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What brine ingredients are effective? I frequently brine chicken and pork, and mostly it's just salt and water, sometime sugar, and occasionally garlic. But I've seen all sorts of other "goodies" people add in, like spices, herbs, sometimes oils, alcohol, acids, fruits, vegetables, etc. The question is, what actually makes it into the meat? Salt and sugar seem to make sense, and acid or alcohol may affect texture, but I have difficulty imagining that the other brine ingredients are adding any more flavoring than on the outer surface of the meat. <Q> I suggest you convince yourself of this by adding a fragrant herb such as rosemary to a chicken breast brine, and comparing it side-by-side with an unbrined breast. <S> The difference, deep into the meat, will be noticeable. <S> It is not large chunks of the herbs that find their way into the meat, but the oils and dissolved parts. <S> That is why you heat and steep the water before cooling it for brining. <A> I would suggest some Espelette pepper . <S> In basque cuisine they use it to marinate pork fillets after having it marinated in salt. <S> I don't know whether you could find some of it in your country however as this is quite rare. <A> In brines, I like to use any combination of the following: beer, peppercorns, juniper berries, bay leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, and rosemary. <S> I've been doing turkey breasts with the above ingredients added to the brines, and they have been fantastic.
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The great benefit of brining is that it opens the fibers of the meat and allows the water, and what is dissolved in the water, into the meat.
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Anyone for milk soaked minced beef? Rex Stout has a recipe for "Broiled Georgia Ham" where the ham is soaked in milk for an hour. Elsewhere I have read that you can soak chicken livers in milk before sautéing them. Having read a little, it seems that this is done to tenderize the meat and I'm tempted to experiment by making meat loaf with milk soaked ground beef. Before I set about ruining tomorrow's dinner I'd like to ask if anyone knows already what the outcome of this experiment might be. <Q> It is quite common to make meat loaf with milk-soaked cubes of bread, but I've never heard of tenderising meat with it. <S> Having said that, some kind of fat is common for marinades (yoghurt for example), so it might work. <S> I'd try it with full cream milk, not half-and-half. <S> I think the reason for soaking liver in milk is to make the taste milder, as lamb, pork and cow liver can be quite strong tasting. <A> It may also impart a pleasant flavor of its own, but I have not been able to discern this. <S> I have never heard that it can tenderize meat, and cannot think of an explanation that would support this. <S> I have used milk to soak organ meat before cooking (beef kidney). <A> Maybe the purpose of soaking the ham in a cup of milk for an hour is to flavor the milk, which is then used as an element of the sauce that's included in the recipe. <S> Soaking chicken livers in milk is for drawing out the bad smell.
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I believe milk helps to absorb strong flavor from meat.
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How can I make vegetarian marshmallows? My girlfriend is vegetarian and we have been trying to make marshmallows at home but so far after over four tries with agar agar we have yet to be very successful. We have made one batch that were tasty - but too dense to really be marshmallows (but sweet and we coated them with roasted coconut so they were quite edible) but our other tries have resulted in gooey, sticky not very tasty concoctions. So what are the secrets to making vegetarian marshmallows at home? <Q> This is definitely one of those times where I wouldn't recommend substituting agar for gelatin; it's simply far too stiff for marshmallows. <S> Unlike other gelling agents, methyl cellulose hydrates in cold water and sets when heated , so you can roast it with direct heat and it will still hold its shape. <S> All you need is methyl cellulose, vanilla, sugar, and water. <S> You can find the full recipe at playing with fire and water (see "methocel marshmallow", second on the page). <A> Try using mallow root. <S> It is where the confection got its name, and is the very ingredient that has been superseded by gelatin. <A> You can buy vegetarian gelatin quite easily I believe. <S> One thing to be careful of is the amount, as sheets of gelatin vary in size; I made some marshmallows a while back that called for 12 sheets, but the ones I had were half the size of those used by the recipe author. <S> Also, leave them to set overnight, regardless of what the recipe says, or it will be like trying to pry week-old gum out of the pan!
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If you can get hold of some methyl cellulose, it works great for marshmallows.
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Ham and Pea Soup with whole dried peas instead of split peas? I am making Ham and Split Pea Soup, however I only have whole dried peas. Will the shell on the whole pea make the soup more difficult to digest? Will the shell spoil the flavor? Or is it just adding more fiber and holding the legume together giving the soup a different texture? Why do Chefs seem to prefer the split pea over the whole pea? <Q> Whole peas will take longer to cook than split peas, but they won't ruin the soup. <S> If you want a similar effect, you could use a stick blender to partially liquefy the soup after it's cooked. <A> Today when I started my soup I discovered that I had not bought split peas but dried big peas. <S> Yes they took longer, and they looked scarier with those gross little clear shell things attached but after I whizzed them with the stick blender, my soup looked just like it was supposed to. <S> And I don't think that the taste changed one bit. <S> So if you've bought the wrong peas, don't fret pet, just cook longer and whizz. <S> The soup was delicious! <A> Whole peas are better to use. <S> When you reheat the soup does thicken. <S> Considering the size of my soup pot and all the family that want <S> some this is a better idea to use whole peas if you can find them. <S> They are hard to find in my area <A> I'm from the Northeast originally, and my mom always used whole peas to make her soup. <S> When we moved to Florida, she stopped making it because we couldn't find the whole peas <S> and she didn't like the texture of split peas. <S> I have had the good fortune of finding a large bag of whole, dried peas recently when I happened to stop into an Indian type grocery store. <S> I'm going to try to get the best of both worlds and use half whole and half split peas. <S> I like the nostalgia of the pea skin in my soup but also like the heartier texture of the split pea. <A> Back east <S> my mom preferred whole pea not split, as she says it made the soup too mushy. <S> I had to seen for whole peas as we can't find them in California. <S> We do have salt pork which is great <S> and I like a ham hock, onion it served with corn bread. <A> I have always used whole peas for my soup, but they are very hard to find. <S> I went on the internet and found them. <S> Had to buy 12 - 1 lb. <S> bags, but <S> at least I can now make 12 batches!I like using the whole peas for a more brothy soup if desired. <S> I also put potatoes in my soup and everyone loves it!
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Split peas will also break apart more to thicken the soup, while whole peas will remain mostly intact.
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Why does prepackaged deli meat taste better when you take each slice and "fluff" it? If you take a package of deli meat and remove the slab, place it on bread and add your condiments in never tastes as good as when you take the slab and "fluff" up each piece as you lay it on your sandwich. <Q> This deli meat you speak of is generally made of small scraps of mechanically-separated meat that are essentially "glued" together into a solid mass by enzymes that partially break down the tissue. <S> This processed "meat brick" doesn't really have the same texture as an intact muscle tissue, which has individual muscle fibers aligned along a "grain" that makes it pleasantly chewy. <A> Similar to @uncle brad's comment, I would consider that it's related to the air: A larger amount of air is trapped close to the ham, and hence is scented by it. <S> This means that the ham-scented air is released into your mouth as you bite, which then escapes through your nose, increasing your perception of the ham (as taste is largely composed of smell). <S> I'm now actually quite hungry. <A> I think that Stuart has almost the right idea. <S> Rather than trapping air close to the ham, and letting aromas diffuse through that, though, I think that it's simply a matter of surface area. <S> When you smell something, air flows over the surface area, and picks up the volatile compounds that form the aroma <S> - those are what you smell, and clearly they don't have to have been trapped next to it to get a strong scent. <S> When you eat something, you've got the smelling part going on, plus the food on your tongue - and surface area could easily help there too, letting more of the food come into contact with your taste buds as it's moved around in your mouth. <S> The best analogy, I think, is citrus zest. <S> Clearly you can smell a whole lot more from finely shaved zest than you can from a hunk of peel, and this is true even without any air being trapped next to it. <S> If you need convincing, just give some zest repeated sniffs, or carefully blow on it to remove trapped air, then smell it. <A> The increased surface area and air also allow the fat to warm up a little and give more flavor, so you're not eating stacked meat with still 'jellied' fat in the middle.
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Folding/layering/rolling slices of processed meat gives it more of a texture and chew, and tricks you into thinking you're eating an actual piece of animal muscle instead of meat-flavored jelly.
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Does milk tenderize meat? In another question I suggested that milk might be used as a tenderizer. That generated an amount of scepticism, so I think it is worth breaking the question out. The idea came from "The New Best Recipe" which has a small section entitled "SCIENCE: Why Does Milk Make Meat Tender?". I'll repeat a little of what it says: "...if you skip the browning and cook the meat in milk (or any other liquid) at the outset, you limit the temperature of the meat to around 212 degrees. [...] As a result, meat cooked in milk does not dry out..." If I follow the argument correctly --and I'm really not sure that I do-- this means that milk has no advantage over water as a tenderizer! Can anyone unravel this confusion? Does milk tenderize meat? <Q> The paragraph you quoted is utter nonsense. <S> Milk contains absolutely no factors which will tenderize anything. <S> Tenderization is a process whereby protein strands are broken down, resulting in shorter strands, resulting in a more tender product. <S> A lot of substances and physical processes will tenderize, to a greater or lesser extent, sometimes subject to other factors: acids, bromelain, a similar compound found in mango, physically pounding the meat, etc. <S> Milk is none of those things. <S> Further, simply limiting the cooking temperature to under 212F/100C will not, in fact, guarantee a tender and moist result. <S> To see this for yourself, boil a chicken breast in water or milk for a while. <S> It will never go over the boiling point of water, but if you leave it too long? <S> Dry, nasty chicken. <S> This retains more moisture within the product, and prevents protein strands from bunching up very tightly (which, really, is the same thing: <S> protein strands force water out of meat as they constrict; prevent or ameliorate the constriction and you will have much moister and more tender meat). <S> It is also worth noting that braising is always done at significantly below boiling temperatures; one braises at a simmer at most, more in the 60-80C range. <S> Milk <S> is often used with certain proteins due to its facility in absorbing unpleasant odours or flavours. <S> Liver is the classic example, but milk is also often used with sweetbreads and fish (amongst other things) to help draw off the funkier aromas before cooking. <S> So, for the short answer, see my first sentence. <A> The quote refers to cooking in milk (or another liquid), not using milk as a (pre-cooking) marinade to tenderize the meat. <S> In this context, it only matters that the meat is being cooked in water (milk, of course, is mostly water). <S> When water reaches its boiling point, some of it evaporates, which cools the remaining liquid, so everything stays right below the boiling point (212°F at sea level). <S> A bare piece of meat, when parts of it exceed the boiling point of water, will begin to dry out as water evaporates. <S> If you cook that same piece of meat in liquid, the surrounding liquid will evaporate, so the meat never really dries out (as long as there is sufficient liquid), and stays below the boiling point. <S> However, there's a difference between simply not drying out and actually being tender. <S> There's more to tenderness than simple moisture content. <S> Most meat, if it exceeds 200°F all the way through, will NOT be very tender, even if it hasn't lost a significant amount of moisture from evaporation. <S> Some cuts of meat, however, will become very tender if held at that temperature for several hours, when various connective tissues eventually break down. <S> It's necessary to keep that meat in liquid while it's being cooked so that it doesn't dry out (lose moisture) while it's being gently tenderized by the heat. <S> This is referred to as braising or stewing, and it's usually done with stock and/or wine for additional flavor. <A> The chefs at Allrecipes.com put it more succinctly than I can: "Dairy-based marinades, such buttermilk or yogurt, are probably the only marinades that truly tenderize. <S> Only mildly acidic, they don't toughen meat the way strongly acidic marinades do. <S> It seems that the calcium in dairy products activates enzymes in meat that break down proteins; this process is similar to the way that aging tenderizes meat." <S> If you don't believe it, just check it out on the next tough piece of venison that crosses your counter. <A> Braising is the act of cooking something in liquid (moist and dry heat), much like a slow cooker does. <S> That tenderizes meat, true ( see here ). <S> While braising is a technical form of tenderizing, I would imagine most people think of the pounding/acidic marinade type of tenderizing. <S> So while you're not wrong (actually, you're 100% correct definition wise), it's more the idea of tenderizing that is in issue here, I think. <S> People would almost always say braising in your case, not tenderizing, to be more specific, and refer to tenderizing as a separate step from the actually "cooking" (application of heat to food) process. <A> In my experience, yes, it does. <S> I live in Mexico, we have good quality meat in the north, but not so much in the centre and south. <S> So I put a piece of lesser quality beef tenderloin in raw milk, just enough to cover it (not pasteurized). <S> I keep it for 3 days in the fridge at 34-36 F (1-2 Celsius). <S> After that time, I use tap water to rinse all the milk. <S> and afterwards I butcher and clean the meat. <S> The meat looses some color on the outside , but inside keeps the nice cherry red. <S> I marinate it for around 2 hours before cooking. <S> When cooked to medium, the meat is very tender. <S> I highly recommend the process. <A> I am skeptical of fresh milk tenderising meat, Yoghurt, Buttermilk will help break down proteins due to their bacterial cultures this has been documented. <S> Try yoghurt overnight, much quicker than waiting 3 days for milk to go bad. <A> I've been tenderizing with milk for years. <S> It made a huge difference in chicken and pork chops. <S> My family hated pork til I started using this method.
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I do not know the specific scientific mechanism behind why this works; I suspect it is something to do with the fat molecules in the milk itself, which suggests that any fatty liquid would have the same effect. As Mike said in his answer, braising will result in a more tender end product; the length of cooking time plus the liquid medium helps to moderate the temperature and cook the protein very, very slowly.
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How much dried herb to use when substituting for fresh herbs? When replacing a fresh or leaf herb in a recipe with the dried or powdered kind, what is the ratio I should normally use for the substitution? E.g. if the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary, how much dried rosemary should I use? <Q> The Cook's Thesaurus is a great resource for these types of conversion and substitutes. <S> There conversions differ for each herb, but for rosemary, they list 1 tablespoon fresh = <S> 1 teaspoon dried <A> Rosemary is a VERY intense herb. <S> Depending on the freshness of the dried, 1/2 tsp dried per 1 TBSP fresh is a more accurate conversion. <S> I live in the mountains, where fresh herbs are neither plentiful nor inexpensive <S> , so dried is pretty much all I cook with. <S> (HINT): During the holiday season from November through December, you can sometimes find small rosemary 'Christmas Trees' in pots for indoor decorations. <S> These are great to provide you with uber fresh rosemary for a few months, longer if you don't have a 'black thumb' with houseplants... <A> my rule of thumb is about half dried for whatever it says for fresh, but Ray's answer is much more precise. : ) <A> Here is a handy chart that I have come to love and use! <S> If they are off tasting to you or odd or too strong go lighter :D <S> http://www.marthastewart.com/270213/ratio-of-fresh-herbs-to-dry-herbs
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For other herbs, such as sage or thyme, 1 tsp per 1 TBSP works well.
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Is it safe to cook wine or vinegar in cast iron? I want to cook a beef brisket, following a recipe that suggests baking it on a bed of onions and red wine, or red wine vinegar. I'd like to use a cast iron dutch oven, but am concerned about the interaction between the wine and the iron. I've read tomatoes and iron is not recommended, but what about wine or vinegar? <Q> I'd like to refer you to my answer to the question about chili in cast iron , from which I'll summarize the relevant parts: <S> Typical cast iron corrodes at a pH lower than 4.3; pure white vinegar (5%) has a pH of 2.4 and wine is around 3.2 to 3.8. <S> If you plan to use either of these in cast iron, you'd better make sure they are heavily diluted, otherwise you may actually ruin your pot in addition to getting a pretty hefty iron supplement with your meal. <S> Cast iron is still somewhat reactive at borderline pH ranges, i.e. tomato juice or sauce. <S> It'll leach out about 5 mg of iron for every 3 oz / 88 mL of liquid for typical cooking times. <S> The typical human needs to ingest significantly more than 45 mg over a period of several days to become toxic, so it's generally considered OK and even healthy to cook dilute tomato solutions in cast iron, but <S> wine and vinegar are another story. <S> Don't fill your cast-iron cookware with wine or vinegar. <S> A splash for sauce or deglazing is OK, but tossing a significant amount straight into the pan undiluted will ruin your cookware, and your health. <S> P.S. Note that enameled cast iron (Le Creuset, etc.) is less reactive; the specifics depend on the brand. <S> If you have this type of cast iron, I suggest doing your homework before taking the risk. <A> A squeeze of lemon juice into a sauce? <S> No problem. <S> Braise for 30 minutes in a very acidic sauce? <S> Not such a good idea. <S> (Unless of course your Dutch oven is actually enameled cast iron, with the white interior - in which case none of this applies, go right ahead with your plan.) <A> I think the issue with acid in iron is less what it does to the food and more what it does to the pan. <S> You've spent all that effort building up and maintaining that beautiful seasoning, and anything strongly acidic like tomatoes or vinegar will strip that off. <A> I just wanted to add -- this should probably include beer as well. <S> A quick search showed the pH of common beers is under 4.0. <S> I started my beef braise with the beer marinade in my cast-iron, non-enameled dutch oven. <S> It smelled kind of metallic. <S> I searched for it and found this post and others that mention wine and tomatoes due to acidity, but did not mention beer. <S> Well -- adding it now !! <A> From what I've read, enameled cookware came into vogue here when specialized recipes, like beef bourguignon, or burgundy(?), were brought here from abroad due to the occurance of the bad reaction raw cast iron had with the wine. <S> People noticed that not only was the seasoning leached from the cookware, but that it wound up in the food and ruined the flavour.
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My understanding is that you want to avoid all fairly acidic liquids in cast iron, out of concern that it will leach an undesirable amount of iron into the food and/or change the flavor or color of the food.
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How do I prepare tofu so comes out like at Noodles & co I really enjoy the texture of the tofu in the pad thai with tofu dish at Noodles and Company. In particular, it comes out much firmer than it does when I make tofu at home by cubing it and cooking it in a pan with vegetable oil. How do I prepare the tofu so it comes out in a similar way? <Q> To make your tofu more firm, you can press it. <S> Before cubing it, place the block of tofu on a plate, put another plate on top of it and weight it down with something (like a can of tomatoes) and leave it for 15 minutes. <S> This will compress it further and squish out extra water. <A> My girlfriend and I cook a lot of tofu - we have also found that "firm" and "extra-firm" tofu is highly variable and that the quality makes a big difference in the actual firmness, density and cooking results. <S> Here in SF though we did have good luck with the random brand of tofu available at our local produce market (in the Outer Sunset <S> ) we have now switched to almost exclusively cooking with tofu from http://www.tofuyu.com/ who are a local tofu maker and whose plain tofu cooks up <S> amazingly well - gets great color, stays firm and in short is far better than anything else we've tried. <S> While not every part of the country is as lucky as the Bay Area to have multiple artisanal tofu makers competing to make fantastic tofu you should experiment with the various brands of tofu you can find - look for the one that gets the best results for your in your preparations. <A> Try baking your tofu before adding it to the dish. <S> It'll lose a lot of moisture and turn out a lot more firm. <A> and/or coat it in cornstarch before you fry it. <S> see this recipe: salt and pepper tofu <A> The brand and type of tofu are essential and easy to get right. <S> We have one called Cleveland Tofu in Ohio that has an extra-firm that works well, but even the one I see most frequently, Nasoya, works great if you follow up with these steps. <S> You can cube first but it creates more work. <S> I get good results by: slicing into 1/8-1/4" strips the short-length of the block pressing/patting dry with a paper towel and laying out to air for 15ish minutes putting on a baking sheet on 325-350F for about 15-30 minutes (depends on your taste in firmness <S> , I like it to have some give, my wife prefers it to be firm to the point of crunchy), flipping once for even cooking <S> This gives a nice crispness by ensuring you have dried out the tofu sufficiently. <S> If you choose to only bake just extend baking time. <S> If you want to follow up with a deep-fry or saute they are a nice texture and won't crumble. <A> To make it more firm, try pan searing it. <S> High heat, low oil, and flip it often with the pan itself. <S> Don't use a utensil, you will want to keep it moving but using even a soft spatula may tear and crumble the tofu before it gains a seared texture).
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you may want to marinate your tofu.
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How can I tell whether beetroot is still edible? I have some raw beetroot I bought about a week ago, having stored them at room temperature since. It's the first time I bought it raw, and I'm unsure whether it's still edible. It is already soft, and when I cut it, it smells... Well, different than I expected. It's not a rotten smell as such, but it's nothing like the sweet beet-rooty smell I know from the pre-packaged, pre-boiled supermarket variety. How can I tell whether it's still safe to eat? <Q> Generally, raw beetroot shouldn't become soft. <S> The thing is that there are differing definitions of soft. <S> If it is soft like a tomato is, then it has probably spoiled. <S> If, on the other hand, it is still firm but has little "give" to it, then it's probably alright to eat. <S> It is the cooking that softens it up, though it can be eaten raw. <S> I grate some raw beetroot into salads and stuff occasionaly, just for fun. <S> I'm not sure what to say about the smell thing. <S> The very distinct beetroot smell is usually released by cooking. <S> Obviously this is all a bit vague, as we can't send smells over the net yet. <A> Root vegetables are known for staying edible many months when stored in the right conditions: cool and humid. <S> Traditionally this was a root cellar under the house that stayed above freezing in winter, yet cool in summer. <S> Your refrigerator veggie drawer is made to do the same thing. <S> The veggies you see in supermarket have been kept that way for transport and storage (sometimes even covered with waxy coating to preserve moisture). <S> When they're brought out for display in the produce section, they are still kept cool and misted periodically to stay fresh-looking. <S> If you don't keep them in those conditions they will become limp or soft, which can sometimes be reversed by returning to a high humidity environment. <S> All that to say, it's normal and probably reversible, but don't worry, people have been eating and storing beets since long before refrigeration. <A> I can say that a cut to stripes beet that was in the fridge for a few days became very dry and very bitter, I ate some and got bad feeling in my throat that still lasts after few hours. <S> I recommend that if it's bitter trash it.
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I think that raw beetroot generally smells a little earthy, especially if you haven't peeled it yet.
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What is this fungus/lichen in my Garam Masala? (“Trifle”/truffle?) I just bought a lovely bag of Garam Masala, and was all ready to grind some when I got home! But when I opened it, I found something I didn’t recognise — at first I thought something had gone mouldy, but there’s enough of this in there that whatever it is, I presume it’s supposed to be in there. It looks to me like a fungus or lichen of some sort. The list of ingredients includes “trifle” — could that be a mis-spelling for some Indian species of truffle, perhaps? <Q> It seems to be an edible lichen . <S> It looks very like one described online as (black) stone flower in English and dagad phool in Hindi, which seems to be a not uncommon ingredient in various spice mixes; e.g. on the left in this photo from an Indian food blog : [ Edit: photo removed as I’ve just realised the author of that blog specifically requests not redistributing their content. <S> It’s a nice photo + site, though, if you follow the link!] <S> Having found these names, <S> it’s now not hard to find a lot of websites mentioning it, especially in blogs/forum threads; <S> but I can’t find any site in English that gives much detailed information. <S> Even its purpose in the mix is a bit unclear: some blog commenters describe it as having a unique earthy, mushroom-y flavour; others, as being similar to star anise; Wikipedia even seems to suggest it might just be a bulking agent. <S> (I don’t get any particular scent off it, at least not dry.) <S> So I think this is probably the right identification; and I’m reassured that it’s not something wrong with the mix; <S> but I’m still quite intrigued, and would love to hear more about this ingredient from someone who knows it better! <A> This spice is called "Kalpaasi" in Tamilian cuisine. <S> I use it in my chicken gravy, mutton gravy and for few vegetarian recipes too. <S> I use kalpasi when I season some of my chutney varieties. <S> It releases a strong curry smell the moment you add it in hot oil. <S> This spice grows inside water wells absorbing pure air (from what I heard from my aunt when I was very young). <S> If you made Biryani and wondered why you're not getting that "Restaurant Biriyani smell", it means you missed putting some "Kalpasi" when you prepared it. <S> If you wanted to try a distinctive Tamilnadu gravy using kalpasi : http://cooking.jingalala.org/2012/12/pakoda-kulambu-recipe-chettinadu-pakoda-kuzhambu-south-indian-style-gravy-varieties/ <A> Just found out from a friend.. <S> its also called Kalpasi or Kallupachi (literally Stone Flower / Moss) in Telugu and is a not so commonly used spice in Chettinad cuisine. <S> So, probably it is not the very generic garam masala (which is more common in the Northern part of India than the South) but something very specific to use in certain dishes, say like the Punjabi Garam Masala. <S> Also hear that it is used in Goda masala, something more common in the Western parts of India (goan and maharashtrian cooking). <A> I am using this everyday in my kitchen. <S> it gives a very pleasant smell to the curry. <S> About 100gm of this lichen is added to make 750 gm of curry masala powder. <S> Around 10gm of curry masala powder is added to one liter of curry (this is apporximate quantity but it is in this range) <S> so you can imagin how littel quantity is required. <A> At first I thought those were wood ears, but checking around, they look more like cloud ears. <S> I've always cooked with them in Chinese cooking. <S> As for the trifle, I haven't found any connection between wood ears, cloud ears and the word trifle, although depending on who was doing the translation, as you note, truffle could have become trifle, and cloud ears and truffles are both fungi (although the similarity stops there). <A> The full name is lichen stone flower, in Indian it has many names as, patthar ke phool/dagad phool/kalpasi, and mostly used in North India, Goa and Maharashtra. <S> It is used particularly in kabab dishes namely galauti kabab, kakori kabab and many other dishes, maharashtrian goda masala also have it. <S> It is found in foothills of himalaya mountain, after monsoon, locals collect it and sell/supply. <A> Yes , black stone flower , a lichen / moss , which only grows where the air is absolute pure . <S> It disappears when pollution starts . <S> I had never known one could use it in food before seeing it in a Hyderabadi grocery . <S> I had used it for natural dying years ago , and the amazing thing was that wool dyed with this moss keeps the forest smell for years .This <S> inspired me towards a special rice dish ; rice in rice-cooker with half water , half rose or orange-blossom-water , hand full black stone flower , cinnamon sticks , star anise orange and lemon peel .... <S> The smell filling the house is unbelievable , as the taste . <A> I once had a biryani at a Marathis friend's home and the taste was incredible. <S> He mentioned that he used a fungus, specific to his region. <S> For years I had looked for the name and never found it till <S> finally I came across dagad phool randomly. <S> Even Indians are mostly not aware of this - a very region specific spice. <A> Black stone flower is a lesser known spice from India. <S> It is an essential ingredient in South Indian Chettinad cuisine. <S> Known as Dagad Phool in Hindi and Kalpasi in Tamil, Black stone flower transforms a dish with its unique flavour. <S> You can read more about it here: http://www.mangalorespice.com/Products/Spices--Dry-Fruits-Spices/M-Spice/Black-Stone-Flower/pid-3761069.aspx <A> छडिला किंवा <S> दगड फुल <S> हलबा सावजी यां लोकांना गरम मसाला used in purely non-vegetarian dishes. <S> This type of food famous in Vidarbha region.
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This is an edible lichen which is commonly used in Indian spice mixture especially curry masala. In answer to your question, yes, they are a fungus/mushroom that grows on the sides of trees.
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Is there a difference between seasoning and flavouring? I find the meaning of the word 'seasoning' slightly elusive. Before I started to take cooking seriously, I'd have said that any herb or spice used in cooking could be called a seasoning. Without having had it spelled out to me, I'm now under the impression that seasoning refers only to the addition of salt and pepper during cooking. Some recipes will simply say "season to taste"; the implication being that salt and pepper will be used for this. Needless to say, not all recipes are consistent in this usage. Does anyone have a definition of 'seasoning' that disambiguates it from the more general 'flavouring'? <Q> The problem is, both Sarge's and Carmi's answers are right depending on who is using the word. <S> " If you are dealing with someone in person, it is best to ask. <S> With a cookbook, sometimes you can figure it out from context or from other recipes. <S> Otherwise, you'll have to make your own best call. <S> In my own recipes, I will generally write "taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and/or more lemon juice as needed". <A> Seasoning to the serious chef means salt. <S> Thats it. <S> Just salt. <S> Pepper is a spice and and as such would be spicing. <S> Unfortunately, there is nothing that makes the people who write the cookbooks use any consistent terminology, so actual usage varies. <S> There is a difference between "season to taste" and "salt and pepper to taste" and that difference is pepper. <S> Salt affects so much in cooking that it developed <S> it's own terminology <S> and I'm sure that since English is a constantly changing language, eventually the word will grow to mean something else, but for now, salt. <A> I would define seasoning as the salts, herbs, spices and other flavours used to give a dish its finish. <S> This as opposed to the main flavours of the dish, which come form the basic ingredients. <S> For instance, if I season mashed potatoes with salt, pepper and nutmeg, they are still potato flavoured at the base, with a salt/pepper/nutmeg finish to them. <S> Flavouring would refer to the adding of any flavours, be they basic, finishing, or enhancing. <S> The word flavouring also has a sort of artificial connotation to it. <S> True story: I once tasted strawberry flavoured pineapple. <S> This was dried pineapple that was soaked in fake strawberry flavouring. <S> Due to the problematic availability of spices in the cradel of the English language, there is a tendency for seasoning to be construed as only salt and black pepper, particularly in older cookbooks, though not only there. <S> Lastly, it is important not to mix up seasoning of a recipe with salt with a use of salt for a different purpose. <S> Salt is often used for its chemical properties (it will draw water out of foods, has an effect on dough etc.) <S> as well as its flavour. <A> Agree with all answers here for a predominately Anglo-Saxon cooking approach. <S> However, I've noticed that seasoning when talking about Thai food (for example), is often defined as a combination of fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice, and sometimes chili - all added to taste at the end of the cooking process. <S> I'd suggest different cultures have different definitions for 'seasoning'. <A> Spices are basically ingredients derived from various parts of plants like root, bark seed etc and have a typical odour profile characteristic of the plant. <S> Spices can be used singly or in combination of various spices to make a homogeneous blend. <S> Seasonings differ from spices significantly as there are various functional ingredients like acidulents, salt, Flavour enhancers, gums and stabilisers, sugar, etc are added in various combinations along with spices to impart special characteristic to the blend. <S> One can say that spices are a subset of seasonings. <A> Seasoning means enhanced the natural flavors of a food without significantly changing the flavor. <S> And flavoring means adding a new flavor to the food, per the definition in Wayne Gisslen's book Professional Cooking 7th Edition (a college book for culinary arts).
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Some people use the word seasoning to just mean salt, some mean salt and pepper, and some mean "anything you want to use to bring the flavor to the desired point, including salt, pepper, lemon juice, spices, herbs, etc.
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What is pizza sauce? I am making a dip that requires 'pizza sauce'. The store doesn't sell anything called 'pizza sauce' that I could find. Instead, I got plain tomato sauce. What do I need to add to it to make it 'pizza sauce'? <Q> Those tend to be essentially like smooth (not chunky), lightly seasoned spaghetti sauce. <S> If by "plain tomato sauce" you mean a jar of tomato sauce for spaghetti, you're probably in good shape. <S> If you mean a can of pure tomato sauce, with no other ingredients, you'll probably want to add some seasoning. <S> Basil and oregano are good bets for herbs; garlic and onion are also common, and perhaps crushed red pepper if you want a little kick. <S> If you're looking for a real recipe, this isn't a recipe request site , but search engines will serve you well. <A> In my family pizza sauce it just fresh garden tomatoes simmered for a few hours or more with a good drizzle of nice olive oil <S> I leave the pot lid on until the tomatoes have fully rendered down and are just lightly bubbling <S> Add fresh chopped herbs when serving or adding to a dish i.e. smearing on pizza base <A> Pizza sauce is typically much thicker than the tomato sauce you would put on pasta and more heavily seasoned. <S> The idea is that you are spreading a thin layer of the sauce over a large area, so <S> a thinner sauce won't work and/or might lose too much liquid as you bake your pizza. <S> Don Pepino pizza sauce is great, assuming you can get it where you live. <S> If you have a jar of commercial pasta sauce around, I would add basil, oregano, and garlic to it. <S> Then, add a good bit of tomato paste to make it thicker. <A> Just add some italian seasonings to the tomato sauce and reduce it a bit. <S> Garlic, Parsely, Basil, Oregano, pepper, salt...etc...touch of olive oil.. <A> Most grocery stores carry Pizza Sauce . <S> I know for certain I have purchased a Ragù variant at Publix , Walmart , <S> Sweetbay and Meijer on separate occasions. <S> It typically comes in a much smaller glass jar than that of spaghetti <S> sauce. <S> I've seen it shelved either with the pasta sauces, canned tomatoes or in a bakery section next to pizza doughs. <S> Or you can just make your own, as I tend to do most of the time these days. <S> Good luck!
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Pizza sauce is, presumably, whatever tomato-based sauce you'd put on a pizza.
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How to mix a spaghetti carbonara? When cooking spaghetti carbonara, I mix the pasta, bacon, cheese and egg yolks together with a scoop. This technique frequently results in mashed spaghetti as well as bacon clustering. What could I do different? <Q> Here's how I learned from my great grandmother: cook the bacon/salt pork/home <S> /whatever 'til crispy beat the eggs (she used whole eggs) with a little black pepper drain the cooked pasta, and immediately mix the pasta with the eggs; if it's too dry, add some of the pasta water. <S> Add fried pork product and mix a litle more. <S> sprinkle cheese on top while serving. <S> ... <S> But I've also been known to mix everything but the pasta together (maybe not the pork if it's still too hot), and then toss it all together while the pasta's still hot, <S> kinda like if you were tossing to mix the dressing on a salad. <S> (tongs work really well) ... <S> Either way, you do end up with the fried pork bits at the bottom of the pot you were mixing in. <S> The easy way around this is to save 1/3 to 1/2 of it, and sprinkle it over the top when serving. <A> That way you rinse off the remaining starch and you prevent the pasta from cooking any further. <S> Rinsing results in firmer pasta that is silky smooth and doesn't clump together or get mashed up. <S> Your scoop or tongs will slither right through without damaging the pasta. :) <A> The key is water. <S> Use the pasta water for the best flavor. <S> This dish is mostly about timing. <S> Do not ever rinse the pasta with water! <S> Also, if you are making Carbonara with anything other than Guanciale (pork cheek)--Shame on you! <S> http://www.italianfoodnet.com/eng/ricette/spaghetti-carbonara-spaghetti-alla-carbonara Also contained is the video of the recipe. <S> The man is the real deal (with the real Roman accent to match the dish). <S> Notice how often he uses the water. <A> You could try replacing spaghetti with rigatoni pasta. <S> In this way it is a lot easier to mix <S> and you'll end up with a dish much closer to the authentic Italian carbonara recipe.
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In addition to the tips from Joe's great grandmother, you might want to try and rinse the pasta thoroughly with some lukewarm water after cooking it al dente.
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Should I peel kiwifruit? What should I do with the kiwi peel? I've got no problem with its taste and feel and eat them whole when I'm by myself. Is it in any way bad for my health? <Q> It is perfectly safe to eat the peel in and of itself. <S> You will need to make sure that you wash it properly, as it may be dirty. <S> But beyond that, it's simply a matter of taste. <S> A lot of people don't like the flavor / texture of the peel and so remove it. <S> and there's a lot of different theories about eating it. <S> Kiwi fruit skin contains high levels of flavonoids, insoluble fiber and antioxidants: these substances all have a beneficial effect on your body's metabolic functions (flavonoids and antioxidants) and on your digestive system and cardiovascular apparatus (insoluble fiber). <S> Common sense, however, should be practiced in this respect: while raw kiwi fruit skin contains these beneficial substances, it also tends to contain more than 99,95% of of the pesticides in that particular fruit (if they have been used), which largely outweighs the benefits from flavonoids and antioxidants. <A> In New Zealand the export Kiwifruit brand is called Zespri. <S> The have fully organic and close to organic orchards. <S> Most of the spraying happens early in the growing cycle, so by the time you buy it it has been rain washed many times. <S> I have family friends whom have export large Kiwifruit orchards and it is a very organic process once the fruit has formed <S> See http://www.zespri.com/sustainability-home/growing-zespri-on-orchard/kiwigreen.html <S> The green Kiwifruit is very fuzzy and not nice to eat, the gold Kiwifruit is designed to be eaten skin and all. <S> Kiwi Grapes (bunches of baby Kiwifruit) are also designed to be eaten skin and all Kiwifruit in New Zealand is considered a scoop fruit though (same as tamarillos, fejoas etc), and you don't see many locals eating the skin <S> The good part of the skin (Exocarp) is not just the dry outer layer, it is the thin living layer immediately behind that. <S> You'll eat that by scooping the fruit out, not so much by cutting it out For serving speed we normally cut of the ends, halve, and then place half cut down and slice off the skin working around fruit. <S> Then slice into small discs and serve During picking season the huge surpluses are feed to the beef cows skin and all :-) <A> Kiwi fruit skin is definitely edible. <S> But I would suggest to soak the fruit in water for a while to wash it properly and <S> so that all the pesticides been may get washed off nicely <S> …I only like to eat the skin of gold kiwi as its hairless and hate the hairy texture of green..:) <A> I dip the kiwifruit in boiling water for a minute or so then eat the whole thing. <S> The dip softens the skin a little, too. <A> I have been thoroughly washing and eating kiwifruit for over 20 years and find the skins vary in texture and flavour if both are good I eat them <A> I love the skins and always eat them. <S> Though, from now on, I'll give them an extra wash. <S> I know lots of people who eat the skin! <A> Kiwis are #10 on the EWG Clean 15 List, so not a big pesticide problem
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From a site devoted to kiwis : Kiwi fruit skin is definitely edible,
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What to do with a Sizzler? We were gifted a Sizzler yesterday - a sort of elongated shallow cast-iron pan on a wood base for serving and keeping warm at the table. I know these are supposed to be for helping things caramelise, but I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to serve in it and how to make use of it. Any ideas? <Q> My version of this ( http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-Pre-Seasoned-Fajita-Set/dp/B00008GKDP/ ) actually came with a set of instructions. <S> It's not meant to be used for cooking, only for serving. <S> Place the pan in a hot oven for about 30 mins to heat it up (while you're cooking), then put your fajitas on it to bring to the table. <S> The cast iron will retain heat for a long time and keep anything you serve on it sizzling hot. <S> A cast iron pan would be a great way to cook fajitas, but the shallow sides and strange shape of the "sizzler" pan make it impractical to really cook on. <S> The same instruction book also recommends using another cast iron pan (two, actually) to cook the fajitas. <S> You could probably cook pancakes, a strip steak, or chicken breast on it, but nothing that requires any stirring. <A> My immediate thought is to use it to serve fajitas. <S> They do it in restaurants; why not in your home? <S> (Just in case, I'm suggesting it for serving the meat or veggies, not for grilling them.) <A> Use it to make pittsburgh style steak. <S> I absolutely love doing that. <S> Get or cut your own thick 1.5"< steaks. <S> Put the pan in the oven and get it as hot as possible. <S> (be sure to leave the wood place out of the oven :-) ) <S> Turn on the broiler and toss on the steak after coating with the seasoning. <S> Turn once. <S> Check the temp to make sure the inside is done to your liking. <S> I serve it with blue cheese crumbles that melt into the best steak sauce ever. <S> Other options include fajita steak or chicken with peppers and onions. <S> Essentially the possibilities are endless. <S> Just be careful as they will burn you if not handled properly. <A> If it's large enough to contain a serving or two without spilling while you carefully mix it, you could make a sort of a dolsot bibimbap, which is usually served in a hot cast iron bowl. <S> Heat the pan, then add a layer of cooked rice, then some cooked vegetables and/or meat, crack an egg on top, and stir gently. <S> You'll get a nice crust of rice on the bottom that develops as you eat.
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If you want to use it for something other than fajitas, it would work just fine as a small griddle.
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Cleaning brown/gray spots on overheated stainless steel stock pot So my roommate forgot about his boiling water and burned one of the pots pretty bad. The bottom is a dark brown/gray with colored spots underneath (electric range). What are some household remedies to restore the pot? I'm worried that the heat might have changed the properties of the metal (such as annealing). <Q> Barkeepers Friend is a product that works wonders on steel and aluminum cookware. <S> With a little elbow grease, this stuff removes discoloration very well. <S> If you can't find BKF, Zud is another product that uses Oxalic Acid for it's cleaning power, although it seems to be less potent. <A> Don't worry about the properties of the pot being altered. <S> The metal was heated to many hundreds of degrees in forging, so your stove adventure can't match the initial het. <S> That being said, it can warp and discolor, but this will have little practical effect on the pot's properties, mostly the aesthetics of it. <S> So, if it is warped, then it will be harder to use for some applications, but it is safe and usable otherwise. <S> The discoloration can be cleaned and will fade further over time. <A> There is nothing wrong if it is outside of the pot to use Easy-Off®. <S> Take it outside, turn it upside down, spray and leave overnight.
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The suggestion of a cleaner with Oxalic Acid is right on, and safe for Stainless Steel.
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Should beef jerky be cut with or across the grain? Recipes seem to be split down the middle of whether or not meat to make jerky should be cut with the grain or across it. What is the difference in the final product when cutting with vs across the grain? <Q> For me it very much depends on what meat I am making jerky out of. <S> With the grain is much more solid than against. <S> Just as you might expect. <S> If you are using relatively tender meat then cutting across the grain will result in a batch of jerky crumbs. <S> Cutting with the grain will be good. <S> If you are using very tough meat then cutting with the grain will be absolutely impossible to chew. <S> I often make jerky out of brisket which is very tough. <S> I compromise and cut at a 45deg angle. <S> This results in very tough, jerky but it separates into smaller, more manageable chunks when it is chewed. <A> I do it both ways in a single batch. <S> If you cut across the grain you end up with a more crumbly product. <S> It's easier to bite off say a quarter of a stick of it and chew it. <S> It may be harder to bite a piece off neatly. <S> It tends to take longer to eat it, which for me is a feature, not a bug. <S> (When canoeing, I like to put a piece of jerky in my mouth, half sticking out, and as I work through it, it all gets eaten. <S> The crumbly pieces sometimes break and half ends up at the bottom of the canoe, which is a shame.) <S> Rather than get all worked up about it, cut roughly half each way, according to the shape of the meat etc. <S> Then people can choose a piece that they like. <S> (For the same reason, I cut pieces of varying lengths, too. <S> Even the thickness of each piece doesn't have to be identical - thinner pieces will be more brittle when you're done.) <S> After you've done your first batch, if you find you strongly prefer one kind to the other, you can do them all the same from now on. <S> The differences are more pronounced in a really grainy cut like flank, btw - the only cut I use for jerky, ever. <A> Good advice so far but for a new person into jerky making I assure you that no written answer will totally satisfy you. <S> You must learn by trial and error yourself. <S> Written answers are great guidelines and tips but <S> which meat and directional cut is a personal preference. <S> I prefer Top Round Steak myself <S> and I cut it each way (With/Cross/45 Degree). <S> Cross grain is cut the thickest (1/4 - 5/16) and the thinest being with the grain (1/8). <S> Different thickness means different drying times. <S> The thinest might only take 4 hours in dehydrator and thickest might take 10-14 hours. <S> Many factors determine how long it takes. <S> The main thing is be safe by temp and a minimal time for the jerky and after that try anything you want. <S> You will probably be very satisfied with all 3 cuts to some extent. <S> The biggest worry would be cutting too thick which makes the outside like boot leather even when the inside is the right consistency. <S> I hope this helps.
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If you cut with the grain, it's chewier.
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small, medium or large eggs When I buy eggs, I have trouble deciding which size is the best value. Does any one have any tips? <Q> It depends on the time of year (and, of course, sales). <S> One book I read said that since many chicken farmers raise extra birds to be slaughtered around holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter are the big ones), often they'll have shortages of smaller eggs (which often come from smaller chickens) around those times. <S> Since USDA regulations give a minimum weight for egg types, but not a maximum, the chicken farmers tend to fill out orders with larger eggs. <S> You can always weigh the eggs in a pack of small or medium eggs to see if they are actually that size or larger. <S> According to the USDA standards (see page 29 of the document), the minimum weights for a dozen eggs are: Jumbo : 30 oz. <S> Extra Large : 27 <S> oz. <S> Large : 24 oz. <S> Medium : <S> 21 oz. <S> Small : 18 oz. <S> Peewee : <S> 15 <S> oz. <S> (It's a bit more complicated than that, since they actually weigh them by a lot case, which is 30 dozen eggs. <S> But that's close enough for most purposes.) <S> You can actually figure out per egg cost at home based on circulars, and then weigh at the supermarket to see if the eggs are truly what they're labeled or if they're running big in that lot. <A> If you really want to get down to the best value and maximize the egg for your buck, try this: For the U.S. here <S> is the average weight by definition: <S> Large: 2.125 <S> oz each or 25.5oz for a dozen Medium: 1.875oz each or 22.5oz for a dozen Small: 1.625 <S> oz each or 19.5oz for a dozen Divide <S> the price by the weight <S> and you can get your cost per oz of egg. <A> I'll occassionally buy other sizes ... for instance, <S> if I'm making deviled eggs, I tend to go for smaller ones.
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I tend to buy large eggs -- the reason being that most modern recipes are standardized to use large eggs, so it keeps me from having to convert .
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How can I put a hot dog in a bun without splitting the bun? I have some store-bought, pre-slit hot dog buns. They are a little brittle, and if I open the slit wide enough to take the hot dog, the bun splits in two. I've tried using my toaster oven to warm the buns. They taste nice that way, but it they don't soften much. Any other tricks? <Q> Steaming them will soften them up for your dogs. <A> You could try microwaving the buns. <S> Microwaves tend to make things, especially bread-like things, soggy and soft, which normally is not great, but in this case might be helpful. <S> Another option might be to put some warm water underneath them in the toaster oven. <S> I'm not sure how logistically feasible this is, but in theory it could help to soften up the bottoms of the buns. <A> I did not try it myself, but if you have an apple-core remover, you can make a hole in the bun and put the sausage in through the hole. <S> If your sausage is too big, it could be a mess, maybe 'stab' several times then. <S> Good luck! <A> As a work-around you could cut a V-shape in it to fit the hot dog in. <A> put your bun in microwave no more than 20 seconds , then remove from microwave and pierce one end with a sharpening steel pushing straight through bun . <S> insert hotdog gently , there u have it neat tidy and so easy . <A> Take a sharp knife, and cut a vague circle or square into one end of the bun (no problem how it looks) - depending on preference, it can be deeply angled, or pretty shallow. <S> Work the plug of bread out. <S> Levering your knife towards the middle of the bun should pop it out, if not try a few times on opposite sides. <S> Take a butter knife, and slide it into the bun. <S> Wrap your hand around one side of the bun, and push the flat side of the knife towards your hand. <S> Rotate, pushing the bread away from the center, with your hand braced on the outside of the bun (note having your hand there helps keep the bread from splitting, it may not be necessary if the bread is soft, if you already cut deeply, or if you don't mind if it tears a bit). <S> You now have a hollow hot dog bun. <S> It's probably easiest to add whatever sauces you want on your hotdog first <S> (toppings might be a little trickier depending on how dry they are). <S> when you slide the hotdog in, it will displace the sauces, and spread them all the way down and back up the bun. <S> You can be pretty generous with sauces, they won't leak out since they are enclosed in the hollow bun. <S> This basic principle is how they make the 'puka' style hotdog in Hawaii (though I think they're called 'hula' style now). <S> You can use the leftover plug of bread to stop the open end, keeping the sauces in while it's horizontal on a plate or while you make multiple hotdogs. <S> A shallower cut plug is easier to fit back into the open end, a deeper one is easier to hollow out - and if you don't care about putting it back, you can even slice the very end off the bun horizontally to get access to the softer crumb for hollowing it. <S> If you don't replace the bread plug, you can eat the extra, use it for breadcrumbs, or simply discard. <A> The splitting happens a lot less if the buns are fresh. <S> Try to use your hot dog buns the same day you buy them. <S> Additionally, check the dates on the package when you buy them.
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Drier toppings you might have to try to tuck down the sides of the bun as you're sliding in the hotdog to fit - or just layer on top per bite afterwards. The quick-and-easy way to do that would be to microwave (as another user suggested), or just over a pot of water briefly until they're soft enough
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Kids Lunch box - suggestion for fruit smoothie packaging Could you suggest how to package a home made fruit smoothie to make it appealing to young children. The kids seem to love fruit tubes by innocent in their lunch boxes as they are colourful, easy to open and drink from. How could I pack a home made smoothie to make it equally attractive? <Q> Where I come from there's a chocolate shop that sells plastic syringes filled with chocolate for kids. <S> On the other hand, the extended plunger may take up too much room. <S> In that case, maybe a test-tube sort of thing with a plastic top to seal it. <S> I've seen them around, but wouldn't know where to find them. <A> There are places that sell long, narrow plastic bags . <S> I don't know what thickness of bag wall you'd need <S> so there wasn't liklihood of premature rupture in transport, though. <S> There might be other places where you could get lots of less than 1000, so you're not stuck with them if they don't work. <A> How about a thermos beverage bottle? <S> If you pre-chill the interior, it should keep the smoothie pretty cold. <S> Pack a straw along with it, and you're good to go. <A> We've had great success with those 'Sports' water bottles for kids - hard plastic with a spout on top that is pushed down to seal. <S> Kids seem to love them because they're like the 'Fruit Shoot' bottles that are very popular here in Britain. <S> But they're pretty big as they're for water <S> - I'd probably vomit if I drank that much fruit smoothie - so not great for really little ones. <A> maybe something homemade kids like thing from home and are unlikely to eat school lunches because they aren't used to it <S> I suggest maybe a strawberry and banana fruit smoothie
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You could use a plastic syringe (without the needle obviously), which can usually be found at cake stores and such.
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What fruit pair well with spinach? What fruit pair well with spinach? This is for a cold spinach-based salad rather than cooked spinach, but I'd be interested in warm spinach too. <Q> You might consider citrus or other tart fruit with citrus -- mandarin oranges segments are fairly common to pair with spinich; even if you didn't use whole fruit, consider making a vinagrette using orange juice. <S> I've also seen recipes for spinich salads with strawberries or cranberries; <A> For salads I advise chicory and apple. <S> I'm not sure if I use the right word when I say 'chicory' <S> so here 's a picture of what I mean. <S> I think it's not a very loved veggie because of its bitterness, but I like the combination of the bitterness of the chicory and the sweetness of the apple. <S> Oh and one tip: cut out the 'root' of the chicory, it's the most bitter part. <S> Edit: I see the question has changed a bit. <S> I can recommend spinach with sun-dried tomatoes and a few grilled pine nuts (and if you like onion, oregano, garlic). <S> This is something that goes very well with pasta. <A> The qualities I like in complementing raw spinach are tart, crunchy and creamy. <S> You’ve probably seen before toasted nuts for the crunch, and cheese or dressing for the creamy, but you asked about fruit. <S> Here are some ideas: sour apple, Asian pear, dried banana chips, jicama (not technically a fruit), melon, star fruit, seedless grapes, dried cranberries, raisins, avocado. <A> 1) Dino Kale and Avacado. <S> Separate Kale from stems; rip and distress the kale into a bowl, cut up avacado, add sea salt. <S> I'll be honest the first time eating it <S> is a bit of an adjustment <S> but I love it now. <S> I feel great every time I eat this salad. <S> 2) Mandarin Oranges and Bell Peppers. <S> Think Thai Peanut Salad with a peanut dressing. <A> pear and candied walnuts with some citrus dressing... <S> maybe some goat cheese too! <A> I think that figs go brilliantly well with spinach salads. <S> You could use pears, white flesh peaches or green apples for when you can't get figs. <S> On a different note, Roquefort cheese also works beautifully. <S> That's actually the recipe for one of my favourite salads. <A> I once had a spinash salad with raisins and cuts of Parmesan cheese. <S> Very tasty. <A> Pomegranate seeds and walnuts fit well with baby spinach salad.
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I've also had a pineappe and avocado salad before that might work well with spinish instead of romaine.
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Cooking polenta: is stirring for 30 minutes really necessary? In every polenta recipe I have ever seen, the authors insist that the polenta has to be stirred over low heat for half an hour or so before it is thoroughly cooked. When I worked in an Italian restaurant, I would follow this process (commonly making many portions at a time). However, when making it at home in small portions, I find it tastes just the same if it is whisked over low heat for just enough time for the grain to absorb the liquid. Why the insistence on cooking small portions (4?) for half an hour? Please note that I am talking about normal fine grain polenta here, not some sort of 'quick' polenta. <Q> It definitely does not need to be stirred continuously. <S> Fairly frequently, yes, to avoid burning on the bottom, but not constantly. <S> Cooking for more or less time has more impact on texture than flavor. <S> Cooked briefly, you get more of a grain-like cream of wheat texture. <S> Cooked long, you get a creamier, smoother result. <S> Both can be good, but the creamy style is more traditional. <A> Cooks Illustrated, in the March 2010 issue, tackled this problem in their usually obsessive fashion. <S> The full recipe is behind their paywall, but they found that a pinch of baking soda added to coarse-ground degerminated cornmeal resulted in a shorter cooking time over low heat (about 30 minutes total), with whisking needed for the first minute, about 5 minutes in, and then right at the end when you add butter and Parmesan. <S> The other things of interest in their recipe is the 5-to-1 water to polenta ratio, and covering the pot during cooking. <A> In fact Alton Brown's recipe calls for only stirring 3-4 times during the cooking process -> <S> http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/savory-polenta-recipe/index.html <A> I use a double boiler and it cooks for ~1.5 hours with only a few stirs. <S> I got the method from Lynn Rosetto Kasper and it works great. <S> No muss, no fuss. <S> Link: http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/misc_polenta.html
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You definitely don't have to.
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How can I know how long home-cooked food will stay good in fridge? As through the week we too busy to cook we have gotten the idea of cooking a big bunch of food in the weekend, storing it in the fridge and eat it later in the week. I am a bit concerned how long things will stay good in the fridge. For example mashed potatoes (which is prepared with milk), minced meat steaks or a cream-based sauce. Are there any general rules of thumb that can be used to estimate how long things will stay good? And are there any 'dangerous' foods, foods that can be spoiled but not show any mold or smell strange, but are not good to eat? <Q> The USDA says to eat refrigerated leftovers within 4 days. <S> Be aware that how long you leave something out before refrigeration and the size of the container can shorten the edible lifetime. <S> The gist is the longer <S> it's warm, the more [likely] pathogens will be able to multiply to unsafe levels. <S> A large container holds heat longer and takes longer to reach 40°F. <S> There's also some other interesting information on the linked page about safe storage durations for many store-bought items as well, including recommendations for how long it will stay good in the freezer. <S> To be fair to @Allison's answer, many of the durations listed in that chart are 3-4 days or 3-5 days, though some are longer or shorter. <A> Food tends to become unpleasant before it becomes actually dangerous. <S> If you aren't going to eat it that quickly, freezing it after it's been cooked and thawing it the day you want to eat it is probably a better idea. <A> The point of the fridge is to slow down the sex life of bacteria. <S> So try and cool food down as quickly as possible - put slowcooker/casserole pots into a sink full of cold water for a 30mins before putting them in the fridge. <S> A big pot of stew can stay warm in the fridge for hours if you take it straight from the stove. <S> Make sure <S> things are well cooked before you store them, if it starts off with most of the bugs dead it will take longer for them to come back again. <S> Biggest problem in the fridge is cross contamination. <S> Keep everything sealed. <S> Put anything raw/defrosting on the bottom shelf and cover it if possible. <S> Apart from the obvious shelfish, mayonaise risky foods - one food to be careful of <S> is rice. <S> Regular boiled/steamed rice can grow nasty bugs very quickly even though it looks/tastes fine. <S> Ideally use leftover rice the next day. <S> Finally don't worry - unless you are have some serious existing medical problem the worst you are going to get from last week's sausages is an extended time in the bathroom. <S> Did your grandmother have FDA approved labels on everything she baked? <A> StillTasty has got lots of information about how long specific foods will keep for. <A> I have found that food stored in GLASS containers lasts longer and tastes better, compared to plastic, though stick to USDA guidelines Watch out for putting hot food in the fridge, it will warm everything else up. <S> In the commercial kitchen I worked in, we would put the hot food (container) in an ice bath in the sink before putting it in the fridge Get a fridge thermometer and make sure your fridge is very cold <S> (1 °C) <S> Throw out bad food regularly, so it doesn't transfer smells to good food <S> Get some masking tape and a marker and write the date the food should be thrown out by (not the # of days, because you'll forget the starting date). <S> Attach these near the fridge <A> I've lived by a simple rule for many years now: if it looks ok and smells ok, it is ok. <S> Just use your common sense. <S> As Allison mentioned, if your food was cooked properly in the first place, it will become unpleasant long before it becomes dangerous. <A> I agree with Allison. <S> I recommend that once you cook your food, prepare packages for each night of the week and freeze. <S> (Identify each package and note date.) <S> It takes a short time to defrost the pkg. <S> and heat for your evening meal. <S> In the event you don't get home for dinner <S> you won't have to worry about spoilage and dollars going into the garbage. <S> I can share with you that I grew up with a Friday "Left Over Night Dinner" which we kids called "Garbage Night"! <S> It was always great believe it or not. <S> My mom would save whatever left-overs from M-Th. <S> dinners. <S> On Friday, she would heat up the left overs and, off course, with a family of 5 she always added a fish or a pasta and what ever was left was thrown out. <S> It is better to be safe than sorry. <S> A <A> I think Allison hit on the key point. <S> Below 40 degrees F, dangerous bacteria are not multiplying anymore, but other breakdown processes are still happening. <S> Some of these can even improve flavor the first couple days, some not so much. <S> If it was safe when you put it in the fridge, and it doesn't smell rotten or have any obvious mold, there's minimal risk. <S> People have been doing without refrigeration for a long time. <S> There's an evolutionary reason we naturally reject food that smells rotten. <A> In every professional kitchen I have ever worked in, no prepared food is kept for any longer than 7 days. <S> Of course, depending on what it is you may want to throw it out before then, but I wouldn't eat anything that had been sitting in the fridge for any longer than that... <A> Putting it in the fridge still hot, or keeping it at room temp too long (more than an hour is the rule, but for me it's even less time) does not seem to affect the taste, but leads to unpleasant side effects like long bathroom visits. <S> For example, when I make a stew I put it in shallow glass dishes and stir every 10 minutes so it cools evenly, then refrigerate enough for 3 days when it reaches room temp, and freeze the rest.
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I have found it's important to cool hot food just to room temperature and then refrigerate right away. I would try to eat things within 3 days of making them, though that's just my personal guideline and isn't based on any scientific data. I can tell you from experience that I have eaten leftovers that were many weeks old, with no ill effects.
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What is the ideal fridge temperature I notice that in both countries where I lived the fridges are kept at 6 or 7 °C (43-45 °F). When it would be colder, people find their drinks to cold, when served straight out of fridge (especially in winter). Also a lower temperature would cost more energy. What would be the best temperature for food storage. Would that be even lower? For storing meals, how much time longer would food stay good when the fridge would be colder? <Q> If food is in there at a higher temperature (such as the 43-45°F the question mentions), for longer than 2 hours, and they're saying the food isn't safe. <S> Keep in mind that when too cold, after a while parts of things freeze, which can damage items, or severely diminish their pleasant taste. <S> This especially goes for produce such as lettuce or even tomatoes. <S> If you want to store leftovers longer, consider freezing them. <S> Edit: corrected to 40° <S> F or below <A> Optimum temperature range for perishable food storage is 3 to 5 <S> °C (37 to 41 °F). <S> I've noticed that there are differences in temperature inside the fridge. <S> I think the top is a bit more colder than the bottom, I don't really know why. <S> I keep my lettuce and tomatoes in the bottom, otherwise they'll be a bit frozen (like zanlok said). <S> So things that'll go bad fast (e.g. meat) go in the top. <S> Another thing (which I learned on House M.D.): don't put your milk in the door. <S> The temperature there is more fluctuating so the milk becomes sour more rapidly than if you'd put it inside the fridge. <A> Regardless of what target temperature you choose remember that most domestic fridges cannot maintain that temperature reliably over the day and cannot maintain it evenly throughout the fridge. <S> This error is generally improved with a full fridge <S> The best way is to measure it is with and accurate and calibrated thermometer on the shelf's you wish to store critical stuff, not <S> the temp setting dial built into the fridge 4° <S> C is common as it preserves milk well, but vegetables can suffer this low It would be great if fridges came with four or five compartments, each with their own temp setting :-) <A> Different countries have different food safety standards. <S> I'm accustomed to 4°C, which is the North American standard. <S> However, in Europe I see that eggs are sold unrefrigerated and cheese is often kept unrefrigerated in people's homes, so I think there's a cultural component to the tolerated level of risk and the expected consumption time frame. <A> Meat and especially fish should be cooler and vegetables and fruits a little bit warmer. <S> The 4ºC guideline mentioned is correct. <S> Notice that most fridges are warmer at the top and colder below. <S> Fish should be close to 0ºC for two reasons. <S> 1. <S> The enzymes of the fish will keep working (even when frozen) and 2. <S> The bacteria of fish will be less affected by lower temperatures. <S> The reason being that fish are cold blooded animals that live in a cold environment. <S> So, there is no one ideal temp. <S> but a range from 0ºC - 5ºC for food preservation. <S> On a side note, family of mine have their fridges at higher temperatures so beverages come out warmer than we are used to. <S> So, there again, there is not one ideal temperature but <S> whatever you (and your peers) are used to.
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The USDA says refrigeration temperature should be 40°F (4.4°C) or below. It also depends on the food items you want to preserve.
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Gelpro Mats - do they work? This might not be the right forum for this question, so feel free to remove this question if it is. We have super-hard tile floors in the kitchen, and after an hour or two of cooking my feet are KILLING me. I've been thinking about getting commercial-grade anti-fatigue mats, but they are so ugly. Does anyone out there have the Gelpro mats, and do they actually do what they say they do? I've had many 'anti-fatigue' mats in the past that have done nothing to ease my aching feet. <Q> I find a pair of basic Crocs to be very efficient as kitchen clogs. <S> (As does Mr. Batali, though the orange color may be in questionable taste). <S> They are well cushioned, reasonably priced, and easily cleaned. <S> They won't provide a ton of protection against dropping something heavy, sharp or hot, though they do sell some upscale models that provide more. <S> If you really want a mat, <S> these Wellness Mats are superbly cushioned. <A> In short - gel mats are GREAT! <S> My husband has foot problems and I just found my legs were tired when standing in the kitchen for long durations. <S> We ordered one gelpro mat and then found we were sliding it from in front of the sink to in front of the stove (and fighting over it) so we ordered another. <S> They eased foot pain, definitely. <A> They do work. <S> I stand on one at a computer desk all day. <S> I tried it in the kitchen once, but didn't like having it in there. <S> I keep a clean pair of $2 rubber flip flops for working in the kitchen. <A> If rubber mats didn't work in the past, consider consulting an orthopedic doctor. <S> They may be able to help you with a solution such as arch support. <S> One article <S> For me, having worked standing up all day in times past, rubber mats worked well for me to reduce fatigue. <S> I actually dreaded lengthy chores in areas that were at stations without such mats. <A> I have 3 gel pro mats, I spend most of my time in my kitchen. <S> The mats drive me crazy!! <S> GEL Pros resolution was some rug gripper tape which is a pain. <S> Hard to peel, doesn't work even if I clean my tile with alcohol and they DO somehow get dirt on the back. <S> I am at my wits <S> end tired of the non <S> slip back slipping and having to mop my floor and top and bottom of the darn mats!
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I found says yes, gel mats are worthwhile. Although they provide relief for legs, knees and feet, they slip and slide on my tile floor. Yes, they are expensive, but I would suggest they are well worth it.
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What is the best way to clean a grater? A grater is a very useful instrument in the kitchen and it's fun to use. You can use it for a lot of food: cheese, citrus fruit peel, nutmeg, all kinds of vegetables, etc. But cleaning a grater is a pain. Anyone here knows an easy and effective way to clean a grater? <Q> Clean it immediately , before anything has a chance to dry. <S> Wipe with the direction of the blades, then run a little water inside it. <S> Optional: put the grater in the dishwasher to clean fully. <A> I put mine in the dishwasher. <S> If that doesn't get it clean, soaking it for a while and then brushing it with a stiff brush usually does the trick. <A> The best way that I've found to clean a grater is to use a toothbrush. <S> The bristles are usually the right combination of stiffness and flexibility to not get caught in the blades of the grater (so you don't end up with grated toothbrush bristles), and they are fine and tightly packed, fitting into the tiny spaces and removing stuck on bits of ginger or cheese quite well. <S> For the shredding or slicing sides, a washcloth is usually a better choice, but for the grating sides, I haven't found anything as good as a toothbrush. <A> I use a dishcloth to brush mine with the grain (upside down of how you cut). <S> This works for the larger holes. <S> It doesn't work so well for the zester-sized holes, which catch the cloth no matter which direction I move it. <S> In that case I use a brush. <S> After it is clean, I put it in my aging dishwasher which doesn't do much cleaning but does send hotter water at it than my hands can stand. <A> Try giving your grater a spray with Pam before using. <S> It makes it easier to dislodge small bits when cleaning. <A> Clean the grater immediately after use. <S> Take a rough sponge or plastic hair brush and scrape towards yourself, or in the opposite direction you would grate. <S> If you happen to use the common 4-sided grater with the hard-to-clean truncated pyramid interior, say scrap it and get a microplane grater. <S> They are a lot easier to clean and better at grating. <A> This is copied from my answer on cleaning a vegetable peeler. <S> Soak in a mild borax solution. <S> fill the sink and throw in gummed up juicers, colanders and tea-stained spoons as well. <S> If your kitchen is humid, a bit of an oil rub after thorough drying should slow down the rust. <S> Maybe doing this once a week would do the job. <A> I put mine in to soak in washing up water for 15-20 mins whilst I clean up elsewhere. <S> I then scrub down each surface with a washing up brush and rinse with clean water to dry. <S> Comes out sparkling clean every time regardless of what I've been grating on it and the same one has lasted for years. <A> I give mine a solid whack on the sink or bench top. <S> This dislodges most of the solids, then wipe. <S> Also works great for sieves. <A> A plastic version of a wok brush works great. <S> Like this: http://www.hdxy.org.cn/brown-bamboo-asian-style-wok-brush-pot-brush-11473.html <A> I recently read somewhere that putting some parchment paper on top of the grater while you grate, does not make the grater dirty. <S> I was sceptical, but I tried it anyway. <S> I put some parchment paper over my grater and grated a clove of garlic, I peeled off the paper and there were no bits left in the grater. <S> The paper was still intact. <S> However, the garlic was very fine, sometimes a bit mushy, so I'm not sure yet if this works with everything. <S> I will update this answer after I tried it with some citrus and nutmeg.
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As soon as I'm done grating anything, I run the grater under water and wipe it with a sponge. I expect some vegetable brushes might also work well, if the bristles are thin and tightly packed.
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How to defrost frozen pizza dough quickly? Obviously, best practice for defrosting it to leave the pizza dough on the counter or in the fridge overnight, then let it rise before cooking it. However, I've got company coming tonight, and I forgot to defrost the dough last night. (It's supermarket frozen whole-wheat dough.) How can I help the dough along? I've read that you can microwave the dough on a low setting to defrost it, but I'm a little uncertain about doing that. Edit: I'm concerned that using heat to defrost the dough might cook it somewhat, which I don't want. Related question: Defrosting pizza dough correctly? <Q> If you dough is a disc shape:When I worked as a pizza cook at a popular fast food pizza place, we would put our dough still frozen into what we called a proofer. <S> It was basically a heated cabinet around 130 F. <S> It would defrost and have it's final rise in there. <S> After that we would stretch to make the pizza. <S> You could probably replicate this by putting your dough into a covered pan in the oven without preheating on "low" or "warm". <S> You would also want to put a bowl of boiling water in there to add steam. <S> Just make sure it doesn't burn or get up to temperature. <S> You may want water or oil in there with it <S> so it doesn't dry out. <S> If you dough is in a ball:I do this for other frozen foods, but haven't tried it on dough before. <S> Put it in a sealed plastic bag and leave it in warm water. <S> I like to leave it with a constant stream of warm water flowing over the object so the water stays warm. <S> The heat should defrost it and the plastic should keep it dry. <A> If you have a cast iron griddle or large cast iron pan, you set the frozen dough on it to greatly speed the defrosting process. <A> I have used the following method with success: Put ball of dough in a sealed ziploc bag (with all the air squished out) and submerge it in warm water. <S> Every now and then, check on it and try to squash the dough out so that the frozen middle is more exposed to the warm water. <S> It's not as instant as a microwave defrost, but it was still relatively quick and never seemed to have a detrimental effect on the dough. <A> If you're willing to leave it on a counter overnight, you could also leave it in a warm place on a large surface that will conduct heat (eg, a metal sheet pan). <S> If you can add a fan, to force air below the pan, so the ambient air temp will warm the pan, thus warming the pizza, it'll defrost a little bit faster. <S> The other alternative is to increase surface area -- if you have something that you can cut in half safely, do that, and place the cut side down on the sheet pan to increase contact area. <S> (I freeze mine in lots of smaller balls, so I can defrost it more quickly by breaking them apart; once it's thawed, I can roll it back into a larger ball) <A> I did a combo of microwaving for 10 seconds at a time and then putting it in warm water. <S> I had two frozen crusts and it worked perfectly with one and not so well with the other. <S> I think the one that worked better soaked longer in the water. <S> If this happens to me again <S> I will probably just go with the soaking (and the soaking works much faster than you'd think. <A> I did this one time as well. <S> Life happens! <S> I took the ball and put it in a floured bowl ( please flour the bowl!) <S> The I turned my stove on and placed the bowl on the stove for 1/2 an hour in the bowl with a damp towel on top. <S> Worked like a charm! <A> I am doing it right now using the defrost setting. <S> My microwave has a selection for 0.1 lbs. <S> For a large pizzas worth of dough, I used 0.2 twice, with about 5-10 minutes rest in between, then 0.1 again, & <S> then I covered it with a damp hot towel. <S> (I soaked it in hot tap water then wrung it out.) <S> total time has been less than a half hour & its doubled in size already. <S> P.S.- <S> I had it in a plastic bowl with olive oil in it, about a quarter cup. <A> I just did this moments ago. <S> Depending on how frozen it is, it will take a few hits.
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Leave the dough in a sealed plastic bag and hit for 10 second intervals on the defrost setting on your microwave.
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Converting teaspoon/tablespoon measurements to mL? I have been looking at curry recipes on an American web site and it gives measurements in teaspoons and tablespoons. I am not familiar with these measurements as we do not use them locally. Does teaspoon/tablespoon refer to the size of the spoon or its purpose? If I have spoons that measure only mL, how can I convert a teaspoon/tablespoon measurement to these? <Q> It's actually understandable why this would be confusing to non-Americans, because the terms "teaspoon" and "tablespoon" actually have two meanings - one in cooking and one in dining. <S> Historically, teaspoons and tablespoons were simply two types of silverware. <S> Teaspoons were literally for stirring tea or other liquids. <S> Tablespoons were used for serving. <S> So yes, the terms actually do refer to the purpose of the spoon. <S> They are also now used as cooking measurements across most of North America and possibly other regions: <S> A standard teaspoon (1 tsp) is approximately 5 mL (4.9 mL) <S> A standard tablespoon (1 tbsp) is 3 tsp or approximately 15 mL (14.7 mL) <S> For future reference, I use Google as my go-to resource for unit conversions whenever I don't know or can't remember the exact ratios. <S> For example, you can type the phrase 2 tbsp in mL directly into the search box and it will give you the answer (29.57 mL). <A> However, do make sure that the website is American and not Australian, as the tablespoon measurement as used in that country equals 20 ml. <S> There's a helpful table comparing the definition of the teaspoon and tablespoon measurements as used in different English-speaking countries on this Wikipedia page (in the section "Metric measures"): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_weights_and_measures <S> Though your specific question was about a modern website, others looking into this question may need to keep in mind that teaspoon and tablespoon measures can vary widely in older books published in different countries or even in the same country. <S> I found a blog post with a list of examples for the tablespoon measure from different books varying from as little as 12.5 ml to as much as 25 ml: <S> Margaret Powell (British) 1970 <S> Tablespoon = 18 ml Australian and New Zealand <S> Complete cooking 1973 = <S> Tablespoon <S> = 25 ml <S> Best of Cooking <S> (Hamlyn) - Tablespoon, (Australia) = <S> 20 ml <S> Best of Cooking <S> (Hamlyn) - Tablespoon, (British) <S> = <S> 17,7 ml <S> Best of Cooking <S> (Hamlyn) - Tablespoon, (America) <S> 14,2 Indian Cooking, Chowhary 1952 <S> - = Tablespoon = 25 ml Cook and Enjoy, De Villiers 1971 (South Africa) <S> = <S> Tablespoon = <S> 12,5 <S> ml Complete South African Cookbook (South Africa) <S> 1979 <S> Tablespoon = 12,5 <S> The Australian Women's weekly 1978 = 20 ml <S> (Source: http://whitegranny.blogspot.com/2008/11/beware-of-tablespoon.html ) <S> And, though again this is probably not relevant to your specific question, it's interesting to note that in Dutch recipes "a teaspoon" refers to a 3 ml measurement, while "a coffee spoon" refers to a 5 ml measurement. <S> (Source: http://www.dekooktips.com/wegen-meten.htm , in Dutch) <A> American standard spoon measurements are: Tablespoon: 14.8ml <S> (about 15ml)Teaspoon: <S> 4.93ml (about 5ml) <S> They say 3 tsp (teaspoon) is equal to 1 tbsp (tablespoon). <S> In Japan, we use "large" or "small" for measurement spoons, but they work the same (large = table spoon, small = tea spoon).
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You can normally use the guideline that 1 teaspoon is equal to 5 ml and 1 tablespoon is equal to 15 ml.
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Making Raclette without special equipment or specific type of cheese I have a sizable chunk of emmenthal cheese taking up valuable space in my fridge, and I was looking for a recipe to use it in. Drilling down into Swiss cuisine at wikipedia, I encountered an intriguing mention of Raclette , an apparently simple meal of 'scraped' hot cheese with various accompaniments. My questions are:1. Is emmenthal an acceptable alternative to true raclette cheese? 2. I have no intention of going out and buying a specific 'raclette' gadget, so is there some sort of workaround using ordinary kitchen utensils that will allow me to recreate the traditional ralette experience (ie. scraping the edge of the cheese with a knife)? <Q> I would recommend inviting your friends and family over for a cheese fondue party. <S> Fondue requires a large amount of Emmental, so this should take care of your space issue. <S> Also, Emmental is the perfect fondue cheese with its distinctly nutty flavor that complements the addition of dry white wine and Kirsch liqueur. <S> http://RacletteChalet.com <A> You'd need to stand the cheese on something, with one side close to the grill, then whip it out and scrape of the melted bit every so often. <S> (Note: that this would actually be easier with (rectangular) Emmental than real (semi-circular) Raclette cheese) <S> I would image that in "the old days", the cheese was just laid flat on a surface and placed near any source of heat (open fire), though this would be complicated by the cheese 'running' on its own. <S> Just for culture's sake, here is what a traditional raclette gadget ( four à raclette ) looks like: And here is what a modern one looks like: the best are combined with an invertible top which allows you to do pancakes on one side, and table-fried meat on the other ( not typically all in the same meal <S> , I hasten to add!) <A> Speaking as somebody who grew up in and lives close to the Emmental region: <S> No. <S> Raclette is a very specific type of cheese particularly suited for frying. <S> It is produced mainly in the Valais region and is an AOC. <S> If you try a raclette type dish with Emmental, you'll end up with a stringy mess of questionable culinary value. <S> About the only thing I can think of doing with Emmental (apart from eating it on bread or with baked potatoes) is cubing it into vegetable soup.
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To answer the other half of your question, if you did want to do a raclette without any special equipment, I guess you could do something equivalent using the grill in your oven, but you'd have to be eating in the kitchen.
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How fast does water cool off after boiling? I don't have a kettle, so I use a cooking pot at home to boil water. I boil water on high in the cooking pot and as soon as I see the big bubbles/steam forming, I assume the water has reached 100° C. Is that correct? If the water has reached 100° C and I let it settle off the stove for 1 min, what's the average temperature of the water after that period of time? EDIT I'm trying to make some coffee from my french press and from what I've read, people recommend to wait 1 min before pouring the hot water in the press. I'm not getting a lot of coffee flavour from the french press after letting it infuse for 5 min. I was curious to know if the temperature of the hot water can drop a lot in 1 min. <Q> However, if you start to climb in altitude, that is no longer the case, at 300m, water boils at 99°C, at 600m, 98°C and so on. <S> Wikipedia has a page with information about High altitude cooking that contains a reference table. <A> The cooling rate will also depend on the mass (volume) of the water, the mass of the pot, the thermal transfer capacity of the pot and anything it contacts, ambient temperature, air pressure, humidity, purity of the water, etc. <S> The answer to your question is "close enough". <A> Tip: in your current phrasing, your question seems like a rather abstract physics question. <S> You could get more informative answers if you expanded it to let us know what you are trying to prepare at a certain water temperature. <S> Is it tea perhaps? <S> But to try to answer the first part of your question as stated: the Rouxbe cooking school has a video lesson demonstrating how you can identify different water temperatures without using a thermometer. <S> For example, for the poaching cooking method (which is done in water at 71 to 85 degrees Celcius) you should look for the first small bubbles at the bottom of the pot and the first signs of steam from the surface. <S> So assuming that the water is at 100 degrees Celsius as soon as you see steam forming is not necessarily correct. <S> If you heat up the water further than the poaching temperature range, you get at the temperatures for simmering and gentle boiling. <S> For a vigorous boil (100 degrees Celcius, which is the maximum temperature that water can reach at sea level) you have to wait until the water is moving and steaming faster, with big bubbles appearing on the surface. <A> I'd wait about 30 seconds. <S> If that doesn't do the trick or tastes burnt, try more coffee. <S> If neither of those work, you may have a lighter blend of coffee (can also happen if it's old). <S> Also make sure to steep for about 4 minutes on average for a French press before pressing, you can play around with times to find one that suites you best of course, but 4 minutes is the average amount of time it takes water at approx. <S> 195 degrees f to extract the intended amount of flavor from of the coffee that the manufacturers shoot for without making "too strong" or "too weak". <S> All subjective though. <S> Hope this helps a little! <S> Saw everyone else trying to be Isaac Newton and not trying answer your question <S> so I figured I'd at least offer what I know. <S> Cheers! <A> No one seemed that interested in answering the part of question about cooling time. <S> Luckily, someone else has done a wee experiment and put it on their site: http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/EMT668/EMAT6680.2002.Fall/Ledford/ledford12/cooled%20_data.html <S> They also used a cooking pan. <S> According to their data and this excellent answer on Coffee SO which says: Coffee solubles dissolve best at an optimal temperature of 195-205 <S> °F the ideal moment to pour the coffee after boiling is around the 2nd minute, roughly between 90 and 150 seconds (though I've come to prefer cold brew, it tastes great <S> and it's easy, which could be the real solution to your problem). <A> Boiling fresh water is indeed 100c or 212f at sea level. <S> However your question is a very good one. <S> If all the water in your pot were boiling, it would all vaporize very quickly. <S> The water just above the hot spots inside the tea pot are just under boiling, and reach boiling just as they vaporize, but the water convecting around the edges is much cooler. <S> In general, it is usually considered that if you bring tea water just to boiling point (the whistle just starts blowing), and you pour a cup of tea that water temperature overall is closer to 180F or 82C which is the perfect temperature for steeping tea leaves. <S> Coffee steeps faster in hot water as well. <S> In fact you can make an appreciably better cup of coffee starting with hot water rather than cold water in a basic drip coffee maker. <S> The hot water runs through the system faster which means less of the harsher elements of the coffee is extracted from the bean. <S> Hot water equals swifter extraction which equates to better quality, where as just like with tea,If you steep too long, the tea loses its fresh quality and becomes astringent.
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As long as you are talking about a normal pot with or without a normal lid (i.e. not a pressure cooker) and you are reasonably close to sea level, you're right, boiling water is at 100°C.
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What are some best practices to cook salmon on a cedar plank in an oven? I know that cedar plank cooking is normally done on a grill but I want to see what I can do with it indoors. What are some ways to get more of the wood flavor when cooking salmon with a cedar plank in the oven? <Q> The experts at Outdoor Gourmet suggest : Soak the grilling plank for 1-2 hrs. <S> Preheat the oven to 350 <S> °-400°. <S> Place food on grilling plank; place the grilling plank in oven. <S> Put a baking dish under it to catch the drips. <S> Bake <S> according to recipe until done. <S> Reserve grilling plank to use again in the oven or on the grill. <A> The amount of time needed to soak seems to differ among experts, but soaking for an hour should be long enough to cook the salmon without the wood burning. <A> Also worth mentioning is to be careful about the wood you choose. <S> If you want to be spendy and buy actual grilling planks that's fine, but if you try to be clever and cut down wood planks on your own then make sure you avoid pressure-treated lumber. <S> It contains some rather nasty poisonous chemicals that will evaporate at oven and grill temperatures.
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The big key is just to soak the plank before using it, that way it won't burn while it's in the oven.
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How do I remove my KitchenAid attachment? My KitchenAid attachment appears to be stuck. I attempt to push up to remove the dough hook and it does not budge one bit. I am thinking I'm either doing something completely wrong or there's some way to get it unstuck! Any advice? <Q> It is usually stuck because of fresh or old food particles getting into the socket or release mechanism <S> The simplest way is to drizzle boiling water onto the release mechanism. <S> A few large pours over some minutes may be required to soften and remove the food particles A quick spray of silicone oil may be required after this as the boiling water removes all factory lubrication too Unplug the machine first! and take great care not to get water into the motor or electronic parts. <S> Position the device over a sink or bucket so that water will flow away from the motor and electronic parts <A> My dough hook was almost impossible to remove. <S> I tried many things but pouring very hot waterover the the spring and shaft worked in a short time. <S> Make sure it is unplugged and water does not get into the motor. <S> It might take several attempts to free it. <S> Clean the shaft and the area of the hook where the shaft inserts. <S> Apply some cooking oil to those areas after cleaning. <S> You will have to lay the appliance on it's side to perform this procedure. <A> thanks <A> KitchenAid recommends that you compress a warm, wet towel around the top of the attachment for 10 minutes. <S> Reheat the towel and repeat for another couple of minutes. <S> The warmth will cause the aluminum to expand, and with some wiggling, should allow you to release the attachment.
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had a stuck mixer attachment, 2mins under the hot tap worked, then I added vaseline to the top to make it easier to attach, I believe washing in dishwasher removed all grease from it.
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What's the best way to stick sprinkles to cookies without icing? I am making sugar cookies that I want to decorate with sprinkles, but I don't really want to mess about with making royal icing, which is what the recipe calls for. In the past, I've used clear corn syrup as a flavourless sprinkle "glue" and it's what I'd use now, except that I haven't seen it in the grocery store here in the Netherlands. Are there any other easy to make options for "sprinkle glue"? I've seen references on the web to using some sort of glaze, but in my experience, this wouldn't set up hard enough to hold sprinkles to a cookie. Maybe it needs special proportions for this application? <Q> If corn syrup works, it seems to me that simple syrup (i.e. a saturated solution of sugar and water) ought to work, too. <A> Growing up, we'd whip up an egg white as a glue, but with today's concerns of salmonella, it might not be the best choice unless you have a local source of eggs, or use pasteurized eggs. <A> Start with about 4 cups of powdered sugar, and about 1/3 cup of lemon juice <S> (this helps it from being <S> so painfully "straight-sugar" sweet. <S> Then, add hot water very slowly, blending thoroughly with a wire whisk. <S> You want it to end up about the consistency of... um... glaze. <S> (Thick enough to stick to cookie when brushed on, but not overly gloppy.) <S> Use a pastry brush to coat top of cookie and then sprinkle to your hearts content. <S> If you also decide to use a little decorator icing for accent, let the glaze dry enough to at least have a hard "crust" on it or the icing won't stick.
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Our favorite way is to make a glaze with powdered sugar, lemon juice and warm water.
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How long does fresh parsley keep in the fridge? How long does fresh parsley stay good if kept in a refrigerator? <Q> If you stand it up in water like a flower, these guys say 7 to 10 days. <S> I say 2 weeks, even. <S> That link has a freezing technique, but I think thawed parsley is worthless. <S> Dehydrated is okay when you've no option, but it's very bland and too earthy, to me. <S> Where I live, it's cheap, so I just stay stocked up on fresh stuff. <S> Both parts of this advice goes for bundles of cilantro leaves as well. <A> You can also preserve herbs by wrapping them in damp paper towels (either completely or just around the stems) and then placing the bundle in an open plastic bag (or one with holes poked in) <S> Replace or re-wet the towels when they get dry. <S> It's the equivalent of a vase without the worry about it spilling. <A> Here's a variation of Martha F.'s answer: discard any brown leaves, wash the parsley, shake dry to remove as much of the water as possible, wrap in a dry, clean, cloth dish towel, place in a supermarket plastic bag and store in the refrigerator vegetable bin. <S> Few people use the stems--although they can be finely chopped and sauteed in olive oil with garlic and onions as a base for sauces--in which case, cut off the stems and use to create a stock.www.menwholiketocook.com <A> Usually, it can last about three days, or four if you're lucky. <S> This is for normal fridge temperatures (about 4 degrees C), and normal parsley. <S> If I'm not mistaken, the optimal temperature for leafy greens is about 12 degrees Celsius. <S> That'll get you a few more days. <S> If you're worried about being able to tell when it's spoiled, it's quite simple. <S> The leaves will become sort of gooey and discoloured. <S> The other option, for different humidity situations, is that the parsley will dry out. <S> Either way, it's obvious that the parsley is no longer fun to eat a lot before it becomes a problem, there's little danger of it passing its use-by date unnoticed, like with meat products. <A> Parsley can last up to a week, if you keep the leaves dry and weed out any leaves that are starting to turn, and are not put off by the decaying parsley matter. <S> Putting a dry paper towel around the leaves will keep the moisture level down, and cause the parsley to last longer, this also works for lettuce. <A> I have been able to store large bunches of parsley for long periods by wrapping stems in wet paper towel then placing in a plastic bag in the crisper compartment . <S> Never had to throw any away .
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The parsley will keep for 2-3 weeks.
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How do I keep long grain brown rice moist? I'm starting to cook long grain brown rice at night, and I usually make enough to last about 4 days or so. The issue is that it gets REALLY dry when I put it in the fridge. I also usually don't warm it up before eating since I'm always on the go. How can I keep brown rice moist? Should I not put it in the fridge? I don't have a rice cooker, so I cook it in a pot. <Q> According to Alton Brown , talking about why a short-grain rice salad won't get hard when cold: <S> But it won't be hard, the way, say, refrigerated Chinese take-out restaurant rice would be. <S> Why is that? <S> Well, long-grain rice, which is usually what's inside one of these, contains a very, very high percentage of amylose. <S> [holds up the model] Remember this guy? <S> When this cools, the amylose and water come together to make a structure that's kind of like, well, kind of like a crystal, which is why it's hard as a rock. <S> The process is called "retrogradation", and it's reversed when the rice is reheated. <S> Now since medium-grain rices have more amylopectin in them, this never happens in the first place, which is why I use medium, and sometimes short-grain rices for all refrigerated-bound applications. <S> If you can't heat up the rice, have you tried making some sort of short-grain variety? <A> I would suggest simply putting it in the fridge in small containers, which are also airtight. <S> An airtight container means you're not losing moisture to the fridge. <S> A small container means that there is less free space to contain moisture from the rice, so it will lose less. <S> Unfortunately, there's nothing you can really do to prevent moisture loss, just minimize it. <S> Aside form that, you may find it useful to cook the rice with a little more water than usual. <S> I do this with wholegrain basmati <S> and it works well. <A> The best way to reheat brown rice from the fridge and for it not go hard or dry is to cover with 1 sheet of very wet kitchen roll (paper), tuck in the sides and zap for 2 mins.... <S> It really works I have been doing this for months now. <S> You can also do the same with pasta. <A> I would try freezing your rice instead. <S> She also recommends using short grain if you find that even freezing causes your rice to become hard and dry. <S> I usually just portion out the rice in serving sizes (say, with a measuring cup) onto a baking sheet and freeze it. <S> I then store the frozen rice in a plastic storage container. <S> I haven't had trouble with doing this to long grain brown rice. <S> It's usually eaten within a week. <A> I have never tried with long grain brown rice, but I have put basmati rice in the fridge many times. <S> I try to use the most air-tight container I can find, and not keep it for too many days. <S> To eat, I sprinkle a few drops of water on the rice and micro-wave it with the lid of the container on. <S> That helps to make it soft and fluffy again..
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Maki on Just Bento recommends pre-portioning it, wrapping it, and freezing it while it's still warm to retain moisture.
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What can I use instead of corn syrup? I saw the question about UK , but I don't think I can find treacle of any kind in Germany. I am looking for a substitute which will keep the physical qualities of the pie filling reasonably close to the original. I don't mind if the sweetness changes (in fact, I'd probably like it if it is less sweet than the original) and I don't mind introducing new aromas into the recipe. My first idea was to make a very light caramel, and eventually keep it sticky with a dash of lemon juice. Then I could probably try to solve sugar in maple syrup, which will also introduce a new flavor and also keep it sweet. Probably the closest thing to real corn syrup sold in the supermarket here is beet sugar syrup. But it isn't high on my list, because I probably won't use the rest up. I also plan to use walnuts instead of pecans, if it makes any difference (pecans are quite rare here too). The substitution shouldn't be too adventurous, I am baking this for guests (if I were alone and the filling got too thin or too thick to call it a pie, I'd still eat it as long as the taste is OK). <Q> I did a little research and found this page which has a modified sugar syrup recipe for a substitute. <S> In case the link breaks: Ingredients: <S> 2 cups sugar 3/4 cup water 1/4 tsp. <S> cream of tartar (spelling corrected by me) <S> dash of salt <S> Directions <S> : Combine all ingredients in a heavy, large pan. <S> Stir and bring to a boil. <S> Reduce heat to simmer and put a cover on for 3 minutes to get sugar crystals off the sides of the pan. <S> Uncover and cook until it reaches soft ball stage. <S> Stir often. <S> Cool syrup and store in a covered container at room temperature. <S> It will keep 2 months. <S> Yield: almost 2 cups. <S> For dark corn syrup add 1/4 cup molasses to the above recipe. <A> Well, it's basically a Pecan Pie, and there are tons of Pecan Pie recipes that don't include corn syrup . <S> The most common substitution is brown sugar: you can go roughly 1-to-1, but you'll need to increase the amount of butter, and you might as well just replace the white sugar with brown as well. <S> (so, in this case, 2 cups DARK brown sugar (packed), and 1/2 cup butter. <S> Not sure how the chocolate will react, but your recipe calls for dark syrup, so the taste shouldn't be a big factor. <A> If treacle would make a good substitute, what about molasses? <S> I think your idea of maple syrup would probably be delicious, so if you have that, it's what I'd try! <A> If you can find it, glucose syrup is an excellent substitute. <S> It's arguably healthier, preferred in confectionery work, about half as sweet as corn syrup, and a 1:1 substitute in most cases (except for the sweetness). <S> Here in the US, I have to order mine from Amazon, but it's worth a look in your local stores. <A> not sure if it would yield the same results, but i was going to suggest maybe sorghum syrup? <S> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorghum_syrup <S> it seems like something that predates the introduction of commercially-produced stuff like corn syrup. <S> it certainly would change the flavor, but maybe it would be for the better. : ) <A> The point of the corn syrup may be to help the sugar dissolve or stop it crystallizing, in which case you need a substitute that includes glucose or fructose rather than sucrose. <S> You can probably reduce the need for glucose or fructose by mixing the filling very thoroughly so that the sugar is all dissolved. <A> Though this is a quite old discussion, maybe someone researching might want to try this: There is a syrup made from sugar beets ("Zuckerrübensirup") which is very common as bread spread in Germany. <S> It's quite dark and thick: http://www.grafschafter.de/grafschafter-goldsaft <S> They also make a light version of it (not too common yet): <S> http://www.grafschafter.de/grafschafter-heller-sirup <S> There are other brands on the market, but this is the most common one in my area. <A> I asked my chef-instructor this question once when I took a cake baking class. <S> She replied that Agave nectar is a good one-to-one substitute. <A> Back then, I chickened out and made a reliable choco-banana cake for the guests. <S> But I still wanted to try the pie, and finally got around to making it, even getting real pecans for it. <S> I cooked the substitute to get an idea of the desired consistency, but I think it got way too dense. <S> Then I looked over all the sweeteners I had, and settled on a 1:1 mixture of beet sugar syrup and honey. <S> The syrup was there to make it dark and, well, syrupy, and <S> I hoped that the glucose in the honey will prevent sugar crystalization (it didn't do it perfectly, but it was OK) and that I'll get a denser consistency. <S> Now the pie is ready, after a night in the fridge. <S> The consistency is really good, firm, but not overly sticky. <S> It doesn't have <S> the soufle-foamy feel you sometimes get with egg-heavy pie filling, and this is a big advantage in my book. <S> But the taste would have been much better if it were less sweet. <S> Next time I think I'll skip all the sugar and use less of the honey-syrup mix. <S> Today, my co-workers will get some sweet pie.
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If you can't get corn syrup or golden syrup or glucose syrup then boiling a syrup made with sugar and an acid such as cream of tartar will convert some of the sucrose to fructose and glucose.
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How many milliliters is a "pinch?" I found a recipe in English that mentions a "pinch" of something. English is not my first language, and Google shows that "pinch" has many meanings. Do I have to pinch it with my fingers, or can i find a suitable amount of milliliters to use? <Q> <A> Usually if amounts are indicated in pinches it means that exactictude is not required, and you can follow, at least in part, individual taste. <S> If measurements are critical, like in the amount of gelatin you need for a certain texture, or certain amounts in patisserie, you will find indications in grams or ounces. <S> I wouldn't go crazy about finding a metric or imperial equivalent of the "pinch", also because the original recipe writer very likely did not mean it that way <S> - you would just be obsessive, not precise. <A> if you want to be technical about it, a pinch is 1/32 of a teaspoon, if that helps. <S> shrug <A> I found this table of conversions: Tad — <S> 1/8th teaspoon Dash — <S> 1/16th teaspoon (or less than 1/8th teaspoon) <S> Pinch — <S> 1/16th teaspoon (or 1/24th teaspoon)Smidgen <S> (smidge, for short) — <S> 1/32nd teaspoon (or 1/48th teaspoon) <S> Drop — <S> 1/60th teaspoon (or 1/80th teaspoon or 1/120th teaspoon) <S> Hint — a trace at http://www.ochef.com/74.htm
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A 'pinch' is the amount of powder/whatever that can be trapped between one's thumb and fore finger.
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Why does salt taste different in different dishes? If I salt tomato, potato and pasta, their tastes change in completely different ways to me. Why is this? Had I put oregano on them, they'd all taste like oregano. Update : The question is not "is it so?" but " why is it so?" <Q> Two properties of salt that oregano doesn't have: water solubility : you drop salt in water, you put it on chicken, you put it in tomato sauce. <S> Most or all of it ends up dissolving, making it easier to mix. <S> osmosis : related to above. <S> Sprinkle some salt on raw meat. <S> Come back in 5 minutes and you'll see beads of liquid on the meat, almost like it was sweating. <S> That's a combination of salt dissolving into the liquid on the surface of the meat, and osmosis pulling less salty water out of the cells of the meat to balance the salty water on the surface. <S> In 10 minutes, some of that liquid will have disappeared. <S> Part of this might be due to evaporation, but part of this is due to the liquid pulling salt into the cells, which changes the equilibrium and allows for the cells to draw liquid back in (principle behind brining meats). <S> Salt has a natural way of penetrating organic matter that oregano and many other seasonings don't. <S> There are other mechanisms at play too--salty foods can make you salivate, which may make something feel "juicier" in your mouth. <S> I'd highly recommend <S> the Good Eats episode on salt as a start. <A> Salt has a neat ability to bring out and enhance flavours in other foods. <S> If the food tastes "salty", you're probably adding too much. <S> If you use something like Kosher salt, you don't actually need to use very much to add the flavor. <S> Here's a decent article on it . <S> Alton Brown talks about it in many different episodes . <A> Salt is completely water soluble, unlike only trace amount of what is in oregano. <S> That being the case, it will completely saturate anything that is wet, therefore it can completely consume and pair with every bite, whereas oregano remains in chunks and can be distinctly tasted alone. <A> Different salts also give different flavors, depending of the minerality in them. <A> Oregano actually does not relevantly TASTE of anything, apart from a negligible bitterness (you would notice it if you tried eating a can of dried oregano straight :) ). <S> It works on the aroma level of things. <S> Also, as with most aromatic ingredients, the aroma can change in character and potency when heat is applied or other chemical reactions during cooking. <S> Clean salt is not involved in aroma at all, but in the balance of the six basic tastes (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami, fat). <S> There is a paradox regarding your impression: Aromas tend to actually change when heat or other cooking methods are applied (by evaporation, solution, chemical changes), while salt stays salt (either as a solid crystal or as Na and Cl ions) throughout any preparation process that still leaves you with an edible result. <S> However, unlike aromas, basic tastes emphasize and/or cancel each other depending on their balance.
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This is because salt is a natural flavor enhancer, which basically brings out the flavor of whatever you are putting it in.
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What is the best way to re-serve day old meat balls? I've noticed that meatballs are one type of food that often tastes much better the next day. So whenever I make meatballs, I make lots of extras and put them in my fridge to allow the flavors to "develop". However, when I warm the meatballs up in the microwave they sometimes get dry or have slightly tough and rubbery spots -- especially on outside edges. What is the best technique to re-warm / re-serve meatballs that you have made the previous day (or a couple days prior) so they stay moist and delicious? <Q> My preferred method by far would be heating them in a pot along with some kind of sauce. <S> Failing that, I think I might try putting them in a tightly covered pot in the oven along with just a little water ( <S> just a tablespoon or so)--that would gently heat them and also keep them moist. <A> Carefully move them around so they get warmed up evenly and do not lose shape. <S> You can achieve similar results by putting all together in the microwave for half the time, then toss them around, and put them in for the rest of the time. <A> Microwave method- <S> Use a defrost setting like #2 instead of #10 full power, every microwave is different, I also reheat steak and Prime rib this way and it is excellent, be patient and it will turn out nicely. <S> P.s I am in the Restaurant biz.. <S> Stove Top- Reheat in the sauce if you have it on low, if not reheat in a light beef bouillon water on low or about 140 degrees. <S> Oven- <S> place into oven on sheet pan with a splash of water cover with saran wrap, <S> heat at 225 degrees for 25 minutes or so.
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If you can, instead of using the microwave put them in the pot with the sauce that you made and add a bit of extra water.
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What icing will stay stiff (even in tropical heat) after the cake has been decorated? I live in the tropics and every icing that I've used melts on the cake if it is not refrigerated. Is there any icing at all that will stay stiff once I ice the cake with it? I would like to be able to pipe borders, etc without the icing just melting off the cake. Traditional butter-cream and royal icings just don't work. <Q> The ingredients that make icing creamy and give it the bulk for piped decorations, tend to be items that will go softer in heat (butter, shortening, egg whites, whipped cream). <S> A glaze might set up if you made it sufficiently thick, but it wouldn't allow you to do anything like pipe borders. <S> While I know it's not really a solution to what you want, your best options are probably to decorate with non-icing items like fruit or candy. <S> and I think would probably hold its shape better under heat. <A> This is just a guess but how well would fondant work in the heat? <S> It may hold up better than traditional icing. <S> It could still melt probably but may last longer before melting. <A> You can use a creme, or icing custard. <S> A chocolate one: 2 cups milk <S> 4 yolks 1/2 cup sugar (feel free to reduce, I do) <S> 20g cornflour 1/3 cup plain flour 250g coverture chocolate <S> (but I use dark cooking chocolate) <S> Bring milk to the boil over a med heat. <S> Beat yolks and sugar until pale and think. <S> Sift in the cornflour and flour and combine. <S> Add 1/3 of the boiling milk whisking until the mixture is smooth. <S> Pour into remaining milk and cook over low heat. <S> Continue whisking, until the custard starts to thicken. <S> When custard comes to the boil, remove from heat and stir in the chocolate. <S> Beat for 10 mintues or until mixture is at room temperature and is thick & shiny. <S> Frankly I usually just wait for thick and shiny. <S> It is possible to do by hand, but a mixer is much easy. <S> This recipe is originally from "My Vue" by Shannon Bennett. <S> It's used to decorate a chocolate sponge. <S> http://www.amazon.com/My-Vue-Modern-French-Cookery/dp/0731813219
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Probably the closest imitation would be to try using marzipan, which can be molded and coloured
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Why add salt to potato water? I add salt to pasta water in order to reduce the stickiness caused by starch. However, I've never seen potatoes stick together. Why add salt? <Q> which is why adding chunks of potato to an overall salty stew will lessen the apparent saltiness of the dish. <S> But salt does other things. <S> When I am making roasted potatoes, I parboil them for 5 minutes before drying and roasting them in oil. <S> if you divide them into two batches and boil one half in unsalted water and the other half in well salted water (1tbsp/2 quarts water), the salted potatoes will brown and crisp <S> much better than the unsalted ones. <S> I'm not sure why this is, but I would encourage you to try it because it's amazing to see. <A> To add flavor. <S> Add some butter and cream afterwards when mashing- <S> delicious <A> First, as a physicist I would argue that: -salt RISES the boiling point of water. <S> Every student knows that. <S> -by osmosis, being the water salty results in a lower content of water in the potato. <S> That is, the potato absorbs LESS water while cooking (there are some videos in YouTube showing this fact.) <S> With less content of water, potatoes become crispier after roasting. <A> If you reduce the amount of water you use and increase the amount of salt, the result will be salt crusted potatoes , with added flavor and sweetness. <A> Pasta absorbs boiling water as it cooks, so the salted water actually seasons it. <S> But whole unskinned potatoes absorb little if any water when they cook/boil, so they do not get seasoned. <S> Although I have no data, I suspect that neither the small increase in boiling temperature nor the tiny bit of osmosis resulting from salting the water would be of much consequence. <S> However, cut and/or peeled potatoes might indeed be seasoned somewhat, depending on how much cooking water they absorb.
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Salting the water in which you cook starches (pasta, rice, potato) is an effective way of enhancing the flavour of the finished product - boiling starches absorb salt well (
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Why put pepper on a dish before cooking? (Almost?) every good recipe for searing/grilling steaks advises to season the steak with salt and pepper before cooking it. However, I’m reasonably sure that pepper is extremely sensitive to heat and quickly loses all its flavour. Other recipes also advise using pepper before the cooking process but with other dishes I’m confident enough to ignore this hint and invariably apply pepper after cooking (or in the last stage). When it comes to steaks I’m trying to follow every good hint I can find. But this has always bothered me: What is the purpose of seasoning steaks with pepper before cooking? <Q> According to wikipedia , the melting point of piperine - the compound responsible for the pungency of black pepper - is 130 degrees celsius, so it's definitely not a given that anything you'll be cooking will heat all of the piperine above 130 degrees celsius - at which point <S> you'd begin to get significantly faster decomposition (and lose the peppery flavor). <S> Now, the maillard reaction doesn't occur until around 155 celsius, so for cooking steak <S> it's pretty much a given that the outside of the steak (including all of the pepper on the surface) will get hot enough to melt and begin to decompose, so it's certainly possible that you'd lose much of the pepper flavor from the actual peppercorns. <S> So the two questions are, how much is actually lost? <S> and where does it all go? <S> Most recipes that call for crusting cooked meat with black pepper call for a coarse grind. <S> One good reason for this is that by minimizing surface area, you are not allowing the piperine to heat up and decompose as quickly, so depending on how coarse your pepper is, and how hot you sear your steaks, you may have a not-insignificant amount of piperine left in your pepper. <S> I haven't found a good source for how fast piperine breaks down at various temperatures so you'd have to test this a bit to see how much of the flavor you could expect to lose. <S> Probably more important is the "where does it all go? <S> " part of this question. <S> For this you have to consider that even though the ultimate tempurature of the pepper is far above its melting point, during cooking it has heated up slowly, not instantly, leaving a good portion of time where the piperine was melting <S> but before it was hot enough to decompose very quickly. <S> During this phase, piperine can escape from the peppercorn, while still intact (not decomposed) and migrate through the steak (or other dish). <S> While cooking a steak, piperine should migrate far enough into the steak that it does not ultimately reach a temperature where it decomposes. <S> This will cause that portion of the steak to be flavored with piperine. <S> So, the benefit of heating the pepper is specifically so that it will melt and migrate into the dish (i.e. meld with the foods), something that you don't get by sprinkling it on the top afterwards. <A> Try it for yourself: <S> next time you're cooking steak, pepper one before and one after, but cook both identically. <S> Taste the difference. <A> Heating pepper creates bitterness, particularly if ground. <S> Though I think it depends what you're cooking with the pepper and how pepper is added, and when. <S> Julia Child very often adds pepper near the end of a cooking cycle and that's French training - <S> so is adding whole (unbroken) pepper corns to braises and stews. <S> A third point is you've got to experiment and develop technique with all ingredients. <S> Just thinking about these things a bit and practicing will give better control. <S> I do think herbs and spices need to be in best possible condition to keep their flavorful oils, so I avoid stale/old pepper and definitely grind it myself rather than use pre-ground. <S> I regularly buy organic dry spices bulk, in small amounts to last half a year or less.
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It provides a greater depth of flavour, as the pepper is cooked in to the steak instead of added at the end; the flavour melds into the meat, rather than the assertive flavour of fresh cracked black pepper.
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Anise Seed vs. Fennel Seed with Taste as No.1 factor I've noticed that in some recipes Anise seeds can be used interchangeably with Fennel seeds. I understand their taxonomical differences but in regards to taste, can they be used interchangeably without any big difference in taste? For example, I've found a lasagne recipe which calls for fennel seeds. I do not have any but I do have Anise seeds (not star anise). Could I use the Anise seeds in the recipe without much noticeable difference? <Q> I thought this was an interesting question, so I went into the kitchen and had a comparative chew. <S> Anise Seed (or aniseed where I come from) is smaller, darker and gives a more immediate anise hit, but it fades quickly. <S> Fennel seed is two or three times larger and paler. <S> When you chew it, there's little flavour at first, but then a wash of anise flavour comes in. <S> I think fennel tastes a bit softer, smoother, "greener" and more rounded. <S> If I had to substitute anise for fennel, I'd probably use a third or even a quarter of the original quantity. <S> Although you might just want to leave it out. <S> I agree with bikeboy - the great joy of fennel in Italian food is biting on fennel seed and getting that green-spicy hit in a meat dish <S> (oh! I have a pasta dish with sweet Italian sausage, tomato, cream and fennel that is to die for ). <S> I don't think you'd get the same effect with anise. <A> I found a bread recipe that called for fennel seeds, but I only had anise seeds available. <S> I used the anise seeds and the bread came out quite well, with a nice smell and taste of anise, but not over powering. <S> I do not know what the bread would be like with fennel seeds. <A> I would not say that those two are directly interchangeable. <S> While their flavors/aromas might remind you one of another when tasted separately, are really pretty different when compared directly. <S> You could try it, but I would not do a 1-to-1 substitution, and I would really expect a very different result than if you just used fennel seed. <S> Maybe I'm wrong here, but that's my $.02 <A> Fennel has more of an earthly taste and smell than anise seed. <S> Anise seed is more sweet and herbal smelling and tasting. <A> While they don't taste exactly the same, I would use the anise seed before I'd drive to the store to get fennel seed, unless it was a major component of the dish, which I imagine is unlikely in an italian recipe.
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Fennel seed is milder, sweeter and less astringent compared to anise seed, in my experience, so you'd have to adjust for potency and while biting into a fennel seed can be "exciting" biting into an anise seed would be much more so.
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Nutritional information on fruits and veggies I've been looking online for an extensive database of nutritional information on various fruits and vegetables. I've been advised by my doctor to start eating healthier and I'd just like to know the calories, vitamins and minerals that each type of fruit and vegetable have. I'd like to use the chart in making more salads, vegetable and fruit side dishes and the like ... I just need to know what's good to use and what type of vegetable and fruit provides what type of nutrition. I've tried searching on google but my google-fu appears to be missing the mark this time, most of the stuff I've found only lists a few fruits and veggies or has little information for each item. I'd like a comprehensive list so I can change things up as I cook and not get stuck in the same ol rut (an apple a day is good and all but gets boring after a while). <Q> My first-line reference is: http://nutritiondata.self.com/ <A> You can find quite an extensive list in some cookbooks. <S> Vegetables with a lot of water (cucumber, lettuce...) are very low in calories. <S> Here is some info on fruit, and here some more. <S> I think you can eat all veggies you want, as much as you like. <S> If you are on a diet, I wouldn't eat bananas and nuts. <S> This is a list with food which is low in calories. <S> Keep in mind that bread is 'better' than pasta or potatoes. <A> I'd like to offer a slightly Zen answer. <S> The best thing to do is not to count nutrients in your food, trying to reach some "correct" number. <S> The trick is simply to eat more food that is home-made or fresh, and less processed food. <S> Particularly, go for leafy greens, fun fruit and whole grains. <S> There is little benefit in worrying whether you're getting enough molybdenum or not. <S> This doesn't mean that you shouldn't be aware and interested in the nutritional values of different foodstuffs, just don't take it too seriously. <A> You can also try the accumulated data on http://dailyburn.com/ . <S> There you can also keep track of your daily intake. <A> From a quick google search I've found <S> this one that could suit your needs. <A> You could try http://caloriecount.about.com . <S> I used it for ages and it does a lot more than count calories. <S> You can search for food nutrition, log food you eat, set targets and it can analyse what you ate. <S> Their analysis tells you which nutirants you are eatting a lot of and which are missing from your diet. <S> It will even let you click on a nutirent on your report, say potassium (which I apparently don't get enough of) and will give a list of things you could eat to do better <A> Wolfram Alpha has quite a lot of nutritional data and can create mock nutritional labels. <S> I used the default quantities. <S> You can set them for each ingredient. <S> The photograph from Wikipedia obviously has more of everything.
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In addition to online resources, there are many softwares (diet planners, calories counters, even some recipe managers) that could help you finding nutritional information and tracking your calories intake. In general, there are more calories in fruits than in vegetables.
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What is the best way to open a tightly fitted lid of a jar? Help! I need to get a jar of pasta sauce open but can't seem to budge it. I've tried using a dishtowel, and running it under hot water, but the lid is still stuck. What else can I do to open this jar? <Q> Go around the edges, tapping the rim with the handle of a butter knife ( leaving little dents ). <S> That should allow you to twist it off. <A> In future, if you're using a jar that you'll be emptying (like pasta sauce), the quickest way to open them is take a sharp, sturdy, pointed knife (or even a screwdriver), brace the jar well in a cloth, then carefully <S> make a hole in the top of the lid (just place the point on it and give it a tap or two on the end of the handle). <S> This breaks the seal of the jar, which is what makes it hard to open. <A> Ok - finally got it open! <S> Not sure if it was the combination of running under hot water + the glove, or if the glove would've worked on it's own, but it's open now :) <A> One thing that has worked for me is to slide a flat (butter) knife along the glass under the edge of the lid. <S> Turn slightly to break the seal. <S> Warning -- if your knife isn't strong, it will twist the blade. <S> You'll know if you got it, since you'll be able to hear the seal breaking <A> My favorite jar opener: <S> The Brix JarKey <S> You just need a gentle lift to let a little air in <S> and then you can remove the top bare-handed. <S> The lid is not damaged (unless you use more force than necessary). <S> In a pinch, you can use channel-lock pliers to do the same thing. <S> Hold the pliers "upside-down" so the longer jaw is under the edge of the jar lid and the other jaw is against the top and gently lift. <S> A little air leaks in just as with the JarKey <S> and then you easily open the jar by hand. <A> You need to depressurize it. <S> It is very easy to do to simply take the pointed edge of a fork and jab <S> the top of the container (the tin lid). <S> Any small puncture made will work, once done the lid will open normally without any strenuous force. <S> This method will work in the case where traction cannot force the lid open. <A> Either (1) Tap around the lid with a hammer/meat pounder or <S> (2) Grab the lid with a rubber glove and twist. <A> I've had success with 2 methods .. <S> 1 <S> : Tap the lid on the edge of a worktop, working all the way round.2: <S> Either hold the top of the jar under running hot water or stand jar upside down in a bowl of hot water for a couple of minutes. <S> (failing that I shout for son or husband!!). <A> I use a pipe wrench -- plenty of leverage for opening even the toughest jars. <A> Other suggestions would be: Turning the jar upside down, and using the palm of your hand to thwak the bottom a few times. <S> Using a rubber band instead of a rubber glove, if you don't have one available. <A> <A> The OXO Good Grips Jar Opener works well for me. <S> I have arthritis in my thumbs of all places. <A> use a butter knife and stick it in between the side of the lid and the jar. <S> Pry it away from the jar a bit, and this should let air inside, making it incredibly easy to open (since there's no vacuum anymore) <A> Sometimes the vacuum in the jar causes a lot of friction between the lid and the jar. <A> For a few years I have used a Culinare One Touch Jar Opener . <S> I bought one for my grandmother who was too weak to open jars herself and she loved it, and as I have a touch of RSI, thought I would get one for myself, it can open pretty much any straight sided jar - tad noisy, but very effective! <S> (Amazon)
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Holding the jar upside down and banging a few times on the bottom with your palm can get some air inside and free the lid. While googling, I came across a suggestion to cover the lid with a plastic glove and use that for traction. Put a rubber band around the lid of the jar, grip firmly, and twist.
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Why don't my cookies flatten? I have baked Betty Crocker's Giant Honey and Oat Cookies three or four times now, and every time, my cookies do not spread out, I just get thick cookies. Is there something I am doing wrong? As far as I can tell, I am following the recipe exactly. Does it have something to do with my oven? With my technique? <Q> From looking at that recipe, those cookies look like they are designed to not spread out. <S> Why do I say that? <S> There is a lot of structure in the beginning - the egg whites and butter are beaten together with the sugar and honey for a strong structure made by a hybrid of the creaming method (beating butter with sugar) and the foaming method (beating eggs with sugar) used in cake baking. <S> There are no egg yolks, and the fat content isn't that high. <S> Fat helps cookies spread. <S> So I'd say your cookies are quite possibly doing what they are intended to do. <S> You can learn a lot about cookie texture through the questions and answers on this site. <S> This answer links to a Good Eats episode that talks about three different kinds of chocolate chip cookies, including a soft and thick one. <S> The question that sparked the above answer has two answers referencing a Cooks Illustrated recipe, their Thick and Chewy cookie. <S> To get a thick and chewy cookie they melt the butter, add an extra egg yolk, and up the sugar. <S> A softer, cakier cookie is made by using the creaming method (creaming about 70 degree F butter and sugar). <S> This answer points you to Michael Ruhlmann's book Ratio , which in the ratio for cookies discusses the varying effects of sugar and fat on your cookies <S> This question talks about what makes cookies hold their shape versus spread. <S> One answer suggests the book <S> Bakewise for a comprehensive discussion of gluten content, fat, etc. <S> and how they work in making baked goods. <S> This answer about how to make cookies without creaming them <S> describes cookies made with melted butter as "pancake cookies" that spread everywhere As a note, remember that there is also a difference between the temperature your butter is when you make the cookies (especially if you are trying the creaming method versus using melted butter) and the temperature it is at when you cook them. <A> There are a few things I can think of. <S> The first is, are you sure your oven is at the right temperature? <S> Although your oven may beep that it's preheated, without checking it with an oven or infrared thermometer you can't be sure that it's actually at the temperature you need - and even if it is at that temperature where the sensor is, it might not be the same temperature elsewhere in the oven. <S> Try moving the rack you're using one or two levels closer to or further from the element and see if it makes a difference (further will probably be better if you're trying to increase spread). <S> My oven has a 50-75°F range from the top rack to the bottom - a major difference when it comes to baking! <S> Understanding my oven's temperature range changed my baking outcomes significantly. <S> Second, are you letting the dough come to room temperature before baking? <S> I've found that the colder my dough, the less spread I get. <S> On Betty Crocker's site, there is an FAQ and under "Why don't my cookies spread", they recommend using an aluminum sheet - the darker the cookie sheet, apparently, the less spread you will get. <S> I haven't tested this personally, but I trust the source :) <S> I get good spread on my silpat baking sheets, for what it's worth. <S> The only other thing I can think of is your butter, is it truly softened, or is it a hard block, or is it melted? <S> I'm not an experienced enough baker to explain the science behind the differences as they relate to baking, but I do know that those three options will produce significantly different results. <S> I believe that if your butter is too cold, they won't spread as much as they could - but hopefully someone can chime in and confirm or deny that. <S> Oh, and I asked a friend of mine who's a baker - she said that it's possible that your baking soda is old, and that could cause it, but I don't know from first hand experience if that's possible or not. <S> I trust her judgment though, as she's my go-to with baking questions <S> and she's never led me astray. <A> There are three possible explanations: You preheat your oven too hot <S> (I don't think this is the case here). <S> You use too many dough for one cookie <S> (I suggest you use a little less, and try to 'press' it, if the dough doesn't spread out by itself, you have to do it. <S> Something else <S> (I have no idea) <A> If you are lining your baking tray with parchment paper, try to omit the parchment paper. <S> Grease your baking tray instead as presence of fat will encourage spreading. <S> Happy trying!
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What you want to do is learn how the various components of your cookie affect its texture - the amount of fat (butter and eggs), the amount of sugar, the method you use to create it, and the temperature all affect your cookies.
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Does active dry yeast really need proofing? Several sources (e.g., The Bread Baker's Apprentice , The Fresh Loaf's Yeast FAQ , and even On Food and Cooking ) tell me that active dry yeast must be reactivated by proofing in warm water, or the bread won't rise adequately. My bread machine manual says to keep it dry, so I have. I've kneaded it into breads I've made by hand, once again dry. I've mixed it with the dry ingredients in a stand mixer, before adding water. None of these fail to rise adequately, or noticeably less than when I proof it. (I'm using Red Star Active Dry Yeast) I'm wondering, am I missing something? Why does something that according to almost anywhere I look is not supposed to work seem to work just fine? The only clue I've got is that On Food and Cooking warns that "at cooler soaking temperatures, the yeast cells recover poorly and release substances that interfere with gluten formation (glutathione)." edit: To clarify: yes, it's active dry yeast; "Red Star Active Dry Yeast" in particular. Yes, the bread machine manual says active dry yeast, not instant, and has different instructions for rapid rise. <Q> No, it isn't actually necessary. <S> I've been using Active Dry Yeast for years and hardly ever bother with proofing it. <S> Proofing shows that the yeast is actually alive. <S> If you have any doubt about it, proof it as the first thing that you do, before mixing up the other ingredients (and especially before putting liquid in). <S> If it fails then you didn't waste materials. <A> Your bread machine manual is probably telling you to use instant yeast and not active dry yeast if you are not to hydrate it first. <S> Instant yeast (which is my favorite) can be added directly whereas active dry yeast has to be rehydrated first -preferably with warm water. <A> Yes,active dry yeast need to be reactivated. <S> Instant dry yeast don't need it. <S> Active dry yeast must be reactivated by proofing in warm water, or the bread won't rise adequately. <A> Late to the party <S> but, YOU DO NOT need to “prove” (as it was called way back when) yeast BEFORE using it UNLESS you are unsure of it. <S> If it is old and you can’t remember how long you have had it <S> then you need “PROOF” that it will work. <S> You don’t want to waste all of your ingredients by using something that is dead and won’t cause your dough to rise so, if you’re using a typical 1/4-ounce packet of yeast, just follow the directions on the back: dissolve the contents of the packet in 1/4 cup warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar. <S> After 10 minutes, the mixture should be bubbly. <S> Once you’ve “proved” the yeast is still alive, go ahead and add it to your recipe – reducing the water in the recipe by 1/4 cup.Source: the chef who taught me in culinary school. <A> I have been successfully making 1-2 loaves a week using a low-end ToastMaster bread machine for 11 years. <S> Their manual says: * <S> "For all programs except FAST BAKE™ we used RED STAR® <S> Active Dry Yeast when we developed the bread recipes. <S> However, RED STAR <S> ® QUICK•RISETM <S> Yeast may also be used. <S> We found that we did not have to vary the amount used when we substituted one for the other. <S> When using bread machine yeast, follow the package instructions." <S> * <S> I use Red Star Active Dry Yeast that I keep in a jar in my fridge. <S> I do not "reactivate" it and get nice tall and tasty loaves. <S> I just replenished that jar with yeast from a 3 year old package of Red Star Active Dry Yeast that has been double sealed in plastic stored in my freezer, and it came out fine. <S> Hope this helps.
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The yeast activates just fine with the moisture in the bread.
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What is a good vegetarian source of umami flavour? I'm looking for a source of the umami flavour to add to various dishes. However, since I became vegetarian I can't think of a good source for the flavour. I used to use Worcestershire sauce, or Nam Pla (fish sauce). I can't think of a vegetarian source of the flavour in the same vein though. I've tried soy sauce, and it does work, but it imparts too much saltiness to the dish. <Q> The Umami information Center has a list of Umami-rich foods along with natural concentrations of glutamate. <S> I've copied some of their list below (included some meats for comparison) in case the link disappears (concentration number is mg glutamate/100g food). <S> There's also some information at the above link about how to prepare the foods to maximize the umami taste. <S> Food/Concentration: <S> Beef/107 <S> Tuna/188 <S> Nori/1378 (not a typo) <S> Tomatoes/246 (the riper the better) Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms/71 <S> Dried Shiitake <S> Mushrooms/150 Enoki Mushrooms/22 <S> Soy Beans/66 <S> Potatoes/102 <S> Sweet Potatoes/60 <S> Chinese Cabbage/100 <S> Carrots/33 <A> You don't specify that you're looking for a natural source, so consider that Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is basically nothing but a concentrated dose of umami (which is defined by a relatively high level of L-Glutamates). <S> It's not too difficult to find, especially if there's a bulk food store near you. <S> You can also find it marketed as Accent seasoning (MSG is the predominant ingredient). <A> I tend to add MSG if food is just for me, as many people complain about it as an additive despite it's ubiquitousness in nature. <S> In certain dishes, just adding a small chunk of parmesan to the mixture works very well. <S> I sometimes use "Mushroom Ketchup" for this purpose, as that is quite a powerful savoury enhancer. <A> I use dried shitake mushrooms to make a dashi and it works really well, miso also will help impart those flavors. <A> parmesan cheese is, i believe, the highest concentration of umami in the food world. <S> marmite may be the second highest. <S> using Glutamate powder (MSG) seems easy, too. <S> not sure how high they rate, but liquid aminos have naturally-occurring glutamates, too, and you can generally find a bottle of that in any health food store or health food section with supplements. <A> I often use dried forrest mushrooms for this purpose. <S> I soak them and then use both the mushrooms and the soaking liquid. <S> Other good vegan umami sources are nutritional yeast flakes and tomato paste. <A> Nutritional yeast is a family favorite. <S> Also, porcini/shiitake mushrooms are excellent. <S> Use the one most appropriate to the dish. <A> I've made a great savory salad dressing with tahini, tamari or soy sauce, and some olive oil. <S> Mix ratios to your optimal consistency. <S> The addition of tahini and olive oil helps cut down on the raw saltiness of the tamari/soy.
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The suggestions to use MSG, Marmite (any strong yeast extract) and Parmesan are all very good.
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Is there a difference between Kansas City strip and New York strip? Wikipedia gives the impression that Kansas City strip refers to the same cut as New York strip. Are they really the same cuts? If so, which name is more "authentic"? And if not, what's the difference between them? <Q> Apparently restaurants in New York City in the 1930's decided they couldn't sell a fancy steak named after Kansas City (where the stockyards and slaughterhouses were located). <S> So, they just started calling it a New York Strip. <S> If you want a steak renamed by a egotistical chef, order the New York Strip. <S> If you want a steak named for the cut of beef originally selected by butchers working next to the stockyards, order the Kansas City Strip. <A> Wikipedia is correct about two things: Both the Kansas City strip and New York strip are literally the same thing as a "strip steak"; The particular cut of meat used is the short loin , and does not have any tenderloin. <S> However, sources do not tend to agree on whether or not the strip steak includes a bone. <S> For example: Gourmet Sleuth's Guide to Beef Cuts says that a strip steak can be either bone-in or boneless, but that a NY strip (or KC strip) is boneless. <S> It also calls out the "shell steak" as being bone-in. <S> On the other hand, the Cook's Thesaurus singles out the shell steak as being the boneless version (implying that NY strip and KC strip are bone-in). <S> Most sources will equate the strip steak to a club steak (as Wikipedia does), but some sources use the term to refer to boneless cuts, whereas others will explicitly call this a "boneless club steak" or "hotel-style steak". <S> You also have to be really careful with what Wikipedia considers to be the "international" name - club steak - because it is used interchangeably with the Delmonico Steak (which refers to at least 3 different cuts), and according to some, the label "club steak" may even get slapped on a rib steak . <S> The best way to think about this is probably the following: <S> The terms New York strip , Kansas City strip , or strip steak can all be applied to any cut of meat that is solely from the short loin, bone-in or boneless; however, you are likely to notice subtle differences from one butcher or steakhouse to the next, regardless of the specific name used, due to inconsistent interpretations. <A> I live in Kansas City. <S> I am a professional caterer, BBQ judge and food consultant. <S> There is ZERO difference. <S> They are exactly the same cut of meat. <S> A steak cut from the short loin. <S> They were universally called "Kansas City strips" until Delmonico's restaurant in NYC decided some time in the 30's to call it a "New York strip" on their menu. <S> That is all there is to the story. <A> According to the USDA , these names are branding only. <S> The USDA defines steaks of the loin with a few names. <S> Legally, either steak can be from any of the final four of these, but traditionally, both are from the final two. <S> Loin, Porterhouse Steak <S> Loin, T-Bone Steak <S> Loin, Strip Loin Steak, Bone- <S> In Loin, Strip Loin Steak, Center Cut, Bone-In <S> Loin, Strip Loin Steak, Boneless Loin, Strip Loin Steak, Center-Cut, Boneless <S> It is futile to try and define a difference between the two steaks when every retailer and restaurant is free to choose from any of four cuts for either steak. <A> I agree with "user19435" who referenced their great grandfather butcher: <S> A Kansas City Strip Steak has a small portion of the bone (top corner of the "T") still attached as well as a thin strip of fat. <S> The New York Strip steak is completely trimmed off the bone and doesn't have the tail fat. <S> Otherwise they are same "strip" of short loin. <S> This is much more consistently the case at an actual butcher counter. <S> In most supermarkets (ie Walmart, IGA, Costco) almost everything is trimmed and packaged without the bone. <A> My understanding of the difference has to do with the shipping weight. <S> Shipping via rail cars back in the early 1900's and "iceing" down the beef from the midwest was cheaper by removing the bone.. <S> hence the New York strip. <S> Locally in the midwest, they left the bone in and referred to it as the Kansas City strip. <A> I actually worked in Oklahoma in a restaurant as a cook and the difference is nothing. <S> The two cuts are the same. <A> Same exact cut of meat. <S> I used to work in a meat market. <S> There is zero difference, <S> other than New Yorkers thinking it's "their" steak, when the specific cut originated in Kansas City. <A> I am from Kansas. <S> I lived in San Diego for about twenty years and out there <S> it seemed like the meat cutters called the bone in version a New York, and the boneless version a K.C. <S> Definitely the same cut of beef though. <S> Living back in K.S now <S> , I know crazy, my wife came home with cuts that were labeled bone in K.C. strips. <S> I said thats a New York not a K.C. <A> It is fairly easy to find a New York strip steak in Kansas with all the chain eateries there, though difficult to find in the single or multiple local restraunts. <S> It is quite difficult to find a KC strip steak away from the Kansas area. <S> Did find a place in Long Beach, Washington serving KC strip steaks a while back though. <S> Both steaks are exactly the same cut of beef. <S> Cheers <A> In OK, If you buy it at WalMartit's a NY, if you buy it at the IGA <S> it's a KC. <S> Identical - never seen one on the bone.
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The Kansas City Strip and the New York Strip refer to the same cut of meat.
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Using seltzer to help a marinade I saw the host on a cooking show claim that using seltzer in a marinade will help the flavors better penetrate meat via the carbonation. Is there any truth to this, and how would it actually work? e.g. would the bubbles carry bits of flavor material, or somehow open "pores" in the meat...? <Q> I would strongly doubt that the bubbles themselves would have any mechanical effect on flavor. <S> However, seltzer or soda water has a acidic pH, usually between tomato and orange juice. <S> This could account for any tenderizing action. <S> The addition of salts to some seltzers might also account for apparent changes in flavor. <A> I have not seen a recipe that contains seltzer , but I would imagine that it is the same reaction that MSG has in Asian cooking, where restaurants can use cheap cuts and tenderizes the meat before cooking. <S> Most MSG is banned in restaurants now. <S> I myself have used coca cola in marinades in meats like ribs and pork belly as the acids does the same thing to the meat tendons as well as giving sweetness to the meat. <A> I use sparkling waters when I brine. <S> It looks like it has a PH level of between 3 and 4 <S> so it is acidic. <S> I still add salt (which bubbles when added) and lemon juice for added acid. <S> One thing that may be a contributing factor is those bubbles. <S> Well not the bubbles themselves but the escaping gas. <S> If the container being used is sealed you are increasing the pressure inside of that container which should assist in penetration. <S> I use ziplock bags <S> so the aid can't be all that much but the results are always a very juicy piece of meat. <S> Or fish as I am doing right now <S> (a good portion of dill is sitting in there too). <A> Was in Missoula Montana at local hospital and my spouse got talking with local Native American Indian about hunting and cooking. <S> especially legs of wild turkey which there is no other way to soften. <S> (According to her) ......she had to be at least 70yrs and had no teeth.... <S> so I image the meat did become soft as that would be the only way she could eat it.
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She said after cooking wild turkey she submerged in ginger ale/ seltzer mix for 3 days and it makes meat very tender & soft......
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Ball Canning Jars: Use them over and over? A simple question: Can I seal and reseal Ball canning jars over and over? How long before the seal gets busted usually? Also, how do you clean the rubber seal ring without damaging it? <Q> Sure you can use the jars over and over, but the lids should never be reused. <S> That rubber seal is damaged the first time you use it. <S> They are designed to soften during the canning process in order to form an air-tight seal. <S> They may not form that seal upon reuse. <S> You should always use new lids when canning. <A> I have reused the lids for years. <S> They work fine and have never ever created a problem. <A> If you've had enough failures to know what a damaged rubber seal looks like on a lid, the sense to toss lids that have been corroded by food acids, and the ability to notice compromising dents and bends in lids, then you can reuse some of your lids. <S> I've been canning for 20+ years, and I think I get about 3 or 4 uses out of a typical lid before it goes in the trash.
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If you're new to canning, it's best to throw the lids away after one use.
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Is low sodium salt really effective? In Israel, there are some low-sodium salt substitute, which brag to have "60% less sodium than regular salt". I suspect that there's a catch. I strongly suspect that indeed they contain 60% less sodium than the regular salt, however, you need to add 60% (or 50%, but a larger amount) more of the salt-subtitute to get the same taste. Is that true? Did anyone else think about that? <Q> I'd say that's not strictly true,mostly because no salt substitute I've ever seen can get the same taste anyway. <S> "Real" salt is sodium chloride (and maybe iodine, or minor impurities if it's sea salt). <S> Most salt substitutes are partly or mostly potassium chloride. <S> This is technically a salt (chemically speaking) and does have a similar salty taste, but it doesn't taste quite like sodium chloride, and can be bitter or metallic-tasting. <S> Some salt substitutes add herbs or other things to help make the potassium chloride more palatable. <S> Sounds like your has some "regular" salt as well, if it's got a significant sodium content. <S> So while you are right that there's likely a "catch," it's more likely to be that your salt substitute will never taste quite right, or will be bitter, and less likely that you'll be piling loads of extra on in an effort to get the right saltiness. <A> See the wikipedia article on salt substitutes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt#Salt_substitutes <S> They use strongly salty-tasting chemicals that aren't sodium chloride (but may or may not be more healthy, depending on what serious diseases are forcing you to reduce your salt intake). <A> If one adds till something tastes right, then it doesn't help since one would have added more tsps of it thus adding more sodium. <S> Regular salt would have worked just as well. <S> It is a little bit like keeping you clock ten minutes ahead. <S> When you look at it, you are likely to react to the displayed time even though you know that you have kept it ahead. <S> (Stimulus control.)
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If one adds salt by volume to dishes, low salt sodium helps, since each tsp, for instance, contains less sodium than normal salt.
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How do I colour ready-to-roll icing I'm making a cake for my daughter's birthday. I'm a bit rubbish with icing and decorating, so I plan to buy some ready-to-roll icing to cover the cake. The problem is that the cake is shaped liked a cartoon character, and I want to colour parts of it appropriately. My question is what is my best approach to colouring this icing? Is it possible for me to knead food colouring into the icing, or should I try something else? I've did previously try to shop-bought royal icing that I could microwave to a paste then colour, but the overall effect wasn't great (mainly due to my spreading technique!). <Q> There are special kinds of food colouring for icings, such as those sold by Wilton . <S> As a rule, you should use these, not traditional food colouring. <S> You can use ordinary food colouring but it will be hard to get the colours you want, and your icing will end up being watery/runny. <S> The icing colours (AKA gel icings) preserve the texture of your icing and, in general, are much more effective at actually getting the right colours. <S> You should be able to find these at any baking supply store. <S> There's no special technique, you just mix them. <S> They are completely fine to use on ready-to-roll icings as well as homemade. <A> Although Aaronut is entirely right in stating that you would be better off using alternate colourings that do not damage the texture of your icing, you can use normal food colourings, I do quite often. <S> When I use them on fondant or marzipan, the main issue is the capacity of the icing to absorb the colouring. <S> They have limited ability to tolerate the liquid, so if you need a deep colour, expect a bit of a fight. <S> The best method I have come up with, is to treat it like pulling candy. <S> Put the required amount of icing in a bowl and make a well and enough material to fold over that well. <S> Put in a small amount of colouring and fold over. <S> I tend to start off by squidging it about in folding motions to get the liquid in to the material, it'll be quite tacky at first. <S> Then I roll it between my hands in to a sausage, fold in half lengthways, roll, fold, roll, fold... <S> It'll marble up to start with, given the folds, but eventually become one solid colour and will become less tacky with each fold, in a similar way that kneading bread makes it progressively more coherent. <S> Once settled, roll towards a ball/block rather than a sausage, then you can roll it out ready for use. <S> If you are a very minute amount over the moisture level that you can roll it, try to incorporate a small amount of icing sugar (confectioner's) whilst folding to dry it out, like adding flour to bread. <S> It works, but is messy, take all rings off and expect to need to wash your hands a lot. <S> Edit Found a video that roughly shows how I would do it, except the demonstrator has a different way of applying the colouring to the fondant initially and is using a much larger quantity than I tend to, so does not hand roll in the air as much as I would or as fast. <S> http://www.ehow.com/video_2333485_coloring-cake-fondant.html <A> I haven't worked with rolled icing / fondant much, but I did find a method that based on surface contact might be slightly faster than Orbling's repeated folding technique. <S> (note, I was using gel colors, but I think it might work with liquid colors, too): (okay ... <S> I do two types of 'rolling', <S> so it's kinda confusing ... ' <S> roll out' is using a rolling pin to flatten; 'roll up' is turning the flat sheet into a log, like a jelly roll) knead for a while 'til it gets softened up so you can roll it out. <S> roll out into a vaguely square or rectangular shape. <S> start rolling up one side <S> spread your color along the roll, but not too close to the ends. <S> continue rolling up (if there's too much color, it'll squish forward as you roll it) <S> repeat steps 2/3/5 ' <S> til the color's uniform, or just kneed as if it's dough; add in another 2/3/4/5 if the color isn't deep enough. <S> (basically, with Orbling's method, you're using roughtly half of the surface area ... <S> rolling gets more used with each pass). <S> If the liquid's really a problem, you could also try taking a sharp knife, holding it at an angle, and slashing the surface (you want to cut open little flaps in it, but not cut through to the board below) ... <S> this would further increase the surface areas to allow it to take more liquid per addition. <A> If the colour is not deep enough, repeat the procedure. <S> I like to knead my fondant like the bakers do with bread. <S> Dust the table with a small amount of either icing sugar or cornflour and use a push and fold motion using the ball of the hand, keeping the fingers up and out of the way. <S> Using fingers and flattening it encourages air bubbles. <S> Keep the fondant compact and rounded as much as possible. <S> When I roll out the fondant, I use a dusting of cornflour on the table - works well and so easy to clean up later!
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Instead of adding your colour to the total amount of fondant, try adding it first to a fist-sized ball of fondant till evenly mixed and then add that ball to the rest of the fondant.
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What's the least messy way to prepare grapefruit? I usually cut it in half (through the equator) and eat it with a spoon but the juices tend to spray everywhere. Is there a better way? <Q> I'd say your best bet is segmenting the grapefruit before trying to eat it. <S> Here's a good video about it. <S> How to Peel and Segment <S> a Grapefruit <S> Downside <S> : It's a lot more work, and you still wind up with a juice-covered cutting board that needs to be washed. <A> You can peel them and then pull the segments apart very much like an orange, but it is only modestly less messy because the segments are too big to easily stick in your mouth whole <S> and they squirt when you bite them. <S> Plus their peel is often pretty tough. <A> You'll end up with a fair bit of liquid left over at the end, but you don't end up spraying juice as you try to dig the segments out with a spoon, it mostly just sits in the bowl created by the 1/2 a grapefruit peel. <S> There's also 'grapefruit spoons', which have one side with a serated edge on it; I've never used 'em for grapefruit, though, but the serated edge might help to keep down the amount of spray when trying to spoon out bits of grapefruit. <S> ... <S> I should also mention that when I think of 'segment', I'm talking about peeling it (without a knife, except to start it), and then manually pulling apart the segments so they're intact, and might have a little pith still stuck to them. <S> What the chef in the video that bikeboy389 linked to, I've always referred to as 'supreming' or 'cutting supremes' <A> Grapefruits are one of my favorite fruits, and you can get around the entire process by just tossing the whole fruit in a high quality juicer... <S> then you can drink it and never have to worry about spraying yourself (unless you accidentally spill!) <S> You can go further by adding other fruits like strawberry or grape and even some vegetables with low acid content (so the fruit will overpower the taste of these) and make yourself a very tasty and healthy beverage. <A> Maybe this should've been a comment, but <S> oh, well: <S> Little grapefruit juice jets are in intrinsic part of the half-grapefruit experience. <S> If I'm eating one by myself and reading, then I make sure it's not something I mind <S> getting juice sprayed on. <S> If I'm eating with other people, well, we all half-expect to get sprayed. <S> Face it: if God (or replace with your appropriate deity) intended us to eat half-grapefruits w/out juice spraying everywhere, he wouldn't have made them so darn tasty and juicy. <A> I have started squeezing some of the juice out of the grapefruit half before eating with a grapefruit spoon. <S> It seems to really cut down on the wild squirts! <A> The enzyme denaturing of membranes makes it possible to remove the skin and membrane without breaking any segment cells <S> This requires the fruit skin to be pierced to membrane level. <S> The fruit is then placed in a vacuum pot with an enzyme solution. <S> The vacuum causes the air pockets in the membrane to collapse and then filled with the warm enzyme solution which in time dissolves the membrane <S> The tricky part is buying a bench top enzyme processor though...
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Segmenting the grapefruit is likely the least messy way, however, if you like the half a grapefruit thing: There's something called a 'grapefuit knife', which has a curved, serated blade you can use to loosen the segment before you try to scoop them out with a spoon.
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What is "hand hot"? How hot is "hand hot"? Should it be about the temperature where you can stand leaving your hand in the water ... but any degree hotter and it wouldn't be tolerable? Or is that way too hot? For example in a bread recipe which calls for hand hot water. I don't think I'm asking for a specific C or F, more a rule of thumb. <Q> I don't know the term either. <S> I don't think it is established baking slang, so it is bound to vary between recipes, should you find it in another one at all. <S> But if you got it from a bread recipe, it must be because you need optimal conditions for your yeast. <S> The optimal temperature for yeast rising is 35°C, with rising being too slow below that (but it will still happen, even at 4°C in the fridge!) <S> and not possible at 40°C and above, where leavening action gets too low for practical purposes (and at some point, the yeast dies). <S> This is a nice representation of the amount of CO2 produced by yeast (which correlates well with leavening) at different temperatures. <S> The difference between the low effective temperature (25°C), the optimal temperature (35°C) and the upper limit of the effective temperature (40°C) is not big, so I don't rely on my imperfect senses and always use a thermometer when making yeast dough. <S> But you are writing that you want a "rule of thumb", <S> so you probably don't have (or don't want to bother with) a thermometer in your kitchen. <S> In this case, you can still have your bread rise well. <S> The literal thumb is a bad choice, as it is quite insensitive, but the trick our grandmas used to gauge the temperature of infant food is still valid: use your elbow. <S> The skin of the elbow is very thin, and it will very well notice the difference between a 35°C liquid (which feels roughly the same temperature as the elbow, remember that 37°C are normal inside the body, not on the skin outside) and a 40°C liquid (which feels too warm). <S> If you were to use your fingers or the back of your hand, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference well enough, and will risk overshooting and killing the yeast. <S> There are possibly other body parts which can feel the difference (I'd guess the tongue, if you don't scald it daily with hot drinks), but hygienewise, the elbow is probably better. <A> I've never seen that term before, but from the context of a bread recipe, it must mean "body temperature", i.e. around 100 F / 37 C. Water that you could just barely hold your hand in (around 140 F) would kill the yeast instantly. <A> I suspect this might be a UK-ism, it usually crops up in bread and cake recipes and is fairly well known on these shores. <S> You're right to guess that it's to do with yeast-based baking - as has been scientifically pointed out above, <S> yeast likes warm but not hot water. <S> Hand-hot is an easy shorthand for "warm enough that you can put your hand in it with no discomfort" and is a little less grisly than the also-used "blood temperature". <A> Generally, this is about 110-115F, or 43-46C. If you have calloused, tough hands, measure this by running water over the thinner skin on the back of your hand. <S> The idea is to get the dough warm so the yeast works faster, but not so hot that it rises too fast or kills the yeast. <S> Once you combine the water with room temperature flour, the result is close to the optimum rising temperature for yeast. <S> Anyway, temperature doesn't need to be super-precise when you're judging the rise by the feel and volume of the dough. <S> "Hand hot" is what we use to prepare dough at the restaurant I work for, and it gives good results. <S> Plus it's super-fast, which is important. <A> My advice as a chef is to get a thermometer. <S> If you are working in a kitchen that is hot (>30° c) then have the water yeast and sugar "activater" mix at 35deg c. <S> That is about the temperature that feels hand warm in a hot kitchen. <S> In a cool kitchen (<30°c) then I have the "activater" mix somwhere between 40°c -43°c. <S> This allows the dough to maintain a close to optimum temperature once energy is lost to the cooler bowl and flour etc. <S> Thats assuming I don't have access to a good proving oven. <S> In which case start up temps are quickly over come by the warm and humid environment in the proving oven. <S> If course with the above your individual experience may vary due to many other factors as well. <S> So ultimately to make great bread takes lots of practice. <S> Thats why bakers spend years in an apprenticeship.
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"Hand hot" is the hottest temperature you can immerse your hand in without pain.
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Advice on time for cooking potatoes au gratin? So, I was following a recipe in an Amish cookbook that was pretty minimal on details: Baked Pork Chops Put a layer of thinly sliced potatoes into a baking dish, and cover them with shredded onions, salt and pepper. Lay over this as many pork chops as needed, seasoned well on both sides. Add enough milk to moisten the ingredients, then bake them at 400° until done. (note, the rest of the most of the other recipes have ingredient amounts, baking time, etc ... but this is kinda like one of those assembled church / military wives club / etc cookbooks where there's lots of different recipes and some are of a different style) Now, I admit, I didn't realize until after the pork was cooked that I had set the oven to 350°F and not 400°F ... but as I had remembered problems in the past with cooking potato au gratin before, and it taking a really long time, I opted to use two dishes, so the layered potatoes weren't more than 2 cm (~3/4 inch) thick, and the second dish was au gratin, without the pork, and with cheese added between layers. (I broke out the mandolin, and had maybe 1mm thick slices). Now, it might've been that because I cut the potatoes so thin that testing for doneness with a knife just didn't work ... so I went and looked up recipes online to see if I could find a pattern between time/temperature/thickness of the potato slices/thickness of the assembled layer ... and I'm at a loss, as there are a lot of recipes that don't even mention what size baking dish to use, so they'd end up with different layered thicknesses, and some don't mention the thicknes of the slices to use. Is there some formula to use? If there isn't, and I just have to go by sticking a knife in it 'til it comes out easily (or is that a bad test?), are there any tips so it doesn't take almost 2 hrs to cook? <Q> Make sure you're not using a 'heavy' oven dish, glass ones can taka a long time to heat up. <S> Place the oven dish into the oven while heating and add a drop of oil. <S> When you put in the potatoes you should hear a little 'hiss' indicating the termperature is right. <A> I find that soaking my sliced potato with the cream or milk or stock depending on the richness you desire with seasoning,melted butter helps. <S> The pregnated potato seems to cook a lot quicker <S> and I will generally cover with foil as the steaming process seems to help as well with time. <S> I still think the knife test is still generally the best as hot spots in the oven may undercook a section in your dish. <S> I don't think slice thickness matters except that thinner creates a better texture and finish appeal on the plate. <A> I cut slices of about 0.5 - 0.75 cm <S> and I put them in the oven (with sauce of course) for about 45 - 60 min. <S> If your slices are 2 cm I would try at 1.5 hour, but I have no notice of any formula.
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Microwave the potatoes before putting them in the oven for about 7 minutes(start with 5 minutes, add 30 seconds every time till done), covered with a little water (very little, couple of spoons full)(potatoes whole or sliced)
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Is Indian food more expensive to prepare than Chinese food? Based on my subjective experience, Indian food at restaurants is more expensive than Chinese. This seems to hold across restaurant classes, low end takeout is a buck or two more then Chinese takeout, and mid-range is a few dollars more. Could this be due to the cost of preparation itself - ingredients, equipment, etc. - or is this likely just a result of the local economics? <Q> Near as I can tell, it's probably the local economics. <S> Chinese food, generally speaking, relies more on fresh vegetables (carrots, peas, bean-sprouts, broccoli etc.) and meat. <S> This means that the storage costs and spoilage costs are higher relative to Indian food, which is higher in legumes and beans that are much easier and cheaper to store, and last forever when dry. <S> On the other hand, Chinese is generally quicker to prepare (think stir fry, though not only), which means less time on the fire, and less man-power used. <S> Indian food usually requires more cooking time, which may mean that the restaurant has a larger capital outlay for stove space. <S> Aside from that, in my experience at least, Indian is usually a register above Chinese for "comparable" places. <S> The Indian equivalent of a Chinese place serving simple rice and 10-12 stir-fry dishes would be a simple Thali bar, but there aren't many of those, as us Westerners like to order several different meat/vegetable main dishes at a time, as opposed to a set menu. <S> Anyway, note that I haven't done any proper costing of these type of food preparation. <A> I think Carmi's answer is a pretty good theory for the differences between Indian and Chinese restaurants. <S> It makes sense to me that labor- and time-intensive Indian cooking makes Indian restaurants more expensive than quick-cooking Chinese ones. <S> To add on to that, I'm wondering if the number of different spices and their costs plays a role, too. <S> Like Carmi, I haven't done any proper cost comparisons between the two, but I do cook a decent amount of Indian food. <S> For example, an Indian curry might include cumin, coriander, turmeric, asafoetida, garlic, chiles, cilantro, nuts (almond or cashew) AND ginger. <S> Having to purchase all thoses spices costs me a lot more than making a Chinese dish with a pre-made 5-spice powder combined with soy sauce. <S> Some Indian food requires spices that are pretty expensive to get (at least in the US): saffron, fenugreek and cardamom, for example, are pricey. <S> You don't typically see those in Chinese cooking, but they appear fairly regularly in Indian food. <S> All of that being said, I do think that local economies play a large role. <S> There are Chinese restaurants everywhere in New York City, but Indian restaurants are less common and more expensive. <S> However, where I grew up in Massachusetts, there were almost as many Indian restaurants as Chinese, and I can get lunch at a new Indian place there for less than $5. <S> Not sure there is a definitive answer for your question. <A> 'fast food' chinese contains a lot of cheap beansprouts and noodles or rice. <S> Even take away indian contains a lot more sauce and meat.
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In my experiences, Indian dishes require a larger number of spices than many Chinese dishes do, and those spices tend to be more expensive. It seems to me that the cost is different per "component" but would probably balance out in the end.
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Ingredients of Root Beer I want to make root beer, what are the ingredients required to produce that signature flavor? <Q> However, modern root beer uses artificial sassafras flavoring because the US FDA banned safrole , the oil from sassafras root. <S> It is considered a weak carcinogen as well as a List <S> I chemical by the DEA <S> (used in the manufacture of illicit substances). <S> Beyond sassafras the ingredients vary widely and drastically between manufacturers. <S> The most common include vanilla, wintergreen, cherry/spruce bark, licorice, anise, and many more. <S> A more complete list of root beer ingredients can be found on the wikipedia page. <S> Given the vast array of ingredients present, you'll have to do a ton of experimentation to stumble upon a suitable flavor without a recipe. <A> I am not a root beer expert, but to me (and a few others, including root beer homebrewers :)) <S> Russian квас / kvass (a fermented rye beverage) is very similar to (family-made) root beer, so I think you might be interested in it too, as the ingredients for kvass might be easier to find in your vicinity. <S> Kvass variants run from clear and light to dark and heavy with all sorts of additives (usually fruit) possible. <S> People use different kinds of bread, and some people cook or fry the bread first. <S> Most kvass has a little alcohol in it (depending on its age) -- some has more, but usually not so much as to be dangerous if drunk in normal amounts. <S> A lot of enthusiasts give different recipes , but the usual ingredients are: (stale) <S> (dark/black) <S> rye bread <S> water <S> active dry yeast sugar or honey raisins <A> 1 cup unrefined cane sugar <S> 1/2 cup <S> ginger bug , fresh whey or 1 packet kefir starter culture Instructions Bring two and one-half quarts filtered water to a boil and stir in sassafras, sarsaparilla, wintergreen, licorice, ginger, hops, juniper, birch and wild cherry bark. <S> Reduce the heat to a slow simmer and simmer the roots, berries, barks, leaves and flowers for twenty minutes. <S> After twenty minutes, turn off the heat and strain the infusion through a fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with cheesecloth into a pitcher. <S> Stir unrefined cane sugar into the hot infusion until it dissolves and allow it to cool until it reaches blood temperature. <S> Once the sweetened infusion has cooled to blood temperature, stir in the ginger bug or fresh whey and pour into individual bottles (preferably flip-top bottles which are easy enough to find online, leaving at least one inch head space in each bottle. <S> Allow the root beer to ferment for three to four days at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator for an additional two days to age. <S> When you're ready to serve the root beer, be careful as it, like any other fermented beverage, is under pressure due to the accumulation of carbon-dioxide, a byproduct of fermentation. <S> Open it over a sink and note that homemade sodas, like this one, have been known to explode under pressure. <S> Serve over ice From Nourished Kitchen <A> Root Beer Extract + sugar + <S> champagne yeast <S> You can make your own extract, but I certainly wouldn't go there first.
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Ingredients 1/4 cup sassafras root bark 1/4 cup winter green leaf 2 tablespoons sarsaparilla root 1 tablespoon licorice root 1 tablespoon ginger root 1 tablespoon dandelion root 1 tablespoon hops flowers 1 tablespoon birch bark 1 tablespoon wild cherry tree bark 1 teaspoon juniper berries 1 cinnamon stick The primary ingredient in the root beer flavor is traditionally sassafras root . If you're looking to make your own, I suggest finding a recipe and following it.
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How can I reproduce a "gamey" flavor? I have fond memories of deer hunting with my uncle when I was younger... not only for the thrill of the hunt (as I'm sure most do), but also for the spoils: venison. Apparently, I was the only one of the kids who enjoyed the meat (I guess I have weird tastes?). It wasn't until recently that I identified the specific taste that I enjoyed: gaminess. Anyway, it's incredibly difficult to buy venison where I live, and the prices on the net are unacceptable. So, that leaves me looking for a flavoring I can simply add to what I eat. Unfortunately, this has not been easy. I have seen "liquid smoke" before (which I was told tastes exactly like how it's described), but nothing close to this. Where can I find a "liquid game" or a similar sauce? Can I reproduce this flavor with other spices? <Q> From a cooking perspective any imitation sauce or marinade is never going to deliver the quality that venison has to deliver. <S> We have a massive deer farm close and the price is still ridiculous .My <S> suggestion is that you find a good butcher that will age beef for you on the bone ,or you could age it yourself if you have a climate control area to keep it at the correct temperature. <S> Anything over 30 days on the bone will start to give you the gaming flavour you are craving. <S> Nothing is going to match deer, but aged beef or really any type of cattle (eg buffalo etc) will give you the gaminess if it is aged. <S> Restaurants are getting up to 180 days, which I could only imagine would melt in your mouth but the flavour would be intense. <A> As a deer hunter myself, my most favorite part of the experience is the butchering. <S> I enjoy having a knife in my hand and breaking down the big quarters into smaller roasts, chops, etc. <S> This is where I purposely cut out the gaminess. <S> Venison is very lean, however, it does have some fat, especially in the rib section. <S> Most people avoid the ribs precisely for this reason, too gamey. <S> Yes, you can go in and cut around the fat, but it's just too meticulous. <S> Cut out the fat, and you cut out the gaminess. <S> Hence, if you want to add gaminess, add venison fat, not beef fat. <S> Beef fat will just make it taste better. <S> To make it taste "wild", add "wild" fat. <S> Same for other wild critters, remove the fat, and you remove the gaminess. <S> Keep the fat, and you keep that elusive "wild" flavor that you are after. <A> For example, juniper berries are a flavor I associate with venison marinade, so using them on beef gets me that "almost there" taste. <S> It's never quite the same, though; sorry. <A> I also find it is nearly impossible to find venison. <S> If you can find someone who hunts you may be able to buy some off them, I finally was able to find someone after asking some co-workers. <S> Trying other gamey meats like bison or boar, depending on your local availablity may help but they really don't compare to venison. <S> Have you tried liver? <S> it has a metalic taste which is vaguely similar and delicious. <A> The easy way without marination is to use a leg of lamb and lace it with bacon. <S> Stick a medium wide knife blade through the meat and thread a rasher of bacon all the way through the cut. <S> Repeat this 4 or 5 times or more for larger legs. <S> Roast it in the normal manner surrounded by onions and peeled potatoes and peeled pumpkin. <S> Sprinkle the meat with mixed herbs. <S> The flavour of the lamb will be close to venison. <S> Adrian <A> I basically agree with Burdon on Society's answer; aging is really important. <S> But among the less specially raised and hung meats you might want to look out for hogget, mutton, or goat. <S> You might also check out the gamiest-tasting cut of beef: the Onglet, or Hanger Steak. <S> It takes very well to marination, and yields a very flavorsome, open-textured meat when grilled or pan-fried.
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Beef can make a fairly acceptable venison substitute if you marinate it the same way you would venison. Gaminess comes from the fat.
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What is the criss-cross pattern on top of peanut butter cookies used for? I've been making peanut butter cookies, but skipping the step of pressing the top of the cookie down with a fork. What does this step do for the cookies? <Q> Peanut butter cookies don't spread as they cook, so you have to flatten them before hand. <S> This ensures that the middle will cook through before the outside burns. <S> As for the pattern created, it actually creates slightly more surface area, so you'll get more browning at the extra edges that you create. <S> Think of it like a meringue, or the top of a shepherd's pie -- if it's too smooth, you won't get the little bits of browned crispy bits that you'd get if you rough up the surface. <A> I believe the main reason is to help the dough spread out. <S> Peanut butter cookies recipes typically don't go for a lot of spread, and therefore you need to manually flatten the dough in order to get a proper cookie shape and allow the cookie to cook properly. <S> It's not clear to me whether the non-spreading recipe is a requirement for some aspect of the cookie, or if the reason that a non-spreading recipe is used is specifically to allow the fork-marks to remain, so you could experiment with some of the factors mentioned in this thread on cookie spreading if you'd prefer the cookies to spread on their own and skip the fork marks. <A> I actually just asked my wife about this! <S> It turns out that the dough used for most peanut butter cookies is a little thicker than regular cookie dough. <S> I don't know how much it helps, but she seemed to think it was pretty important! <A> The fork lines are so you can tell the difference between the peanut butter ones and the sugar cookies. <A> Nothing. <S> It's just cosmetic. <S> I didn't even know I was "supposed" to be doing that until I'd been making them for years. <A>
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Pressing it can help it to cook more evenly. It's not just there for cooking, it's to make the cookie look like the peanuts shell.
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How do I start juicing? A recent question tipped me off about juicers. I have heard of them before, but I had always written them off as TV informercial gadgets that were not really useful. Is this true? If I had and orange, a tangerine, and a grapefruit, could I just put them in a juicer and have my own fruit "cocktails?" Is there a special juicer, just for amateur cooks? <Q> I recommend this juicer <S> I have it and use it every week to make lemonade: <S> Peel 6-8 lemonsAdd to juicerMixing in a large pitcher, add water and sugar to taste. <S> Refrigerate <S> It's absolutely delicious. <S> It's all I drink, no more soda. <S> Last week I made cherry juice. <S> De-pitted the cherries and repeted the same steps as above. <S> I've also made carrot and beet juice, but they test very strong and work better when you mix them with other juices - orange juice for example. <S> My experience with juicing grapefruit is not good. <S> The juice comes out very bitter and tastes very strong. <S> In general, to reduce the bitterness in citrus juices, peel the fruit first before adding it to the juicer. <S> As in the lemonade example, I sometimes use the lemon peels to make Limoncello , or keep a few in the fridge to garnish my coffee. <S> If you have no use for them, they will at least make your garbage smell very good. <S> Maintenance <S> You need to clean the juicer after each use, which can be discouraging. <S> If you have someone who lives with you, have them help. <S> My husband peels and juices the lemons <S> , I wash the juicer parts while he mixes the lemonade in the pitcher. <S> It takes us about 15 minutes from start to finish. <S> Experiment <S> You can throw anything in the juicer as long as you remove large pits and cut it to a size that fits the opening. <S> It will fit a whole lemon but you need to halve an apple. <S> The juicer - at least the model I have - also comes with a recipe book. <S> Not that I ever used it. <S> I just use whatever I have left over and try to make something tasty. <A> You are completely correct about juicers being infomercial gadgets. <S> You're probably thinking of the Juiceman Juicer . <S> This model apparently also acts as a food processor (the older models were simply juicers). <S> You certainly don't need a special amateur one, just go for a relatively inexpensive model if you don't plan on using it often like most infomercial products. <S> Try experimenting with a variety of different flavors, and you may find something you really like. <S> I personally enjoy the grapefruit-strawberry-grape mix - very high in anti-oxidants. <S> Watch out if you have high blood pressure though, as the resulting drink will be very high in sugar. <S> Try mixing less quantities of fruit with more water after it's juiced for a lighter fare. <A> For citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, grapefruit, ...) you're better of with an "Orange Press" rather then a juicer, you'll get more juice out of it. <S> Juicers are indeed infomercial goods. <S> I have one and indeed, <S> cleaning it is not an easy job. <S> We also have to clean the head with something like a toothbrush. <S> Another downside is that it takes quite some kitchentop surface, and you're probably not going to "juice" it everyday... <S> That said, you can get really great juices out of it. <S> Carrots, tomatoes, radish, ... that's stuff <S> you can only juice with.. a juicer.. <A> Many years ago, after reading many whole-food/raw-food sites, we bought an Angel juicer <S> (I think ours says "Angel One" ) <S> I won't repeat the touted advantages of this type of juicer <S> (they're well-covered on the linked site), I will say that it works really, really well for us, chewing up anything you stuff into it, extracting juice from leafy vegetables as well as fruit. <S> The downside is that it's very heavy <S> and it's hard to clean. <S> We end up using a toothbrush to scrub out the gears and the mesh plate. <S> One minor benefit is that the pulp left over after making carrot juice works really well in carrot muffins. <S> To answer the actual question, with this juicer you could just peel the orange, tangerine and grapefruit, stuff the sections into the juicer and you'll get a nice, thick juice out. <A> I juice everyday and have been through 4 juicers over the years. <S> Some tips: <S> Don't worry with juice recipes. <S> Once you start juicing you'll find you really start to feel alive and taste becomes strongly influenced by how great you'll know it makes you feel. <S> I just chuck anything in and it tastes different every day but always good. <S> Well I put too much garlic in once, but you learn those lessons. <S> Juicers, such as the one seen in the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead are nice in that can take many fruits whole, cutting down on prep. <S> I blew two of these up (however it was their first release). <S> Now I have a juicer with a small chute and I have to do more prep work <S> , however that allows me to at least see there are no worms in the apples etc. <S> Juicing of course removes valuable fibre. <S> I add the fibre from some fruits back in and my auger-style juicer spits out that fibre as I juice. <S> Centrifugal juicers like popular Breville one in the movie make it a lot harder to selectively do this. <S> You may even like to consider blending as opposed to juicing. <S> Try to get veges into the juices. <S> Fruit only juices are extremely high in calorie, are high GI and of course miss out on many of the vitamins and minerals found in vegetables. <S> Compared to other styles of juicers that squeeze or chew, the centrifugal juicers struggle with leafy vegetables.
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As for the fruit mixture, you can throw virtually any fruits and/or vegetables into the juicer and it will extract the juice from them.
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How do I keep soup from being bland? I've been experimenting with soups recently and trying different recipes, and I've found that I often come out with a good soup that's a bit too bland in taste. And yes, salt and pepper makes a huge difference... but it needs something else. Beyond finding the right spice for the right soup, what are some general things that I can do that won't greatly change the flavor but will add some fullness to the flavor? <Q> This doesn't answer your question directly, but spices are only a small part of the picture. <S> Below are some techniques to get more flavor in your soup. <S> Longer Cooking <S> Depending on the type of soup <S> you're making, you may just need more time. <S> Some flavors just need more time to get out. <S> This is especially true of meat and bones. <S> It's possible to make a ham and pea soup in an hour, but simmer that ham for 3 hours <S> and it's night and day. <S> Rest overnight <S> Many stews, chili, etc. seem taste "better" the next day. <S> Give an overnight rest in the fridge a shot and see if the flavor improves. <S> Add volatile flavors <S> later <S> There is a caveat to go along with longer cooking. <S> Some items work over long cooking times, while others lose flavor. <S> In addition to meat/bones, garlic, onion, bay leaves (and others) benefit. <S> Many fresh herbs, pepper, vanilla, saffron (and others) lose their flavor from the heat. <S> If you are cooking for a while, you might try adding some more volatile flavors later in the process. <S> Add salt <S> early Salt helps to extract flavors, so add it early on in the process. <S> Do be judicious with it, however. <S> Long cooking tends to concentrate flavors, so you can easily make it too salty. <S> Sweat vegetables / brown meat <S> Before getting any water involved, sweat your onions, celery, peppers, mushrooms, or whatever vegetables or playing in this game. <S> Likewise, brown your meat. <S> The maillard reaction is necessary for developing great flavor from the meat. <A> Soup making usually involves two steps: Making the broth <S> Adding the particular ingredients that make it an XXX soup. <S> As far as I'm concerned, the first step is the critical one. <S> Here are my broth-making tips: Ingredients: Bones with a bit of meat on them. <S> 1 carrot (peeled, whole) <S> 1 Celery Stalk (whole) 1 Onion <S> 1 clove garlic 1 Bay Leaf Marjoram (optional). <S> -- Thank you Polish Mother-in-law for adding this to my repetoire <S> Steps: <S> Brown <S> the bones, particularly beef orveal <S> Dice and Brown <S> the onion inbutter. <S> Throw everything in the pot,and cover with water. <S> Bring to aboil, and reduce temp to a slowsimmer. <S> Simmer until it tastes good. <S> Remove veggies and bones. <S> If desired,strain broth to eliminate onions andprotein globules. <A> I have several suggestions, also: <S> I really like adding Za'atar to soups, especially fish soups. <A> Lemon juice works well with a variety of soup flavours, when added just before serving. <S> I also find that you need less salt when using lemon juice at the end. <A> I had the same problem as you. <S> You could try adding a bouquet garni , which contains: Parsley Bay Leaves (Laurel) <S> Thyme Celery <S> Rosemary <S> If you have them fresh, you can tie them together using kitchen rope and toss them in, and remove them after boiling. <S> If you have them dried, you can (of course leave them in). <A> Romano cheese is really good on soup, especially with black pepper. <S> Mmm. <S> Dill also works really well with cream of potato. <S> Basil adds a little bit of taste, too, but it works best with something tomatoey - you can buy little cans of tomato sauce and put them in if you want to thicken your soup. <A> try some nutmeg in your soup.you can get excellent results in broths, stocks and creams. <S> for beeth or chicken stock, also try pimento and juniper, mace, bay leaves and parsley.also try a dash of sherry in your bouillon or consommee... <S> (yammy yammy) <S> making stocks: do not brown the onion with any fat, just dry brown them. <S> when cooking soup, just let it simmer (a soup should always be smiling)
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I feel that adding fried onions or garlic adds a lot to soup giving it spicelike taste addition. If you're going for a savory taste, add bay leaves and some dill.
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Chuck or "stew" beef labeled in the super market Preliminary So I found this simple pot roast recipe here. I have cooked this plenty of times, but for some reason lately, the 'stew' or chuck roast beef is turning out to be too fatty (as it is labeled, it looks like this left picture here: Lately, I keep buying beef that turns out to so full of fat (even from different super markets) it is just disgusting. I normally would cook this beef in a slow cooker after briefly browning it in a cast iron skillet, and since almost no fat is rendered out, it would end up like eating a stick of butter (nothing about it tasted like beef). Questions seeking Seasoned Advice :Are stew beef cuts not meant to be used in stews/pot roasts? If not then what is the ideal cut for pot roasts? Or is the super market selling bad beef? <Q> "Stew beef" is slightly cheaper than buying a whole roast and cutting it up, because the stew beef is made up of bits and pieces that were left over after the prettier roasts had been carved. <S> If it's not to your taste, spring for a whole roast and cut it up yourself. <S> WARNING: <S> Fat content in meat that is supposed to be cooked for a long time is a good thing. <S> Keeps the meat from drying out. <S> It's more efficient to simply cook the stew in advance, and then skim the rendered fat off the top, before you reheat it. <A> The "laced inside and out <S> " you mention in a comment is called "marbling" and again, it's generally sought after. <S> I suspect some of the reaction you're getting is because you're rejecting meat that sounds pretty good to many of us, and rejecting it for the reason we think it sounds good. <S> As others have said, if you find it too fatty, trim what you can and make your stew, let it sit off the heat for a while, and then skim off the excess fat. <S> You can also put the stew in the refrigerator overnight and just lift off the hardened fat in the morning. <S> Finally, if you really want beef stew meat that's lean, you need to stay away from cuts from the shoulder/chuck area. <S> Stick with meat from the round (top round or bottom round), which tends to be much leaner. <S> If you can't tell from the package of stew meat where it's from, then you'll need to buy a roast or other cut from the round and cut it up yourself. <A> I think maybe you don't recognize what is in the pot <S> and you're just assuming it's fat. <S> First of all, cooking any cut of beef will produce a fairly good amount of water. <S> But when you say the entire pot is full of fat and meat with no liquid, I suspect that what you're seeing is not fat at all but gelatin, which is a natural product of cooking any kind of meat, just as water is. <S> The more skin and bones you have in the pot, the more gelatin you will get, but you will get some even if you're cooking boneless skinless meat and poultry. <S> If it's the consistency of jello, it's gelatin and is harmless. <S> If you're using meat that truly appears as the meat in the photo you posted, I assure you, you are NOT getting a pot full of fat. <S> Next time, put it in the fridge overnight before eating it <S> - I would be very surprised if you were able to skim off all but a tiny amount of fat. <A> Not much of a question here, more of a rant. <S> However, here is what I do to avoid all of this fatty stew beef... <S> Buy the chuck <S> roast whole <S> (I perfer the one with the '7' shped bone in it) and manually trim the outside fat and any other huge fat pockets when you dice it. <S> When you go to brown it <S> you have alreay reduced the fat so it should come out better. <S> If doing a little bit of butchering of your beef is too much for you <S> I do believe they sell beef pot roast in cans. <A> I would suggest manually removing as much fat as possible before browning the meat.
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Generally speaking, fat in your beef is considered a good thing, as it carries a lot of flavor.
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What type of Rice is best for Indian Style Rice Pudding? What type of Rice is best for Indian Style Rice Pudding? <Q> In Kerala style cuisine (which is what I'm most familiar with as an eater, not a cook) <S> the rice is a short, white variety that is fried in ghee first. <S> It's very similar to the short grain rice used in Japanese cooking. <S> I have no idea how this would be packaged in the United States <S> , it's just Rice (for the short grain), or long grain/Basmati rice here. <S> I depend on Indian friends to help me identify the good stuff. <S> The texture with the short grain rice is smoother, and you can taste more of the milk (or coconut milk) and cardamom. <S> It's also very good served cold. <S> I like this best hot. <A> You can use sona masoori..as the grains are optimum size for the pudding. <A> You can get away with what in Britain, we call 'pudding rice'. <S> Generally speaking anything short and fat will do.
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As a cook, I find both the short, white style and plain white basmati work very well. The basmati produces a heartier rice pudding that is enhanced by adding extra raisins and cinnamon.
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What determines if the handle of a pan gets hot while in use? About three years ago, we replaced a one 10" skillet with another, both Macy's Tools of the Trade anodized aluminum teflon skillets. (The teflon coating didn't last on the old pan.) The old pan had a metal handle bolted onto the body, and the new one has a silicone insert on the bottom of a metal handle, also bolted on. We're going to have to replace this new(er) pan because the handle gets too hot to touch after a few minutes of use, even though the pan itself works extremely well; the hot handle is a safety hazard. We're considering the skillet that will replace it, and we'll get another, similar piece. However, it would be nice if it lasted for more than a few years. And, while any pot handle will eventually get too hot to touch, I'd like to be able to pick up the pan without an oven mitt. What determines how hot a handle does or doesn't get while the pan is in use? I've been researching brands, and this isn't something that I've seen covered much in the reviews. Edit: Pictures may be of help. Sorry for the mess, we just made dinner. (Tilapia with snow peas, garlic, and ginger with a side of mushrooms.) Old pan (Well, it's another pan with the same handle, I tossed the old one): The new pan, showing the infamous plastic insert: <Q> The usual heat transfer issues all apply. <S> What are those? <S> Heat comes in mostly by conduction from the body of the pot. <S> Some materials conduct heat better than others. <S> Metals tend to have high thermal conductivity (with aluminum and especially copper begin particularly good at it). <S> Plastics and wood tend to be poor thermal conductors. <S> Thick pieces of material can conduct heat faster than thin ones, but they also take proportionately more heat to increase the temperature, so this is a wash...unless you connect a solid handle to the body with thin spars (as in your upper photograph). <S> The handle loses heat to the air by conduction (very little), convection (much more), and radiation (very little until it gets to hot to hold). <S> For all of these having lots of surface area improves the rate at which heat can be dumped into the surrounding environment. <S> Shape and orientation matters a lot to convective heat losses, but the dependence is too complicated to describe in a few words. <S> I find that bent sheet metal handles tend to stay cool, while solid handles get hot. <S> If the half-n-half version you describe above has a pretty solid piece of metal that that part will behave very much like a all-metal handle (it may even be worse as the teflon will insulate the underside). <S> Short of taking detailed photos and constructing a model in a thermal simulation there is no rigorous way to know in advance. <S> Still, if you've been cooking for long you probably have some intuition in this matter. <S> Trust it. <A> The other consideration that I've see is ... <S> how big a gas burner do you run it on? <S> If the flames come up the side of the pan then they heat the handle from hot gas and not from conduction from the pan body. <S> Using a pan that's too small or a burner that is too big and turned up too high, the handles can get hot enough to burn you (or set wooden handles on fire...). <S> If you run an induction stove or solid-top stove then that mostly doesn't come into play... <S> mind you, <S> I've never had <S> handles get too hit to touch on an induction stove. <A> The speed of heat transfer from pan to handle depends on the type of metal or alloy <S> it's made of - good luck with researching that when looking at options. <S> Simple solution, buy a Calphalon pan that is the size and shape you need. <S> The non-stick feature lasts much longer than any run-of-the-mill non-stick pan you will use, they are heavy duty, and the handle will not get hot . <A> you will need a pan that is metal with a wooden handle it lasts years and years. <S> I have one with a wooden handle and it is great i have been using it for 20 years now.
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Well, let me see The handle will warm up until it's total heat losses equal the total heat coming in.
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Can I store suet or home-rendered tallow at room temperature for a year? This weekend I will be in possession of 100 lbs of beef suet (which I'll be getting from a butcher friend) and plan to render it into tallow . I can't even begin to imagine exactly what this amount of tallow will look like, but I'm absolutely certain I won't have nearly enough room in the fridge or freezer to store it. I was told large quantities of rendered tallow can be stored at room temperature for up to or even a year; possibly longer if I keep it in my cool, dark basement. Rendered fats never last long enough in our house to know for sure.Apparently canning isn't an option because the heated fat will keep the jar from sealing, but it will be fine in a well sealed glass (Mason-style) jar. A quick Google search turns up some anecdotal evidence but I'd prefer some science. Can I store my rendered tallow in well-sealed glass jars in the basement for up to (or over) a year? More importantly, why or why not? Edit: I've been operating under the assumption that the rendered tallow will be safer to store for a long period of time. I just saw on StillTasty (which doesn't have a tallow entry unfortunately) that commercial suet can be stored for a year in the pantry, opened or unopened. That seems really strange to me - is that true? I would expect fat to go rancid quickly in an opened container in the pantry. Is it because it's "commercial" suet - is there anything I could do to my suet so I could store it unrendered? <Q> Tallow does not need to be refrigerated and can last a year or longer. <S> I would not worry greatly about decomposition, but oxidation can be a problem. <S> Make sure to store it in an airtight container and you shouldn't have a problem. <A> I waterbath can my tallow in jars for 10 minutes. <S> I found a really good scientific explanation once saying why it was ok to can it this way <S> but I can't find it now. <S> Basically for fat to go rancid or for bacterial / mold to grow there <S> has to be certain conditions met such as moisture, air, etc. <S> Because rendered fat has no moisture, if done correctly, then it is safe to can in a water bath. <S> Then you can store it on the shelf for longer than a year and it takes it out of the refrigerator or freezer. <S> Seems I'm a little posting to this now <S> but this is knowledge for the future :D <A> Pure fats tend to last quite a long time and for whatever reason bacteria and bugs are not attracted to pure fats. <S> You can also preserve food with ghee, lard and tallow as it's an oxygen barrier. <A> the best way to keep it is by vacuum sealing the fat or tallow <S> making sure it is absolutely clean and dry. <S> It will keep that way in a cool and dark place for well over a year. <A> I render mine in a slow cooker then filter and pour into Silicone <S> cupcake pan making small discs. <S> I then put these in plastic freezer bags and store them in the freezer. <S> They will pretty much last forever in there so long as I double bag it to keep the freezer burn down and since they are easy size I can just grab one when needed. <S> I tend to salt the bottom of the jar and warm can them. <S> For extra security you can use a food grade wax at the top of the jar before sealing. <S> I would expect this to be good for at least a year in jars if not more. <S> Note <S> that suet is going to keep much better then lard. <S> The fat around kidneys was used for candle making and keeps solid at room temp so less air to spoil.
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In theory you can store it in jars but the problem can happen with impurities spoiling a jar.
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How to cook fall-off-the-bone beef spare ribs in oven or on stove top? All, I would like to cook spare ribs to a fall-off-the-bone consistency. I don't have access to a grill. I know how to do that with pork shoulders (dry rubbed, then uncovered in the oven at low heat for 6-8hrs), but spare ribs are a different type of animal. They are individually smaller pieces (my ribs are sawed in chunks), and they are fairly fatty, with a big bone. What should I do? Should I pan-sear them first, do I need some liquid in the dish? Should I cover them? Thanks, JDelage <Q> I've done Alton Brown's method for both spare ribs and baby back ribs, with good results. <S> Basically, you bake 'em in a low (250°F) oven in an aluminum foil packet with liquid for a few hours (2.5hrs for baby back, a little longer for spare ribs) completely untouched , then put 'em under the broiler at the end. <A> You can do a low temperature cook on your ribs the same way you would do your pork shoulders. <S> It's just the cooking times are shorter, that's all. <S> Set your oven to 250-275F, and roast those ribs until they're done. <S> I've had beef ribs done in as few as 3-4 hours, but as many as 5. <S> Optionally, you can foil your ribs about halfway into your cook, with some liquid in the foil pack. <S> Just be aware that they'll cook faster if they're foiled. <S> And depending on your preference, you may want to take them out of the foil to finish them. <A> You can try a combination of roasting (for a good crust) and braising (for tenderness) as called for in this recipe . <S> An equivalent would be pan searing and braising. <S> You can also cook at a low temperature for a long time, doing in the oven something similar to what sous vide would do. <S> This recipe describes the technique. <A> 2 stovetop brown them in a french oven or large skillet, add sauce, and simmer for about 1 hr on low heat. <S> usually you need to thicken the sauce after they are done cooking with cornstarch or the like.
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I know of two ways to do it: 1 oven cut up ribs and roast in a raosting pan at 350 for about 90 minutes, covered in foil and basting with BBQ sauce every 1/2 hour
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Substitute for bell peppers in meat dishes I recently became addicted to the taste of fried bell peppers (green specifically because that's what's cheapest) as an ingredient in meat dishes. However, in my area the price has doubled so I can't buy as many. What are some things (if any) that can replicate the flavor (and the lack of spiciness) of bell peppers? Specifically I like to add them in beef and make sandwiches with cheese and onions. <Q> Others are saying that bell peppers have no taste -- but I'd disagree. <S> The green ones have a kind of grassy quality to them. <S> Obviously, there's wheat grass, but I never have that around. <S> There might be some herbs that could pull it off (eg, flat leaf parsley; maybe taragon, but also gives a licorice note) <S> You might try some dark greens ... spinich, kale, swiss chard. <S> They've got a touch of other stronger flavors to 'em, but if you cook them down first, you might be able to tone them down some. <S> (I guess you might describe it as a 'spiciness' ... <S> it can be a sharp flavor. <S> ... for the texture, though, my first thought was bok-choy. <S> It's actually a cabage, and it has some dark green leaves, but the thicker white parts have that watery/crunchy quality that other people have mentioned about bell peppers, but there's that sharp cabbage note that might keep it from fitting your requirements. <S> update : <S> okay, as the issue is specifically fried peppers, you're going to be bringing out the sweeter notes of the peppers, which you're not going to get from a cabbage. <S> Sweet onions might give some similar qualities (once fried well), as the cooking will mellow the oniony qualities, but the sugars will caramelize. <S> You can also try looking for jarred peppers -- they're usually packed in oil or a vinegar solution after being roasted. <S> There are 'hot' and 'sweet' varieties, where the hot ones also have some hot peppers in there. <S> The non-vinegared ones sweet ones might work for you. <S> Also, remember that bell peppers, like most vegetables are a seasonal item -- if you're in the north, it's the end of winter, so any peppers are being being grown in hot houses, or brought in from the southern hemisphere, which jacks the prices up. <A> I find that bell peppers are a predominately watery and crunchy. <S> As such, I'd look for other vegetables that have that characteristic. <S> Depending on how much you are cooking them, you could use carrots, red or white onions, or celery. <S> I think those are all pretty close. <S> To get a little further away from the texture and flavor, you could also try broccoli, asparagus, or green beans; although I'm not sure any of those will be cheaper than bell peppers. <S> Depending on your climate, peppers are actually quite easy to grow too (at least in my experience). <S> If price is a significant issue, you could try some of your own gardening. <A> And I mean nothing, if the price double then you pay double. <S> Simple as that. <A> Watery and crunchy could also describe water chestnuts, or to go a bit further afield, bamboo shoots or even baby corn. <S> These all tend to be inexpensive, since they are purchased canned. <A> Can't eat peppers any more (red, green, yellow etc) in chili I substitute with green squash. <S> No one yet has noticed. <A> I haven't found any thing that tastes like a bell pepper. <S> So, I collected the seeds from one I purchased at the grocery store (well over 50 seeds) <S> Bell pepper grow well in pots even on my tiny deck. <S> I picked and froze/dehydrated 15 peppers from just one plant! <S> I saved those seeds too. <S> It only cost me a slight increase in the water bill. <S> This year I planted three. <S> Dehydrating changes the texture but saves the flavor and space.
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Nothing will ever replace the taste of fried bell peppers.
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Is Spaetzle a pasta or a dumpling? Is it a pasta or a dumpling and what is the difference? To me, a pasta is smooth and shaped and doesn't have any "filling" (but can have ingredients added to color or flavor it before it is shaped) and a dumpling is either a dough of some sort either cooked in a stew-like liquid or filled with something and then cooked. When I saw spaetzle prepared,it seemed like a pasta to me. What distinguishes pasta from dumplings? <Q> Spätzle originates from a region spanning Austria, Switzerland and southern Germany. <S> I can tell you that here in southern Germany, Spätzle is definitely considered a sort of pasta. <S> You can buy premade, prepackaged dried Spätzle, and it is always on the pasta shelf. <S> As for technical criteria, I don't know of any decision criteria for either category <S> both are loosely defined in my head by enumeration of their elements. <S> Maybe there are some official criteria, but kitchen taxonomy isn't as hard defined as e.g. biological taxonomy, and it varies by region/country. <S> Consider for example, the German word Braten , which is generally translated as a roast. <S> But while a German cook may consider a piece of meat cooked in a dutch oven on a stovetop a kind of Braten , any cook from the Balkans will tell you that this is not a roast, as it wasn't made in a "real" oven, but in what is, in his eyes, a pot. <S> So would you define the meat as a roast or not? <S> I'd say that here regional tradition is best. <S> If it was a German recipe, you are free to call it a roast. <S> If it was a Balkan recipe, you'll have to call it something else, depending on the exact recipe. <S> Similarly, for Spätzle, I'd say just go with the tradition and call it a pasta. <A> I would say Spätzle is closer to pasta than a dumpling - it's a dough similar to pasta (eggs, flour, water, salt). <S> For me, the main difference between pasta and dumplings is that pasta is cooked in water and sauce is added later, while dumplings are often cooked and served in the broth which flavours them. <S> The English language wikipedia page <S> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaetzle also seems to suggest that it's an adaptation of pasta, especially since it's associated with those areas of Germany, Hungary, Austria etc which are closer to Italy. <A> There isn't really a difference between them, or at least it is a very loose one, since dumplings can be regarded as a variety of pasta, such as tortellini. <S> In Italian language, "pasta" commonly indicates just dried durum-wheat pasta or fresh egg pasta (such as spaghetti, maccheroni, etc.) <S> while there isn't an exact translation for "dumpling"; stuffed pasta like ravioli, tortellini and cannelloni AFAIK lacks a collective name and just go by their own name. <A> i would say the difference between pasta and dumpling is the shape. <S> dumplings are round, ball-like shaped, like quenelles, and pasta is the pasta thing we all know. <S> with a spaetzle-dough you can make quenelles as well as long thin pasta.in parts of germany and austria they make spaetzle long and thin, scratching the dough from a wooden board with the blunt side of a knive into boiling salted water, and in other parts they make little quenelles, scratching the dough through a special spaetzle- sieve into boiling salted water.
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So I'd say it is correct to refer to it as pasta, at least for historical/traditional reasons, even if it doesn't meet some technical criteria for pasta (or does meet some for dumplings).
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Is it normal to see flames inside my self-cleaning oven? I spilled some sauce, cheese, and pepperoni in the oven last night while trying to transfer some homemade pizza from the pizza peel onto the pizza stone, so I decided to clean it today. I wiped the bottom and glass door, but the rest of the stuff was crusty and stuck to the bottom of the oven. I started the cycle and went about my business. About 15 minutes later I hear a loud POP and I run over to find little flames dancing at the bottom of the oven. I freak out, turn off the self-cleaning feature, grab the fire extinguisher and try to open the door, which wouldn't open (which I later found out was a safety feature because the temperature inside was close to 900 degrees, whew!) Anyway, now my kitchen and living room are filled with light smoke that I'm trying to ventilate, and I am terrified to run the self-clean again for fear of my house bursting into flames unless I watch it (which I don't particularly want to, since the smoke is nasty). So, were these little dancing flames and the resulting smoke safe and normal in the operation of the self-clean cycle? If not, what can I do before running the cycle again to minimize flames and smoke? <Q> Smoke is normal in an electric oven, but flames are definitely not. <S> In order to start a fire, you either need a spark, or you need to heat something beyond its autoignition temperature (AKA kindling point). <S> You might have had a short - or you might actually be using a gas oven with spark ignition - but <S> I'm guessing your issue was the latter. <S> Cooking oil or grease being heated beyond its autoignition point is one of the most common causes of kitchen fires (grease fires). <S> Supposedly, some oils have autoignition points as low as 550° F (or 288° C), though I'm not sure which oils those are. <S> Olive oil would be my guess as the lowest, but pepperoni grease could very well have ignited at self-cleaning temperatures (which, as you noticed, go up to nearly 1000° F). <S> Fortunately for you, all modern ovens have a mechanical interlock which prevents them from being opened during a self-cleaning cycle. <S> If you'd opened it, you would have made the problem a lot worse by (a) supplying the fire with abundant oxygen, and (b) drawing all the hot air and flames out of the oven and into your kitchen, quite possibly setting your whole home on fire. <S> Heat wants to move to where it's cold; that's why you keep your doors and windows closed in the winter. <S> There are a multitude of oven cleaners available for self-cleaning ovens - you are supposed to use these before you run a self-cleaning cycle. <S> Yes, I know it's odd, but "self-cleaning" <S> doesn't <S> really actually mean that it cleans itself , it just gives you a little extra help. <S> You need to try to clear out all the grease and big chunks of food first using one of these cleaners, then run the self-cleaning cycle to deal with anything you might have missed. <A> A oven is a box for containing high heat. <S> It really is the best place to have a fire. <S> Even if you somehow manage to set the heating element aflame (I've done this and still don't know how). <S> Leave <S> it closed and wait for it to go out. <A> I had a little fire going on in my self-cleaning oven, and I was worried about it too. <S> I called the fire department, and the fire guy was a tad snarky with me. <S> He informed me that that's what happens when you use the self-cleaning feature. <S> No worries. <A> this happened to me yesterday. <S> The flames were so bad, that my entire oven is charred from it...and the inside panel of tempered glass broke. <S> Fortunately, the fire dept came and made sure everything was okay... <S> but I unfortunately had to go out last night and buy a new oven <S> (it was only 2.5 years old). <S> so much for 2 year warranties.
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Though electric ovens are not supposed to have fire in there they do a fine job of containing it.
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Any advice to help me form and shape stuff more uniformly? I get frustrated by recipes which call for the cook to shape or form little balls out of a dough or cake or biscuit mix. The recipe will say something like "form into little walnut sized balls ... should make about 16". I always seem to end up with some larger than others. Individuals may look and taste good but it's a shame if they don't all look identical. Anyone got any advice? <Q> Use something that will help you measure the dough or mix uniformly. <S> Some possible tools to co-opt for this task: Ice cream scoop, melon baller, measuring cups or spoons : all depending on size of course. <S> You should be able to get to where you can eyeball the size in relation to the tool you are using. <A> If you have a dough that is dry enough (bread, cookies), the simplest method is to simply weigh your final dough, and then divide it into portions that weigh the same. <S> You'll be exact every time. <S> If you have something wetter but kinda keeps it's shape, like some cake mixes, I like to put it in a piping bag and then eyeball the portions. <S> It does not take too much practice to get even portions. <S> Though I sometimes fail at getting the correct number of portions. <S> If it gets even wetter, use a measuring spoon. <S> I suppose if you really plan ahead, you could also weigh all your containers first, and then you could weigh out the wetter mixtures too. <A> However, the main thing that allows people to get uniform results is less by technique and more by making the item over and over. <A> I try to make items in quantities of powers of two. <S> Cut the batch in half. <S> Cut the halves in half. <S> And so on. <S> It's not as perfect as using a measuring device, but on the other hand you'll never have that remainder with which to contend. <A> I just made a batch of cookies (Walnut size) using a melon baller. <S> Recipe called for 48 cookies and that is exactly what I got. <S> The baller was not heaping, pretty much just filled to the top. <S> Makes nice round cookies.
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Certainly dividing your dough or batter into the requisite number of pieces before you start forming can help since you can do so more evenly than by scooping each one individually. If your aim is truly for "identical", then the only real solution is practice.
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Is there an official standard vegan packaging symbol designating that a product is vegan? I'm trying to eat vegan and having a hard time determining (by the packaging) which products are appropriate for me. Are there symbols or certifications I can look for, preferably something backed by a federal or state government? If there isn't such a thing in widespread use, then what is the reason for its non-existence or lack of general adoption? <Q> There are two common symbols; the European Vegetarian Union (EVU) and Vegan Action . <S> In my experience, you will see the EVU on packaging and on restaurant menus. <S> The EVU is not exclusively vegan so you'll still need to read the packaging or ask about ingredients if in a restaurant. <S> The Vegan Action symbol is exclusively vegan and is becoming very popular in the United States. <A> As citadelgrad mentioned, there are currently agencies that certify vegan standards. <S> Vegan Action's certification (the V in the heart) is no longer accepting new applications for certification . <S> According to this article from Vegetarian Journal , other certification groups include the European Vegetarian Union (not vegan), Natural Food Certifiers , The Vegan Society , and a symbol from Edward & Sons Trading Company . <S> To discuss the broader question, as I understand it, the issue with food certifications is twofold. <S> There needs to be enough of an advantage to sales in getting the certification that it outweighs the cost in both money and time to get it. <S> (Certification agencies get paid for their symbols.) <S> Which means that there has to be a large audience who will be significantly more likely to buy a product if it has the certification than if it doesn't. <S> Secondly, there needs to be an agency to provide the certification. <S> This requires knowing your audience well enough to establish standards that are widely acceptable. <S> Then you need to train inspectors to monitor the food production to ensure that products are living up to the standards you set. <S> And they need to publicize the value of the certification among the desired audiences. <S> (Often different groups. <S> For example, kosher certifications are often promoted as providing more healthful food -- which may or may not be the case.) <S> The process is complex. <S> For example, there's currently a movement in the kosher community to found a certification of ethical production. <S> (Wikipedia discusses it here .) <S> This process has wide support among many kosher food consumers, and yet it's still in development and has been since 2006. <S> It appears to me that there has not yet been a symbol that meets both criteria well enough to become common for vegan foods. <A> There's also the logo from the Vegan Society ; while UK-based it's beginning to find its way through mainland Europe as well. <A> the orthodox union o-u is close: it means that the food is parve. <S> It may have eggs or fish (with fins and scales, no shellfish) in it, but no other animal ingredients. <S> and as a previous poster said, watch out for the "natural flavors" ingredient. <S> http://www.oukosher.org/ <A> You have to be very careful with any type of symbols you look for as the symbol is only as good as what the organization behind it accepts as valid process. <S> I generally look for Kosher symbols because one organization which has the Kosher symbol does not accept any type of meat but another organization which has similar Kosher symbol accepts meat which are in accordance of proper slaughtering (all meats except pigs). <A> I find a quick way to glance at new products is the usually-bolded allergen statements on the back, under the ingredients listing. <S> This will often rule-out products. <S> Once a product passes this "test", though, you still want to check the ingredients for things that aren't necessarily listed as an allergen (like honey).
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I've only ever seen the Vegan Action symbol on packaged products. First, companies need to feel it is worthwhile to pay to get this certification.
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How does one remove the "fishy flavor" from seafood? My sister really doesn't like a strong fish flavor and is very picky. Are there any effective ways to prepare the seafood in such a manner that reduces the fishy flavor/taste? If "seafood" is too broad, then please limit your answer to include fish and prawn. Thanks! <Q> Fresh seafood shouldn't be overly "fishy". <S> It's generally older seafood that will get a stronger "fishy" smell and flavour. <S> That said, there are 3 approaches to a "less fishy" result: <S> Absorb/reduce fishiness : you can always try something like soaking it in milk (which you can then save to use for a fishy bechamel when your sister isn't dining with you). <S> You could then rinse it off and cook it however you want. <S> This should help "absorb" some of the fishiness and make it milder. <S> Disguise fishiness : The other angle is to "cover up" the flavour with lots of spicy glaze or garlic/lemon flavours instead. <S> Pick mild seafood : The other thing to try is to pick a more mildly flavoured fish (e.g. a white fish instead of something like tuna or salmon). <S> Avoid oily fish as they tend to have a stronger flavour. <S> Choosing something really fresh also falls into this category. <A> An old trick from the Indian subcontinent is to rinse it well, dust lightly with salt and powdered turmeric and leave for half an hour or more. <S> You can rinse this off before cooking or leave it on - turmeric is a good source of that very desirable umami taste. <A> One additional consideration in fishiness is the fat itself. <S> My wife dislikes fishy flavor, and so when she eats salmon (for example), she enjoys the pink parts, but dislikes the gray (which are typically near the skin where much of the fat resides). <S> Most of the 'fishiness' is indeed in that oil - a slight rancidity to the oil, perhaps, but more often simply the oil itself is what is disliked (google "fish oil pills" and you'll see all sorts of comments). <S> As such, I cook the fish in a manner that does not disperse the oil (so grilling or sautéeing is out - a good poach in vegetable broth works though) and then give her the pinker parts, reserving the fattier, tastier parts for myself and the little ones: as such, we both win (I get better fish, my kids get smarter, and my wife doesn't complain about fishiness!) <A> I had an "old salt" say that it is the "belly meat" that tastes fishy. <S> When fileting, don't cut all the way down to the belly. <S> Seems to be the secret. <A> Soak the fish covered in water with salt and sugar for 10-30 min. <S> About 2 tbsp of salt and the same amount of sugar when using a cup of water. <S> After soaking, rinse the fish, then rub in the same amount of salt and sugar (like a dry rub). <S> You can add some black pepper too, if you like. <S> Let the fish sit in a bowl until the oil starts coming out of the fish (30-60 min). <S> Pour out the oil and let sit some more. <S> Keep waiting and pouring out the oil until most of the oil is pulled from the fish. <S> The amount of fishyness you pull from the fish depends on how long you want to keep pouring off the oil. <S> An hour or two is OK for salmon. <S> It might take overnight in the fridge for fishier seafood. <S> After extracting the oil, rinse the fish very well. <S> Cook or smoke after that. <A> My mom taught me to soak all seafood in milk to remove the strong fishy flavor. <S> It really works! <A> Mix vinegar with fresh water then soak fish in it for 5 minutes; rinse and dry it with paper towel before marinating. <S> This method will be able to reduce 50% fishy smell. <S> You should not cook fish if you want to remove fishy smell <S> 100%.Ben <A> cajun spice, salt, and flour mix coating fried in canola oil works like a charm. <A> Think of it as making a well-balanced vinegrette. <A> I understand the original question, at least as to how it applies to prawns. <S> There is a word in Indonesia (where seafood always comes to the pan still kicking) <S> -which refers exactly to an unpleasant 'seafloor' or 'bilge' smell <S> -and taste present in some prawns. <S> I've noticed it particularly in some Australian prawns though whether due to age or species I dont know. <S> As for fish, assuming it's all very fresh of course, different kinds of fish can have vastly different smell and taste <S> so it's important to get to know which is which. <S> A GOOD fish supplier (usually NOT yr corner fish'n'chips shop) should be able to advise. <A> Cut out the red meat aka bloodline and discard. <S> For fish like a Tuna that has red colored meat, cut away the darker red portions and discard. <S> Soaking in milk also works.
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I haven't tried the suggested milk solution, but an overnight soak in salt does help. Oily fish, such as bluefish or herring, can be balanced by including acidic ingredients like tomatoes, lemon, or vinegar in the cooking process and/or finishing sauce.
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Reducing the saltiness of commercially prepared seasoning I've been cooking a certain brand of noodles, and noticed that the seasoning provided is quite salty than you'd expect. Is there a way to reduced the saltiness without a noticeable change in flavor? And if it does change the flavor, please describe in what way it changes. <Q> This will also dilute the flavour. <S> You can, up to a point, mask excessive saltiness with quite a lot of sugar, but that won't work here. <S> Don't believe anyone who tells you that putting a raw potato in whatever you're making will absorb extra salt; this is an old kitchen myth and has absolutely no basis in reality. <A> If this is dry seasoning, you may be able to physically separate the salt out. <S> Options might include sifting (if the salt is a different size), settling (if the salt is a different density). <S> You may also be able to perform chemical separation, for example <S> if the salt dissolves in cold water where's the rest of the seasoning does not. <S> Finally, you could mix your own seasoning! <A> My simple method is just to use less of the packet. <S> If it's still a little bland, you can always add spices back in (eg, if you want a touch of heat, shake in a little crushed red pepper). <S> If you're preparing ramen, my uncle's simple method was to stretch it out by adding other vegetables, such as some form of cabbage (eg, bok choy, a couple of shreaded brussel sprouts), some sliced onion, bean sprounts, etc. <S> It's basically a form of diluting, but you're adding things that need to be seasoned, so it won't seem as overly salted. <A> I am fully in the "make your own" camp here. <S> Get low sodium bullion cubes. <S> Chicken, beef, etc. <S> to use as the base. <S> Then add in the other spices like the onion, garlic, etc. <S> You can mix up a batch and keep it in an old spice jar ready for use. <S> I did that a lot during hard times.
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The only way to reduce saltiness is to dilute it.
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"Screaming" noise while steaming milk? When steaming milk (for a latte or other coffee drink), it sometimes produces a loud, high-pitched "screaming" sound. I think you can usually prevent it by keeping the tip of the steaming wand on the surface of the milk longer before putting it in deeper, but that's just a guess more than anything I've actually been taught. I've always assumed this noise means the milk is scalding, but I'm really sure. What causes the screaming noise, and what is the best way to avoid it? <Q> The screaming noise occurs when your steaming wand can't draw in enough air. <S> The worst that will happen is your milk will taste a little sour. <S> Just pull the wand out of the milk for a second then put it back in. <A> 'Screaming' or 'Hissing' is a common occurrence when making a latte <S> - it is an indicator of milk expansion. <S> It can scald your milk, so it's best to use the scream as an audible warning to adjust your steaming process. <S> Once you hear the scream, start rotating your milk jug. <S> Here are some general tips on steaming milk from my website http://www.perfectlatte.com/ <S> Steam wand should be approx. <S> 2cm in from jug and no more than 1cm beneath the surface of the jug. <S> When the milk begins to expand, it must be going in a counter clockwise motion around the jug allowing small bubbles to form. <S> The bubbles should not be big. <S> Once the milk has been expanded enough (remember 1cm foam) and has reached a temperature of 80ºF, bring the steam wand into the centre of the jug and continue the spinning motion until the milk reaches 150-160ºF. <S> I hope that was helpful for you. <S> Remember, rotation should help you avoid scalded or burnt latte milk. <S> Just don't let the scream go unnoticed. <A> Technically, the noise is very likely tiny steam bubbles that collapse with great force as the steam condenses, thereby shrinking to 1/1600 of its volume. <S> This is called cavitation and the forces appearing at the microscopic scale are enormous and present a significant challenge in a number of engineering tasks. <S> For more details, see the Wikipedia article . <S> Now, with regard to the latte, I'm just a latte consumer, and don't really know anything about how to make it, but the above might still be helpful in connection with what others have written. <S> I would expect cavitation to occur every time, and in my experience, there's always some kind of noise associated with the steaming. <S> However, that high-pitch screaming might mean there's more cavitation, for instance, because the steam is hotter, the milk is colder, or there is more steam etc. <S> Each of which may very well affect the result. <S> Since milk is quite a complicated emulsion, I'm certain with those tiny implosions, there's a lot going on at the microscopic level. <A> To expand on Hanno Fietz' answer: I agree that the sound is caused by cavitation. <S> Does feathering the surface prevent cavitation? <S> I don't think it does, I think the cavitation is still occurring. <S> Remember, the wand is blasting out pure steam, so if you submerge it into the milk before you turn it on, the steam is going to rapidly condense back into pure water with no "air" in it. <S> This steam collapse is one form of cavitation. <S> As a liquid, milk (like water) is incompressible, so with no shock absorption the cavitation energy is transferred directly into the sides of the container. <S> That is the sound that you are hearing, the cavitation energy "ringing" off the sides of the container. <S> However, by feathering the surface the steam will capture some atmosphere and introduce it into the milk as tiny bubbles. <S> I think these tiny bubbles act as a shock-absorber for the energy of the cavitation. <S> You can still hear the cavitation, it is just much more subdued because the air bubbles absorb most of the energy. <S> The more you feather the surface, the more bubbles introduced, the quieter the cavitation noise. <S> Here is a demonstration of the power of cavitation: <S> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3x2U4CaEs <S> I should point out that this video presents a different kind of cavitation, but it is the same idea.
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Turn the steam wand on and adjust the jug with you hand until you hear the milk “hissing” or in other words expanding.
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How to cure beef jerky with a minimum of salt? I just made a batch of jerky last weekend. I used the packet that came with the dehydrator. Marinade for 4 hours, dehydrate at 160 for 14 hours (12 for smaller peices) It turned out excellent! (I did not use the beef jerky gun) My question is, since I only have 2 more packets left and I want to try my own flavors, what do I need to use to create a cure? I'd like to stay away from salt if possible or at least reduce the salt content (possibly sea salt?). What exactly is the cure doing? <Q> The salt in the cure inhibits bacterial growth (particularly if the salt is one made for curing, and contains nitrates). <S> So you should be warned that you are trading a few blood pressure points for enhanced risk of foodborne illness. <S> Unfortunately, I think your options are rather limited -- either to keep the salt as-is, or forgo jerky in your diet. <A> The risk you have is that if you do not inhibit bacteria growths not only can spoilage occur but mold can grow as well. <S> The Biltong I make is hung for 10 - 14 days. <S> That is a long while for micro organism to have there way with your meat. <S> You must take precautions <S> This is very scary as unless you have a laboratory at hand <S> you are playing the proverbial culinary russian roulette. <S> Not all mold / bacteria produces odours or tastes and you cannot deduce the safety of mold from the colour either. <S> That being said you do not need excessive use of salt. <S> The biltong I make is doused in the salt for two hours. <S> That being said For a 2kg batch I do use almost a half a kilo of salt but still you do not want a too harsh taste of salt in your end product. <S> You can then use a spiced up vinegar bath to further inhibit spoilage and also reduce the salt without the adding of water. <S> My advice to you would be that if you have an aversion to salt or maybe have health concerns <S> then it is better to just plainly avoid cured meat. <S> Reducing the salt of the cure sounds to me to very much be a recipe for disaster. <S> (PS Biltong and Jerky are very similar to each other <S> so I know the question asks about Jerky but these points I believe are valid for both.) <S> What exactly is the cure doing? <S> It provides enough acidity to the environment of the meat as to make it impossible for spoilage bacteria and mold to grow. <S> This is usually done by the use of salts, vinegar and / or Nitrates. <S> When you have provided the meat with a PH balance that does not favour any bacterial growth you can hang your meat and let the cold winter air dry the meat without any risk of spoiling. <S> This added with the flavour of the salt and the spices gives a cured meat product that is very tasty indeed. <A> While the salt does inhibit bacterial growth, it is possible to safely make jerky in a dehydrator without it if you are careful about the temperature, moisture, and dehydrating time. <S> There is more information on this thread . <A> Please see here: https://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/assets/pdf_Files/Making_Safe%20Jerky_in_a%20Home_Dehydrator3.pdf <S> And also here: <S> http://extension.oregonstate.edu/fch/sites/default/files/documents/pnw_632_makingjerkyathome.pdf <S> Edit: For the sake of being sure to have understood everything properly, I emailed one of the author of the first article. <S> Here's my original email: <S> Hello, <S> I read the guide at http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/assets/pdf_Files/Making_Safe%20Jerky_in_a%20Home_Dehydrator3.pdf , many thanks for it. <S> I am writing you to kindly ask for a clarification, though. <S> I am trying to realize if marinading and post-processing in the oven <S> are both necessary step or if by using the oven I may skip the marinating step. <S> I would love to be able to make safe jerky without seasoning because of the added salt. <S> So by using lean meat, that is kept very well refrigerated until dehydrated; dehydrating it at 155F, and then putting it in the oven at 275F for ten (or more) minutes would be safe enough without any marinading? <S> Thank you VERY much for your kind assistance. <S> Here's the reply. <S> Marinating is not required; it is used only to add flavor to the meat. <S> What you have suggested, without marination, would be fine to do. <S> That is based on research, not on opinions. <S> One more article, from USDA itself. <S> http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/meat-preparation/jerky-and-food-safety/ct_index <S> A quote from it: What research findings exist on the safety of jerky? " <S> Effects of Preparation Methods on the Microbiological Safety of Home-Dried Meat Jerky" was published in the Journal of Food Protection, Vol. <S> 67, No. <S> 10, 2004, Pages 2337-2341. <S> The authors are from the University of Georgia (Brian A. Nummer, Judy A. Harrison, and Elizabeth L. Andress, Department of Foods and Nutrition, and Mark A. Harrison, Department of Food Science and Technology) and from Colorado State University (Patricia Kendall, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and John N. Sofos, Department of Animal Sciences ). <S> Marinating meat doesn't make raw meat safe. <S> "Marination alone did not result in significant reduction of the pathogen compared with whole beef slices that were not marinated," <S> concluded the study.
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There are several methods recommended by USDA (US Department of Agriculture) and curing with salt is NOT the best one, so you can totally go without it and have a SAFER result than curing and not do the treatments recommended in the following articles.
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What's the difference between tamari and soy sauce? If a recipe calls for tamari, can I use plain soy sauce instead? If using one for the other, what effect would it have on a recipe? <Q> I have a bottle of San-J Tamari (black label) in my fridge and the back reads: <S> Tamari is a premium soy sauce made with more soybeans than ordinary soy sauce giving it a richer, smoother, more complex taste. <S> Tamari has more flavor enhancing properties than salt. <S> Add 1 tsp. <S> (320 mg sodium) instead of tsp. <S> salt (590 mg sodium) to reduce sodium intake. <S> Stir-fry or marinate poultry, meat fish and vegetables. <S> Add 1-2 tsp. <S> to perk up sauces, soups, gravies and casseroles. <S> In my experience, I use a little less tamari when substituting it for regular soy sauce. <S> As Sean mentioned, it's definitely a bit stronger than regular soy sauce. <S> I eyeball most of the time, but I'd say I use 1/2 to 3/4 portion of tamari when substituting it for regular soy sauce. <S> I reach for the tamari when I want a bit more of a complex flavor on something plain like rice - when the soy sauce is to be the star of the dish, essentially. <S> I tend to use regular soy sauce when mixing into a larger homemade sauce or where the soy sauce flavor will blend into the background because the recipe calls for so many other strong ingredients. <S> Oh, and tamari seems to add a bit of an almost "smoky" flavor, it seems. <A> It doesn't answer the follow-up question, but one subtle difference is that tamari doesn't always have wheat in it, while soy always does. <S> This means, if you're cooking for people with gluten intollerance, some types of tamari is safe, while soy sauce never is. <S> (I've made the mistake of using soy when cooking for someone ... <S> I now have a bottle of wheat free tamari stashed for the next time, but I've yet to compare the two directly) <A> It's a bit stronger, though I'm not sure of the actual differences in production between the two. <S> If you substituted standard soy sauce in for tamari, I'd imagine the recipe would taste less of the sauce, at a rate proportional to the amount of sauce for which the recipe calls. <S> Maybe adding more soy sauce to the recipe would approximate the effect, or reducing it by some amount before adding, but that is pure conjecture on my part. <A> Tamari is a byproduct of making misu. <S> It is the real deal. <S> Shoyu is a tamari imitation made by altering the misu process to increase liquid production without hurting flavor. <S> (It almost succeeds. <S> not bad but not quite as good as the real thing.) <S> Soy sauce could be either of these mixed with other fillers to increase production volume or yet another product designed to taste similar. <S> I have seen both variants. <S> When substituting tamari for soy sauce <S> I normally use 1/2 tamari, 1/4 pineapple juice, 1/8 worcestershire sauce, a dash of ginger, a hint of tabasco sauce, and water to fill the volume if needed. <S> Going the other way I just use extra and cut the water if needed.
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Tamari is a particular Japanese variant of soy sauce.
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Is designating knives to avoid cross-contamination necessary? I have a friend who assigns one knife for cutting raw meat, another knife for cutting fruits and vegetables, another for cutting cooked meat, etc. Is washing one knife after each specific use not sufficient to avoid cross-contamination? (Note: different cutting boards are assigned for different food types as well) <Q> Using separate cutting boards is advisable, but separate knives are unnecessary. <S> 90% of my cutting is done with my chef's knife. <S> I don't own two of these, nor would I use a subpar knife for the job. <S> I almost always find it most convenient to start my preparation by cutting the veggies, fruit, etc. <S> first <S> and then finally cutting the meat last. <S> Then you can wash your knife once and be done with it. <A> This is completely unnecessary so long as you clean your knives properly (soap, hot water for the blades). <A> Cutting board material is typically absorbent, whether it's wood or a knicked, scratched, sliced-up poly board. <S> Try as you might, you can't guarantee the cleanliness of a cutting board; however, a knife blade is made of metal and doesn't retain material like a cutting board. <S> You can therefore assure that, once cleaned thoroughly, it can be used again for different food. <A> Separate (red) cutting board for meat is a good idea. <S> I don't bother with separate knives <S> BUT I just realized the only none meat thing I use a chef's knife for is crushing garlic. <A> However make sure your knives are in good working order. <S> Loose grommets or grooves can be great places for bacteria to hide. <S> Personally I prefer knives with commercial grade "Sani-Safe" handles.
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I agree This is completely unnecessary so long as you clean your knives properly (soap, hot water for the blades).
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Why do brassicas like cauliflower or brussels sprouts sometimes taste bitter, and (how) can I avoid it? Cauliflower or Brussels Sprouts sometimes taste slightly bitter after cooking. Is this some mistake in the way they are cooked or is that just the vegetables themselves? <Q> All the vegetables form the Brassica family have a bitter component to their flavour. <S> Brassica is the family that includes cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. <S> You can actually remove quite a lot of it by leeching it out in to the water, or by using salt. <S> Remember that this means you're also losing some of the nutritional value, though that doesn't matter too much. <S> You can also try ot mask the bitter taste with the sauce/dressing. <S> Something like a cream sauce, or even barbeque flavour will usually mask the bitterness quite well, while letting the cabbage-ness come through. <A> Don't overcook your cruciferous vegetables. <S> When you overcook them you release more aromatic compounds and aromas. <S> Also, you may be sensitive to phenylthiocarbamide (PTC). <S> Similar compounds exist in cruciferous vegetables and therefore for some people they can taste radically bitter while for others there's no noticeable bitter taste. <S> Sources: http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/season8/lettuce/greens.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenylthiocarbamide <A> Coat lightly with olive oil, sprinkle w/ balsamic vinegar, liberal application of kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper in a bowl to coat evenly. <S> Then spread 1-layer thick on sheet pan. <S> Roast in the oven, ~35 min 375 <S> degF. <S> The veg will develop a light caramelization on the outside in some places, but will have a sweeter flavor. <S> This works well for brussel sprouts, asparagus, green beans or cauliflower.
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Or cook them with flavors that will mask it better -- garlic, olive oil, salt, hot chilies, etc.
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What can I use instead of swede (rutabaga) when making pickle relish I want to make a British-style pickle relish at home. I think the best recipes involve swede (rutabaga in the US), because it gives texture and flavour, but isn't overpowering. Unforunately, I can't get swedes where I live. What would make a good substitute? <Q> I am a big fan of swedes/rutabagas. <S> When I can't get them I use turnips, beets, daikon radishes. <S> Carrots/parsnips add some interesting flavor as well. <S> A couple other vegetables that are crunchy and nice-flavored but more exotic are celery root or jicama. <A> I know some people who have substituted rutabagas in recipes with the stronger portions of a green cabbage (do NOT use the core). <S> I came from a poor community and you learn what you can use and not. <S> Things that grow in your garden like: the aforementioned vegetables and brussels sprouts, cooked parsnips, carrots, corn, peas, radishes, zucchini, cooked butternut squash, toasted or grilled eggplant or cheaper items at the store like jicama, cabbage and celery. <S> Don't forget that some raw slivered (not already roasted) almonds, sunflower seeds or cashews will give you some more crunch too. <S> I know that this is an old post but some people will find this in a search for the same issues like I found in my Google search... <S> so Good Luck to all :) <A> Anything crunchy should work fine. <S> Radish, daikon <S> (yes I know it's a kind of radish), carrot, fennel... <A> water chestnuts might do the trick for crunch. <A> Kohlrabi is a brilliant idea and it will not at all seem much different to the swede in a Branston Pickle type mix which has a wide variety of vegetables in it anyway. <S> Turnip will do at a pinch but you may need to increase the amount of sugar as swedes are generally sweeter. <S> Make sure the chunks are very small. <S> Here is an original recipe which comes out a little dryer than the commercial Cross & Blackwell brand. <S> Some people add tomatoes and more apple in the mix. <S> If you can't find fresh gherkins straight off the vine, buy a cheap commercial jar of them - dice and throw in for good measure. <S> At the end of the day it's finely chopped dates you should want rather than raisins, and flavour comes from the dark brown sugar (Muscovado is best), All spice, standard dark brown malt vinegar, and of course cayenne pepper. <S> Make sure you keep the mix moving, with sufficient liquid. <S> Do not allow the pan to burn at the bottom because the taste will quickly change. <S> If you do catch the bottom of the pan, do not scrape it back into the mix. <S> Decant the content immediately into another pan and leave the burned bottom behind. <S> Also, once the product is in the can, and sealed, do not open and use it for at least a month, to allow the blend to mature (all the flavours will even out naturally over time). <S> 9 ounces carrots, peeled, cut into small chunks 1 medium swede, peeled, cut into small chunks 4-5 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped 5 ounces dates, finely chopped 1 small cauliflower, finely chopped 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped 2 medium apples, unpeeled, finely chopped 2 medium courgettes, unpeeled, finely chopped 15-20 small gherkins, finely chopped 10 ounces dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons lemon juice 3/4 pint malt vinegar 2 teaspoons mustard seeds <S> 2 teaspoons ground allspice <S> 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper <A> Could you use a turnip (or several)? <S> My understanding is that this is the "closest" vegetable to the rutabaga.
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turnips will lend the necessary flavor but can be added WITH: Cauliflower or slightly cooked potatoes such as Petite Potatoes (grade C which you can find at a farmer's market but pack some taste...yum), Yukon Gold, New Potatoes, Red Potatoes or Fingerling Potatoes.
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What are common/traditional uses for merguez? I found today something new in the supermarket and decided to try it. They are called "traditional french merguez", and seem to be raw sausages made from lamb and beef, moderately spicy. I have no idea how to use them (except to use them just like any other sausage, but I think that it would be a missed opportunity). Is there a traditional way to prepare them, and what are the usual combinations? I already found a ton of recipes on Google, but I'd prefer to hear some more on their traditional use, and also about combinations you have tried and found to work well. Edit Having slept over the question, I think I can make it a bit more specific. Preparation methods: Are merguez usually boiled, grilled, fried, roasted, or something else? What are the typical combinations? Currently, I only know about couscous. Are they eaten with certain veggies, or herbs, or other things? Eating occasion. Are they considered a snack, a breakfast, a main course, or something else? I am aware that anything I listed is possible, but I am asking about the traditional way they are used. If the answers still tend to sound like "undefinable", "all of the above" and "any way the cook feels like", please vote to close the question. <Q> Favourably, we put them on the barbecue. <S> You can also just fry them in the pan like a chipolata. <S> I wouldn't eat them in combo's where you use normal sausages. <S> It doesn't go well with apple sauce for example. <S> But this is of course a question of taste. <S> I prefer them (when not on the BBQ) with food which doesn't contain a lot of spices, like lettuce and tomatoes with boiled potatoes. <A> Like you'd use any other sausage. <S> Omelets, toad in a hole, pigs in a blanket, etc. <S> Served along side couscous or in a sandwich. <S> I've had them served along side eggs spiced with cumin and harissa before as well. <S> Or they can be used as a component of a tagine, in which case they would not be grilled, but probably seared and then added to the stew as it cooks. <A> From Wikipedia : Merguez is usually eaten grilled or with couscous. <S> Dried merguez is used to add flavor to tagines. <S> In Germany, it is often grilled on a schwenker. <S> I would add that it would be good in a cassoulet.
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It is also eaten in sandwiches and with french fries. Tranditionally speaking it's grilled.
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Is it normal that my coffee grinder leaves a huge mess all over the counter? So I have an old blade grinder, which seems to work well enough for me, except in one respect: The coffee grinds fall out of the bottom of the grinder. Now this is a cheapo grinder that I got as a gift, and I've never had another grinder. So I don't want to go buy another if they all do this. But on the other hand, if this just a function of a piece of cr*p grinder, I'd like to have a new one. To clarify: I'm not talking about a static explosion of grind upon opening the cover after grinding. I'm talking about some of the grinds simply ending up on the counter while I'm grinding. UPDATE So, I have opened the bottom in the past, and when I did, the most enormous amount of old yucky coffee grinds spilled out. So I cleaned it out, and put it back together, and when I did, the problem continued to happen. So I, like any good ol' cheapskate would do, sealed the bottom with duct tape. This solved the problem until I realized that the design of the thing is to let moisture out the bottom of the machine, and that's the same path that the grind were coming out. So all my coffee grinds were ending up moist and sticky. So in short, I should've bought a new one long ago, and to you future cheapskates reading this, do not even ACCEPT a "white-westinghouse" grinder as a freebie. <Q> I've owned several grinders -- both blade and burr, but I've never had one that did this. <S> So no I would not say it is normal <S> Is the lid closed tight when you start it? <S> Blade style ones are pretty cheap, so you might just want to get a new one. <A> I had one that suffered this problem once (a Krups branded whirly blade machine), which I noticed when the coffee dust fouled the contacts <S> and it wouldn't run any more. <S> But you'll probably need a special set of drivers to get in--they are sealed to prevent law suits. <S> (I happened to own the right tamper-resistant drivers. <S> There were no capacitors or other obvious sources of danger in there, but be sure to test the interlock when reassembling: you don't want to lose a finger.) <S> On the other hand, a new machine might be cheaper than the tools and more certain. <A> If it has multiple blades it might be removable, if that's the case, some grinds might have nudged their way in there. <S> Check to see if you can remove the blade and clean out the assembly. <A> A trick I use when grinding coffee is to place my grinder on top of the coffee filter. <S> This helps when I take off the lid and some grinds always fall out. <S> It sounds like it would help you when your grinds falling out of the bottom and not just from the top.
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You may be able to disassemble it, clean out the guts and reassemble more neatly to reduce the problem.
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omelettes and scrambled eggs - How long can I store them? Is it a good idea to keep make a lot of them and keep them in the refrigerator? I like them for breakfast but I don't like cooking every morning. For how long I can keep them? <Q> What Tim said. <S> Eggs just don't hold very well, and they are very sensitive to temperature--reheating them basically will mean re-cooking them. <S> I would never store eggs in this manner, because the texture and flavour degradation will make them unpleasant to eat. <S> Remember to chill them as rapidly as possible after cooking, and you may wish to undercook slightly in order to minimize problems when reheating. <S> I would use 72 hours as an absolute maximum, particularly if you are undercooking. <S> 48 hours is probably wiser. <A> So I was thinking about this, and realized that there are plenty of egg dishes that work well out of the refrigerator, but the thing is, you don't reheat them, you serve them at room temperature: quiche fritatta pizza rustica tortilla (the spanish dish, not the south american item of the same name) <S> I mean, it's not going to be the exact same as making it fresh and serving it warm, but the problem is in reheating eggs when you tend to overcook it. <S> (I once turned a pizza rustica into a nasty puddle of water when I tried reheating it) <S> So, my thought on the matter is you could probably pull it off, just don't heat it. <S> You might be able to microwave it on really low heat to just take the chill off ... <S> but don't try to get it hot. <S> You'd have to try it yourself to see if it's an acceptable taste / texture / temperature for your palette. <S> You might also consider either serving it with something else warmed through to let some of the heat transfer (eg, place it on a freshly toasted bagel or english muffin) <A> When it comes to taste, eggs are very difficult to preserve. <S> When they are warmed after refrigeration they cook further, and fried eggs have a narrow window in which they taste great. <A> I don't know how long they remain sanitary <S> but when I'm cooking scrambled eggs for a lot of people and I have to store them in the oven to keep warm I always cover them with slices of cheese. <S> This seems to help keep their flavor as if they were right off the pan and prevents the surfaces of the eggs from drying out and becoming crusty. <S> It may improve their refrigeration life as well? <A> I have been scrambling three large eggs at a time. <S> I eat one and put the rest in the fridge in a sealed plastic container. <S> I make egg salad out of the leftovers for sandwiches over the next two days adding various things like onion bits, dill, mustard, hot sauce, lemon pepper, cheese slices, etc. <S> The eggs taste just fine. <S> The sealed container keeps them moist. <A> Keeping cooked eggs is not very tasty <S> Follow my previous post on "better-scrambled-eggs" for making scrambled eggs in 60 seconds from eggs to plate (thin stainless skillet on a gas stove) <A> I've been cooking my eggs in a small round pan. <S> To keep that shape, I'll cook 4 batches for 4 days at a time, then place them in fridge. <S> Wake up, grab one round cooked egg, nuke in the microwave for 30 secs and it tastes great to me on a piece of Ezekiel bread. <S> I have 3 small children and a busy morning, so I need something healthy and fast with no mess in the morning. <A> Eggs keep fine for two weeks just fine raw in the shell and about abit over a week cooked into a fritta shape, 25 sec in a microwave works wonders
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However, to actually answer your question--and again, I urge you not to do this because stored and reheated eggs will taste like garbage--cooked eggs should keep for up to 72 hours in the refrigerator.
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What would be the difference between frying vs baking meatballs? I'm sure the two techniques impart slightly different flavor profiles, but what are they? What are the circumstances where you would choose one method over the other? Would the recipe need to be altered at all between methods? <Q> No recipe alteration needed. <S> In any case, unless you're making tiny meatballs (or finishing their cooking in a sauce of some sort), they're going to need to be finished via baking anyway. <S> I would only do the baking method if I had to make an enormous quantity at once. <S> For home cooking <S> I always fry then bake. <A> Conversely I only ever bake my meatballs for one simple reason: it makes a heck of a lot less mess. <S> Also with the effort that goes into making meatballs and the fact that making 6 or 30 is about the same amount of effort, I actually like to make a large amount and then freeze the extras. <S> But like @daniel said: there's no adjustments needed to the recipe or technique or anything. <A> Baked meatballs will not brown as well (if at all) and will not take on any of the flavor of the oil in which they are fried. <S> To get that fried flavor you could add a little bit of oil into the meatball mixture and also lightly spray/toss the meatballs with oil before baking.
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Fried meatballs will develop more of a crust, and thus more flavour through the Maillard reaction.
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How do you properly soak and cook barley? I am going to be making a beef barley soup and need to soak the pearl barley overnight. There are no directions on the back of the package and so I am unclear on what to do. There is a recipe for a barley and bean type soup and it says to soak the barley overnight in water and then drain it in the morning. Is that all that needs to be done? Also, once the barley is all done soaking, do I add it into the broth and let everything cook or are there more steps? <Q> You probably misread the recipe. <S> It's suggested that dry beans soak overnight so that they cook in a reasonable amount of time the next day (unless you use a pressure cooker.) <S> There is no need to soak barley, pearled or not. <S> It's my guess that you mistook the bean soaking for barley in the recipe. <S> That, or it's a typo. <A> Cooking barley is similar to cooking rice: Cover 1 cup of pearl barley with 2 cups of water or vegetable broth and simmer for 30-40 minutes before fluffing with a fork. <S> Or, try using a rice cooker. <S> Add 2 1/2 cups water per cup of barley. <S> Pre-soak barley in plenty of water to cut down on the overall cooking time. <S> Barley can be pre-soaked for an hour or overnight. <S> Pre-soaking will reduce the cooking time to about fifteen minutes. <A> Nota bene: be sure not to add more barley than the recipe calls for, as the barley can easily become overwhelming. <A> Normally you do not need to soak barley beforehand. <S> However it is often recommended to cook the barley with cold water and bring to boil. <A> I do not pre soak my barley for soup. <S> Once I have browned the meat with onion and garlic <S> I add a cap full of natural apple cider vinegar <S> then start adding everything else. <S> I add the containter of chicken stock into the pot, added my barley, diced potatoe and vegtables. <S> I cook on medium heat then later lowered to simmer. <S> I was done in no time. <A> I never soak my soup barley. <S> Of course, I don't pre-cook it, either. <S> I just wash it, throw it in the pot, and let the starches it releases thicken my soup as it cooks. <S> As a shortcut, it works great, and I never have to wonder how to thicken my soup.
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I don't believe it is necessary to soak pearl barley, just add it in and let it cook like you would rice or pasta.
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Can you safely can homemade caramel/butterscotch syrup? I've done canning of jams and jellies. I would like to make caramel and butterscotch syrups and jar them to give away, too, but I'm not sure if this is do-able since they contain butter and cream. Can this be done safely at home? If so, how long would they be good for? <Q> I haven't seen a butterscotch canned recipe but the ball blue book has a couple syrup canning recipes that look fantastic. <S> If you do any canning you should have this book. <S> The recipes are invaluable. <S> These recipes use the hot water bath technique. <S> The extremely high sugar content would be enough to keep it preserved. <S> Modifying one to be butterscotch should be straight forward. <S> I wouldn't try any experiments that reduce the sugar content because then we're getting into the risk-of-horrible-paralyzing-death area of canning. <A> Different types of caramel can be stored for different amounts of time. <S> Caramel syrup is stored well in an air-tight glass container for a few months in a fridge. <S> If you make caramel sweets they are best stored if wrapped in wax paper to prevent sticking and then put inside a freezer bag. <S> You can freeze them for a few months (if you can resist them that long!) <A> I wonder if you could do something similar?
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I have made dulce de leche from boiling cans of sweetened condensed milk for a long time, and it made this lovely, thick caramel that tasted fantastic.
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What does "spooned and leveled" mean? I'm looking at a recipe that lists the following as an ingredient: 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) What exactly does this mean? Is this literal - i.e. spoon it into the measuring cup and level off? If so, why does it matter if it's "spooned" or not? <Q> The easiest way to measure a cup of flour is of course to take the measuring cup, plunge it into your bag of flour and just lift up a spoonful. <S> The problem with that is that the plunging and lifting will compress the flour inside the cup and actually get you more flour than you wanted. <A> You're exactly right, it means to spoon the flour in and then level it off. <S> If you scoop the flour, meaning you dip the measuring cup into the canister and scoop a large amount out, the pressure compacts more flour into the measuring cup. <S> When you spoon it into the measuring cup instead, the flour is less compact <S> (so there is less of it in the same 1 cup measure). <S> Subtle differences like this can mean a big difference in the end result when baking. <S> If you were to measure 1 sifted cup, 1 spooned cup, and 1 scooped cup on a food scale <S> you would get three different results (from lightest to heaviest). <S> This is why I'm a big fan of recipes which use weight measurements for the ingredients. <A> I would recommend getting a gram accurate scale and using the weight listed on the side of your bag of flour. <S> If you are baking then you really should be weighing your ingredients. <S> If you aren't baking, then you can probably get by with the "scoop and sweep" approach since accuracy is actually not required.
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If you spoon the flour into the measuring cup you minimize the compression and will get a more accurate measurement.
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What to serve at a cheese tasting? I'm arranging a cheese tasting for 10 adults in a few weeks, mostly hard Italian cheeses, and I'm wondering what to serve with it? I want the taste of the cheese to come through, but I also want people to taste the cheese as they would eat it normally, too. Some thoughts I've had (mostly traditional cheese accompaniments): tart apples, dried fruit (apricots), prosciutto Most of us are not big wine drinkers, so I'm not too concerned about that. If there is something non-alcoholic drink-wise to recommend, though, that would be good. In case it is relevant, the cheeses I'm thinking of bringing are: Provolone (domestic & imported), Parmigiano-Reggiano plus a domestic Paremsan, Pecorino Romano plus Locatelli (not sure if there's a difference), Asiago, Piave and maybe a 1-year-old and 3-year-old Cabot. <Q> Usually a cheese tasting would have more variety in terms of texture and flavour and you'd progress from the mild to the stronger. <S> However, if your goal is to compare a lot of similar cheeses to contrast with each other, you'll need to have more palate cleansing and balancing in between each cheese. <S> A lot of the cheeses that you're considering are aged ones, which tend to be quite sharp and salty. <S> For the harder/saltier cheeses, acidic accompaniments will be important. <S> Things like granny smith apples and tomatoes would be ideal. <S> Something juicy and thirst quenching like melon (or the tomato) would also be important to include. <S> Proscuitto, while yummy, would probably just add more sharp saltiness to an already overwhelmed palate. <S> You might want to consider including something like a raisin bread as well as crackers for serving the cheeses. <S> Chutney is delicious on crackers with cheese and could help balance the fact that most hard cheeses are eaten as a garnish more than on their own (e.g. on a salad, on pasta, etc). <S> However, this might interfere with the "tasting" atmosphere you're aiming for. <S> If you want to pair with something non-alcoholic, a sparkling water is probably a good place to start since the fizz will be refreshing and the water won't introduce any other flavours to the palate. <A> Perhaps digestive biscuits/oatmeal biscuits, what would be called Graham crackers in America, as something to hold under the cheese. <S> These would give a good base without being too salty. <S> The idea of fresh fruit is a good one, as the cheeses are hard and mostly quite salty/umami. <S> I would add fresh figs (if you can get them) to your list. <S> I'm not sure about dried fruit, as you're likely to get quite thirsty anyway. <S> You could also try fresh spinach leaves. <S> The slight bitterness and fresh flavour will be a good counterpoint to the cheese. <S> You could perhaps prepare a bowl of fresh spinach with a little light dressing to go with it, where guests could make little "sandwiches" with cracker, cheese and a leaf or two. <S> If the dressing has a little Balsamic vinegar in it, the astrigency will also help to balance the flavours out. <S> To go in yet another direction, I think that a sun-dried-tomato paste or olive tapenade would not go amiss with the cheeses mentioned. <S> As for drinks, you proably want something pallette-cleansing. <S> I can't think of anything other than sparkling water, or perhaps a light herbal tea of some sort. <A> Seen the cheeses you are planning to serve, and the central place they should take, nothing should distract from them. <S> So, bread of course, no toast. <S> Maybe thin slaces of hard apple or grapes. <S> In the south of france it is common to put a tiny bit of olive oil on cheese, particuraly goat cheeses, which improves the mouth-feeling. <S> Of course, it should be a very light oil. <S> Walnuts enhance the taste of cheese. <S> I personnallythink that honey or tapanade are way too much, and would destroy the pure taste of the cheese. <S> Sure, honey with goat cheese as desert is fine, but that is not what you are planning. <S> Here in France, they serve you nothing with the cheese. <S> You can have bread. <S> In Italy, well, they dont eat cheese like that, as far as I know. <S> Certaintly not for desert. <S> I myself am from Gouda, and that cheese does well with a pickle or some mustard... <S> but I would never do that to a parmesan. <S> So, I would serve bread, maybe a sourdough, and nothing else. <S> Next step would be walnut and grapes, and I would certainly stop there. <S> Drinks, well, I think red wine always bitters against the acidity of cheese.. <S> i prefer a half-sweet white wine myself (chardonnay combines perfectly, because of the buttery tones), or port wine.. <S> red port can handle cheese. <S> Non alcoholic, errrrr tricky. <S> Water with a slice of lemon would be my first option, but maybe a not too sweet cider or a very sweet cider (mirroring the white wine and port wine)? <S> Grape juice?
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As for dried fruits, another classic for cheese courses is dates since the sweetness makes a nice contrast.
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What are good techniques to prepare liver? I don't like liver, but now I have to start eating pork liver because of its high iron content. There are some ingredients which I have disliked for years, then suddenly started liking when I discovered how tasty they can be when prepared properly. An example is an aubergine: throw it into a stew as it is, or deep fry it so it soaks up three times its way in oil, and I don't want to see it. Blanch it to reduce the bitterness, dry it before it touches fat, combine it with rosemary, and it becomes one of the best veggies ever. I was wondering whether there is some cooking technique which transforms liver into a lovely treat. My biggest issues with liver are the texture, which is too crumbly, almost sandy, and a bit dry the intensity of its earthy, fatty, almost rancid flavor. At least, it tastes that way when my mother or grandmother prepare it, I have never eaten it in a restaurant. Do you know a way to mitigate these problems? Advice on good combinations, be it side dishes or herbs/spices, is also appreciated. Also, what is the optimal pH range? I'd tend to use some acidic components because of the fatty flavor (e.g. make a sauce by deglazing the pan with lemon juice), but is this really a good combination, and how does it affect the texture if the acid is added while preparing? <Q> Liver (like any offal) needs to be as fresh as possible. <S> Liver naturally has a dense texture, so over-cooking it results in the dry shoe leather effect that causes most people to hate it. <S> Soaking it in milk is a common technique, but I grew up with venison liver cooked quickly in a pan with spice mixes (usually a slightly spicy "cajun" or lemon-pepper). <S> I would suggest looking up some more modern recipes to see if you can find one that appeals to your tastes. <S> Chefs like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who are keen on re-introducing people to these less popular cuts, tend to have recipes that will appeal to a modern palate. <A> General Tips from Joy of Cooking (with liver): <S> Soak for several hours in milk or a spicy marinade <S> Never toughen liver by cooking it too long or over excessive heat <S> Liver from younger animals is preferred, the paler the color the better <A> You may consider blanching the liver if it still has the tough outer membrane intact. <S> Ice water on the side, boil water to cover the liver, dip for a moment or two, then plunge into ice bath to stop cooking. <S> Loosen and peel membrane, slice, soak in milk for as long as you can, a few minutes to a few hours. <S> Dry the slices and let them rest while you grill some onions and shiitake or oyster mushrooms, remove to platter. <S> Coat them with spice or whole grain flour, fry in same hot pan as onion for a minute or so <S> , turn do the same and return onion/mushroom mixture until hot. <S> Remove to hot platter. <S> Deglaze pan with vodka, vermouth, or broth and boil down to a slurry to drizzle over platter. <S> OR for gravy, add some fat, the leftover flour and seasoning, cook until brown, add liquid or milk and stir like mad to keep lumps at bay. <S> Yummy! <S> Re: salt: I've never had trouble with salt toughening liver; I have however, if I over cooked it. <A> slice it, put a bit of flour on the slices, fry it with onions (and bacon if you like). <S> Have it with chips(french fries) and brown sauce or gravy. <S> Its a staple of english cafes. <A> Don't salt the liver until it has started cooking in the pan. <S> If you salt it before you cook it, it will loose some of it's moisture, and the result will be leathery.
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Never cook beyond the point of tenderness Good ingredients that pair with liver are Maderia , white wine, sour cream, nutmeg, or thyme Good sauces that pair with liver are Bearnaise, Barbecue, Lyonnaise, and butter sauces like Lemon Butter or Brown Butter
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Does brewing tea for longer result in higher caffeine content? The ISO standard for brewing tea says "6 minutes". Of course different teas have vastly different properties, but... For "average commodity black tea" and "average commodity green tea", will leaving the tea bag in longer (say 1 hour or 1 day) result in higher caffeine content in the cup? How much? <Q> I recently observed the effect of time of steeping on caffeine content in tea. <S> We used High Pressure Liquid Chromatography to determine the levels of caffeine in Green Tea in samples that were steeped for 1, 2, 4, 10, 15, 30, 60, and 120 mins. <S> The concentration of caffeine over time did not show any significant trends. <S> Our results suggest that caffeine content does not depend on the steeping time and instead the caffeine dissolves in the hot water within a minutes of starting to steep the tea. <S> Hope this helps. <A> First off, the ISO standard is not intended to produce a good cup of tea. <S> It is designed to produce a consistent one for taste testing, so that no tea manufacturer can claim that his tea wasn't made "properly". <S> It's <S> title is "Tea -- Preparation of liquor for use in sensory tests" <S> As for the actual tea making, yes, leaving the bag in longer will make a stronger cup of tea. <S> The concentration of caffeine (along with flavour molecules and everything else) will slowly trend towards an equal concentration in the leaf and in the water. <S> The longer you leave the tea bag/leaves in the water, the closer to equilibrium you will get. <S> There are other factors that affect this, such as the temperature of the water, cut of the leaves, bag versus loose leaf and so on, but the trend is always towards equilibrium as time progresses. <S> I'm not sure where the upper limit of this lies, but I think that once the cup is cold there's no point in it anyway. <S> Thus, leaving the bag in for an hour is a bit much. <S> I usually steep my tea for 3-6 minutes, depending on how strong I want it to be. <A> In case you're looking for a scientific approach, this paper has some plots showing the amount of caffeine extracted as a function of temperature and time. <S> Look for the "CA" label in figures 2-5. <S> They steep the bags for 30 seconds at a time and record the relative & cumulative amounts of caffeine (and other ingredients) extracted from the tea. <A> AFAIK the ISO standard is not for enjoying tea, but for "tasting" it. <S> Most people don't brew their black tea that long Most commercial teas are in a fine grind state (fannings) and should not be brewed with 95°C+ water for longer than 2 minutes or bitter tastes will become apparent Whole leaf black tea can be brewed with 95°C+ water for more than 3 minutes to get full flavour <S> Tea has little bio absorb-able caffeine in it, from 10mg to 70mg, many in the range 20mg to 40mg <S> Normal brewing gets most of the caffeine out <S> As I understand it, medically you need 100mg+ to get a physiological dose (an effect) <S> A cup of coffee is 100mg to 200mg of caffeine <S> So if you want caffeine drink coffee <A> There have been a number of scientific studies addressing the question of how much caffeine is extracted depending on brewing time. <S> Perhaps the most cited is from 1996 , but a 2008 study (carried out to debunk the myth that tea can be decaffeinated with a 30-second steep) also gives some useful data with a variety of teas. <S> To address your question specifically, approximately 70-80% of caffeine is removed, on average, in a 6-minute steep with boiling or near-boiling water. <S> Regarding the 30-second "decaf method," only about 10% of caffeine is released in that short time, so it's hardly effective. <S> You'd need to steep for at least 5 minutes or so to remove a significant portion of the caffeine. <S> Given the number above for a 6-minute steep, the maximum amount you could expect to extract from a longer steep for hours or days would be 20-30% of the original caffeine content of the leaves. <S> So you could potentially increase the amount of caffeine in the final brew to maybe 1.25 times of the 6-minute cup or a little more, depending on variety. <S> However, it should be noted that more than 90% of caffeine will be released by 15 minutes, so steeping for hours or days is not very productive. <S> If, for some reason, you wish to extract the most caffeine from the leaves possible, I would recommend multiple short steeps (5 minutes or less) instead, perhaps with a higher concentration of leaves. <S> Using fresh water periodically will allow faster extraction of caffeine, and you'll also avoid the inevitable bitterness that generally comes from a single long brewing. <S> (I should note all of the above regards typical brewing with relatively hot water. <S> Brewing tea with room temperature water or with cold water will significantly increase the time it takes for caffeine to be extracted. <S> In that case, brewing for hours may be necessary to allow large portions of the caffeine to dissolve.) <A> "Stimulant action of tea is strongest when allowed to steepfor only 2–5 min. <S> as caffeine dissolves quickly in hot water. <S> Longer steeping times (10–20 min.) will increase the yield ofcatechins, which decreases the stimulant effect because thepolyphenols bind the caffeine." <S> Source: <S> Clinical Overview - Tea, Black/Green http://abc.herbalgram.org/site/DocServer/Tea.pdf?docID=861 <A> The stimulating quality of tea is due more to Theobromine. <S> I read once on my English tea packet about 'stimulating' versus 'calming' brews being dependent upon length of brewing time. <S> This seems to bare that out: <S> http://nobleharbor.com/tea/caffiene.html <S> Personally, 1 bag for 1 cup at 3min is too strong. <S> Instead of reducing brewing time, I increase water by a half cup (stays hotter that way too), getting the full-flavor out of the leaves. <A> This study claims that the caffeine content doesn't change and reaches its max at 4 minutes (law of diminishing returns?). <S> (Assuming you put in hot water, see link.) <S> https://slicesofbluesky.com/afternoon-tea-in-laboratory-part-2/
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It will vary depending on variety of tea (green, black, etc.) and form (whole black tea leaves release caffeine the slowest; black tea bags containing tea fannings the fastest).
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Where can I buy Salsify in the UK? I like the look and taste of salsify, and have had it in restaurants. However, I cannot find anywhere to buy it. I don't even mind how it comes - tinned, frozen, fresh. <Q> Where did you look?Here in Belgium we can find in the supermarket (in cans or frozen). <S> We also have it fresh on some markets. <S> Maybe <S> this can help you. <S> Here is a similar thread. <S> If you really can't find it, you can always buy seeds and put them in your garden. <A> I am fairly sure I have seen it in Waitrose, when I had one close by - not sure if they still stock it, or if it is location dependant. <S> They don't appear to have it via Ocado either. <S> Need to be quick though <S> - it's the back end of the season already. <A> It sounds obvious, but just in case -- you should ask at your local greengrocer. <S> They will at least learn that there's a demand, and try it for one order. <S> Specialised greengrocers often have more interesting stuff than supermarkets -- I've seen romanesque a lot at my local one, and never in a supermarket. <S> You could also ask the restaurant where you tasted it, where they bought it. <A> You can order it online. <S> I don't personally know of any shops where you cab <S> physically go to buy it though. <A> For Europe, this is mainly the autumn and winter months.
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Fresh salsify is usually only sold in supermarkets when in season.
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Why is gnocchi a dumpling and not a noodle? I've recently been told that gnocchi is technically a dumpling, not a noodle. What about it causes gnocchi to fall under the dumpling category? <Q> Dumplings usually have either egg or baking powder to make them lighter. <S> There's considerable bleedover in terminology here. <S> It's reminiscent of the difficulty of defining "chowder". <S> You're always finding a counterexample. <S> I wouldn't be surprised if someone came up with something called gnocchi, gnochs, gnocchetti, that has no leavening. <S> I can think of two myself. <S> Gnocchetti alla romana are semolina "dumplings" sometimes leavened with egg, particularly when they contain spinach, but more often not. <S> Gnocchetti sardi are dry pasta shapes that kind of look like thin potato gnocchi. <A> Noodles are thin and elongated. <S> Dumplings are not. <S> Both are unleavened dough cooked (frequently) in boiling water, but generally the distinction tends to fall along shape-based lines. <A> Possibly because they aren't normally dried out. <S> It's probably just 'one of those things' - <S> I don't think there is an ISO committee of food naming <A> Perhaps because gnocchi is cooked in the same way to a dumpling, by boiling in something like hot water/stock or steamed. <A> There are in general two main classes of dumplings. <S> Potato based and leavened dough based. <S> Gnocchi generally fall under the first category along with traditional central-european potato dumplings, some sorts of German "spatzle", Slovak "halusky" etc. <S> Second sort of dumplings is based ond dough, sometimes strictly flour/egg based, sometimes enriched with buns, but almost always leavened. <S> Other generally sorting rule that apply is the dough thickness. <S> All the pasta/noodles are made of THIN plates of dough, whether dumplings are boiled either as balls, droppings of fresh dough directly into boiling water, or long cylinders, that are sliced upon serving. <A> Gnocchi can have potatoes in them; I don't think noodles ever do.
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The primary difference between a dumpling and a noodle, besides shape, is leavening.
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How to make Pancakes with Almond milk? We've been experimenting with using almond milk as a substitute for actual milk in my household. The biggest failure so far has been with pancakes. The pancakes taste okay, but they are far stickier in the pan than batter made with milk, scorch more easily, and don't brown well. What can I do to get a more satisfactory pancake with almond milk? <Q> I use almond milk as a milk replacement, almost exclusively. <S> I was about to say <S> I compared recipes for normal and buttermilk and noted that there was far less milk called for in the Buttermilk recipe (makes sense). <S> In short: you may try finding a recipe that does not call for so much milk, such as a buttermilk pancake recipe. <S> For reference, the recipes I compared had 1 1/4 cups of milk in the original recipe versus 1/4 cup in the Buttermilk recipe. <A> I just used this recipe from Silk <S> and they turned out perfectly. <S> (I am not affiliated with Silk, I was just looking for a substitution which is how I stumbled upon this site and your question) 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour1-2 Tbsp sugar or honey2 tsp baking <S> powder1/2 tsp salt1 cup Silk almondmilk, any flavor but Chocolate2 Tbsp canola oil or melted butter1 egg 1. <S> Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.2. <S> In a separate bowl, whisk together Silk, oil and egg.3. <S> Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir just to moisten <S> —a few lumps are fine.4. <S> Cook pancakes on a griddle over medium heat.5. <S> Serve immediately. <A> Have you considered using soy milk? <S> I used soy milk for making my pancakes this year for the first time and they worked out great. <S> I followed this recipe from Delia Smith -http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/basicpancakeswithsuga_66226 <S> The just opted to use soy milk and used oil instead of butter. <S> My partner couldn't notice any difference in taste compared to previous years. <S> Although I didn't try one that wasn't flavoured with lemon and brown sugar. <S> Also, I've found that generally if you leave pancakes in the pan a little longer than you think necessary before flipping they come away from the bottom of the pan far easier, especially if using a non-stick pan. <A> I used leftover "unsweetened" almond milk just now, to make griddlecakes using a Fanny Farmer recipe that our family has enjoyed for years. <S> Recipes mentioned above are almost identical. <S> I happened on this website while eating said pancakes, seeking more information about the use of almond milk. <S> I figured that, like buttermilk, I should add about 1/4 teaspoon of bicarb (baking soda) to the two teaspoons of baking powder required. <S> I forgot to put in the two tablespoons of sugar - we usually only use a pinch or two instead anyway, because the pancakes are otherwise too sweet for us. <S> The batter looked fine and the cooking was a little slow. <S> They did not rise a whole lot but that is normal for us if we alter the ingredients. <S> Upon eating with maple syrup and butter, our usual way, they had a firmish skin, a little soggy inside and had that faint salty metallic taste that comes with the use of baking soda. <S> My conclusion is that almond milk lacks the acid of buttermilk, so no extra baking soda (on top of the two teaspoons of baking powder) should have been used. <S> I also think at least a pinch of sugar is still necessary - possibly to react with the baking powder in some way, but I always thought that unsweetened almond milk of the long-life variety tastes sweetish anyway (can't stand the stuff). <S> I'm not sure about the pinch of salt <S> I added - a lot less than what was asked for in the recipe - the pancakes tasted a tiny bit salty but maybe a bit is necessary to help the rising too. <S> Anyway, hope this helps. <S> People should also not confuse pancakes with crepes - the latter are the thin flat ones usually served with lemon and sugar. <S> I also would have thought that soy and almond milk would be similar, at least the long-life varieties of same, but the person did specifically ask about almond milk.
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when I made pancakes with almond milk they turned out fine, when I realized I made Buttermilk pancakes instead of just regular pancakes.
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How do I stop porridge sticking to the pan? I love porridge but I always seem to end with some stuck on the bottom of the saucepan. I use a non-stick saucepan, keep on a low heat, and stir regularly. I tend to use porridge oats and enough water and milk (about 1/2 and 1/2) to cover the oats. Does anybody have any hints/tips to prevent sticking? The porridge always tastes lovely and isn't burnt etc. Thanks. <Q> I keep it on low heat after I've gotten it up to boiling initially. <S> It will stick sometimes, but after I stir it, the stuck stuff will be reabsorbed into the water. <S> I try to get as much stuff as possible unstuck when stirring, and then a moment later the remainder will have magically become unstuck. <S> I guess it sticks because the water rises and the oats precipitate down to the bottom of the pot; conversely, it magically unsticks because the stuck oats get reabsorbed into the water. <S> I find it's okay as long as I stir it every few minutes. <S> I turn the heat off after a bit, usually when big, slow bubbles start to balloon up <S> or it just looks like it's thick enough. <S> At this point it won't be totally thickened, but it will have absorbed enough heat to make it the rest of the way, so I just let it sit on the stove for another 10 minutes or so, maybe more. <S> I also go 2:1 water: <S> oats.. actually a bit more water than that, probably 2.2:1. <S> This is partly to compensate for the small amount of water that will boil off even though the lid is on when I'm not stirring it. <A> If it's not burning, then why worry about it? <S> Other than this, the usual culprit for sticking is that the base of the pan is too thin, so the heat isn't distributed as evenly as it could be. <S> Or, if the food is particularly thick, then it's pretty much bound to stick -- <S> but if you like thick porridge, that's something you have to live with. <S> Some people like to make porridge in a slow cooker <S> (I seem to be recommending these a lot recently); there'd be no sticking there. <A> @Slim has it covered <S> I use the microwave and never have a spillage problem. <S> I use a bowl with twice the height of the porridge mixture <S> Before the invention of microwave ovens and convenient gas or electric cookers people used to use hay boxes for things like porridge. <S> Just bring a heavy pot to the boil and then place it in an insulated box overnight. <S> In the morning you will have warm and perfectly cooked porridge. <S> Modern equivalent can be used of course :-) <A> Use a non stick porridge and a rubber spatula to get the porridge out and then soak in cold water so when you have eaten you porridge it is very simple to clean. <S> One advantage of a porridger is you wont need to stir it so often and it won't stick. <A> I use Quaker Quick Oats and the cooking time is less then 3 minutes. <S> Grease the bottom and sides of the pot with a teaspoon full of margarine. <S> This will prevent the porridge from sticking to the pot and also add to the flavour. <S> As soon as the porridge comes to a boil, mix once and turn down to low for about 3 minutes. <S> I eat my porridge with brown sugar and milk. <S> Enjoy.
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I tend to make porridge in a microwave, which again has no risk of sticking.
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Cook Burger on Stove - Turns Gray So I've been wondering why whenever I cook burgers, they end up turning into a gray color, and a greasy mess. I'm restricted only to a stove top pan and oven, and I'm sure that's contributing to it, but I'm not sure what to change. My first guess was that it wasn't high enough heat, but I've waited to heat them up pretty well, and it hasn't really impacted anything. Is it the mix I use to make the burgers? I usually take ground beef, mix it with an egg and breadcrumbs and spices, and then cook some immediately and freeze the rest. I'm just curious of anything I can do to change the color they come out as, and hopefully improve the taste as much as possible. <Q> If you add egg and breadcrumbs, you aren't cooking a burger, you're cooking meatloaf. <S> Try using just good beef with plenty of fat (80% meat, 20% fat is the ideal ratio, lean mince is not good for burgers), and pepper. <S> Get the pan good and hot, salt the burgers well <S> (don't add salt beforehand), brush the burgers with oil, then whack them on the pan, 5-6 minutes a side <S> (depends on thickness) and you'll get a nice brown crust. <S> A couple of other tips: make the burgers plenty ahead of time so they can sit in the fridge for a good few hours. <S> And never press the burger down with your spatula, you just end up losing all the juiciness. <S> Check out The Burger Lab's Top Ten Tips for a Better Burger for more tips. <A> Several others have suggested a grill pan. <S> The main reason a grill pan is effective is that it keeps the meat dry. <S> Ground beef contains quite a good bit of water. <S> On a flat pan, the liquid released gets trapped under the meat, and wet meat doesn't sear. <S> A grill, or grill pan, gives the juice somewhere to escape, so the meat stays dry, and turns brown instead of gray <A> I think burgers are basically grey. <S> They look more appetising if you cook them on a griddle so that there are sear lines -- but that doesn't matter too much if you're serving in a bun. <S> When I make burgers, I just mix good minced beef, egg and salt. <S> No breadcrumbs, and no onions. <S> I try not to use too much salt in my cooking -- but burgers do benefit from a generous salting -- say a teaspoon for a pound of mince. <A> Looking around I saw that typical frying pans, on high heat achieve about 500'F whereas commercial flat tops typically have a range up to 575'. <S> From my experience, the burger/pizza place I worked at kept ours at ~550'F. <S> We cooked at this heat (until a grill was added) and used frozen pre-packaged patties (so I can't speak to mixture), but the result was a brown patty. <S> Also involved was a cover and steam part; where once both sides were cooked, we would add the cheese on top, cover with a metal lid, and spray water on the flat top, causing steam which melted the cheese and probably cooked the burger a little bit more. <S> My guess would be that the lower heat would be the culprit here. <S> It might help to use a skillet and wait for it to heat up higher than a pan would allow. <S> This is the method I use at home for non-grill, winter burgers and they tend to turn out well, and can be cooked to a good range of done-ness. <S> (For the baking part, use a baking sheet with some low walls, and a drip/cookie rack on the sheet to keep the patties off the sheet). <A> You can get the nice brown sear lines on a stovetop with a grill pan. <S> Lodge has a cast iron grill pan <S> that's not too expensive. <S> I've also found that with ground beef in general, first it turns grey, then brown as it starts to sear. <S> Another option, if you're willing to use the oven, is to use a pan that allows the grease to drain. <S> Either a wire rack in a baking pan or some variant on a broiler pan . <S> You might also consider using the broiler in your oven to give you results like an outdoor grill. <S> (It's essentially an upside-down grill, since the flame/heat is above rather than below the food.) <S> In the book <S> What Einstein Told His Cook , Robert Wolke suggests using a salt crust to soak up the grease in the pan. <S> The recipe can be found online here . <S> That might help with the grease. <S> The only other suggestion I might have to help with the grease is to drain the pan halfway through.
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If you are noticing a taste difference (or if the look is too unappetizing), I would recommend baking the patty at 375'F then searing the burger instead of relying on the fry pan.
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Counter to bitterness in soup My minestrone turned out too bitter. How can I counter it? The soup contains tomatoes, pasta, Savoy cabbage, celery, carrots, burnt sautéed garlic, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Sugar seems to be a general solution, but I figured there could be better solutions for my specific case. <Q> It may not seem intuitive but adding salt is usually a better way to reduce bitterness than adding sugar. <S> I would also suggest that you do not sauté your garlic until burnt as that will add a quite unpleasant bitterness. <S> Sauté until fragrant. <A> Carrots, always. <S> It's what makes an authentic Italian tomato base. <S> Grate them in and cook until dissolved or cut small and puree after or just enjoy it with the carrot chunks. <A> To my bitter lettuce soup I added lots of carrots, some sugar, some honey, extra peas, instant mashed potatoes, cannolini beans, some mini pastas and some apples. <S> After all of that the soup is now tasty. <A> I also encountered bitterness in a veg soup I made last evening. <S> I did not intend to over cook, but I did. <S> I added sugars, and it seems that didn't help unless I counteract the great attributes of home made soup and add a ton of sugar. <S> Also, adding black pepper to the last would have helped me. <S> Perhaps you could try adding butter? <S> I know I am going to try that and maybe a good wine to mine. <S> Best of luck to you.
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I believe that adding garlic to the end of the sautee instead of to the first would have kept it from burning and making your soup in particular, bitter.
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How to make roux-based sauce thicker Sometimes when I make a roux-based sauce, it turns out too thin. Are there any ways to make it thicker after the sauce is done? Adding salt helps a bit, but I don't want to add too much for obvious reasons. Ideas how to prevent the sauce from getting too thin in the first place are also welcome. <Q> If your sauce is too thin, the problem is that your initial roux was either too thin (not enough flour) or you added too much liquid for the amount of roux that you made. <S> Standard ratios are 1 <S> Tbsp butter - 1 Tbsp flour - 1 cup liquid for a thin sauce, 2-2-1 for something in the middle and 3-3-1 for a thick sauce. <S> Once you've made the sauce <S> and it's too thin, the best fix is to add a beurre manié , which is essentially butter and flour that you mash together in a small bowl and then whisk into your sauce. <S> It's kind of like adding more roux after the fact. <S> However, because it's not pre-cooked like the roux, you need to make sure you give it enough cooking time after adding to get rid of the floury taste. <A> As an alternative to corn flour, Arrowroot is a plant based starch of similar price to corn starch but with some better qualities <S> Important is <S> sauces is that it does not cloud the sauce, and keeps a shiny appearance <S> Also, it doesn't require the heat level to set that corn starch does. <S> So it can be added after a sauce is finished to increase thickness Always mix Arrowroot with a little cold liquid (not milk) and then add that to the sauce <A> One excellent way to thicker almost any type of sauce is to use corn flour. <S> It is inexpensive and easy to use. <S> When you've decided you want to thicken your sauce separately mix some cornflower with a little milk or water to make a smooth paste and then add to you sauce making suer you stir. <S> This works well for soups too. <A> A quick solution is to make a slurry. <S> Add 1 tbsp flour to 1/4 cup liquid and stir til combined, if too thick add a little more cold liquid. <S> BTW, if you add hot liquid it will expand too quickly. <S> Once it is thinned out enough, add to the pot and whisk together. <S> When it is thick enough, add equal extra amount of butter or oil to balance flavour. <A> If you have this problem frequently, one solution is to make more roux than you think you'll need, then reserve some after you've cooked it, but before you've added any (or much) liquid; You can then add the roux in at the end ... <S> the easiest way is to get some onto a wisk and then wisk it in, and keep repeating until you think you've gotten enough in. <S> It will thicken up with time if you leave it at a simmer, but I think that might be partially from evaporation, so you'll end up with less. <S> It'll also thicken up more as it cools down, <S> so you want it a little thinner than the thickness you want to serve it at, or it might turn into a giant lump. <A> When it starts to get thick <S> and I need more volume, I'll add more liquid. <S> Repeat until the required volume is reached. <S> Depending on what I'm making it for, I might add more butter and/or flour.
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The best way that I've found to keep the roux from being too thin is to slowly add the liquid, letting the roux thicken as it cooks.
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How to make good coffee in a Moka pot? I have a Bialetti Moka pot, which I used to make coffee on weekends. I have had it for a few months, but recently I am starting to notice the coffee is coming out sour and bitter . I am guessing I am doing something wrong. I was wondering what I could be missing.. I am filling it up with water (tap water though) till the valve level. I am spooning the coffee to fill the bucket to level (I don't tamp it) . I am using Lavazza coffee ground for using with a moka pot. Any ideas?? <Q> Moka coffee pots work well if you use them every day. <S> This way the oils that the coffee leaves inside them do not have the opportunity to go rancid (all fats go rancid eventually) and impart that horrible taste to your coffee. <S> If you use them every day, it is true that you don't really need to clean them, except to remove calcium scale buildup. <S> Make sure that you get all the coffee brown oils out. <S> Yes, it is an unpleasant job. <S> Make sure you rinse it well before putting it away to dry, you don't want to simply replace the bitterness with soapiness. <S> ... <S> and this is the Italian doctrine! :-) <A> The hardest thing I found with using moka pots is not burning the coffee. <S> I found I always left it too long and my coffee probably reached boiling point. <S> Secondly, the Lavazza is probably not doing you any favours. <S> Chances are, it is already stale when you bought it. <S> You should find a good speciality roaster and get some fresh beans. <S> It's best to grind them yourself, but if you can't, try and get home quick and make a coffee so you can get a good comparison to your Lavazza. <A> Their video guide is here . <A> As it was said in another answer , you should clean your coffee machine with soap to remove the oils, as they get rancid and give an odd taste to the coffee you brew . <S> You should also clean your grinder, if using one. <S> You could also try some steps that helped me making better coffee in a Bialetti moka pot . <S> Some of them I found in this video . <S> (I don't remember where I found other tricks, but they seemed quite logical by the time). <S> Put water to boil. <S> Don't heat it in the moka pot. <S> Preheat it using a kettle, a saucepan, microwave, ... <S> Fill the basked with frehsly grounded coffee, but do not compress it . <S> Nor as fine as for espresso , nor as large as for French press cafètiere . <S> Once you have boiling water, pour it in the lower part of the pot, up to the center of the security valve. <S> We want the pot to be on a heater the minimun time as possible, because we do not want heat to get to the grounded coffee. <S> That's why we are pouring boiling water. <S> Wait until the brewed coffee is being poured. <S> Before the last drops of coffee will be poured, stop heating the pot and cover it's bottom part (where water is boiling) with a wet towel. <S> We do not want steam passing through the coffee. <S> So, before it will pass, we try to cool down the boiling water to lower the pressure. <A> Moka pot coffee is my favorite and my method <S> is this: Pour boiling water into moka pot. <S> Regain boil, but a slow boil to prevent hot steam from going through the grounds. <S> Insert basket of grounds and, using oven mitt, screw on top half of pot. <S> After about a minute, the liquid should begin to ooze out of the tube. <S> The very best coffee comes out first, while the last will be thin and bitter (over extracted). <S> To avoid mixing the good with the over-extracted coffee, pour off the coffee in stages into different cups. <S> Sample coffee from each cup and discard the over-extracted coffee. <A> Disclaimer: I am part of the business úKu Artisan Coffee. <S> If you change two things in your described steps you will be able to obtain great results. <S> Use clean pure water for your Moka Pot Use high grade coffee, similar to what the guys at úKu Coffee offer <S> Coffee is an important ingrediate of a great cup of coffee. <A> try adding a tiny bit of salt to a portion of your ground coffee to counter the bitterness
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Haven't tried this method myself, but RitualCoffee claims that starting by adding boiling (or near boiling) water to the Moka Pot results in a less bitter cup. If you use it rarely, like in your case or the frequent Moka pot left at a vacation house, you need to clean it with dish detergent and a scrubby sponge, you don't need anything harsher. The fineness of the grinding should be the right one.
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How can I get crispy skin when pan frying fish? I struggle to get crispy skin when pan frying fillets. What's the secret? <Q> You need a hot pan. <S> Use either clarified butter or an oil that can withstand high temperatures without burning. <S> The oil should be quite hot but not at smoking point <S> otherwise the fish closest to the skin will be overcooked and the skin will be charred as well as crispy. <S> The pan shouldn't be quite as hot when it comes time to cook the fish skin-up. <A> Just leave it in place until it should be about ready to turn <S> (You can gently lift a corner of the fish to check but just don't shake it around in the pan very much). <A> Do not crowd too many pieces of fish if you are frying little pieces. <S> Do not shake the pan. <A> The thing that gives you a crispy skin is lightly dredging the fillets in seasoned flour. <S> Shake off any excess. <S> I use half regular butter and half olive oil, and add the fillets when the water in the butter has boiled off but before the butter has browned much. <S> Flip the fillets only once. <S> As mentioned, don't crowd the pan, as you need any water to escape so that the fish grills, rather than steams. <S> When done, put the fillets on a plate, then deglaze the pan with butter and lemon juice to make a nice sauce for the fish. <S> You can also add slivered almonds and/or capers. <S> But the flour is what takes care of the browning/crispiness and it works every time. <A> The secret I learnt somewhere and can attest from experience to work, is to dry out the skin. <S> Dry the skin with a paper towel. <S> Sprinkle a decent amount of salt on the skin and let it sit for a little while. <S> Dry off the water that was drawn out and wipe off the excess salt. <S> Now proceed to place the fish skin down in preheated oil and let it cook until it's done on that side and ready to be flipped. <S> It should come out very easily, and the skin will still be attached to the flesh. <A> Start with the fish being nearer to room temperature, rather than straight out of the fridge. <S> Then get the skin as dry as possible, any water makes crisping hard. <S> You can lightly press with a paper towel and/or a light dust with flour (cornflour, plain flour, potato starch, whatever you like).Next, to a hot pan add some cooking oil that has a high smoking temperature (e.g. rapeseed oil). <S> Lay <S> the fillet/s <S> skin side down away from you to prevent splashbacks. <S> The skin on the fillets tend to want to curl up, so you can lightly press down the flesh so the skin is in contact with the pan. <S> It should flatten and you can leave them to fry skinside down for the majority of the cooking time. <S> The temperature and time will vary depending on the fish and the thickness of the fillet. <S> Once the skin is crispy enough and the heat has travelled to atleast halfway up the flesh of the fish you can turn the fish flesh side down. <S> You can add butter if you like and depending on the heat of the pan and type of fish, (eg sea bass) <S> you could remove from the heat and the remaining heat of the pan can finish cooking the fish. <S> Also you can add lemon juice or any fresh herbs if desired. <S> TL:DR Dry Skin, hot pan, fry skin side down for atleast 2/3 of the cooking time, press the skin onto the pan at the start. <A> How I would do it: <S> Fillet Fish Salt to Taste <S> (Be liberal) <S> Coat with Cornmeal Heat oiled pan, on a low to medium heat <S> Add fish skin side down <S> , turn once skin looks crisp then allow to cook through.
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The pan and oil have to be VERY hot. A good tip is not to move the fish around too much in the pan.
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