inform... | Europe
From http://www.egginfo.co.uk/page/eggsizes:
|-----------------------|
| Size | Weight |
|-------------|---------|
| Very large | >= 73g |
| Large | 63-73g |
| Medium | 53-63g |
| Small | <= 53g |
|-----------------------|
USA
From http://www.georgiaeggs.org/pages/sizeequivalents.... |
What can I substitute for Guanciale?
Guanciale is something I've never seen in the UK. What can I use as a substitute?
Or, alternatively, is there somewhere I can source this in the UK?
Note: I'm thinking of experimenting with an Amatriciana. | Wikipedia suggests Pancetta which is another form of cured Italian bacon, usually without smoking. I think the primary thing you are looking for is cured but not smoked, as smoke will add a strong flavor that is completely missing in Guanciale. |
Cooking Toad In The Hole - preventing "burn on"
I've recently cooked Toad in the Hole following this recipe from TheFoody.com. The first time I used a non-stick metal roasting tray and the second time I used a ceramic dish.
Both times the batter adhered to the base of the cooking container quite firmly. What can I do ... | I grew up in Yorkshire, that doesn't make me an immediate expert but my Mother used lard or beef dripping to coat the container for either Yorkshire Puddings or Toad in the Hole.
You should preheat the lard in the oven, it should be 'very' hot.
I suspect the issue with using the oil from the sausages is that you will g... |
What can be used as a substitute for tomato sauce in typical italian dishes?
I have a friend that has developed an allergy or sensitivity of some kind to tomato sauce in foods. She has been craving pizza, pasta, and lasagna for a while now and I've been searching for a way to make those sorts of dishes without using t... | You could use Red Pepper Coulis:
Roast red peppers on grill, gas flame or cut off the sides and place skin side up under broiler until skins are blackened. Cool and remove charred skin.
Sweat onions and garlic in a little olive oil with salt and pepper until softened. Add the charred roasted red peppers and some chic... |
What is the point of a salt mill?
Salt mills and pepper mills often come in pairs. I understand the purpose of the pepper mill: It breaks open the pepper corn and releases the aroma. But there is, to my knowledge, no such thing as a salt corn, at least on the macroscopic level
So what do I gain by grinding the salt ... | Trying to get to the bottom of the issue, I decided to take a few pictures of a few different types of salt. The pictures shown below were taken by me and are all proportional (the camera was the same distance away from each type of salt, so you are getting an accurate size comparison).
The picture illustrates my sus... |
Filtering home-rendered lard
I recently rendered some lard at home from some pork fat I bought from a nearby Mexican grocery store (Mi Pueblo in San Jose). The lard is delicious and I'm glad I made it, but I wish I knew how best to make it "cleaner". It's not very light-colored now that it's chilled, and I can see som... | For applications such as these where I really want a fine strain, much more than any of my strainers can handle, I line a larger-hole strainer with cheesecloth (if I have trouble with the cheesecloth staying I use a rubber band to hold it in place).
Although I have not tried it with rendered lard, I have used it in a l... |
What's the proper way to dispose of used fats & oils?
Down the drain? Does it depend on the type? With bacon fat, I usually let it solidify in a cup lined with foil, and then throw it out. With used canola oil, I'm not quite sure what to do because it doesn't solidify. | Never down the drain. We've had a few incidents in my neighborhood where the sewer pipes were clogged with fat, and a few people's basements flooded with sewage as a result.
For fats that solidify, let them do so, then pitch them in your regular garbage. Chill grease in the fridge if you need to get it to harden up. F... |
Are there culinary applications for carrot tops/greens?
The family members who taught me to cook have always tossed carrot tops/greens into the compost pile or the trash (and my regular grocery store carries carrots without tops), so I've never really thought about cooking with them before. Today, however, I bought so... | I've never had them, but they are indeed edible. Due to the high amount of potassium in them they can be bitter. The World Carrot Museum (lol) even has an entire page for carrot greens, including several recipes.
Excerpt:
They ARE edible and are highly nutritive, rich in protein, minerals and vitamins. The tops of the... |
Is there a good, clean way to pit black olives?
I wanted to pit a black olive, like a Kalamata, and retain the shape - is there a good clean way to take the pit out? | Two Options which work for both olives and cherries:
Use a drinking straw and push through one end until you hit the pit and keep pushing until the pit comes out.
Use a large paper clip partially opened so that the end can be used for inserting and pushing the pit through. |
How do you put out a grease fire?
I recently had a grease fire - the pan caught on fire from a little fat that spilled over the skillet. Is there a safe, quick way to put out a fire like this? | Steps to put out a grease fire
Turn off source of heat (burner / element)
Do NOT pour water on it
let me say that again, Do NOT pour water on it
Attempt to remove all oxygen from the flame. You can cover with another pot, or baking pan
If you can't cover it, dump baking soda on it. (lots of it)
Secret step number 6, i... |
Is it possible to make fudgy brownies without oil?
What can I substitute for oil in brownies and still get fudgy brownies? I've tried yogurt and sour cream (individually) and only replacing half the oil with one of those, but the brownies always end up cakey. Should I just give up and accept that brownies are not a he... | If you have a recipe that already produces a dense fudgy brownie and you're looking to do it without oil, you're just out of luck.
If you're looking to produce a dense fudgy brownie and wondered if, while you were at it, you might cut back on the oil...NO, but here are some suggestions for making a cakey brownie more... |
What are the differences between the grades of maple syrup?
You can get maple syrup in different grades, but what defines the difference between the grades? Why is one syrup grade A and one grade B? | The grades reflect how much light can get through some standard quantity of maple. The darker maple syrups tend to have a stronger maple flavor and tend to be harvested later in the season. The collected sap needs to be concentrated and purified to make the syrup, which is traditionally done by boiling and skimming o... |
Can I substitute Molasses for Honey in Baking Recipes?
Can I substitute one for the other in baking recipes? | Yes, you can substitute molasses for honey. They're going to function essentially the same measure for measure since they are both syrups.
Keep in mind however there will be a difference in flavor (not necessarily bad, just different...which would be the case for one honey over another...different tastes). |
How to cut a cooked chicken, including the bones, with a cleaver?
I'm interested to know the proper way to cut a chicken into pieces using a cleaver, without cutting around the bone.
When I go to Chinese restaurants, they often serve chicken neatly cut with a cleaver into pieces including the bone. However, when I se... | I think what you want to do is this, cribbed from this book, which has an excellent step by step guide with pictures:
Remove the wings. Stand the chicken on its neck, legs point to the ceiling and breasts pointing away from you. slide the cleaver between the body and wing, cutting through the joint close to the body. ... |
Can I successfully bake previously-frozen bread dough?
I prefer my bread freshly baked (who doesn't?), but my mixer prefers kneading two loaves at a time to just kneading one. I have tried to freeze the second loaf before baking it, but when I thaw it, it does not rise well before baking. I've tried thawing it entirel... | Traditional dough will not freeze well. You have to par-bake it.
In the US, the “freshly baked” bread sold in most supermarkets is par-baked dough. This is risen dough, which is then baked for 70 to 80% of the usual baking time, cooled, frozen, and shipped to the supermarket, where it is baked again until golden. Y... |
Fruit Flies and Storage of Fresh Produce
What is a good way of keeping fresh produce (in particular, from the garden) and herbs in the kitchen without attracting fruit flies? We dispose of tomatoes etc as soon as they start to go bad, but it seems like leaving out the produce that would be kept out is attracting fruit... | I've never had luck keeping them out of food. Sealed containers work, but cause fruit to ripen and spoil quickly, and they are small enough to get in anything with an opening.
However, a simple fruit fly trap can keep them in check:
Cut a 2l soda bottle where the top taper ends (above the label). Add a few drops dish s... |
Slow cooker lasagna
Can a lasagna be made in the slow cooker, or will that cause the pasta to become unpleasant? | I have never tried it but the extended cooking of a slow cooker, combined with the concentrated and trapped moisture would surely turn the pasta into a gummy paste.
No-boil noodles are just a marketing ploy. You can assemble lasagna with regular uncooked lasagna noodles and bake it for 1 hour (350F) covered with foil ... |
Best Office Coffee Solution
What is the best coffee solution for a small office (about 10 people)? We are looking for something that is:
Tasty
Fast
Easy
We have fairly discriminating taste, although it doesn't have to be barista quality. Any recommendations on what might be a good combination of machine, grounds, ... | a Keurig or other single-cup coffee maker might be a good idea, everyone could have their own favorites. The coffee isn't amazing but it's surprisingly decent. |
How do I hold my knife to prevent blisters when chopping?
I have a Wusthof Trident Classic 8" Cook's knife that I use for chopping. I thought I was holding it properly but when chopping for extended amounts of time I end up with a blister on the edge of my palm at the base of my index finger where it rubs on the top ... | Friction blisters are usually the result of continuous rubbing on skin that hasn't toughened up.
If you are getting blisters with normal amounts of chopping, either your knife is moving in your hand more than it should, or you are exerting more force than you should need.
Focus on your technique. Are you pushing down w... |
Whipped cream without a mixer?
Is it possible to make whipped cream without a power mixer? How? Can it be made with a stick blender? | Whipped cream was made for centuries before the mixer was invented. :)
You can do it with simply a balloon whisk. Things that may help though:
Very cold cream (not freezing)
Very cold bowl and whisk (put them in the freezer for 20 minutes prior to using)
Copper bowl
The process is simply to start slow until you see b... |
How to carve poultry?
What's the best way to carve poutry so that you get the most amount of meat? Are there any tricks you've found that will make this easier? | This is difficult to describe without pictures or diagrams. However I have found a great video on YouTube courtesy of Gourmet magazine. |
Storing fresh peaches for a long time
We just picked a bunch of peaches off our peach tree this morning. There is additional fruit left on the tree and we already have more than we can eat in the next few days. Is there a process I can use to store these peaches for a long time (freezing or otherwise)? | Freezing
1) Wash and peel the ripened peaches. Peel them the same way you do tomatoes - boil water, drop the peaches in for 1 minute, then drop them into ice water. The skin should just slide right off. Slice in half and remove pits. You can leave them in halves, quarter them, or slice them. I prefer slices.
2) Mix w... |
How long does raw ground meat last in the fridge?
Does it make a difference if it's raw ground pork or raw ground veal? There is no sell-by date since I got it at the butcher. | If it's raw, stick with the best-before date on the label. If cooked, you have at least 3-4 days, regardless of whether it's pork, veal, or regular beef. |
Can clarified butter be used for beurre noir?
The first recipe of "The Nero Wolfe Cook Book" by Rex Stout is for Eggs au beurre noir. For the black butter sauce he gives the following instructions:
"In a skillet melt [...] four
tablespoons of butter over a medium
heat. When white waxy particles have settled to th... | @Chris: Does the recipe from the Nero Wolfe cookbook say anything about dumping the milky/watery portion out of the pan before returning the butter to it to brown?
Clarified butter WILL NOT brown, that is the purpose for clarifying it. The milk solids are what brown. The portion that usually goes to the bottom will... |
Baking zucchini bread without egg yolks
I'm trying to reduce cholesterol in my diet and have switched to using egg whites (from a carton) instead of whole eggs. This substitution usually works out OK, but when I make zucchini bread -- and other quick breads -- the loaves don't rise as well as they used to, and they t... | Genetics is actually the greatest affect on cholesterol. Consumption of dietary cholesterol has very little correlation to serum cholesterol in your body and the amount of cholesterol you're going to save by leaving out the egg yolks vs. the impact it has on the resulting bread will hardly be worth it.
However, if you... |
How is Pâté made? What are the ingredients?
How is it made and what are the ingredients? | For a good introduction for the home cook to trying something as ambitious as a Pâté I've found this book to be excellent resource: Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing. Pâté is not the singular focus of the book, but about a fifth of it is dedicated to it.
The general method involves grinding or p... |
Can I substitute Soy Milk when a recipe for baking calls for regular milk?
If a baking recipe calls for regular milk, can I substitute Soy Milk... | The short answer is yes; the longer answer depends on what kind of soy milk you're buying and how you plan to use it. I've used soy milk in my breads and cakes without noticing much of a difference in texture, but I use the unflavored, unsweetened versions of it (especially in cake-baking, as many recipes call for vani... |
What are some alternative sources of calcium (to milk) for the lactose-intolerant?
Are there any food products that can be used for cooking/baking that have high calcium as an alternative for milk - not necessarily liquid alternatives... | Green vegetables are a good source of calcium, in particular, artichokes, broccoli, and greens (like turnip greens). Other sources of dietary calcium include sardines, canned salmon, raisins, almonds, sesame seeds, and soy beans.
ET |
Is there a way to make Beef Jerky at home?
I would like to make beef jerky at home, is there a way to do this? | This is Alton Brown's recipe for homemade beef jerky, including a way to kludge yourself a dehydrator. You place the meat between AC filters and bungee them to a box fan to blow air through them for 8-12 hours. |
Source of smoky flavor in salsa?
I'm experimenting with making my own salsa. I recently had some that had an interesting flavor, rather smoky. Is anyone aware of what might add this flavor? I'd like to add that flavor to my own salsa.
I don't have a smoker, but I do have a charcoal grill.
Is there a disadvantage to j... | Chipotle chiles, especially in adobo sauce (e.g., here), give an excellent smoky flavor. You should be able to find these in your grocery store in the Mexican section. |
How much difference is there between brands of flour?
How much real difference is there between flours (specifically all-purpose) such as King Arthur, Gold Medal at a considerable savings and a store brand which is even less expensive? | There is a difference beyond just the price.
All-Purpose flours are not the same:
Southerners tend to make more quick breads, pies, cakes, etc. where tenderness is the primary quality factor.
Southern brands of all-purpose flour such as White Lily, Martha White, Red Band, Adluh and others are typically milled from ... |
How can I rescue a soft boiled egg that is too soft?
I love a boiled egg, but it has to be soft. On occasion I get it just too soft, so some of the white is still 'snotty'. Oviously I only discover this once I have opened the egg, when it is too late to put it back in the pan.
Is there some trick I can use to cont... | Let it sit, pray carryover cooking does the job (unlikely)
Wrap it in plastic wrap, tightly spin the top to close. Twist 'the tail' into a knot or secure with string. Put it back in the water.
Position it 'hole-up' on a baking sheet, put in an oven (time-consuming)
Crack the egg over a bowl, finish in a pan on low he... |
Why did my basting sauce flop?
The instructions for the basting sauce I tried to make called for heating olive oil, butter, Dijon mustard, vinegar, and pepper and then whisking together until smooth.
I heated the oil, added the butter to melt, and then added the mustard. I skipped the vinegar.
When I added the mustard... | The reason that your basting sauce flopped was the recipe was calling for an emulision (basically, a vinegrette) and by leaving out the vinegar you are changing the one of the basic building blocks of the dish. The sauce will require that you add the fats to the mustard as it will clump as experienced if you don't. T... |
Difference between freezer bag and storage bag
We accidentally used Ziploc "storage bags" instead of "freezer bags" to package some meat for the freezer. We noticed this after the fact and it got me thinking: what is the difference? Marketing aside, they both appear to be resealable zipper-like air-tight and water-tig... | Freezer bags are slightly thicker plastic, and more forgiving of sharp or pointy foods (like meat with protruding bones).
I know some freezer bags include a white place to write a label on, I don't remember if storage bags do as well.
The press-to-seal bags do a better job of not spilling if accidentally dropped compar... |
Interesting use for Okra as the main ingredient in a dish?
I had a few handfuls of fresh Okra delivered with the last CSA delivery. I'm looking for an interesting way to cook a dish featuring it. I also have:
One eggplant
Some pumpkin
One leek
Lots of tomatoes
Cilantro
Dill
Potatoes | Okra is great in curry. I'll do an okra and tomato curry, but you can find plenty of recipes online. |
Why do fresh mandarin oranges get very bitter when baked?
Why do fresh mandarin oranges get very bitter when baked?
What compound in mandarin oranges turns bitter when heated? | The white, pithy part is a source of the bitterness. Either peel more thoroughly, or trim off with a knife.
The pulp of some oranges (of the navel variety), can turn bitter when exposed to air.
http://www.preparedpantry.com/CitrusQuickGuide.htm |
Crispy fried chicken goes limp: picnic disaster
I use a simple fried chicken recipe: wash chicken (I use thighs), dredge in seasoned flour, dip in egg with a bit of milk, re-dredge in flour, shake and fry. The dish comes out great on the day I cook it, but loses its crunch the next day when I want to take it as part o... | Once fried chicken or any fried food for that matter is refrigerated it is going to lose it's crispiness. This is due to the cruncy exterior coating absorbing moisture from inside the food combined with moisture being trapped inside the wrapping/storange container which then is absorbed by the food as well. It happen... |
"Best by date" true for bay leaves?
Today I bought a 2 oz (56.7 grams) bottle of Bay Leaves. The "best use by" date is 01/2015. I've read that spices and herbs go "off" after a year or so, depending. Can I believe the 2015 date on these bay leaves? | The use-by dates on all spices are mainly hokum. Most spices last for six months in whole form, herbs can be dried and last about three, after that time the taste is going to weaken and change as essential oils leave the spice. If you keep your spices in an airtight dark container you can eek out a little more time, bu... |
Are there any natural preservatives that can be used in Soups or Stews?
I make a lot soups and various stews and they don't seem to last more than a few days - are there any natural preservatives that can be added to them that will increase their refrigerator life? | If cooled and stored properly (minimize air space in the container), most soups will should last in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Do you really want to be eating the same soup that long? I would suggest dividing your soups into smaller sized containers and freezing it so you have a wide selection available at any gi... |
Cure for burns from hot peppers / capsicum oil?
So, I foolishly ignored advice about wearing gloves while handling hot peppers. I thought since they were "just" anaheim peppers I'd be fine... I was wrong, and I repent.
Does anyone know of a way to stop the burning? I have washed my hands repeatedly with soap in hot w... | Capsaicin is oil/fat-soluble so try washing your hands with a little whole milk, or rub with sour cream or vegetable oil and see if that helps.
Just as you can get it in your eyes if you rub them with your fingers, I'm sure you can easily transfer it to your baby.
I'm just surmising here, not speaking from experience ... |
What is the difference between cracked wheat and wheatgerm?
What is the difference between cracked wheat and wheatgerm?
I have used both items in completely different contexts - cracked wheat in salad and wheatgerm in muesli - but would like to know what the difference is between them so that I can incorporate them in... | Cracked wheat is a whole wheat berry that has been crushed or cut into smaller pieces.
Wheat germ is a very small part (1.5 to 2.5%) of a whole wheat berry. It is rich in protein and dense with nutrients. It's hard to overstate how much wheat germ is a nutrition powerhouse. It has more protein than most meats (28%), co... |
Difference between old fashioned and quick oats?
What are the difference between old fashioned and quick oats?
Can they be substituted for one another in recipes? | Old fashioned oats are rolled whole-grain oat kernels. In quick oats, on the other hand, the oat kernel is first cut into smaller pieces before being rolled. This makes it much easier for quick oats to absorb water than an old fashioned oat. You can visibly see the size difference.
For baking quick oats can be used in ... |
What are the mushrooms used in this (video) recipe?
On this video of a recipe for mushroom-onion pudding, I can't seem to recognize which mushrooms are used (at about 2:20 in the video).
What is the name of these big mushrooms? | I'll elaborate on Joe's answer some. It's a little known fact that button mushrooms (also called common, white, or table mushrooms), cremini (crimini, baby portobello, baby bella, brown mushroom), and portbello (portabella) are all the same species. Specifically, agaricus bisporus. The difference in appearance and tast... |
Are there any guidelines for converting cooking recipes from Regular Ovens to Convection?
I was looking to buy a Convection Oven and wanted to know if there are any general differences in baking methods between the two. | The forced movement (convection) of the hot air by fans is what improves the cooking in a convection oven. The beautiful part is that it allows you to cook on ANY or EVERY single rack in your oven. Here are the adjustments you'll need to make:
For baked goods you typically drop the temperature by 25°F (10°C). If the... |
Can UHT milk be used to make yogurt?
So I know you can't use UHT milk to make cheese, because of the way the proteins get denatured at that temperature. But can you use it to make yogurt? | UHT (Ultra High Temperature) processing kills all the pathogens in the milk, so it can be conserved for a long time. However to make yogurt you add bacteria (lactobacillus), so if there aren't other microorganism it should be even better. |
Is there an inexpensive substitute for truffles?
I recently had a hamburger whose main ingredient was Truffle shavings ($50.00 btw) - I loved the flavor, but can't afford to buy the real ones, any substitutions with similar flavor? | They're so expensive because there really isn't anything else with the same flavor, and they can't be cultivated.
However, they do take some of the smaller ones to make truffle oil, which is much more reasonably priced, and more easily available. |
To sear or not to sear - slow cooking beef dishes
I want to make beef goulash in my slow cooker (first time). The instructions call for adding the beef as is. Something in my gut (rightly or wrongly) tells me to sear it first. Will it turn out basically the same if I don't sear? I'm a little concerned because of t... | Will it work without searing it first? Yes.
Will it have as much flavor? No.
Searing does two things: Create flavor through the browning process and jump-start cooking. Searing does not "lock in juices". The mere sound of the sizzling that goes on is indication that juices are exuding and sizzling against the hot co... |
How much powder does 1 TBSP of Cumin seeds yield when crushed?
How much powder does 1 TBSP of Cumin seeds yield when crushed? I have a recipe that calls for Cumin seeds to be crushed but I could not find whole seeds at the store. | A little bit less than 1tbsp, maybe 4/5ths of a tablespoon. |
How to test that a knife is sharp enough?
As per the question - how to I test that a knife is sharp enough?
And/or, how do you know when a knife needs sharpening?
Edit:
Yesterday I attempted (I feel quite successfully) to hone my knives for the first time ever (requiring me to purchase a honing steel), which immediat... | The most readily evident way of determining if a knife needs to be sharpened is when you notice that you're having to apply more force than normal.
When you start out with a sharp knife you will become accustomed to how it glides through food. Over time you're going to notice that you are having to apply more pressu... |
How to store brown sugar without it becoming hard?
I put a clothes pin on my opened bags of brown sugar and keep them in a dark pantry at room temperature. Since I don't use it very often, it becomes hardened. My work-around is to use a grater to grate it but it would be useful to avoid the problem in the first plac... | Storing brown sugar in a tightly sealed container (such as tupperware, rubbermaid, etc.) is the best method.
Once it dries out however it can be re-moisturized by placing a piece of apple or bread with it inside a tightly sealed container. After a day or two the brown sugar will soften and the bread will dry up or the... |
Am I using my knives for the correct jobs?
I've got a limited collection of knives which I was moderately pleased to discover meet the "minimum requirements". But, recent activity on here has got me thinking - am I using them for the correct jobs?
I have:
Long (8 inch) flat-blade knife (Chef's?).
Short (4.5 inch) f... | Well your chef's knife should constitute about 90% of your usage I'd say. It should be used for slicing, dicing just about anything. Your paring knife is actually the 3-4" one you describe. Paring knives are typically used for delicate tasks like, coring apples, peeling, and some people use it for mincing garlic becaus... |
Past | is simmering equivalent to roiling boil?
I recently got into a surprisingly heated argument with a friend about what level of boil you should cook your pasta at. He (an engineer) argued that the heat transfer would remain the same regardless of the level of the boil and that anything above a simmer would be a waste of... |
What fuel (burning material) gives the best flavor to meat when barbequing?
I normally barbecue with charcoal, but I've seen wood chips in shops, so I started wondering...
I assume the material you use gives a different flavor to the meat. What is your experience on this regard? When is coal preferable, wood, or gas (... | There are two main types of charcoal, briquettes and hard lump. The first comes in preformed pieces, so they are all the same size and include a filler material. They will sometimes also have lighter fluid in them already and be "easy start" or something similar. Hard lump is just charcoal from hardwoods with no filler... |
How do I cook radicchio to make it taste less bitter?
Although I like the basic taste of radicchio a lot, I frequently get heads that are so bitter as to be basically inedible. Can you suggest some cooking techniques that are particularly effective at reducing the bitterness without masking the other flavors too much? | Roasting and grilling seem to help. You can also lessen the harshness by using ingredients with a sweet flavor profile in conjunction with it.
Years ago I tried a Radicchio appetizer (basically a radicchio bruschetta...but this was mid to late 80's and bruschetta wasn't something that was as common then!) I believe it... |
How to wash lettuce
What's the best way to wash lettuce while keeping it crisp? I've been soaking the lettuce head in water and then trying to shake the water off the leaves afterwards, but it doesn't work very well. | Invest in a salad spinner. Soak, spin, store. It increases the shelf life of lettuce and other leafy greens. |
Why is a copper bowl recommended for whipping cream and egg whites?
They say you can get the whipped cream or egg whites "higher" or "stiffer" if you use a copper bowl. Why is that? | According to wikipedia, the copper bonds to the sulfur in the egg whites, which has the effect of stabilizing the foam.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_white#Copper_bowl
Cookwise by Shirley Corriher says the same thing. |
Red sweet and sour cabbage...drain or not?
The recipe I want to try as a side to my beef goulash calls for cooking shredded red cabbage in a quart of water, salt, caraway seeds, and brown sugar. Then it says to drain cabbage when cooked and add vinegar and butter.
If I do this, won't I lose the sweetness that forms t... | Red cabbage is usually braised, not boiled. Following the instructions listed in your recipe, you're going to lose the flavor of the caraway as well.
For German-style sweet and sour red cabbage I typically saute some diced onion and apple in sugar and butter until just golden, add the shredded cabbage and then cook a ... |
Storage after slow cooking
I love my slow cooker but cooling food seems to take forever. Usually, I just pop the crock into the oven (no heat) and store until the next morning. So we're talking from 9PM (I eat dinner late) until 8 or 9 AM next day; some goes into the fridge; some into the freezer.
Is this safe or is t... | Well, a food safety expert would tell you that your current plan is a terrible idea. You want to minimize the amount of time food is between 40 F and 140 F, and restaurants have very strict regulations about that. The right way to do it is to put your food in relatively small containers, no more than a quart in size, a... |
Keep chicken with skin from catching on fire on the barbeque
Short:
Is there a proper technique for cooking chicken (with skin) on the barbecue, without little chicken-fireballs?
Long:
My previous landlord loved to cook on the barbecue, much to the displeasure of our tastebuds. (We alternated cooking days).
Her chicke... | The chicken fat layer in the skin is flammable. As it melts, it drips out and down. If there is something extremely hot underneath it (like hot charcoal), it will ignite causing a flareup. Heat rises, so the heat and flame go back upwards to heat the chicken more, causing more fat to melt and drip. It is a self-reinfor... |
When you cook spaghetti, do you add olive oil to the boiling water?
Many people (at least in Germany) think that Italians add olive oil to the boiling water for spaghetti. However, Italians tend to tell the opposite (from my experience).
So, can you please state objective reasons for or against adding olive oil to the... | Yes, it is true that we don't add oil to the boiling water. I'm not aware of any good reason to waste extra-virgin olive oil that way! Some oil is always added at the end, over the sauce, when the pasta is already in the plate! It has to be raw, so that it retains its fruit nuances and texture.
If you are doing cold pa... |
How can I fix an unpleasant color in a dish?
Last night, I made a Peperonato pasta sauce. It was delicious, but when I added the balsamic vinegar at the end of the dish and then cooked it off (leaving a sweet reduction) it left the whole sauce a rather disgusting brown color. It was just me and my wife, so it didn't m... | There are things you can do to tweak the colors, but generally it's easy to move towards brown and dark, and hard to move towards a pure shade and light.
You can use food coloring, spices with a lot of color (like turmeric). You can lighten with cornstarch, flour, and dairy. (thanks satanicpuppy)
If presentation is imp... |
What is curried tapenade?
I have just watched the A-Team film and B.A. seems to have an obsession with something called Curried Tapenade? My experience of Tapenade is that it's a Olive based dish and making a curried version sounds horrible. Does anyone who what Curried Tapenade actually is? | It is a joke. Coconut curry tapenade with toast points is ridiculous to begin with, and it is intended to be funny that a big burly man craves something that is supposed to sound dainty? or elegant?
I'm sure you can quite possibly make a dish and call it this. However, I can't imagine olives, coconut milk, and curry ta... |
How to create kebabs that taste Greek
I'm planning to do a Barbeque at the end of the month and I'd like to serve a variety of different 'Greek' style kebabs. I'm not looking for recipies, but what is the essence of creating grilled / barbeque food that tastes Greek. Whenever I have kebabs in Greece or in a Greek rest... | The primary flavors of Greek meats are lemon, oregano, and olive oil. Typically either (or both) thyme and mint are present as well. I'd start with the following base for a marinade:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (2-ish lemons)
2 Tbsp oregano
1.5 tsp thyme
1.5 tsp mint
I'd also suggest adding some garlic and ... |
What types of meat should I pound and why?
I know people sometimes pound their meat. I never do, and I am interested in what I am missing out on. Basically it comes down to a three part question:
Why is meat pounded, what is the result that one wants? I'd be happy to learn both the gastronomical purpose, and what rea... | Meat is pounded as a mechanical means of tenderizing by damaging the connective tissues. It also makes the meat thinner and flatter, which helps the meat cook faster and more evenly.
Pound tougher meats (cheaper steaks), and meats of uneven thickness (chicken breasts). Avoid pounding the bones in the meat. You don't wa... |
Storing Pizza Stone in Oven
I have heard that you can leave a pizza stone in the oven all the time, essentially storing it there. What are the considerations to keep in mind when doing this (type of oven, placement of stone, etc.)? I currently have a gas oven with the element located inside the broiler drawer below.... | Actually I do this, and I do it because my oven is old and tempermental.
Adding a heavy heat-sink (like a pizza stone, or a half dozen fire bricks) to your oven will increase your pre-heat time, but it makes your ovens temperature much more stable. It's a good thing to do if you're planning on cooking anything that is... |
How long can I leave an uncooked steak out?
This is similar to This Question, but hopefully different enough.
I have 3 porterhouse steaks sitting in my refrigerator that I need to cook up tonight. I've been told leaving them out for an hour and salting them a half hour before cooking is the way to do it. However sched... | Even if you just pull them out for about 30 minutes once you get home that will be better than not letting sit out at all. The main benefit is that it will cook easier and you'll have a natural gradation from brown to pink on the inside rather than the gray color that often occurs. I myself don't typically pull mea... |
What job is the fat doing when I prepare bread dough, and what to expect if I use the wrong amount?
I've been baking bread for years and no longer really measure the ingredients. But I'm no expert on the science of what I'm doing. I add fat (lard) because I've always added fat.
What job does the fat do? And if I have... | Amongst other things, fats help moderate/impede gluten development, by not allowing water to activate the proteins.
Too much yeast and your dough will be flabby and over-risen. |
How do I glaze vegetables?
I'm looking to glaze some carrots, maybe some beets, and a decent chunk of the rest of the season's worth of farmshare. I'm sure there's plenty of recipes on the internet, but I'm looking for some general advice as to method: how to do it properly, what to look out for, etc. Help me out? | Trim your carrots, rutabaga, turnips, etc. to consistent sizes and put in a large saute pan. Add stock or water (amount will depend on vegetables and their density along with quantitye of vegetables. Start with enough to come about 2/3 up the volume of veg.) along with some salt, a couple tablespoons of butter and a ... |
Why do some countries prefer UHT milk and cream?
My wife and I recently moved to Belgium. We were absolutely shocked by the fact that UHT (long life) milk and cream dominate supermarket shelves compared to pasteurized - by a factor of at least 10 to 1. The UHT products are sold in cardboard containers and taste poor... | My guess is that the Belgians (like the French) rarely eat milk cold and uncooked in the way that the British do. The Belgians will have their milk in hot chocolate, or cakes etc, whereas the Brits will have it cold in cereal (again, in France at least, cereal is eaten with warm milk).
I have found that the UHT milk in... |
How do I cut a blooming onion?
A blooming onion is a deep fried onion which opens up during frying to resemble a flower.
Obviously, I start with a giant onion. How do I cut it? | Slice off 1/2" of the top of the onion (opposite the root)
Place onion root side up, and make slices all the way through, staying at least 1/2" away from the root
Flip it over and spread apart the leaves
This is best described with images.
Alternatively, if you're willing to drop a few hundred dollars, you can buy a b... |
Should I boil red potatoes before roasting them?
I would like to try roasting red potatoes instead of regular idaho potatoes-should I boil and then roast or roast them raw? Also, covered in a ceramic container or uncovered--any tips? | In my opinion, it's a matter of how much time you have and what temperature your oven is set on already. I make these a lot, with a variety of dishes, so I've used multiple cooking methods.
Ideal: They roast best, I think, being boiled just for a few minutes then roasted at 475 F for 30 minutes.
Oven's already on low... |
Is time a factor in Caramelization?
A lot of cooking involves caramelization, and I want to get a better understanding it. Does caramelization happen instantly when each sugar molecule reaches the correct temperature, or does the sugar need to maintain that temperature for a specific amount of time?
If it needs to mai... | Caramelization occurs at the melting point of sugar. When a sugar molecule hits the appropriate temperature, it melts. This is similar to ice turning to water above 32 F (0 C). It will take some time for all of a given amount of sugar to melt, but this is relatively insignificant compared to ice melting due primarily t... |
I would like to prepare Artichokes as a side dish, any preparation tips?
I would like to cook artichokes and eat as a Side Dish, since I've never tried to cook them before I wanted to see what recommendations people might have: Boil, Roast..take it apart first, cook them whole? | The easiest way I have found to cook whole artichokes is to steam them in the microwave.
Cut off the top of the bud and then trim off any beaten up tough outer leaves. Place in a large glass bowl with about 1/2 cup of water in the bottom. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for about 4-5 minutes. C... |
Brownies without egg
My son has a severe egg allergy. We've tried a couple of egg-less brownie recipes but they always end up terrible. I've tried making a batch with an egg replacement and one without. In both cases, the brownies start to rise a little, then completely collapse in the center. The result ends up being... | I have used the flax method as detailed in the New York Times with good results. I make a lot of chocolate chip cookies and I haven't found anyone that can really tell the difference. Some claim to be able to tell but also say that it is just different and not better or worse.
2 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed wit... |
When a Recipe Calls for Expensive Liquor, What's the Purpose and What Are the Substitutes?
As I begin cooking more advanced recipes, I've stumbled across a few that required small amounts (tablespoons) of (expensive) spirits such as Cognac, vodka, etc. The problem is that I don't keep that kind of stuff lying around (... | The primary purpose is for flavor. If it's the expense of a large bottle for a few tablespoons here and there you should be able to buy the mini bottles (as are served on airplanes) from a local liquor store.
If you don't want to use or have it around due to issues with alcohol then look for other items that have as s... |
How do you make the sauce that is underneath Flan?
My favorite Flan always has that nice light brown sauce underneath, is there a way to prepare that from scratch? | That is simply caramelized sugar that coats the dish before the custard is poured in for baking. As the flan is chilled, the moisture from the custard liquefies the caramelized sugar and results in the sauce.
If you're wanting to make it for other desserts and aren't making flan, then simply caramelize sugar and then ... |
Why is my cheese sauce gritty?
Sometimes when making a very simple cheese sauce (butter, flour, milk, cheese [cheddar, usually]), the final sauce has a sort of gritty or slightly pebbly texture (rather than smooth) - it seems like maybe the cheese hasn't totally melted, even if I continue to heat the sauce.
Why does t... | Could be an unfinished roux (the butter, flour mixture). But most likely it's because the cheese was heated too quickly or too much, causing the protein to clump up.
Suggestions:
Melt with less heat
Use a double boiler (to reduce hot spots within the pan)
Toss the shredded cheddar with cornstarch first (starch helps r... |
Use the back of a granite chopping board as a pizza stone?
We've got a 40x30cm granite chopping board that I never use (it's more decorative than useful), and I've wondered for a while if it might work as a pizza stone.
The top and sides of the board are either very polished or possibly coated, I'm not sure - it's ver... | Jamie Oliver has previously recommened the use of a simple granite slab as a Pizza stone so provided there are no coatings etc. it is feasible.
You will need to be careful to start with though. Granite could shatter under thermal stress or due to trapped water and when it does so, it could do so in an explosive way da... |
A steak story: dry crust
I followed all of the tips. Prime sirloin, taken out an hour before cooking. Salted thoroughly 30 minutes prior. Patted dry with paper towels. Thrown on a high (650) degree grill for two minutes per side, finished on low for 3 minutes per side (internal temp was still about 400). Rested 1... | Since you note that the inside was nice and juicy, I doubt that salting 30 minutes in advance was the culprit. Either sear at a slightly lower temp or do it for less time. I just got a new grill and the "high" setting was much hotter than I expected and my first steaks seared much quicker than I expected.
A note on... |
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