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Suggestions for a substitute for almond paste in a cookie recipe? I’m trying to find a substitute for almond paste in a cookie recipe. Does anyone have any suggestion for what I could use? This is a cookie recipe that calls for 8 ounces of almond paste. The recipe divides the batter into 3 equal parts and you add different food coloring to each. after baking in a 13/9 you layer the cookies putting raspberry and apricot jam between the layers, and then top with Chocolate. I like the almond flavoring, so I suppose my question is how do I make my own almond paste? Thanks for any help. <Q> The most common substitute is persipan - a paste made from apricot kernels. <S> It has less taste than almond paste itself, but you can add artificial almond flavoring. <S> I don't know where you live, but in some countries, this combination is easier to find in the supermarket than real almond paste. <A> How to make almond paste? <S> Start with good quality raw almonds. <S> Blanch, grind, cook with up to equal weight sugar in a pot with a bit of water to get started. <S> Stir frequently. <S> When it pulls away from sides and sugar is melted in, done. <S> Add bitter almond flavor to taste. <S> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marzipan#Production <S> Some folks find mixing ground almond and powdered sugar with liquid an acceptable paste. <A> Almond paste has no known substitute, that would not radically alter the taste of the dish. <A> How about almond butter made with melted butter, raw Agave, almond extract to make something GF and sugar=free? <S> I'm going to try it in King Arthur Flour's recipe called Almond Clouds.
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You could try cashew nut or peanut butter (paste), but the flavor profile is nothing like almond.
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Can cilantro be used for tea or tisane? I love using my dehydrator. Can I use dried cilantro as tea, or with other herbs to make tea? If so, how would I pick herbs to use with it? <Q> Cilantro is one of the herbs that doesn't retain much flavor when it's dried; it's unlikely to be particularly tasty when made into a tisane. <S> On the other hand, the dried seeds of the plant -- called "coriander (seeds)" <S> * -- have a pleasantly tangy and floral/citrusy taste. <S> They are occasionally used as a flavoring agent in beer, so it's perfectly reasonable to think of them as a candidate for tisane. <S> The flavor of coriander is not dissimilar to chammomile, and might complement that. <S> It would probably make an interesting mix with black tea, too -- in fact, it should be noted that coriander is sometimes an ingredient in Masala Chai, the sweet Indian tea-milk-spice drink. <S> * <S> In the US, the leaves are referred to as "cilantro", whereas "coriander" most often means the seeds (although sometimes the leaves). <A> According to this The Hour For Tea blog entry , cilantro is one of several ingredients in a tisane for which it claims some medical benefits (emphasis added): <S> Note that this was not described as tasting good, or even that flavor was the point. <A> Cilantro tea is used in several Ayurvedic remedies. <S> You will need approximately 15 minutes to make cilantro tea. <S> Here you can get how to make Cilantro tea. <A> In Russia (an all xUSSR) tarhun is very popular carbonated sweet drink that made from tarragon . <S> So why don't try using cilantro? <S> Combination with sugar and maybe a little lemon should be ok.
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Catnip tea was used as a sedative, along with lavender, chamomile, coriander or cilantro ; peppermint could also be used to loosen phlegm, and a tisane of thyme with honey was used as a sore throat remedy and for scratchy coughs.
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Storage of chocolates/candies in process (i.e. prior to cutting, dipping, etc)? Especially around the holidays, it usually seems more efficient to build up a selection of projects in need of some finishing steps (usually chocolate dipping). What steps should one take to ensure that undipped centers are stored safely for a few days? Would an oven (off, obviously) be a decent place to store things out of the way? EDIT:Specific examples: Ganache (hand-rolled) Ganache (slabbed) Candied citrus peels Unwrapped caramels etc <Q> The best storage depends on the particular confection: Refrigerate (in a sealed container to not pick up orders or absorb water): Ganache Soft caramel Cool dry storage, again in an air-tight container to minimize changes in moisture level: <S> Candied citrus peal <S> Nuts - Dry storage <S> Marzipan <S> Raisins and other dry fruits <S> Fondant Hard caramel or toffee <S> Ovens without pilot lights probably qualify as cool dry storage, and will keep the pets out if you have any, but accidents happen. <S> I would use a cabinet or pantry if you have room. <A> I wouldn't use an oven. <S> Even when you clean your oven regularly, some drippings tend to accumulate around the oven in places you can't reach (or to connect to the walls as polymerized oils, practically impossible to strip) and get rancid, stale and burned. <S> Every oven I have encountered has a faint stale+roasted/crisped smell. <S> When you bake something in the oven, its own roasting smell overpowers the oven smell and nothing bad happens. <S> But if you store chocolate or sweets, they can absorb some of the smell. <S> Also, it can happen that somebody trying to do something good in the pre-holiday chaos gets into the kitchen and turns on the oven for preheating without opening it and noticing that there is chocolate inside. <S> If this is unavailable too, on top of a cabinet, or in another room (preferably not very warm - basement or attic would be good, if not humid) would be good. <S> Ganache and chocolate do best in the 15°C - 20 <S> °C range, although they can tolerate more or less than that. <S> Of course, packaging them is best, to prevent moisture and dust from ruining them. <S> If you are storing them in a room colder than the kitchen, let them cool to the storage room's temperature before creating an air-tight seal, else moisture from the warm air inside the container can condense on the surface of the centers. <A> I would just use a food-storage container for all of those (and separate with wax or parchment paper so they don't stick together).
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I would store everything in the pantry, or, lacking space, inside a cabinet.
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Pros and Cons of cream whippers? I did not know pressurized cream whippers existed until just seeing a reference to one, which led me to do a Google search.I own a manual cream whipper, which I rarely use, because it is exceedingly difficult to remove the cream from the canister. So I just use the whip attachment on my mixer.I'm very interested in hearing people's opinions on pressurized whippers, and whether they can be used for more than cream. <Q> Cream whippers cleaning is not difficult, but rather heavy going, as what you usually fill them with are thick liquids. <S> But you can clean the canister with a bottle brush and then follow the tips given in this answer on cleaning flasks . <S> You'd also have to clean the tip and the o-ring joints, but it's easy to do so with the pressure of a normal water tap. <S> If you are planning to get one think that you might not use it many often but it will occupy space, and they can be expensive to get (albeit this is something relative to each person/kitchen). <S> They are useful for making really quick whipps or mousses. <S> But for some non conventional foods (see below) you might not find people willing to try them. <S> Some of them can be as innovative and surprising as the deconstructed tortilla de patatas . <S> It's one of the utensils introduced in modernist/deconstructive cuisine , such as Ferran Adrià's espumas . <S> You can get many recipes in this page from one manufacturer . <A> I am expecting my whipping siphon in the mail this afternoon. <S> They are obviously intended for creating whip cream instantly but I find that it's best to think of this contraption as a pressurized chamber which affords you many different culinary options. <S> Using the pressure will allow you to make instant infusions of different liquids and oils. <S> The general rule of thumb is to put something porous in the canister with the liquid or oil you want to infuse it with and charge it with 1 or more nitrous oxide chargers and agitate it and let it sit for a duration of 60seconds <S> and then with it standing straight up discharge the pressure as quickly as possible to avoid the liquid from discharging and voila <S> you have an instant infusion. <S> It can also be used to aerate purees or sauces. <S> Some sauces will need some sort of emulsifier or thickening agent added to allow it to hold on to the gas when dispensed but overall it's a pretty versatile tool for experimentation in textures. <S> My plan this evening is to use it to pressure brew coffee which will lessen the acidity level. <A> The cream whipped by NO2 is less stable than cream whipped by a mixer, and will liquefy rather soon. <S> If you have ever bought a cream "spray bottle", you know how the whipped product behaves. <S> You also have to find a supply for the gas cartridges and store them somewhere. <S> Most people don't have a problem with that, but if you are short on shelf/storage space, or don't want to pay for the consumable cartridges, this becomes important. <S> The other important arguments - cleaning, modernist cuisine uses - are already explained in Brendan's and J.A.I.L.'s answers.
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There are many recipes that use pressurized whippers, not just for sweet whipped creams.
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Why did some leaves of my fresh Fenugreek turn yellow after a few days of purchase, and how to prevent the leaves from turing yellow? 5 days after I purchased fresh Fenugreek, I noticed some of its leaves turned pale yellow. What does that indicate, and how to prevent it (if it is a bad thing)? The Fenugreek was placed as a tied bundle on the kitchen counter for 5 days. <Q> It's a sign that chlorophyll, the substance that enables photosynthesis and gives the plant is green colour is fading from the plant due primarily to lack of water and nutrients. <S> When chlorophyll fades you're left with the underlying colour of the leaves. <S> It's simply a sign that water is evaporating from the leaves. <S> If you don't like the yellow colour, just remove those leaves, it doesn't have any effect on the overall flavour or usefulness of the herb. <S> The only way to prevent it, is to keep the stems in a glass of water, which helps to preserve the chlorophyll, but it won't do so forever, eventually the leaves will still turn yellow. <S> However, if you're trying to dry the leaves that's rather counter-productive! <A> When you buy it, the fenugreek is almost certainly still alive, even if the roots have been cut off. <S> It continues to respire and metabolize, or tries to. <S> Treat it like flowers if you are going to hold it for a more than a day or two, by giving it water at the roots or root end of the stems (if you have no roots, again like flowers, trim off the bottom of the stem, to allow a fresh surface to absorb the water). <S> This technique also works with celery (very well, in fact), parsley, cilantro (eeew!!!) <S> and so on. <A> First, you pluck out the thin tiny stems along with leaves from the thick stems. <S> The bitter, thick stems are discarded, no second thoughts. <S> Second, if you have to use the fenugreek leaves right away for cooking, give the leaves a quick water bath inside one bowl of water, then dip them in another bowl of clean water. <S> Give a swirl, you know, with your fingers. <S> Pick the leaves, the way you’d pick small fishes in net for your aquarium? <S> These can now be used for you to cook. <S> Third, instead of cooking right away if you want to store fenugreek leaves for longer, don’t wash them – wrap the plucked out leaves inside a newspaper (good idea) or paper towel (better idea) and inside a Ziploc or plastic bag. <S> Measure <S> like I did, if you want. <S> I did not know what the opposite of ‘washed leaves’ would be, so I wrote ‘unwashed’. <S> It’s <S> not a word I know, but do what works, hehe! <S> These will store well for over two weeks.
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The leaves almost certainly wilted because the plant had no water.
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Mushroom replacement in Beef Wellington I saw a great recipe for Beef Wellington on Serious Eats that I'm eager to try. However, my roommate does not eat mushrooms (both because he dislikes the flavor and because he had a bad experience as a child, so "hidden mushrooms" are out too). I worry that omitting them would defeat most of the purpose of the dish. Is there anything that could be used in their place to give a similar flavor? <Q> I don't think you can make a Beef Wellington without the obligatory mushrooms, it essentially becomes something else. <S> The whole concept behind beef wellington is to keep the meat juices in by being surrounded by pastry <S> but there's no reason why you shouldn't omit the mushrooms for something else. <S> I really can't think of any other food substance that would replicate the flavour of mushrooms without being mushrooms other than truffle. <S> I would try something like a pork/onion sausage meat stuffing and being the time of year it is, perhaps with chestnuts as a possible alternative, either surrounding the beef or inside it. <A> I hate mushrooms too. <S> I first sprinkled parmesan cheese. <S> Then I put a layer of finely chopped sauteed onions and then crumpled cooked bacon. <S> It was fantastic and everyone there said it was the 'best thing they ever ate'. <S> I realize this isn't really 'wellington' anymore. <S> But let's face it. <S> The only real reason anyone wants to eat it is because it's beef and puffed pastry! <S> That's what's most important <S> I think :) <A> Two years later, the chestnut idea worked swimmingly :D <S> I followed the recipe I linked in the question, with the following changes: <S> Obviously, I replaced one pound of mushrooms with one pound of chestnuts. <S> In hindsight, that was probably a bit too much, as a pound of mushrooms would have cooked down significantly more, but we didn't mind. <S> In step 3, I omitted the horseradish, as I don't like it. <S> I'm only reporting that for accuracy :) <S> I replaced step 4 entirely with the following: Chop all chestnuts in half, being careful as they have a tendency to fly apart. <S> Boil the halves in a saucepan of water for 7 minutes. <S> Drain and let cool, then peel -- this should now be a much easier task. <S> Chop chestnut meats finely. <S> I should note that I accidentally boiled them too long, and they got a bit crumbly while I was peeling them. <S> That didn't matter, because I was going to chop them. <S> However, in the future I might try using a food processor to chop them, because I ended up with an uneven chop and the larger pieces stood out from the eventual mixture, making it harder to eat. <S> In step 5, I had to add more butter, as the chestnuts basically absorbed the entire amount of butter called for without actually sauteeing in it. <S> Not that I minded :) <S> I sauteed the chestnuts until soft, then added the shallots and thyme and proceeded as usual. <S> I omitted the foie gras, again, added only for accuracy. <S> Kenji mentioned in the comments that it's not needed if you don't like it or can't find it, so I omitted to make the whole thing simpler. <S> The dish turned out utterly delicious :D <S> I don't usually buy beef tenderloin, finding it usually lacking in flavor; since the goal of the dish was to add more interesting flavor and texture back, I definitely feel this was a success. <S> I realized during the rolling step that I hadn't bought the exact right cut, so it kind of fell apart a bit during serving, but despite all the hard work and mistakes I'd definitely make this again. <A> I don't like mushrooms much either, I've made wellingtons with pate mostly, although I've experimented with chopped up brussel sprouts with some success as well. <S> One thing I would like to try is yellow lentils but haven't had the opportunity. <S> You could still try mushrooms though if it's the texture your roommate doesn't like rather than the flavor. <S> If it is texture then try making a rough paste out of mushroom and shallots rather than chopped up pieces. <S> Or try shitakes instead. <A> My husband also dislikes mushrooms. <S> I substituted them for caramelized onions. <S> Together with the pâté, it turned out quite well, though I agree that substituting the the mushrooms totally changes the character of the dish! <A> I have used haggis, and it worked a treat! <S> The oats soaked up the juices and kept the pastry dry, and it complemented the beef wonderfully. <S> The only thing I would say is ensure that you only make a thin layer as haggis can have quite a strong taste. <A> I find olives tend to keep a similar texture to the mushrooms without bringing their disgusting earthy flavor to the dish :) <A> Obviously they both change the nature of the dish and is a bit of a faff to prepare (particularly the black pudding) but the combination of flavours is fantastic. <S> As mentioned above, whether haggis or black pudding, it needs to be quite a thin layer so it doesn't completely overpower the beef. <A> I have a mushroom allergy <S> so i can't make beef wellington with it. <S> I was thinking about using caramelized onion or garlic and cheese (probably a sharp cheddar or brie) wrapped in bacon or prosciutto. <A> Try sun dried tomatoe pesto on layers of thin slice prosciutto then roll on puff pastry for an Italian style Wellington
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The only time I ever made wellington, I simply put a mixture of onions and bacon and cheese in place of the mushroom layer. I've used both haggis and black pudding as an alternative to duxelle.
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How to avoid chicken getting too tender when cooking in a crock pot? I'd like to cook chicken in my Crockpot but just about every time it comes out so well done that it shreds when you try to cut it. How can I make it so it's not as well done; more like it comes out when cooked in an oven? <Q> Funny you should ask about this as I have just been experimenting with tough old chickens. <S> Your chicken is falling apart because the connective tissues in the meat are being turned into gelatin. <S> Cooking meat in a wet environment at low temperatures causes the connective tissues (collagen) in the meat to dissolve into delicious gelatin and makes the meat more tender. <S> Cooking at the lower temperatures means that the meat can cook for longer without over heating and maximize the gelatin conversion. <S> This is often a very desirable thing. <S> Cheap, tough meat can be made delicious. <S> Crockpots are designed to make this very easy. <S> Roasting in the oven is hot and dry. <S> The meat cooks <S> faster, not very much gelatin is converted and the meat holds together better (or is tough depending on the meat). <S> The solution is simple: Don't cook your chicken as long. <S> To taste done, your chicken needs to reach 140F. To be safe from bacteria, your chicken has to get up to 165F. <S> (Actually, it can be safe at as low as 135F <S> but you have to hold it at those temperatures longer to kill the bad bugs. <S> This document has the whole time chart.) <S> How long it will take to get your chicken to those temps will depend on your recipe, how much meat there is, what shape it is, and the properties of your crock pot. <S> Keep in mind that a crockpot is still wet cooking (braising) where an oven is usually dry. <S> The outside of the chicken will never be as browned or crispy from a crockpot as from an oven. <A> Crock pot cooking is usually essentially braising--it sounds like you are getting a good outcome for a braised chicken. <S> The problem is that you are up against a time/temperature curve. <S> So unless you monitor the chicken, and remove it from the crockpot when it is just done to your liking, it is eventually going to get up to the appliance's set temperature. <S> Over time, in a moist environment, the collagen in the chicken will break down, and the chicken will shred easily <A> Besides the answers already given -- if you cool down slow cooked meat, it'll firm back up again (although, without the collagen), and can then be reheated later. <S> The problem is getting the chicken out of the crockpot so that it can cool down in a timely manner. <S> I use something that's a cross between a slotted spoon and a spider; it's relatively flat, but with holes in it to drain. <S> Move it to a plate to cool down for a bit, then transfer to the fridge. <S> The next day, you can slice it without it completely shreding on you. <S> (although, it'll still be really tender). <S> As has already been mentioned, it helps to pull it out before it's cooked too far ... <S> but this can give you a larger time window to deal with, or to recover something that's cooked past where you'd like.
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You should use a thermometer to determine when the interior of your chicken is done and then stop cooking it.
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How long do eggs last outside the refrigerator and out of the shell? How long would eggs last out of the refrigerator and out of the shell? This may be a strange question, but I'm planning on baking them afterwards. And I'll leave them out only around 6 hours at room temperature. The thought makes me shiver; but would you reckon this to be fine? <Q> When I used eggs at a rapid rate, baking every day, I always kept them on the counter, since they would not have to be brought to room temperature to beat easily to the ribbon or whatever. <S> They should be good in the refrigerator for several weeks past their sell by date, or on the counter for several days. <S> 6 hours is fine, ( <S> but thats in shell, not cracked) <S> Eggs OUT of their shell <S> Out of the shell, eggs are highly perishable--what the health codes call a "potentially hazardous" food. <S> Don't hold them for any length of time at room temperature. <S> I would say no more than 30 minutes to an hour, less if you can. <S> Lots of egg facts , but they do insist that the eggs are refrigerated. <A> Fresh, healthy eggs are protected by natural antibacterial enzymes and will stay good for at least three weeks without refrigeration. <S> Chickens are brooded for about three weeks before they hatch and it should be obvious, that it would be at least inconvenient if the egg goes stale before the chicken is out. <S> In Germany, eggs are not refrigerated in the supermarket. <S> The recommended shelf life (best before date) is 28 days if kept refrigerated after 18 days, since the natural protection starts to deteriorate after appr. <S> 21 days. <A> Fresh eggs will last several weeks on the counter. <S> A month in oatmeal. <S> if not washed. <S> This is farm fresh eggs. <S> Eggs have a wax on them. <S> It seals them. <S> Oatmeal also keeps them from getting broke. <S> A fridge is a dehydrator. <S> Less time there. <S> Baked eggs set out. <S> 2 hours in the tropics. <S> Like baked in a egg bowl for breakfast. <S> A fresh cracked egg. <S> A short time. <S> before cooked. <S> Maybe 2 hours. <S> They sell for 1 Piso 2 cents <S> U.S. <S> each at the market to move them fast. <S> You take a chance on a cracked egg.
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Eggs in their shell, uncracked One day on the counter at room temperature is approximately equivalent to a week in the refrigerator.
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What is the best way to toast pecans? Amongst other things, I'm making a chocolate & bourbon pecan pie for Christmas in my capacity as family pastry chef. The recipe calls for toasted pecan halves. What is the best way to toast nuts evenly? I assume a low oven is best to avoid scorching, but what temperature and for how long? <Q> An oven is the way to go. <S> Toasting on a frying pan is a pain because you have to stand there shaking it for so long <S> and it is far to easy to scorch if you pause. <S> I have seen some recipes call for low oven temps <S> but I use 350F (175C) for 10 to 15 minutes stirring a few times. <S> Some sources online recommend as low as 5 minutes <S> but I personally have not ever had them done that quickly. <S> They still have to be checked or they will burn. <S> I like to use my toaster oven because it heats up faster and is cheaper to run. <S> I have used an air popcorn popper with good results. <S> Don't overfill it and remove them when they smell nutty. <S> It goes very fast but you have to do them in batches if you have many. <S> For a pie or other sweet applications, I like to toss the nuts in butter and brown sugar and let them candy in the oven. <S> The fat makes it harder to burn them. <S> Obviously this won't fit for all recipes. <S> I personally have not had good results using the microwave. <S> Some people swear by it but it seems to me to make them a little gummy. <A> My recent experience with nut-toasting gave a temperature and time recommendation with the following added advice: " . <S> . . <S> until fragrant <S> " That made a world of difference because in my case (almonds), it took several minutes longer than the stated time <S> and it was definitely worth the wait. <S> The cookies made from the toasted almonds were voted best of the cookie exchange. <S> While ovens, cookie sheet materials and nut piece size and shape may vary, <S> the "until fragrant" tip was something I can depend on (assuming I do not have a stuffy nose!) <A> I go with an oven, but at 250 degrees. <S> And my experience with toasting all nuts is that they can go from toasted to burnt very quickly, so check on them and remove promptly once toasted. <A> Just a couple more tips <S> single layer with no corners (they burn first). <S> Ideally, a donut shape on pan: the center ones get plucked out and moved to edges under grill (UK) or broiler (U.S.) gives a much more accurate visual sign of browning vrs the black-on-the-bottom bottom heat. <S> Just watch through glass front with door cracked open for sniffing. <S> I only toast one side as they are fairly flat and that seems enough toasty flavor for further baking.
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oven toasting in a preheated dark heavy skillet evens out the toasting.
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My sauerkraut has mold covering the surface, is it ok? I had a batch of sauerkraut fermenting in the basement. During the fermentation I had to leave for over a week and left my roommates with the basic instructions to check it a couple times and skim off any mold that might form. They forgot about it, and when I returned I found the brine level was down to the weights (but not exposing the cabbage), and that there was a full cover of dark greenish/grayish mold on the brine surface. I've removed the mold carefully and found the submerged cabbage smelled and appeared ok, with the exception of some being slightly darker where the weights were not directly on top of it. This kraut was removed and thrown out, and only totaled about 1 cup. The mold did not contact the kraut, and the kraut itself seems to have remain submerged. Overall I'm leaning towards it being ok, and might try small samples in cooked dishes--is this reasonable, or should I just toss it and start a fresh batch to play it safe? <Q> Per NC State's Extension's article on pickles and sauerkraut (some emphasis added): Pickles or sauerkraut mold during fermentation. <S> Answer: <S> Unsafe—microorganisms are growing improperly. <S> Possible reasons Fermentation temperature was above 75°F. <S> Too much salt was used, not allowing adequate lactic acid production. <S> The cloth on top of the kraut was not kept clean during fermentation (may need to be replaced after skimming). <S> Per Penn State Extension's Saurkraut Guide <S> (emphasis added): <S> Their PDF on Saurkraut says: To avoid surface mold growth, keep the cabbage submerged at all times by covering it with a plate just small enough to ft inside the fermentation container or with two or three clean quart jars filled with water. <S> An acceptable alternative is to fill a large, sealed, food-grade plastic bag containing 4½ tablespoons of salt and 3 quarts of water. <S> Again, no indication of acceptable types of mold. <S> I cannot endorse the existing answers which indicate that mold is an acceptable part of the saurkraut making process, unless credible science based evidence is presented, from reputable sources such as University Extension Centers or, better yet, peer reviewed journal sources. <A> The mould forming on top of the brine is a natural by-product of the fermentation process. <S> It's when the kraut has contact with the air and forms mould you should discard. <S> I experiment with making chilli hot sauce using a similar fermentation process and the same principle applies to the chilli mash. <A> Ummm... <S> If you are canning or boiling then <S> it isn't fermentation that you are doing. <S> Why promote all that good lacto-bacterial action then kill it all? <S> The point of kraut is that it is alive, all the way down to your tummy. <S> Killing the bacteria kills the flavour too- <S> you may as well start out with vinegar and just pickle it. <S> But I agree it is very difficult to poison yourself with fermented veggies. <S> There are very few documented cases of botulism, for example. <S> I am a researcher who loves to ferment! <A> yes its still good one thing I like to do half way through is take all the brine out above the plate and run it through a micro micro strainer get it nice and clean in case <S> theres still some mold spores left <S> then I do this <S> once more befor <S> I jar it. <S> and fit the strainer with cheese cloth to get everything. <S> so because my cabbage hat holding my kraut down is also covered with cheese cloth <S> and I mean covered, jammed down the sides above the hat <S> I use alot of cheese cloth. <S> no bits of kraut are coming up and making little islands to breed junk and any mold spores are not going down because my plate only leaves about a few millimeters of space around the edge <S> I also make sure theres 3 inches of brine above my plate and weights. <S> so when I finish and i <S> m going to jar it <S> I clean that brine on top once more <S> and im good. <S> my friend has a special vacuum to suck the top off and all the yeast <S> and it cleans it and spits it back. <S> blue grey mold and white mold are ok. <S> if u are getting dark mold black mold or multi color mold throw it out especially if its on some kraut and made it to the top toss it and remember when in dought throw it out. <A> " It's so easy to just make another batch. <S> Feed the bad stuff to your local wildlife. <S> Letting it get too warm <S> i sprobably the most common mistake I've made. <S> My fermentation crock does an excellent job (as long as it stays cool enough during the process).
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As long as the kraut was submerged below the brine all the time it's been fermenting it would be fine. Do not taste it if you see mold on the surface , feel a slimy texture, or smell a bad odor. As an RN, I say, "if in doubt, throw it out!
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Too much sugar in soup -- how to make it less cloying? I was making this recipe: Cabbage Borscht , which was from the old Lincoln Del, one of my mom's favourite places. I mistakenly doubled the sugar, putting in 1/2 a cup instead of a 1/4 of a cup. Given the 2/3 of a cup ketchup, which was Heinz, the soup turned out way, way too sweet. Is there any way I can rescue this? <Q> Removing dissolved sugar from a recipe, as in your soup, practically impossible. <S> You have two main choices: Reduce the impact of the sweetness. <S> This may or may not work <S> --you would have to experiment, and it could make the soup taste worse worse (the risk being you would then still have to discard the soup.) <S> If you really like the borsht, and can eat (or freeze) <S> it all: make a second batch with considerable lower sugar, and combine them. <S> You will now have twice as much soup, but flavor balanced. <A> I'm adding this answer more for completeness than anything else <S> but it is possible to reduce the sweetness in a dish by using a sweetness inhibitor. <S> From McGee On Food And Cooking : Not only are there artifical sweetners: there are also substances that block us from experiencing the sweetness of sugars... <S> Lactisole is phenolic compound found in small quanities in roasted coffee... <S> In very small amounts it reduces the apparent sweetness of sugar by two-thirds. <S> From Wikipedia : <S> At concentrations of 100–150 parts per million in food, lactisole largely suppresses the ability to perceive sweet tastes, both from sugar and from artificial sweeteners such as aspartame. <S> A 12% sucrose solution was perceived like a 4% sucrose solution when lactisole was added. <S> However, it is significantly less efficient than gymnemic acid with acesulfame potassium, sucrose, glucose and sodium saccharin. <S> Research found also that it has no effect on the perception of bitterness, sourness and saltiness. <S> According to a recent study, lactisole acts on a sweet taste receptor heteromer of the TAS1R3 sweet protein receptor in humans, but not on its rodent counterpart. <S> There is a branded blend of lactisole, sucrose and maltodextrin called Super Envision, which is the only commercially available version of this product afaik. <S> It is used in concentrations of 0.5%-1%, e.g., if you have 500g of soup then you use 2.5g-5g of Super Envison. <S> It can be found on websites selling Modernist cooking ingredients such as Modernist Pantry: http://www.modernistpantry.com/super-envision.html <A> I would remove some of the borsch and replace with water (removing some of the sweetness) and then rethicken it with a souring agent such as Amchoor (ground unripe Mango). <S> Then add soured cream at the end to further thicken, improve consistency and remove sweetness. <A> I was making Spanish rice, which, called for Ketchup to taste. <S> Uh.... <S> the lid wasn't on tight and I put more than I liked. <S> Result.... <S> dish was too sweet. <S> Not undaunted, I considered adding tomato paste, which is not usually sweet and is in fact, slightly bitter due to the concentration of tomatoes. <S> Added, until the sweetness was virtually gone. <S> A good save for me..... <S> Try it next time but be sure that you taste the paste and make sure it's not sweet. <A> I have always used pepper to reduce the taste of too much sugar and this also works the other way although sometimes I use a different sweet substance than sugar if I have put too much pepper in a sauce. <A> Salt, pepper, hot sauce. <S> All in very judicious doses. <S> Worked for me
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Increasing acidity (lemon juice or vinegar for example--since ketchup contains vinegar, vinegar or more ketchup may be most compatible with your specific recipe) may mitigate how sweet the soup seems.
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How can I thicken whipping cream? I used to live in Britain and I'm familiar with using Double Cream (48%+ fat) in all my recipes. However I moved to Canada a year ago and double cream doesn't seem to exist in North America. This has resulted in many of my recipes failing with the 35% heavy whipping cream as it doesn't whip quite thick enough; it won't hold up my cake tiers, and it goes oddly foamy in my pastries. Yet I've seen strongly thickened cream in stores and bakeries, so how are they thickening it? I've tried googling this and have tried a few things, such as boiling the cream, and I've also tried adding corn starch (unless you want dry floury cream, never do this). I've also seen a couple of mentions of gelatin and stabilizers but don't know if that's the correct direction. I'm starting to think I should buy my own cow. Any cream experts out there who can help? <Q> Corn starch only thickens when heated to 180 F, so it probably is not helping at all with your whipped cream. <S> I live in the US, so I cannot compare to whipped cream in the UK. <S> Whipped cream for cake fillings is often beaten almost to the breaking point to make the foam as thick as possible. <S> I assume you are whipping the cream sufficiently, and it still isn't getting as thick as you would like. <S> If that is the case, you might try stabilizing the whipped cream with gelatin . <S> The link is one of many I have found on a quick search, and it specifically calls for 35% cream. <S> This long chowhound thread also has some interesting thoughts and advise. <S> This ochef link also provides an interesting method of using creme fraiche. <A> You're right about the fat content of whipping cream. <S> English Double Cream has a typical fat content of around 48% compared to the thickest cream in N America which is heavy cream at about 35%. <S> You could try using crème de mais, a modified cornstarch which doesn't require any heat to thicken. <S> I think its trade name is Clear Jel. <A> You can thicken Canadian 35% whipping cream by dehydrating it with dried apples. <S> Place (natural) dried apple slices, loosely packed, in a sealer and add cream to cover. <S> Refrigerate for 24 hours. <S> The cream that is in direct contact with the apples will become very thick and greasy and you will have to squeeze it off with your fingers. <S> Messy. <S> Remix the clumps. <S> Not sure of exact amount of apple for a desired result. <S> Sliht apple taste to the cream. <S> Experiment. <S> Good luck. <A> Add gelatine - <S> that's what commercial thickened cream is - cream with gelatin, lightly beat to incorporate, then let it set. <S> Beat before using (not to whipped-cream level - just to get it to move :) <S> Use one leaf of gelatin dissolved in a tablespoon of warmed water for each pint of cream. <A> You can use cream cheese!!!!! <S> This page suggests beating to soft peaks then adding 1 heaping teaspoon cream cheese per 1 cup of cream and beating until the desired consistency. <A> If you live in an urban area, I would think you would be able to get your hands on imports like the clotted cream you are missing, or mascarpone, which has 50% fat content. <S> After a quick search, I found a recipe (not mine) for making mascarpone at home, which requires cream with at least 25% fat content and utilizes tartaric acid. <S> http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/cheese/mascarpone.HTM <S> Why buy the cow when you can make the cream for (practically) free? :-) <S> Good luck! <A> Try icing sugar. <S> It makes the cream very sweet but does the job. <A> In the US, you can sometimes find something called manufacturing cream , which is over 40% fat. <S> Still not quite UK double cream, but much closer than standard whipping cream. <S> You'll probably need to find it in a restaurant-supply type of place; it's not something they carry at regular grocery stores. <A> Stabilizing it will thicken the whipped cream and make it more firm. <S> I use gelatin. <S> It's easy to find and easy to use. <S> When I use this method, the whipped cream holds up for at least 24 hours (maybe longer, but I haven't had any left after that time frame). <S> Here's a post from my blog with pictures and recipe. <S> Hope that helps! :) <A> Try whipping it more. <S> The more it is whipped, the thicker it gets. <S> Use guar gum . <S> You can find it on Amazon. <S> It is about 8x stronger than corn starch, so you can use less. <S> I use it in my green tea matcha frappuccinos (frozen/iced lattes - like a smoothie). <S> What you see in stores may be butter cream frosting . <S> Mix <S> about 1:4 butter:confectioner's sugar. <A> In fact, this is how I make a lot of my cakes for a rich, not so sweet, nice thick frosting. <S> 1 pkg of instant pudding for 473 ml carton of cream is usually a perfect consistency.
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Add instant pudding to thicken your cream.
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How to improve the taste of sour coffee beans? I was given a few packs of grain coffee. The smell was pretty nice and it was written that it's 100% arabica. That encouraged me to grind some and brew it in moka pot. The result I got was not horrible, but way to sour for me. I tried one bean and indeed it was little sour, compared to Starbucks Espresso Roast, which is not sour at all and has great almost black color. I am sure this will not be my coffee of choice, but it would be nice to upgrade it somehow (before I throw it away), though I have no idea how to do it. I thought about roasting it in the oven (210-225 Celsius; 410-437 Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes. Do you think it might be a good idea? <Q> I don't think I would re-roast them. <S> I think you would be better off trying a different grind, or preparing the coffee with a different method. <S> Find ways to work with the acidity, basically. <A> Sour could be under-roasted, but it could also just be that particular bean variety, or the age of the bean. <S> I would not try re-roasting already-roasted coffee. <S> What I would do is blend those beans with something to complement them. <S> You can find flavor charts around the internet, such as this one from Coffee Bean Corral . <S> I'd probably look for something in the "Earthy" and "Chocolatey" realm. <S> Maybe a Brazilian or Colombian. <S> And if you like the roast flavors, look for something that's been roasted to a city+ or so. <S> In addition to the color, oil on the beans is an indicator of a darkly-roasted bean. <A> Yes, you can roast the beans some more. <S> However the results will probably not be great. <S> Roasting results in quite a bit of smoke. <S> If you are going low tech, I would do it in a wok in a very well ventilated area. <S> It's pretty easy to set off smoke detectors. <S> Outside with the wok on a BBQ is probably best. <S> Roast over a low heat and stir continuously. <S> You want to get the beans as even as possible, trying not to burn them. <S> The beans will continue to roast after taking them off the heat. <S> So stop one or two roast levels before the desired colour and tip your beans out into a colander and continue stirring to cool. <S> The residual heat will cook the bean some more. <S> To aim for a desired roast level, compare the current roast colour to your desired roast colour and maybe to a roast level chart. <S> Google image search "coffee roast level chart". <S> Guesstimate the roast level that is one or two levels below your desired colour to stop at. <S> Once again there will be a lot of smoke. <A> Another vote against reroasting. <S> , there is no saving from reroasting. <S> To pour bitter you can try a combination of techniques such as: Extracting at a higher temperature Grinding finer and overextracting Pour longer, getting more of the bitterness that comes at the end of the pour after blonding. <A> I agree with the above sentiment that re-roasting is probably not a good idea, and offer an alternative suggestion for salvaging the beans. <S> If you are not opposed to flavored coffee, a bit of cinnamon and/or clove thrown in with the beans when you grind them could hide the bitterness.
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A coarse grind and a french-press might work a bit better with the brightly acidic beans. Although I don't believe bitter is the opposite to sourness, extracting on the bitter side will help and possibly make it drinkable. The general consensus I've seen over the years from hobbyist roasting forums is that once the roast loses temperature, that's it A stove top with a range hood might be good enough if you have a particularly good range hood.
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Is it safe to eat a chicken that leaked a ton of red fluid after roasting? I just roasted a small chicken, and after taking it out of the oven after about 1 1/2 hours, a large amount of watery, red fluid leaked from the bird. Did I somehow mess up cooking the chicken? Is it edible? The chicken was cooked, alone, in the oven at a temperature of 180 Celsius (356 Fahrenheit). There was nothing else done to the chicken (no brining or anything). <Q> Based on the given information, it does not sound like the chicken was actually cooked as planned; maybe the oven's thermometer is off, or there is another problem. <S> It sounds like raw meat juices (water and myoglobin, not blood, and I cannot remember the technical name for this fluid just now). <S> If the oven was truly at 180 C (about 355 F), this would have evaporated or the heat would have destroyed the red color. <S> Since the chicken was held at unknown temperatures for an extended period of time, I wouldn't risk eating it. <A> As another answer points out, the liquid consists of the liquid contents of the chicken's cells. <S> It is mostly water with some proteins dissolved in it. <S> I think that your chicken was cooked enough. <S> If the liquid is raw, it will look a lot like slightly watered down blood. <S> This is how most people describe it. <S> The fact that you call it "watery red fluid" already sounds to me as if it had the clear, red-tinted appearance of cooked meat juice. <S> Also, 1.5 hours in a hot oven should be more than enough to cook a chicken, even if your oven's thermostat is discalibrated. <S> My assumption is that the chicken had previously been frozen, you cooked it too long, and/or cut it up too early. <S> All of this can increase the amount of meat juice which flows out of the cooked meat instead of staying inside and making it juicy and tasty. <S> Sadly, it is not as tasty as a properly cooked chicken. <S> But the good news is that you have no safety concerns whatsoever. <S> So you can eat your chicken. <S> To make it completely clear, because I haven't seen your chicken: <S> If the juice which flows is bright red and cloudy or translucent, it is undercooked. <S> If it is clear/transparent and the red has a warm, slightly brownish hue, it is probably cooked (clear juices are not a 100% indicator of having reached a safe temperature, but raw-looking juices are a 100% indicator that you have to cook longer). <A> The color of the fluid is a clue to whether or not your chicken is done, not a canonical guide. <S> You are asking a question where no determinate answer can be given. <S> 165f for instant kill (well, 10 seconds), for example. <S> So temperature is your guide to safety. <S> You can have red juices and safe chicken. <S> Similarly, you can have clear juices and unsafe chicken. <S> Get a good instant-read thermometer to be sure.
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Your chicken is safe when it has been pasteurized. I would recommend discarding this chicken immediately, and buy an oven thermometer immediately, to check its calibration, and if it is off, get it serviced.
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How long is the life of a shot of espresso? When pulling a shot of espresso, how long is its life before it is too bitter? I know this might change by the bean, but what is a rough estimate? I was doing some coffee tasting and some of the shots were left unused for about 5 minutes and the barista said that these shots were now "dead" and that they don't reflect what the true taste of the coffee is. Do I really only have 5 minutes to drink espresso before its no longer drinkable? <Q> This barista says no, you can enjoy your shot for a little while: <S> In reality, there are only a couple of things that happen to espresso over the course of a few minutes. <S> First, the crema or foam that sits on top of the espresso reintegrates with the liquid. <S> Crema, on its own, contains some of the best flavors and aromatic qualities of the espresso in high concentrations. <S> Drinking it straight can be overwhelming <S> but, it stands to reason, that having the crema reintegrate might actually be a good thing. <S> Second, the espresso cools down. <S> The temperature of espresso has a lot to do with how we taste the various flavors contained within it... <S> I am not an espresso fan myself--I like regular coffee, but not after it has cooled down, and never reheated. <S> Many folks are perfectly content to microwave a cold cup and drink it. <S> I imagine that older, colder espresso is palatable to you to the extent that you are willing to tolerate it. <S> A small shot of coffee--and lets face it, that is <S> all espresso is, even if it is brewed in a fancy manner--is going to cool off much more rapidly than a full cup, or a full pot. <A> Shots die after only ten seconds of sitting. <S> You can tell by the change in color. <S> It goes from a nice pretty brown body with a layer of crema on top to a very dark brown/black color. <S> If you have ever done the taste test and tasted both the dead shot and the good shot, especially if you're sensitive to bitter taste, you can absolutely tell the difference. <S> That is why Starbucks stresses a barista not to allow your shot to sit out for longer than those ten seconds. <S> Barista <A> As I understand it, all brewing methods are subject to both oxidation and degradation of yummy acids and oils. <S> I was first introduced to the 10-second rule for espresso as a customer at a Starbucks. <S> I was highly skeptical of this claim, so the barista felt obliged to prove her point (which is easily testable, if you can stomach wasting a shot). <S> She pulled a shot and immediately dropped in a teaspoon of cold water (so that I could drink it right away), then handed me the shot glass to try. <S> Delicious. <S> Then, she pulled another shot, we counted to 10 together, she added a teaspoon of cold water, and I drank. <S> Bitter and burnt tasting. <S> Not terrible, but nowhere near as complex and tasty as the first shot. <S> The difference was marked. <S> (Incidentally, she claimed that the temperature of the added water was irrelevant to stemming the bittering process.) <S> I have since tested this at home on my machine, with the same results. <S> (And I've tested adding hot or cold water, both do seem to stem the degradation process, as she claimed.) <S> If you are skeptical -- as you always should be -- test it (at least somewhat systematically) yourself. <S> Here is a site with more information about oxidation and degradation of acids and such <S> : https://scienceandfooducla.wordpress.com/2014/08/19/coffee-brewing-chemistry-hot-brew-and-cold-brew/ <S> I suspect that an email to the author could easily shed more light on the how and the why. <A> Espresso starts losing some of its flavour immediately <S> so I'd say drink it within one minute. <S> If made at the right temperature it should be cool enough to drink after a few seconds anyway <S> and after a minute it will start getting too cold to enjoy. <S> I'd also suggest stirring your espresso before drinking to mix the different layers and get a more homogenous drink. <A> For me, it is not bitterness or flavor, but temperature. <S> When a shot gets cold, it is not good. <S> So, I would say it could last a couple of minutes, but it is not a sipping drink anyhow. <S> Pull it and drink it. <A> This is correct that coffee flavour alters depended on temperature. <S> However this argument of better is hard to say as its a matter of preference. <S> For coffee tastings you should try the coffee had a range of temperatures as the flavours alter you may taste something different.
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According to the barista, if the coffee did not touch something (water, milk, syrup) within 10 seconds it would turn bitter and "burnt" tasting.
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Does flax seed lose its nutritional properties after it's ground up? I am from Santiago, Chile. Here, there's a rumour that smashed (ground) flax seed loses its properties in around 4 hours. Do you know anything about this? Basically, the rumors say that the flax seed loses its nutritional properties, and that it can even be unhealthy once it is ground — but, if you grind it yourself and eat it right away, it's OK. <Q> Any seed that has been damaged, cut, smashed, milled, or ground starts to lose flavour, texture, nutrition, and eventually will go rancid due to oxidising oils. <S> Four hours is too short a time for anything noticeable to happen. <S> Some types of nuts and seeds show a noticeable change over a day or two, but most take many days or weeks. <S> Milled flax seed is reasonably tough; it should last for a week or so without a noticeable flavour change, and many weeks before going rancid. <S> For more information and sources, please see: https://www.goldenvalleyflax.com/flax-facts/health-research-articles/flaxseed-storage-baking-stability/ <A> I could not find any credible sources indicating that flax seeds (also known as linseed) lose significant nutritional benefits after they've been smashed, crushed or ground. <S> This article from Mayo Clinic in fact indicates that since the seeds tend to pass undigested, it is better to grind them: Most nutrition experts recommend ground flaxseed because your body is better able to digest it. <S> Whole flaxseed may pass through your intestine undigested, which means you won't get all the health benefits. <A> I was told by a nutritionist to eat flax seed. <S> If eaten whole, the seeds simply pass through the digestive system without contributing anything; they have to be ground in order to reveal their properties. <S> As ground flax seed has anti-oxidative properties, it goes without saying that exposure to air reduces these properties thus the ground seed should be eaten as soon as possible. <S> Whilst I buy whole flax seed once every five or six weeks (about a kilo and a half), I grind only enough to be eaten in a week. <S> I've never noticed any taste to the seeds, let alone any rancidity. <A> This is when the fats start to oxidize, and ... is when you can also lose the nutritional benefits of those fats. <S> The taste is also off." <S> (Source.) <S> Unfortunately, if you buy ground flax from a store, there's a chance that it might be more than a few weeks old. <S> Still, please read on. <S> Buying refrigerated or vacuum-packed ground flaxseed "Ground flaxseeds are usually available both refrigerated and non-refrigerated. <S> If you are purchasing ground flaxseed that is sitting on the store shelf at room temperature, we recommend that the flaxseed be packaged in a gas-flushed, vacuum-sealed bag. <S> If you are purchasing ground flaxseed that is found in the refrigerator section, it's not essential that vacuum-sealed packaging be used". <S> (Source.) <S> Once you open a vacuum-sealed bag of flax, air will enter. <S> Once this happens, it's wise to refrigerate or freeze the product. <S> Finding vacuum-packed flaxseed in your region <S> You can do a Google search for [ buy <S> vacuum-packed flaxseed ] to look for companies in your region who manufacture the stuff. <S> I live in Canada. <S> Here: CanMar produces various "Fee Fi Fo Flax" and "Flax For Nutrition" vacuum-packed roasted flax products. <S> These products cost about 5 to 9 CAD per pound, depending where you buy them. <S> The company states that unopened packages will stay fresh for 18 months. <S> Puresource produces "Inari" brand vacuum-packed ground flax. <S> It costs about 7 CAD per pound. <S> Storing and taste-testing your ground flax <S> Once you have your ground flax, it's wise to always refrigerate or freeze it. <S> "Because ground flaxseed flows readily even when frozen, many users choose to store ground flaxseed in the freezer for even longer shelf life." <S> (Source.) <S> You can take a spoonful of your ground flax and taste it. <S> If it tastes good, it's probably still fine. <S> If it tastes bitter, fishy, or rancid, it may be best to throw it away. <A> In my reading of the question, what is being asked is whether we can buy ground flaxseed, (or, alternatively, whether it is necessary to grind flaxseed within four hours of consuming it.) <S> SAJ14SAJ's answer confirms that it is advisable to consume ground, not whole, flaxseed, since otherwise flaxseed passes through the digestive system intact. <S> It does not address whether the grinding must be done just before consumption. <S> According to references such as <S> this (excerpt: " <S> The low levels of FFA and conjugated diene indicate that ALA remained stable during processing and cooking of spaghetti fortified with ground flaxseed. <S> ") <S> it appears we can have confidence that it's all right to buy ground flaxseed, just so long as we use it reasonably quickly. <S> Additional references are welcome. <S> The main difficulty of grinding flaxseed at home is that the shell is not just tough for the human digestive enzymes, it is also tough for ordinary coffee grinders. <S> A grinder suitable for espresso or Turkish grinds is likely necessary. <S> Those are frequently called "Burr" grinders. <S> They are easy to identify (aside from the price tag). <S> They move the material from one compartment to another. <S> They do not grind "in-place". <S> Related Q & A
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Flax can go bad within a few weeks after it's ground Ground flaxseeds "can start to go rancid fairly quickly — as soon as a few weeks after they are ground.
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What Garlic to use for Garlic Bagels I have had great success making seeded bagels; I boil the bagels in water with baking soda and a little sugar, and any kind of seed sticks to the outside and bakes to perfection. My problem is trying to replicate garlic bagels. Fresh garlic doesn't stick, and doesn't get dried out like I want. Dehydrated "garlic granules" burn by the time the bagels are done. So: What type of garlic works best for bagels? I am really looking for someone with actual experience making garlic bagels. Edited to respond to a comment: I can see the following problems with adding the garlic partway through baking. (The main reason) The garlic will not stick to the outside of the bagel, since the bagel will be dry. One would have to re-wet the bagel somehow, or maybe wet the garlic? Interrupting the baking process of bread is not good in my experience. Since I cook bagels in six-bagel batches, the bagels would be out for a reasonable amount of time to add the garlic. And re-moistening the surface would further cool them. It seems absolutely absurd to have to manipulate piping-hot bagels mid-bake just to add the topping. I am positive that this is not how the bagels I have in mind are made. However, if anyone has done it this way, let me know what your results were. <Q> I've never seen the kind of garlic bagels spiceyokooko is talking about, but I am familiar with garlic bagels of the variety you're referring to. <S> I don't usually make garlic bagels at home because I'm happier with simpler ones, but I have made some ages ago. <S> I've usually found most things stick just fine to recently boiled bagels, but for fresh garlic, you may find it more reliable to brush an egg wash (roughly equal amounts beaten egg/water) on the top of the bagels before sprinkling on the chopped garlic. <S> That'll work almost like cement to keep most of the garlic in place after baking. <S> There's some possibility that the level of moisture in fresh garlic may make it harder to just press the egg-washed bagels into a bowl of chopped garlic, as you would likely do with seeds. <S> Also, I wouldn't expect that all of the garlic will stay stuck. <S> But with the egg wash, most of it will. <S> As for the texture of the garlic, there's a pretty wide range of common results at the variety of bagel shops I've tried in my life; some are golden brown and some are near burnt. <S> That's a matter of cooking time, mostly, but also the starting moisture content of the garlic. <S> I would expect that most bagel shops use bulk, pre-minced garlic so that they can save on a little labor. <S> This is typically a bit drier than if you fresh chopped the garlic at home. <S> Consider buying the prefab stuff and see if that gets you closer to what you want. <S> If it does, and you prefer to do the heavy lifting on your own, mince the garlic and let it sit on the counter to dry a bit. <S> Another strategy altogether is to mince garlic and mix it with some oil, and smear it atop the boiled bagels with your hands. <S> I think this should stick reasonably well, and will affect the texture of your result. <S> Since I'm not 100% sure what your platonic ideal is for the garlic texture, I can't say whether the oil-mixture or egg wash route is going to be a better choice, or some hybrid, but those are some options to explore that I think will get you closer to your target. <A> I understand both types of garlic bagels: The garlic on the outside is the fast food version and the garlic on the inside is roasted garlic that dissolves into the dough (the later being the original garlic bagels that were in the deli's before bagels became mainstream). <S> To make a bagel board use just a piece of 2x4 that will fit onto you baking sheet. <S> The board is then covered with what looks like a strip of burlap called a Jute webbing, you can use a stapler to attach it to the bagel board. <S> The jute webbing should be wet when you but your boiled bagels on it, and they should be upside down / seed side down. <S> To make sure your garlic does not burn, bake your bagels at 500 degrees and usually you will flip the boards over and remove the bagel boards after 7 minutes - in the case of garlic leave them a little longer on the bagel board. <S> Remove when your garlic is getting toasty. <S> Or to the color that you like them. <S> Personally I always enjoyed the deli version that looks just like a plain bagel or, as we called them, a water bagel, but it was a garlic bagel. <S> I was very surprised when I first saw a garlic bagel at the shop <S> I was a baker at that <S> just sprinkled the garlic on the top. <S> To many like me, that is not a real garlic bagel. <S> Try the real kind: <S> Roast a head of garlic in the oven for 40 min. <S> It will now make a wonderful roasted paste. <S> Experiemnt with the amount of garlic that you like. <S> Add it in the last 2 minutes of kneading the dough, don't add it to the water, this is the same way with any added favor. <A> Well to make the bagels like the one in the top picture first you have to dice/mince fresh garlic.. <S> you can buy the jar but need to place them in between paper towels and place in fridge or elsewhere to dry out some. <S> You want all visible liquid gone and the towels should be dry. <S> Then you boil your bagels like normal when the come out and are on the pan for the oven <S> you brush them with an egg wash (scrambled egg and salt). <S> i found it easier to place the bagel upside down onto the garlic and then back on the pan. <S> Bake as normal.. <S> Enjoy !! <A> Try dry, minced garlic on both sides of the bagel before baking. <S> Flavor to die for:) <A> You can't make garlic topping bagels without the specialized revolving gas ovens you find in NYC bagel shops. <S> These are needed to upturn the bagels from a peel while it is baking. <S> The garlic is applied after they are turned upside down.
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To make the fast food version use the dried granulated garlic - and you need bagel boards so it will not dry out.
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How do I cook with bay leaves? I am an amateur hobbyist cook. So a lot of the time I will toss in a dash of something, taste the dish, and add a bit more. Experimenting sometimes with disastrous results... but I learn :) One spice that I am having a hard time figuring out is the bay leaf. I use it when called for, and have sometimes experimented with it, but I can't seem to place the "effect" it has on the dish. So my questions: What is the general flavor of a bay leaf, is there a dish that exemplifies this? How long do I need to cook with a bay leaf before it has an effect? I think part of my quandary is that I can't simply add some to a sauce, stir it in, and taste it to see the difference. Am I wrong to believe that it takes awhile to permeate the dish? <Q> I don't know how you would describe the flavor of bay--I would call it a subtle savoriness, with a complex aroma. <S> Bay is very tough--almost sharp. <S> It is generally not eaten directly. <S> Instead, the whole leaf (or several whole leaves) are put into a dish or sauce to cook with it, then removed prior to service. <S> The shortest recipe I have for using bay is in a rice pilaf while it cooks, which is 15-30 minutes depending. <S> I am not aware of an upper time limit. <S> Here is a Miami Herald article offering some other perspectives on using bay leaves: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/30/2823923/cooking-with-bay-leaves.html As they Herald points out, many folks prefer Turkish bay rather than California bay, because it has a more complex, subtle flavor. <S> . <S> . . <S> I believe custard in Britain had bay as a traditional ingredient <S> --you might make a custard with a single bay leaf to get some sense of what it tastes like without lots of competing strong flavors. <S> . <S> . . <S> Update: <S> Serious Eats Food Lab has just published an article, <S> What is the point of bay leaves? <S> with lots of good information that may be of interest. <A> I find bay goes very well with beef. <S> I always put a few in beef stew, even in unusual situations like camping. <S> I also crumble them into beef chili. <S> My husband adds them (whole) to tomato-and-meat sauce for spaghetti. <S> If whatever you're cooking won't have at least half an hour of simmering, I wouldn't bother with the bay. <S> It takes time to infuse a flavour. <A> As Josh Caswell suggested in his comment, you could make a bay infusion. <S> If you can get your hands on the tree, you could cut a branch and use that as a skewer to BBQ fish. <S> They do so on Madeira to stunning effect. <A> Don't stop using bay, it's one of the most amazing ingredients ever! <S> It gives depth and soul to anything you cook. <S> It tastes like it smells when it's fresh. <S> If you pick it fresh (you might as well pick a good lot of it to make it worth the effort), soak it in water and bicarb of soda, leave it to dry for 2 or 3 days and store in a jar. <S> Use 1-2 leaves in your average pot of soup/ stew/ whatever. <S> If you just want to taste the difference with and without bay, use it when cooking peas, fresh or frozen (not microwaved). <S> They're a very good match and it should give you a pretty clear idea of the taste change.
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I find that 'pasta' (spaghetti, etc.) cooked with bay will give you a good flavour profile.
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How to shape dough I have so much trouble getting a rectangle the right size when making multiple loaves of bread. It's always too long or wide for my bread pans. What's the trick? <Q> Practice, practice, practice. <S> That's the only way you learn shaping. <S> I find the biggest help to get consistent loaves is to weigh the pieces of dough. <S> If they are all the same size, then it's easier to shape consistently. <S> Shaping for loaf pans is just the very beginning too. <S> Once you get the hang of it, there's a whole world of shapes to conquer, as the Formes de pains website demonstrates. <A> My normal trick is not to use loaf pans, or only use 'em when baking dough that doesn't need to be shaped. <S> Or use french loaf pans, where I don't have to worry about length. <S> You can then know what size you're dealing with as you're rolling things out. <S> If you can't easily get one, then refer to a ruler, or use the pan itself as a guide. <S> You want to roll out a rough rectangle, with the short end being slightly smaller than the longer side of the pan -- aim for about 10 to 20% shorter. <S> You then either fold it in on itself, or just roll the whole thing into a log. <S> ** <S> Pinch <S> the seams closed, and then drop it into the prepared pan, seam-side down. <S> Once you let it do its final proofing, it will have filled back out to the size of the pan. <S> ** Folding will result in less of a dome, but can require more effort so that you don't end up too wide to fit in the pan easily. <S> You may want to do a few rolled, and then once you're comfortable, try folding. <A> Practice? <S> You can also do it with normal dough, having in mind that after several reshapings it won't rise too much. <A> Roll or pull your dough into a rectangle big enough to make it about 2cm ( <S> just less than 1") thick. <S> Place your loaf tin along the top long edge. <S> Fold the short ends in so that the rectangle is just narrower than the tin. <S> Now roll the dough up from the bottom edge, pressing the leading edge in with your thumbs so the rolling part of the dough has some tension. <S> When you get to the end of the dough, pick it up and place it in the tin seam side down to prevent it opening again. <S> Cover, prove and bake as normal.
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You can make a dead dough (that is: dough with no yeasts nor leaveners) to shape them, check how they fit in the pan, and then shape them as a ball to start the process again. Other than that, I'd suggest looking into getting a pastry mat with a grid on it (the ones with circles are more common, but those are mainly for pies ... the ones with a grid are useful for rectangles, and there are ones on the market with both).
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How can you keep a stack of Swedish pancakes fresh? I make Swedish pancakes for my family every Thursday, as per Swedish tradition. Fresh from the frying pan they are crisp at the edges and very slightly crisp on the surface where the batter has caramelised. If I fry and serve while everyone else eats, we get to enjoy pancakes at their best. The disadvantage is that I don't get to sit and eat with my family. If I make a stack of pancakes in advance, as I often do, most of the pancakes have become rather limp and lost all of their crispiness by the time they are served. Those at the bottom of the pile are also noticeably cooler. Is there some way to serve pancakes en masse where each pancake is hot and crisp through to the last? <Q> You have this same problem with most fried foods that you want to serve fresh. <S> So it's similar to this question <S> What technique should I use to make latkes for a party so that I don't have to stay in the kitchen? <S> You can try what I do for latkes - I put them on a drying rack, sheet pan, skillet, etc. <S> in the oven set at around 250°F. <S> You may want a lower temp for Swedish pancakes, like 200, since they are less dense. <S> They will not be the same as fresh from the frying pan, but they will stay warm and crisp. <S> For reheating, put them in a dry cast iron or non-stick skillet or in the toaster oven on 375-400 for 4-5 min, more or less time depending on thickness and initial temperature. <S> Cheap one on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Home-HL100SV-Culinary-Heat-Lamp/dp/B0043M5N08 <S> Many a Top Chef participant has been felled by this problem though - fried foods, blinis, etc. <S> are never the same as when taken out of the fryer fresh, but they are still quite good out of the warm oven. <A> For American pancakes, my mom would always warm a plate or two in the oven, and then stash them in there as they were done cooking ... but American pancakes don't suffer as much from losing a crispy edge, and you'd run the risk of them steaming. <S> You might be able to counter this somewhat by a clean towel in between them. <S> When I do dutch pannekoeken, which are really similar to swedish pannkakor (which I assume is what you mean by 'swedish pancake' and not plättar, as you mention 'stack'), I find that they keep their texture better if I roll them up as I make them, and then put the rolls on the plate in the oven. <S> This results in more surface area exposed in the oven, and they won't steam quite as quickly. <S> The only other suggestion I have is that if you're not already -- cook two at a time. <S> It requires getting the temperature dialed in correctly on both pans, but you basically coat one pan, then the other, wait about 30 seconds <S> (depends on how dark you like 'em), flip the first, count to about 15, flip the second. <S> (It might be possible for some people to do three at a time, but I only have two pans that are appropriate, and I wouldn't be able to fit a third pan that size on my stove) <S> This might not work if you've got something else on the stovetop at the same time, but if it's pea soup, you could get that done earlier, and move it to the oven to keep warm. <A> The other way is to make ungspannkakor, which you cook in a non-stick deep baking tray in an oven at 180, that way everyone gets to sit at the table and eat together. <S> this is also delish reheated in a non-stick fry pan <S> so you cook it in advance, reheat it and serve in in a spectacular pile in the middle of the table. <S> for this you use the same recipe as you would for pannkakor.
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If you do this a lot you could also invest in a heat lamp/warmer set up like they use at fast food chains to keep the fries warm. Anyone who makes latkes for Hanukkah knows this problem well.
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Is it worth checking beans for stones? I've heard from many sources to check beans for stones before soaking/cooking them. I've been cooking with beans for years (mostly black beans, chickpeas and lentils), and I've never encountered a stone before or after cooking. Is the stone thing a myth, or no longer the case with modern agricultural technology? <Q> I've found stones in dried beans, so it's no myth. <S> Not common, but I'd say I find one every year or two. <S> If you simply swallowed a small stone, it would almost certainly pass without harm, but as TFD pointed out in his comment, biting down on one could be an expensive and painful dental experience. <S> What I do is spread the beans out on a kitchen towel in a single layer. <S> For dark beans, I use a light-colored towel and vice-versa for light beans. <S> It's very easy to spot any foreign objects that way <S> and it takes less than a minute, so <S> it's worth doing in my opinion. <S> You can then easily toss the beans into a pot by just picking up the four corners of the towel and dumping them in. <S> I should add that I've found little balls of dried dirt far more often than actual stones. <S> Those would most likely dissolve and get washed away when you rinsed the beans, but it demonstrates that stones <S> can be in there. <A> Thankfully they are normally not as hard my teeth <S> so I havn't broken a tooth yet. <S> I havn't had this occur in Canada only when buying them in Mexico. <S> Almost every pack has atleast one if not more. <S> Flor de Maya was the most recent one I got stones in. <S> I think it is more common in Mexico. <A> Quite to the contrary - it is the modern agricultural technology that causes the stones. <S> Modern methods would mean of the past 50-60 years and longer-combines have been used for many many years now. <S> Hand harvesting would of course be picking beans right of the vine would not yield any stones.
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In Mexico I get stones all the time.
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Is it possible to fry vegetables in cream? Cream A: The fat that gathers on the top of boiled milk. Cream B: The cream available in packets: http://www.amul.com/products/amul-freshcream-info.php Can vegetables be actually "fried" in these types of cream? Any precautions need to be taken in this case? <Q> Short answer: <S> cream is far from ideal as a frying medium. <S> In the US at least, heavy cream is about 35% milkfat. <S> Recently, I have learned the UK has a product called double cream which is closer to 50% milkfat. <S> So what is the rest of the cream, if it is only 50% milkfat at the high end? <S> It is water, with dissolved milk solids and minerals. <S> Even butter is only about 80% milkfat--the rest is an emulsion of water and milk solids in the main milkfat phase. <S> When butter is made, one by product is buttermilk (the old fashioned kind, as opposed to the modern cultured milk product) which is the remainder of the liquid components in the cream after the butter precipitates. <S> The essence of making ghee is separating the milkfat from the other components. <S> What does all of this mean? <S> It may be possible in some way by reducing the cream until only essentially the fat is left, and then frying in that, but it doesn't seem very practical. <S> I am not sure how you would do it without introducing many off flavors from scorching or burning the milk solids. <S> I could not find any references to such a thing when googling, although the results for fried ice cream did tend to predominate. <S> If you want to fry in cream--use ghee. <S> It is highly concentrated milkfat. <A> No, you cannot fry in cream. <S> But you can cook your vegetables in it. <S> There are three types of "real" frying: deep frying (you submerge food in a very hot oil bath), shallow frying - you put a thin layer of fat on a very hot pan and sear a big piece of food on the pan, e.g. a steak, and stir-frying - you have an even hotter pan/wok and keep moving small pieces of food in it, with only a bit of oil. <S> None of these can be done with cream (or with pure butter for that matter) because the milk solids will scorch and the water will splatter. <S> But many people tend to call any technique involving a shallow pan on a hob "frying". <S> This is technically not correct, but you can still hear things like "mushrooms fried in cream". <S> Normally, it involves first sweating the vegetables a bit <S> so they get a bit of color, and then covering them in cream and cooking until softened. <S> The temperature is much lower than in frying, and the result are tasty, soft vegetables swimming in tasty reduced cream which has absorbed the vegetables and herb flavors. <S> Alternatively, you can use cream for braising. <S> Both give good results, and both are sometimes called "frying". <S> So if you find a recipe for "frying" vegetables in cream, and it looks like one of those, give it a try. <S> Just pay attention that the temperature stays mid-range, not as high as for real frying. <A> Maybe you could poach them in a sort of double-boiler arrangement. <S> The problem is that the cream will begin to separate as it starts to boil. <S> It'll hold together for a while, but probably not long enough to fully cook a vegetable, or to get a browning. <S> The fat that collects on boiled milk is, as was pointed out, closer to ghee than to cream.
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Cream would be far from an ideal medium for frying, as the water would have to evaporate before the temperature could rise to frying levels. Try frying the vegetables in butter, ghee, or oil, and then adding heavy cream near the end of cooking to form a sauce.
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Will I never be able to cook anything needing tomatoes in a seasoned cast iron Kadhai? https://cooking.stackexchange.com/a/5863/6168 If you put any acid in cast-iron, you are harming your seasoning, and leeching iron into your food. This will affect the taste of your sauces, I find pan sauces taste metallic when made in cast iron. Indian dishes often require tomatoes in most of the dishes. I am not intending to cook any tomato sauces in the Kadhai. Will I never be able to cook any Indian dishes requiring tomatoes in a well seasoned iron Kadhai (assuming I'll re-season again)? <Q> The PH scale ranges from 0 - 14 with the lower numbers being more acidic than the higher number. <S> Canned tomatoes are generally around 3.5-4.5 on the acidic scale, in other words just above the half way point below neutral 7. <S> As long as your tomato based sauce is not left in your seasoned Kadai (as Kristina rightly points out) for a long timeframe and your kadhai is washed out immediately after use no damage to the seasoned coating should occur. <S> Just remember to wash out your Kadai (with warm water and a cloth) <S> immediately after use to preserve the seasoned coating. <A> <A> According to this site , For pH values below 4.0, ferrous oxide (FeO) is soluble. <S> Thus, the oxide dissolves as it is formed rather than depositing on the metal surface to form a film. <S> Once ferrous oxid (i.e. iron oxid) becomes soluble, your body is able to metabolise it . <S> Your body is able to regulate iron levels to some extent, so while it doesn't seem likely that this, on its own, would lead to iron poisoning , anyone taking iron supplements might want to avoid cooking canned tomatoes in cast-iron. <S> Fresh tomatoes have a pH between 4.3 and 4.9 according to this online source and should be alright. <S> Note also, from the site in my first link, iron corrosion increases drastically below a pH of around 3.8. <S> If spiceyokooko is correct, and the pH value range for canned tomato is between 3.5 and 4.5, I think you would do well to measure the pH value of your tomatoes before using cast-iron. <S> There are various inexpensive pH test kits and instruments available. <S> It's quite likely that your pharmacy stocks alkacid paper or similar. <S> I also recommend you read this excellent answer about cooking wine and vinegar in cast-iron.
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I've made tomato-based dishes in my seasoned cast iron pans including spaghetti sauce and chili with no perceivable off-taste or damage to the pans' seasoning as long as I removed the food soon after cooking since prolonged exposure, from my experience, will affect the seasoning of the pan, if not also the flavor of the food.
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How to season iron cookware on gas stove? Often I hear that after applying oil on the cookware you need to bake it in the oven on a certain temperature. What precautions need to be taken if I intend to season the cookware on gas stove ? UPDATE 1: http://www.wikihow.com/Season-Cast-Iron-Cookware The seventh and eighth point in the above link talk about repeated seasoning on the gas stove after every use. How viable is that? UPDATE 2: https://cooking.stackexchange.com/a/29647/6168 Wait until it starts smoking, and remove from heat. How to season iron cookware on gas stove? You can season a pan fine on a stove top, just watch out for thick unbreathable smoke and potential of flames (which may ruin oil surface). Do I actually have to wait for the smoke to appear? Or can I test the heat of the pan by sprinkling water drops on it and seeing them hop around? <Q> I strongly advise against doing it. <S> I tried stovetop seasoning at home and got terrible results. <S> A stove gives you hot spots - on gas, this will be the ring where the flame touches the metal. <S> The temperature of the metal in this hot spot is way too high, and the oil burns instead of polymerizing. <S> You get some oil-charcoal in this place, which doesn't have non-stick properties, and flakes off after a few uses. <S> Outside of the hot spots, the temperature is not high enough. <S> The oil doesn't polymerize thoroughly, and forms a sticky paste instead of a smooth one. <S> Your food will stick to these parts of the pan even worse than to the charcoaled parts. <S> Conclusion <S> : use an oven. <S> If your oven is too small for a pan <S> (I only have a toaster oven, 30x30 cm, and my pan+handle is way too long even for the diagonal), leave the door cracked and seal the crack with alu foil. <S> This is not very energy efficient, but you only do it once per pan. <S> It worked for me, and I got a real, non-stick seasoning after multiple failures on stovetop. <A> To do it on the stovetop requires low heat for a longer time. <S> The metal will get hot eventually. <S> If you use a high heat, you'll get hotspots where the oil burns, which is not good. <S> My best-seasoned pan is the one reserved for eggs, which sees only butter rather than oil, and has a spectacularly good finish. <S> It was a simple matter of frying one or two eggs in butter in that pan every weekday for 5 years :-). <S> Just to say there is more than one way to season a pan. <A> I agree with previous answers that the primary seasoning should be done in an oven. <S> However, to respond to the updated question: The seventh and eighth point in the above link talk about repeated seasoning on the gas stove after every use. <S> How viable is that? <S> I do that a lot. <S> I don't do it after every use, particularly if I've just used the pan for frying or something else involving oil. <S> But if I've had to really scrape the pan to clean it or have used ingredients (e.g., acids) that don't do well with a cast iron finish, I find the technique mentioned to be very helpful in maintaining a smooth non-stick surface. <S> Just put a tiny amount of shortening (better I think) or oil in the pan or on a paper towel, heat the pan, and wipe it around. <S> Wait until it starts smoking, and remove from heat. <S> Be sure to wipe out excess oil with the paper towel. <S> (If you're careful, you can wad up the towel and do this with your hands; if not, use tongs to hold it.) <S> By doing this technique repeatedly over a couple months, I even was able to restore a pan that had been deeply scraped and scratched with a metal utensil (by a friend who didn't know better) <S> which disrupted the even, non-stick surface. <S> I've also found that the stovetop technique gradually helps to smooth out the interior pan surface and improve its quality over time. <S> (This is particularly true of newer cast iron pieces that aren't machined smooth like older ones were and have interior pitted surfaces.) <S> Yes, you could do it through repeated baking and seasoning in the oven, but if you're patient, in a year or so of babying your pan, you'll end up with a surface that seems more durable and smoother than I've obtained through other methods. <S> All of that said, be careful just to use a small amount of shortening/oil each time and don't use high heat <S> or you'll encounter the problems mentioned in other answers.
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I have a number of cast iron pots and pans and have never seasoned any of them in the oven.
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How do I eliminate a lingering smell of fried food? Some great friends of ours cooked us an amazing meal in our home three nights ago. The meal included gourmet french fries cooked in a home use deep fryer. While the fries were outstanding the lingering smell three days later is not. The trash is long gone as is the deep fryer, but the smell still remains. We have throughly cleaned the countertop and surrounding area. Additionally, we have been lighting scented candles in and around the kitchen since the morning after the meal to no avail. The smell is definitely less, but upon leaving and returning home the scent hits you when you walk in the door. How do I eliminate the lingering smell of fried food? My wife and I have never used an indoor deep fryer is this just part of the deal of home frying? <Q> Was the deep fryer below anything? <S> Cabinet, Vent Hood? <S> Those areas could be probably be cleaned to help. <S> This happens to me in my house when I fry up bacon. <S> The only solution is fresh air and ventilation. <S> I open a couple of windows, get a nice cross-breeze <S> and it should dissipate over a couple of hours. <A> I use an IONIC air cleaner in my small kitchen. <S> This completely cleans the air long before any cross ventilation. <S> Originally I bought it for a bedroom, but in my new apartment (without airconditioner), I found it absolutely indispensable in the kitchen. <A> Try washing or changing the kitchen curtains, towels, pillows on the chairs, and any other porous material that was in the kitchen. <S> The material has absorbed the smell and it will not go away unless you use soap and water. <S> I would even consider scrubbing the wall just in case from the fumes. <A> Maybe look into an odor neutralizing spray. <S> There's a brand called Ozium that you can get online or at a tobacco shop. <S> It works really well and gets most smells out. <S> A couple years ago, a roommate of mine got a fryer for the holidays and went rampant with it and left my kitchen/apartment in the same condition. <S> He went out, got a can of this Ozium product, and within a few minutes of spraying it around the kitchen the odor was gone. <A> I had the same problem, googled and found these solutions: Dab a little vanilla extract on light bulbs when they are off. <S> Once turned on the heat will cause the smell of vanilla to spread in the house and get rid of the smell of fried food.. <S> Air fresheners also work. <A> Boil cinnamon sticks in water or tea <A> Then it's up to you if you have some essential oils that you could mix in the water. <S> Then you just spray the whole room pointing up in the air, the finer the mist <S> the better, the water vapor or droplets will capture those smelly food/oil particles and drop them to the ground. <S> Now all you have to do is vacuum and shampoo your rugs <S> but the air is nice and fresh. <S> But prevention is the first thing to do. <S> Like another poster put, cook outside. <S> Then turn on that vent/hood and make sure that the vent screen is clean and oil free. <S> If it can't get through that screen <S> it's not going to be sucked up. <S> I also like to open one window/door across from the vent/hood just a crack to allow for cross-ventilation in the kitchen. <S> This really seems to help the vent work better. <S> Splatter guards also help. <S> Oil/foods that get too hot it will smoke. <A> In the summer I just open the windows and doors... <S> I only fry on breezy summer days. <S> But I really want latkes in wintertime, it's comfort food. <S> The place I rent has no vent and windows are closed. <S> I avoid half of the stink by putting the pan outside to cool as soon as I'm done. <S> Just PLEASE make sure you cover your pan outside <S> , so birds and other wildlife don't fall into it, I'm a wildlife rehabilitator and can tell you greased birds are a nightmare. <S> The smell reminds me of when I grew up in NYC: all the apartment building hallways smelled like onions. <S> I've dreamt of getting a fifth burner to fry outside <S> but I don't think this ancient home's wiring could handle the wattage, and the ones advertised on television get terrible reviews. <S> I've tried oven frying <S> but it's still frying... <S> and then I have to clean the oven, and as a vegetarian I rarely have to do that. <S> Most foods I eat are microwave or stovetop prepped (steaming, simmer or sauté) but lord help me, I want latkes. <S> I might leave out onions since they are the usual aromatic. <S> One thing I am SO very glad about is finding out <S> I'm not the only one who hates the residual stink! <S> I am certainly not going to use toxins like Febreze <S> , do some research on it, how it works and sticks to everything, before you poison yourself. <S> Perhaps the only thing left is to mask it with simmering vinegar or a towel swung in the air wet with vinegar, or simmered herbs of my choice. <S> I guess it's a "risk/benefit ratio" of the humorous kind.
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One quick and easy way to get rid of most smells is to actually just use a spray bottle on it's finest setting so it just mists the water out. Don't cover smells with other scents, that doesn't solve the issue. Or you may try boiling citrus peels or boil cloves (whole/ground). And watching the actual temp of what you are cooking. But if you can't then at least close all doors surrounding your kitchen/dining area, so you don't get those smells in the rest of the house.
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Steam "nature" of cappuccino steamers Is there a difference in the "nature" of the steam being produced by the steamers in the espresso machines? I have a decent espresso machine, but apparently even a professional barista who I know can't make the foam needed for cappuccino art - so I was wondering if professional espresso machines produce a steam that is different in nature compared to home ones (at least, midrange ones). <Q> There are two major differences between frothing with a home machine versus a professional machine. <S> 1- <S> A professional machine will have hotter and more forceful steam. <S> 2- A home machine will often have a "froth assistor" on the wand. <S> The composition of the steam, though, should be the same and you should be able to create a decent approximation of the correct kind of foam for latte art with a mid-range home machine. <S> There's a very nice tutorial about halfway down this page on CoffeeGeek . <A> I mean, the quality is not bad, but not good either. <S> I personally own the Aeroccino milk froth plus model and it does wonder for me. <S> If you want to check out for other models, there is a great list right there about the best milk frother on the market .If <S> you plan on making latte art and stuff like that, I strongly recommend a good milk frother. <S> Else, it is not mandatory. <A> commercial milk frothers on the built in barista machines of varying types have a far more powerful steam nozzle and its also way hotter. <S> The home milk frothers, while ok, are far far less efficient at frothing up milk. <S> Still can be worth getting though as we can't always get to the coffee shop!
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I'd say from my experience that most espresso machines cant really do anything good in term of milk froth.
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What's a good bible on vegetarian cooking? Some years ago I decided to eat less meat and to successively becoming a vegetarian. I haven't learnt any particular dishes though, mostly just improvising with veggies/beans/nuts/cheese as staples – and that's fine, but I would now like to have some new inspiration from a good vegetarian cookbook (meaning less animal products is preferred, but dairy products and eggs is ok). To make this question possible to answer, this is what I'm looking for: A sort of a vegetarian's bible. Doesn't have to be very new, I'm thinking bible like Julia Childs' Mastering the Art of French Cooking . Should be very comprehensive. Should have some dishes that are quick to make and some that are slow cooking. The dishes should be something you can eat on a regular weekday. Some special ingredients can be hard to find or be a bit expensive, but the staples should be quite cheap and easy to get (I live in Sweden, but have Asian and Middle Eastern food stores nearby). The recipes should try to follow the (Swedish/European) season if possible. The cookbook can very well be of Indian cuisine (I hear they like their vegetarian dishes), so some ingredients have to be imported in that case of course. Language: English or Swedish. <Q> It's certainly what I would call comprehensive; besides containing tons of recipes for everything from entrees to breads to soups, the sections are prefaced with tips on how to improvise or switch up the recipes as desired, including vegan alternatives. <A> I would say that Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian , with 650+ recipes, has been a source of great inspiration for me. <S> It's comprehensive and boasts a great number of different styles and ingredients. <S> Additionally it's informative, offering a lot of history about the foods, the places they have come from and the people who developed them. <S> It strengthens the "I want to go [more] meatless" mindset for everyone I've ever spoken with. <S> Not to mention she has won a number of James Beard Awards <S> and she is Indian, giving her some great insight into that particular culture. <S> The book itself is fairly inexpensive over at Amazon too. <S> Good luck! <A> The Moosewood Cookbook , by Mollie Katzen, is often regarded as a sort of bible of vegetarian cooking. <S> It's one of the best-selling cookbooks ever, not just among vegetarian cookbooks, and helped show Americans that they didn't always need meat to make good food. <S> The recipes are generally pretty simple, amenable to substitutions and alternate versions, and the style is very friendly. <S> It should have things for every season - she wrote the original while at the Moosewood Restaurant, whose menu changes daily based on what's available. <S> The author has plenty of recipes on her website , which should give you a good idea of the style and types of recipes. <S> If you like it, she's written several other cookbooks as well! <S> Note <S> : As lemontwist points out, there's fish in some of her books. <S> But there's plenty even without those recipes; just think of it as some added stuff you'll never make if you're actually vegetarian. <A> Bittman's How to Cook Everything <S> Veg I second. <S> He's very good at explaining the basics and rarely disappoints. <S> I'd also have to add in the "must have" category, Sundays at Moosewood, which is a collection of international veg recipes, some of which are delicious--African Groundnut Stew over millet... <S> Sounds exotic, but its components are basic: regular root vegetables with a tangy-fruity peanut sauce. <S> I realize this isn't close to a Joy of Cooking or Julia Child, but once you have the basics down, you'll want a book containing a variety of foods and flavors. <S> The old classic Laurel's Kitchen has a great introduction, nutritional info. <S> , basic recipes, and a very homemade/homespun bent, even if it is decades old. <S> Ditto the Vegetarian Epicure. <S> Probably there isn't one bible but maybe a collection of 5 recipe books. <S> Post Punk Kitchen is a great vegan resource: ppk.com. <S> Also, Heidi Swanson's 101cookbooks.com. <S> Many of these fit the bill you outline above re: <S> some quick recipes, some slow, regular ingredients, weekday meals... <S> Another excellent addition is the Candle Cafe Cookbook, which is vegan. <S> I could live out of that thing year round. <S> Mayonnaise only WISHES it could hold a candle to their vegan mayo recipe! <S> It's that good.
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I'd recommend Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian", I use it all the time. The original is from 1977 and may be harder to find, but there's a revised version, The New Moosewood Cookbook .
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Should I keep the meat boiled off of bones when making beef broth? I am making a simple beef stock from the leftover bones from a New York cut roast beef. Beyond adding a mirepoix and boiling the bones for three hours I'm not doing anything special. When I make stock I typically throw out the leftover meat and vegetables, but do I have to throwout the leftover beef? Aside from the beef I have boiled off the bones I do not have a lot of leftover meat and do not want to potentially waste what could be useable meat. <Q> When I make stock, I keep it on a simmer for much longer than three hours and any meat is completely tasteless by the time I'm done. <S> Three hours, however, is about how long you would cook meat to make a stew, so it's quite possible that you could eat it. <S> On the other hand, not all cuts of meat stew <S> well <S> and I'm not familiar with this cut. <S> If the meat has plenty of connective tissues (i.e. collagen) to gelatinise it shouldn't dry out too much. <S> But the proof is in the pudding: taste it. <A> There are plenty of applications for mostly-tasteless meat shreds. <S> I mostly make chicken stock <S> but I will use the meat shreds in soup, pot pie, casseroles, etc. <A> With a strongly-flavored sauce, you won't mind the meat not having much flavor. <S> The protein value of the meat is still intact, so it is worth using it up to stretch the family food budget. <S> Curries are a good use for soup meat, and as Sobachatina said, pot pie. <S> I make a thick onion gravy as a pot pie base and that makes even the most tasteless soup meat go down very nicely. <S> Enchiladas are a favorite use in our house for leftover meat from broth-making. <S> Here is a simple enchilada sauce you can make with ingredients from your pantry that is way better than canned sauce: Put 1/4 cup of paprika, 1 tablespoon cumin and 1 teaspoon ground cayenne in enough fat or oil to make a paste at the bottom of a smallish pot (about 3 tablespoons fat). <S> It will be kind of stiff and crumbly. <S> Us a whisk or spatula tomove it around a bit. <S> Cook it slowly on low heat until the spices begin to change colorand give off fragrance. <S> Add a jar of tomato puree or roasted garlic tomato sauce. <S> Correct for salt and consistency, adding water to thin if needed. <S> If the tomato sauce was chunky, use a stick blender to puree thesauce. <S> Mix half the sauce with your leftover meat. <S> Use 1/4 of the remaining sauce to wet the bottom of a casserole dish. <S> Fill or layer warmed corn tortillas with the meat/sauce mix and use the last of the sauce to top the enchiladas. <S> sprinkle grated cheese if desired. <S> Warm in a 350* oven until the enchiladas are fragrant and just starting to color on top. <A> I don't use meaty bones for my bone broth, but divvy up the pot this way: <S> I get the broth, the dog gets any meat shreads, and the compost pile gets the veggies. <S> Reminder - don't give your dog cooked bones! <S> Bones splinter once cooked - they only get raw. <A> Nothing goes to waste in this house. <S> All meat, poultry, etc is saved once the bones are removed and is mixed in with dog kibble for a great treat and a healthy treat for our dogs. <S> No added salt which is deadly for pets is a bonus.
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Taste the meat and if it still seems edible to you then there is no reason to throw it out. I never throw it out.
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How is Kiwifruit used to tenderize Meat? I just read today that Kiwifruit is used to tenderize meat. I wanted to make some fruit chutney anyway, normally I'd go for mango, but why not use kiwifruit fruit this time? I read that the actinidin is responsible for this process but as far as I know it is denaturized cooking the Kiwifruit, thus I need the raw Kiwifruit. So how should I prepare the raw Kiwifruit and the meat (I wanted to use chicken), how long should I let the meat marinade and how should I cook or fry the meat afterwards? <Q> Yes Kiwifruit contains Actinidin, which is a great meat protein tenderiser <S> But it tastes crap, it is not a good accompaniment for meat, especially chicken. <S> It is way too sweet tasting, sort of like serving chicken with fruit jam (preserve), if you like that, go for it! <A> It's a great steak tenderiser, if you mix with some garlic, wasabi/pili-pili/chili and worcestershire also a great marinade. <S> Most important part is to tap it dry from the kiwi (mix) within 45 minutes and dry the steak well before baking. <S> Otherwise it will make your steak have sandy texture. <A> Without supplying a recipe, my best suggestion would be to blend/puree the kiwis with whatever other seasonings you would want to accompany the chicken and then split that amount in half. <S> Use the first half to marinate the chicken (I would go for overnight at most) and then use the other half to cook into a chutney or glaze to get the nice rounded flavors that come from cooked fruits. <S> I think it would be a nice glaze with some spice added (cayenne, habanero, serranos) and some other aromatics. <A> A friend if mine used 3 Kiwi fruit to marinade some venison <S> and it turned it into mush overnight <S> , I believe the formula is 1 Kiwi per 5 lbs of meat. <A> otherwise you end up with mush... <S> overnight may leave you with a chicken protein shake <A> Cut a fresh kiwi in half then rub on both sides of steak or pork. <S> Put in the fridge for no more than 1 hour. <S> Rinse and pat dry. <S> It is so tender and juicy. <S> No need to buy any more expensive cuts of steakI use the cheapest and it works every time. <A> Kiwifruit is the best marinade for lamb - mix with sugar and spices add chilli mash or blend then apply cover with cling wrap leave overnight . <S> It lasts wella ndtastes <S> great <S> - oh you need to add some finely chopped mint too
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Kiwifruit can be used for tenderising all meats but from what I have read you only leave it for one hour before cooking...
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How to pan sear a thin steak? I'm doing something really simple right now, sprinkling pepper over one side of a half-inch thick steak and throwing it in a pan of butter. But by the time it's cooked through (I want medium rare), the outside is just a sickly grey. How can I get the steak to look good? Edit: They're actually even thinner, maybe less than half an inch. And they keep cooking through to well done and grey on the inside almost immediately ! <Q> I would actually recommend the opposite of what was said above. <S> Since the meat is so thin <S> you may have much better results pan searing it in an extremely hot pan from slightly frozen. <S> This way the outermost layer will start to undergo the maillard reaction long before the inside of the steak reaches a medium-rare temp and will give you a better chance of preventing it from overcooking. <S> This link provides an overview of the process for a much larger piece of meat <S> then your using but the searing process is what your concerned most with since your steaks are so thin. <S> You will likely have to play with the timing a little bit with regards to how frozen the steak needs to start out <S> but I figure erring on the side of too frozen <S> is best since you can then heat them in the oven to the internal temp your looking for. <S> http://www.thekitchn.com/for-the-perfect-steak-first-freeze-it-solid-then-cook-for-an-hour-165793 <A> Let the pan be as hot as possible, add meat just before the oil starts to smoke. <S> Make sure the meat is NOT wet, dry it, water will steam before you get the steak to look nice, making that steam will reduce the temperature in the pan and not enough heat is left to make the steak look nice. <S> Do not put to much stuff in the pan, do only one or two steak at a time, do not fill the whole pan. <S> Use a pan with lots of 'thermal capacity' i.e. a heavy/thick iron pan, not a thin pan. <S> This means that you have lots of heat stored in the pan and it will not get cold so fast. <A> How to get the steak to look good? <S> Two tips – 1 Don't use butter. <S> 2 <S> Flash-fry it. <S> Flash frying is cooking very quickly in very hot oil. <S> Given the thickness of your steaks and that you want them <S> medium-rare <S> the whole process happens very quickly. <S> On a high heat sear/seal one side, turnover and seal the other side, turn the temperature down and cook till medium-rare, the whole process really should only take minutes. <S> Don't use butter to fry them in. <S> At the temperature you require to flash-fry butter will burn. <S> Use a higher temperature oil such as vegetable, corn or nut. <A> If you want the absolute hottest temperature, I suggest using a charcoal grill if you have one. <A> The pan might be simply conducting too much heat into the thin steak to brown the outside before the inside is finished. <S> Charcoal is a slower application of heat, and works by radiative heat instead of conductive. <S> While such a grill can be a luxury, the broiler in your oven may have the same effect.
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Put the steak in a cool pan, toss under the broiler, and flip when its brown.
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Domestic, fresh taste-alike for an Italian coffee My wife is from Italy, and she got me hooked on this absolutely gorgeous coffee called Lavazza Qualita Oro. I love it, but unfortunately getting a fresh bag here in the United States is really hit or miss. I'm told that in order to be a REAL coffee fan, I need to get beans roasted in the last week. Fair enough - so, if I like Lavazza Oro, which is a medium roast with a bold, caramely aroma and a creamy, rich body, what should I look at? <Q> I'd suggest buying it from someone who knows a thing or two about coffee, like http://www.wholelattelove.com/Lavazza/lava_oro.cfm . <S> Also, have you tried contacting Lavazza Qualita Oro with questions? <S> If they don't know the best distributors, no one will. <S> A recommendation: http://www.tonyscoffee.com/shop/blend/cafe-carmelita/ <S> I think you'll like this one as much or more than than the Lavazza Qualita Oro. <S> It's quite wonderful, if not cheap. <S> It has an Agtron rating of 65. <S> The Lavazza Qualita Oro is about 55, so this roast is lighter. <S> The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) has developed a points system to classify the degree - the colour - of different roast types. <S> The system consists of eight numbered colour disks against which one matches a sample of finely ground, roasted coffee, usually pressed into a laboratory petri dish. <S> In this way one assigns the roast an approximate number on what is commonly called the Agtron Gourmet Scale, ranging from #95 (lightest roast) at intervals of 10 down to #25 (the darkest common roast). <A> I'm not exactly sure what is similar to that particular coffee, but this site has pretty much every product Lavazza offers available for shipping. <S> Perhaps consider getting whole beans and grinding yourself? <S> Also check out coffee roasting wiki and home roasting coffee <S> then you'll have the freshest coffee around. <S> As green coffee is more stable than roasted, the roasting process tends to take place close to where it will be consumed. <S> This reduces the time that roasted coffee spends in distribution, giving the consumer a longer shelf life. <S> The vast majority of coffee is roasted commercially on a large scale, but some coffee drinkers roast coffee at home in order to have more control over the freshness and flavor profile of the beans. <A> If you feel like trying to mix your own, I think as a general rule Lavazza leans towards a lighter roast. <S> Italian coffee blends also tend to use a fair bit of Brazilian coffee, and although I wouldn't take my word on it, I think Lavazza's characteristic flavor profile is from using a lot of it. <S> Finding a Brazilian coffee is kind of the hard part there; Sweet Maria's has a couple varieties, but that sour/iodine punch from cheap Brazilian arabica is what you want, <S> and I think they tend to avoid that. <S> (And of course Sweet Maria's stuff is unroasted, which may be more trouble than you want to deal with.) <S> If you want to go the route of creating a Lavazza clone, I hope what I've put here helps you.
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PortoRico.com has an all-Brazilian espresso roast, so you might want to try them as well.
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Frying potato with little oil When I fry potatoes with only a small amount of oil, one side gets brown but the other side stays yellow. How can I make my fried potatoes with a reduced amount of oil but get them to be uniformly fried? My problem is turning the potatoes over after they are fried on one side. Is there a simpler way, which will consume less oil without burning the potatoes? <Q> French fried potatoes (or as the British say, chips) are a deep fried food. <S> In fact, the US term "to french fry" orignally simply meant to deep fry, although simply "french fry" has now come to mean the dish of french fried potatoes. <S> As such, they inherently are not a low fat or small-oil-volume food. <S> If you are asking how you can create these with less volume of oil than required for deep frying, the answer is simply: you cannot. <S> There are appliances that claim to "air fry" but I am skeptical of their outcomes. <S> You can make alternate dishes, which may be very similar, but they will be different. <S> Oven fries are one close alternative--here is a recipe from Tyler Florence of the food network. <S> You can minimize the amount of oil that penetrates the actual fries by cooking them properly: <S> Use a large volume of oil (counter-intuitively) so that when the potatoes are added, the temperature drop is minimized. <S> Use a deep-fry or candy thermometer, to ensure the oil is at the proper temperature . <S> This will reduce the amount of oil that penetrates the fry. <S> When proper deep frying is happening, the rapidly vaporizing water expressing from the potato prevents the oil from entering. <S> This is by far the most important factor. <S> Make sure the potatoes are dry before putting them into the oil. <S> Immediately upon removing the fries from the oil, put them on a wire rack to drain. <S> Paper towels are good, but they leave the fries in contact with the oil, and as they cool, some will enter the fries. <S> With proper technique, only a small amount of oil from the deep frying will actually remain in the final product. <A> Nearly all of the oil gets absorbed by the fries after the frying. <S> When you put the raw potatoes into enough hot oil, the water starts to boil off and keeps the oil from soaking the fries. <S> Once you take them out of the oil, the boiling stops, the water vapor bubbles in the fries condense. <S> This creates a vacuum that sucks the oil into the fries. <S> You would need to wash of the oil with some hot solvent while the steam is still coming out. <S> Maybe dump the fries into boiling diesel fuel and then gasoline directly from the deep frier (joke). <S> There is a tremendous interest by the industry to stop the fat absorption process, but as far as I am aware of, no one found a solution. <S> The low calorie deep fried products use some strange synthetic fats that humans can't metabolize. <S> I don't know if chips soaked with some synthetic oil are healthy. <S> If you want to deep fry, the best solution is still to use as much fat as possible and drain them, like SAJ14SAJ said. <S> Still, they will absorb a huge amount of fat. <S> Everything else is probably worse, in a pan you repeatedly heat and cool the surfaces, each time soaking them with more fat. <S> One thing you could try if you are frying in a pan is to use a non-stick surface and sprayon the oil. <S> The potatoes tend to suck in all the oil available anyway, so maybe just coating the surface with an oil sprayer might help. <A> <A> We have a low-oil chips or steak fries recipe. <S> In our house, we cut up potatoes and put them in a big bowl. <S> Then, add a tablespoon of oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper. <S> Optionally, you can add some sprinkles of rosemary. <S> Using my hands or a spoon, stir them so that the potatoes are covered with the oil. <S> Put it in a pan at 425 F and then bake for 30 minutes. <S> Flip them after 15 minutes. <S> If you want them to not brown on the bottom, you can flip them more frequently, say every 8 minutes. <S> They're done if you can stick a fork easily through them, or use a taste test.
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Brush potatoes (already nearly cooked by boiling) with oil then put them in a preheated shallowdish which has been brushed with oil into the pre heated halogen oven and roast - brushingwith oil from time to time using M&S Maris Piper potatoes produces fab roast potatoes usingvery little oil - I use rapeseed oil.
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Do I have to defrost chicken before cooking? I'd much rather throw the chicken in the pan straight from the freezer but I worry about the tastiness and tenderness. Looking for seasoned advice on this one. <Q> Not a great idea. <S> The oven cooks from the outside in, so by the time your chicken is done on the outside, it'll still be uncooked on the inside. <S> If you cook it longer so it cooks through, the outside will be as tough as shoe leather and the inside will be just lukewarm enough to encourage microorganisms (that may have survived the freezer) to fester, which could sicken you. <S> Put it in the pan the night before, cover it (or not, as Alton Brown sometimes suggests), and put the pan in the refrigerator. <S> When you get home from work or whatever, preheat the oven to 450 F, season it, and bake until done. <S> When is it done? <S> It's done when: The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (the legs of the chicken should wiggle easily from the sockets too.) <S> Remove the chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes, so the juices settle back into the meat before carving. <S> http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/the-ultimate-roast-chicken-recipe/index.html Note that some would say 165 F is over done, but safe is better than losing a kidney to E. coli or other nasty microbeasties. <A> Since you mentioned the chicken tenders instead of a whole chicken <S> it's easier to give a more appropriate answer now. <S> Chicken tenders have much less mass and more surface area than the whole chicken, and because of that they thaw faster. <S> I have, before, cooked frozen chicken breasts and tenders by adding the frozen chicken to a cold, lightly oiled pan. <S> Add water to come halfway up the chicken, cover the pan and cook on a medium-low heat for 15 minutes or so. <S> Then turn the heat up slightly and uncover the pan to boil the water off and brown the chicken. <A> I've cooked from frozen to the pan as long as it just the chicken flats (thin cuts of chicken breast). <S> It's kind of like throwing a frozen hamburger patty in the pan. <S> When you get to thicker meats, it is a problem. <S> When the outside is done, the inside is still raw. <S> I wouldn't do whole chicken breasts in the pan frozen or even a steak. <S> Take the time to either pull it out and defrost or throw in the refrigerator the day before.
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On my cooking show I always recommend bringing all meat to room temp before seasoning, marinating and cooking.
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How to efficiently remove the food particles stuck in the scrubbing pad? Food bits get stuck in this. Simply washing it under tap doesn't help. How to efficiently remove the stuck particles from this scrubbing pad? Don't have a dishwasher. <Q> I put the hot water tap on an extremely slow trickle to wet the pad. <S> Then squeeze dishwasher detergent + baking soda to work up a sud on the pad. <S> Then squeeze and "massage" the pad as best <S> you could under the slow hot trickle. <S> My actual motivation has always been remove the stale stink from the pad. <S> Somehow, the side effects are that the food particles are also dislodged from the pad by the suds. <S> This must be due to surface tension mitigation and anti-static effects of the suds (disengaging the attraction of food particles from the pad bristles) plus the washing action of the slow hot trickle. <S> If the water is too hot, you might have to put on kitchen gloves. <A> Get it realy soapy and that does the job for me pretty quick and easy. <A> Depending on stuck fat or sugary gunk or protein run through a warm cycle with laundry (when doing dirtiest gardening/cleaning gear) <S> soak in weak solution of borax (I should market the stuff) just a few whacks on edge of sink to dislodge reluctant bits zap in microwave while moist. <S> (probably least effective but sooo satisfying to nuke uncooperative tools)
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I just put a little dish detergent on the wet pad and use my fingernails to scrape it.
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What is the benefit to using a paper filter in a moka pot? I saw a picture of this method being used in a magazine from Hong Kong. A cafe gave a short description of brewing with a moka pot. They placed a small, circular, paper filter on top of the ground coffee before screwing on the top of the pot. Why they would they have added this unconventional step to moka pot brewing? Does the finer filter aid in pseudo-crema production? Does it produce a cleaner brew? <Q> Moka pots are essentially percolators meant for making espresso. <S> As such, they are normally fitted with metal filters inside the pot that are capable of filtering some sediment, but not oils or Diterpenes (such as Cafestol ). <S> Diterpenes have been implicated in cholesterol increases associated with unfiltered coffee, but may also have cancer- and parkinson's-fighting properties. <S> The paper filter will also have a large effect on the flavor of the coffee produced. <S> Paper filters are designed to remove oils from coffee, but the oils removed by the paper filter can be a substantial source of flavor for the coffee produced, as many of the flavor compounds in coffee are fat-soluble . <S> Coffee produced with a paper filter will have less sediment, fewer oils and, in the opinion of many metal-filtered enthusiasts (myself included), a more even, less robust flavor. <S> That shouldn't be regarded as an inherent downside, however, as many people prefer the flavor of paper-filtered coffee, finding the mellower profile and lack of sediment/oilyness preferable. <S> Crema is more pronounced in metal-filtered than in paper-filtered coffee. <A> I just tried putting a standard paper coffee filter between the top and bottom chambers, and it worked great. <S> My process, based on experimentation and research is this: Pour cold water into the bottom chamber, just below the safety valve. <S> Boil the water in the bottom chamber. <S> No sense in boiling the water in a separate pot. <S> Starting with hot water before adding the grind cup is supposedly a good thing, so I'm killing two birds with one stone here. <S> Just as the water begins the boil, remove the bottom chamber from the heat. <S> Careful from here on, as the bottom chamber is hot. <S> I usually grab it with a towel or oven mitt. <S> Drop the grind cup into the bottom chamber. <S> Place a rinsed paper coffee filter over the top of the grind cup. <S> Carefully screw on the top chamber. <S> Place back onto the heat.. it shouldn't take long for the coffee to make its way to the top. <S> I noticed with the paper filter in place that the coffee came out the top a bit slower than usual, but with a lot more crema. <S> There ends up being zero sediments in the top chamber, which is hard to achieve otherwise. <S> Flavor is delicious, but I'm no expert. <A> For people with high cholesterol, there may be some benefits to doing this (if you believe that Diterpenes increase LDL). <S> It should also decrease any fine coffee sediment you get in the resulting coffee <A> I pour the coffee after mokapot into a filtered coffee dripper. <S> The oil and other material left behind the filter. <S> The smell of the filtered coffee is fresh bit caramel and smell of the oil and other residu left behind the filter is bad
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The paper filter can remove most of the Diterpenes from the ground coffee.
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How to clean and maintain cast iron lids I have a number of cast iron lids that fit skillets, dutch ovens, etc. Most have the little cone-shaped spikes on the underside to collect and return moisture to the food. I have no issues cleaning and maintaining my cast iron pans and pots, but I find the lids are prone to specific problems. Here are the two main ones: (1) When simmering or baking with the lid on (or partly on), the underside of the lid gets exposed to a lot of water vapor which then condenses. The underside is therefore "attacked" by more excess moisture than any other part of my pots or pans. Over time, this tends to degrade the seasoning and can more quickly lead to rusting. With periodic oiling and reheating after cooking, I find that I really never need to do a complete re-seasoning of a pan (unless it gets damaged in some way). But seasoning on lids seems to degrade a lot faster, and it's next to impossible to do stovetop "maintenance seasonings" with a little oil because of the shape of the lids. (2) When cooking over high heat in a skillet, I sometimes want to put the lid on. For example, one method I like to cook a cheap thick steak is to sear over high heat on both sides, and then turn off the heat and put the lid on to finish cooking (which is easier and simpler than heating up an oven to finish it). Anyhow, if the pan is hot enough, a significant amount of grease will rise in the closed pan and condense on the lid. The residue is difficult and annoying to clean because of the spikes on the lid. Another area that often gets build-up of grease is the small lip right on the edge of the underside of the lid. Neither the spiky area nor the lip lends itself well to scrubbing with salt or wiping with paper towels, which I commonly use to take care of the pans and pots. In just a few uses over relatively high heat, the grease will build up, leaving behind sections that are gummy and others that are hard to scrape off -- and it seems like it also can trap moisture sometimes that contributes even more to the problem mentioned above with degraded seasoning and even rusting. Unless I soak it in a sink with hot water and a lot of soap, it's very difficult to keep clean, and that will also degrade the seasoning more quickly. In many cases, I've just given up and will use an ill-fitting random lid on cast iron rather than the traditional cast iron lids. But given that people can buy lids like this, there must be ways to maintain them without gummy grease build-up or spotty seasoning. Is there a way to avoid or lessen these problems or to solve them in a straightforward way? <Q> We use kosher salt to clean (still-warm) cast-iron by pouring in a handful then rubbing around with a (usually paper) towel. <S> The kosher salt grain size is just right to be an abrasive for removing excess grease and other food particles, and you don't have to worry about it melting. <S> Then a wash with hot water and a little soap to complete the washing, followed by a rinse. <S> To avoid rust, we dry the pan by putting it on the stove, high flame, until the water has evaporated. <S> We have to re-season the pan every once in a while (once or twice a year), but this method has worked well for us. <A> I was cleaning my cast iron last night. <S> 3 pans, 1 grill/griddle pan, and the horrible lid. <S> They do get disgusting. <S> It has horrid build up all around the edges, and those terrible cone things. <S> I had to give up before I could get it really clean. <S> Let me share what I do to clean my cast iron, including the lid. <S> It makes them work like non-stick pans. <S> They are seasoned, but not over so. <S> I wash them with a scouring pad, currently 3M's biodegradable one, which I love. <S> They last a long time. <S> Then, to dry them, I put them on the stove. <S> I only apply oil to them after the heat has been turned off. <S> I use safflower oil, with a high smoke point. <S> I then generously wipe the pan with the oil. <S> I have found that maintaining them this way makes for much easier clean-up. <S> We have food allergies, and we have to makes sure our cookware is clean. <S> One other idea for the lid <S> , I've heard the thick Koser salt is good for cleaning cast iron, but I haven't tried it myself. <S> I likely will later today, when I go back to tackling my disgusting lid. <S> If it works, I will post another comment. <A> Used an oven cleaner, brushed it off with warm sudsy water, dry with patting (paper towel), re-oiled it with Veg oil, baked in oven at 300. <A> I feel your pain! <S> I make stews, pan sauces (boiling), or like to use brown sugar/honey in some marinades then pan fry or grill. <S> Then I am chiseling to clean (time consuming) or re-season ( <S> smoking up the house). <S> I tried all oils. <S> Finally gave in and tried vegetable shortening. <S> What a difference and <S> it doesn't leave the pans, pots or lids sticky. <S> Since it remains solid at room temperature, it adheres better then oils. <S> Just my opinion, don't want anyone jumping on me with technicalities. <S> As I said, it works better for me. <S> I apply a thin coat of shortening and bake 20 mins, take out let cool (very important), reapply a few times. <S> When it finally cooled again, I put another thin coat on the inside then wiped off with a paper towel. <S> You could bake a few hours, I don’t have the time. <S> After using, I rinse under hot water using a bristle brush NO SOAP <S> ( I know, I still cringe ), then lightly wipe dry with a paper towel. <S> While the pan is still warm I reapply a thin layer on the inside and wipe again. <S> I keep a small tub next to the stove, leaving a little paper towel in it. <S> You will notice after 4 or 5 times using the pan, you will not have to reapply the shortening as much. <S> If it really gunked up from marinade, I will soak the pan with only room temp or hot water, without ill effects. <S> You will know when to reapply the shortening. <S> It's in the shortening I tell ya!!! <S> P.S. <S> This also works for dulled non-stick pans. <S> You can season on top of the stove, and use soap only on the outside of the pan. <S> And I agree, kosher salt is great for scrubbing especially non-stick pans.
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If your lids are badly gunked up, you can use your oven self-cleaning cycle to strip it clean and then re-season.
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Substituting for Madeira wine in a mushroom stuffed with sausage recipe The recipe calls for Madeira but I am thinking about using another wine. My choices are: Pernod, Calvados, pinneau du Terrier or dry sherry. What does anyone recommend on this subject? <Q> I would say dry sherry was the closest equivalent to Madeira wine. <S> I sometimes use dry sherry in place of dry white wine in cooking, I just use slightly less of it. <A> I am not sure why you suggest Pernod (anise flavoured liqueurs) or Calvados (apple based brandy)? <S> " <S> Pinneau du Terrier" is unknown both to me and to Google. <A> I think the OP means Pineau de Charentes which is a white wine fortified with cognac from the cognac region of France and makes a great substitute. <A> Have used sherry instead of madeira in a mushroom risotto which tasted horrible. <S> A better substitute was dry white wine but this does not have the same flavour as when I have used Madeira. <S> The Madeira adds a beautiful depth which the white wine lacked. <S> Hope this helps. <A> If it's a dry sherry, I'd add some sugar to it ... <S> around 1 teaspoon per 1/2 cup. <S> Light brown sugar would be best. <S> Madeira is significantly sweeter than dry sherry. <S> A Ruby Port would be a much better substitute. <S> None of your options is really going to taste like Madeira, though, so if the wine is a major flavor component of the dish, you're about to be very disappointed. <A> The only close substitute in my mind would be a Fino sherry, as it is the only one that offers the nuttiness that a Madeira does. <S> It doesn't really make a sense to me to use an anise flavored spirit like Pernod, or to a lesser degree, an apple brandy like Calvados. <S> An obscure and not inexpensive wine like a like a pinneau is odd too. <S> White wine also doesn't seem good, as it is light years away from the taste and characteristics of a wine like Madeira. <A> An old chef's trick is to use vermouth, you can get bianco if you want sweet end or Rosso for closer to wine, the green dry vermouth is ok too. <S> Start with a little and work up to desired strength, maybe add a little brown sugar too.
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Unless you for some reason require any distinct taste from the Madeira, Sherry should be similar enough to be used as a substitute.
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Can I unwarp my cutting board? I should have paid more attention but after regular washing of top surface, my half-inch-thick board is rocking like a cradle. It is not practical to use flipped over as it has a counter lip. I tried keeping the backside moist over 24hrs with no noticeable affect. Wet grass and sunshine was suggested here but it doesn't sound very practical for me. What indoor solutions can I try? <Q> Impractical? <S> I think the wet grass + sun idea sounds fantastic! <S> I see two options here- <S> Wood is shaped with the application of moisture and heat. <S> This method works with all kind of wood shaping but you should know that there is always the risk that the stress will cause the board to crack while it dries. <S> For descriptions of this technique google "wood steam bending". <S> Most results will describe using a specialized steaming chamber rather than a dishwasher but the technique is the same. <S> The other method is mechanical: use a belt sander or planer to remove the convex material. <S> Less risk but more work. <A> I do sympathise, I have a warped one too! <S> In future (I'm going to heed my own advice) use food grade wood oil on the wooden cutting board, this goes a long way to stopping it from warping, protecting the surface and making it easy to clean. <A> I had the same problem with a new board. <S> Once warped, I saturated it on both sides with mineral oil, convex side was facing my counter, placed wax paper over that to give a semi-porous barrier, then plastic wrap on the top, and layered books on it. <S> Then left it on a flat surface and it amazingly flattened out. <S> I now store it completely flat and it has been fine. <A> Find a friend who has a wood shop, and have them plane it down. <S> If you love the board, it's about the only way I personally can think of to getting it perfectly flat again. <A> We buy bamboo chopping boards and having a little kid means don't have the time to properly wash them by hand or oil them with food grade mineral oil. <S> Our boards just go into the dishwasher like all the other dishes. <S> This causes them to curve in the direction of the spray. <S> What I found is that if you reverse the board (back face to the dishwasher spray), the next time around it goes into the dishwasher it would curve the other way and straighten out. <S> This is probably terrible for the board, but it does fix the curving problem. <S> Might want to give it a try, if all other options here fail. <A> I had one that was warped pretty bad. <S> It eventually righted itself by laying it 'flat' with the convex side up over a pot after soaking/washing it thoroughly, this allowed it to dry more evenly with air flowing underneath <S> and it knew what to do. <S> I did not use direct heat, but it was there for a couple days next to the other 3 burners <S> I did not use any weights <S> I did not steam <S> the pot was completely empty the whole time, with nothing in it but cycling air. <S> The board did not cover the pot completely, allowing air to circulate around it. <S> I repeated this process a couple times to get it ~96.2% back to <S> it's original 'flatness' <S> If you have electric burners (coils) (probably easier/safer than gas for this purpose) then there are many less than safe, supervision required, ways to accelerate the process mine went through. <S> Of course you could also rig something in the oven. <S> Note that accelerating the process could also cause it to warp more. <S> Clearly this phenomenon was not well documented, but I wanted to let people know it's possible. <A> I have accidentally warped many of my own cutting boards. <S> I put the cutting board over a steaming pot, with the bent out part sticking in towards the pot. <S> It reheats the board and the board starts warping in the opposite direction. <S> I take it off when it's straight. <S> Works every time.
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Run it through some steam in the dishwasher and while it is still piping hot clamp it tightly between rigid boards to dry. Not much you can do about a warped wooden cutting board to be honest apart from either chuck it out or live with its warpedness!
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Unroasted coffee beans in the pantry, several years old: roast, toss, or other use? I just discovered a bag with about 100g of unroasted coffee beans in my pantry. I know they are at least four years old, and maybe 10 years. They've been in room temperature, dry storage the whole time. They look like beans, no mold, no ick. I don't drink coffee any more. I want to get rid of these beans. Should I give them to a coffee-drinking friend to roast? Should I believe this question on whole coffee bean storage , that they are dead after a week, and throw them out? Is there another good use for coffee beans apart from making coffee? <Q> While it's true that aged coffee is a thing , four to ten years is very long time to age coffee and the opinions on aged coffee seem to be mixed at best. <S> I say toss 'em, although you could compost them or even use them for arts and crafts, I wouldn't recommend them for human consumption. <S> It's doubtful that anyone would be harmed, seeing as caffeine is a natural pesticide and that would keep any 'ick' from developing, it probably wouldn't be a very enjoyable cup of coffee. <A> Re-purpose them! <S> While they might not taste great if you roast them, you can still smell them! <S> Pour them in a little bowl and nestle a tealight candle in them. <S> When you light it, the warmth will release the coffee aroma. <A> Unroasted beans will typically last for months and months. <S> It's only when roasted that you have to use them up. <S> I did some googling and I could find no other uses for green coffee. <S> However apparently green coffee extract is the latest weight loss fad. <S> As a home roaster myself, I would give roasting them and brewing a cup a shot. <S> So I say give them away if you are able. <S> Else just toss them. <A> Roasted grind and brew very strong... <S> the brew when reduced makes a great medium for art in combo with ink. <S> I have seen some very creative and original artwork done this way using varying strengths of the brew. <A> I have been roasting coffee for nearly 9 years. <S> If they are kept dry (preferably also cool), they can last for many years. <S> I am still roasting various beans that I have bought in larger quantities 3-4 years ago. <S> Very nice batches from Kenya, Panama and Sumatra. <S> They've been in my nice dry basement (above grade) on shelves, with a temp of 65-72 year round. <S> Guess <S> what? <S> They are still AWESOME! <S> Massive Crema and rich complex smooth flavor profiles - without bitterness. <S> The 1 year thing is mostly a myth. <S> However, you only have 100 grams - <S> that's not much to use or give away.
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After that long, the beans are almost certainly stale. If you have a friend who home roasts give them away and if they look clean and smell the same, they'll probably be fine but maybe not as good as they were.
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Can you boil the potatoes for mashed potatoes too long? I know that you should cook potatoes for mashing until they are fork tender but what happens when you boil them too long? Edit: if I need to hold them before mashing, what's a good way to do it? <Q> Yes, you can. <S> The problem is that the potatoes start absorbing water, and you end up with a really runny mash that's difficult to flavor (as most people flavor their mash by the addition of flavorful liquids). <S> update <S> : There's a few things that you can do to hold them. <S> The first is to drain the water, and leave the potato bits (unmashed) in the pot. <S> If you leave them uncovered, they'll cool off, but it'll also let moisture evaporate, which can help to fix some of the problems I mentioned earlier. <S> You don't want to let them cool off too far, or they'll not mash up smoothly; if you're going to need to hold them for more than 5-10 minutes, put a lid on them. <S> Once it comes time to mash, refresh them with whatever liquid you're going to add to the mash, warmed. <S> If you're going to need to hold them a really long time, you have two options ... <S> one is to mash them but intentionally reduce the liquid, and then refresh them with more hot liquid a few minutes before serving. <S> The other is to transfer them to a baking dish after mashing, and put it in a low oven. <S> (if you rough up the surface, and put it under the broiler right before serving, you can get a crust on it for a bit of variety). <A> I concur with what Joe is saying in his answer above. <S> Mashed potatoes are notoriously hard to hold for service, as they become gluey or pasty. <S> The methods Joe suggests for holding them are probably among the best possibilities. <S> I will add these thoughts: <S> Some people advocate putting a layer of melted butter or cream over the surface when using the oven holding method as outlined For moderate periods (say an hour or two), you can also use a slow cooker on low to hold, and serve them directly from the crock Mashed potatoes made from low-starch or waxy varieties (like the US Red Bliss type) tend to hold better than those made from high-starch (like US Russets) varieties-- <S> of course, there is an element of personal taste as well, as the variety of potato has a huge influence flavor and texture of the dish While it isn't in your question, you may also wish to consider other dishes that hold much better or offer easier logistical challenges. <S> A gratin type dish, such as potatoes anna , for example, has many virtues: <S> many folks find it still delicious moderately warm or even room temperature <S> it can also can be held for a moderate time in a warm oven more importantly, it can be prepared ahead, and then baked at the last minute without much other attention, and so might fit into your logistical plan more easily. <S> its delicious, although certainly not the same as a good pile of mashpos, which I admit is my own personal favorite way to eat potatoes <A> ...what happens when you boil them too long? <S> They take on water and turn to mush. <S> Not really what you want for great mashed potatoes. <S> I'm not sure what you mean by <S> hold them but from reading the other answers it seems you want to delay making your mash. <S> I let my boiled potatoes stand for some time, to get as much water out of them as possible before I make mine and by then they're usually cold anyway. <S> I then microwave them back to hot, add butter only (no milk or liquid) and simply salt, freshly ground white pepper (not black) and a touch of freshly grated nutmeg. <S> I find this produces the smoothest, creamiest mashed potatoes you can achieve. <S> You can also add some single cream, creme fraiche or soured cream for different flavours. <S> It all depends on how you like your mashed potatoes. <A> College students' open secret recipe for quick and lazy mashed potatoes casserole: <S> I microwave potatoes with 1 cm of water in a pyrex-ware for 6 minutes in a 1200w oven to get steamed potatoes. <S> Poke holes or cut the potatoes in half to prevent splattering. <S> To get mashed potatoes, fill with water until half the depth of potatoes in the pyrex-ware and also 6 minutes. <S> See, no worries about mushiness. <S> Increase of decrease amount of water if you desire more/less fluidity of the mashed potatoes. <S> Making mashed potatoes this way also allows you to put in dill, cumin, whatever curry/spice mixture, cilantro, dried sliced shitake mushrooms and none of the water is wasted. <S> And then pour in a quarter bag of frozen green peas after mashing potatoes to cool the mashed potatoes down for immediate consumption. <S> Could also throw in shredded smoked salmon or roasted chicken into the mix. <S> Sriracha and Vietnamese fried onions-garlic notwithstanding. <S> Get a bun, the type they use as chili bowl, scrape the cavity to pour your mashed potato mixture in. <S> Yum, yum - better than ramen noodles.
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I use a potato ricer to make my mash potatoes and put them through the ricer whilst they're cold.
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Should ghee be kept out of light? I have ghee in clear glass jar on a shelf in my kitchen, would it keep for longer if I try to store it in a dark place? Does light speed up oxidation? <Q> According to IndiaCurry , it should be stored in containers opaque to ultraviolet light for long term storage: <S> The UV rays from sunlight, florescent lights, and other sources accelerate oxidation process. <S> Preferably ghee must be stored in a dark place I was unable to find credible sources with more detailed information that indicate exactly how this affects storage life. <S> In fact, it was hard to find any references at all--most were far more concerned with keeping it from being exposed to air (oxygen). <S> However, as it is such an easy thing to arrange--just put the jar in a cabinet for example, or use an amber glass jar--that it seems worth doing. <S> My guess is that in practice, unless you are using your ghee very slowly, or have an extraordinarily large amount, that it makes very little difference, but again its easy, so why not? <S> I did find lots of references to using ghee in lamps --this is the power of Google! :-) <A> Did you make it yourself or is it bought? <S> Ideally ghee and clarified butter should be stored in the refridgerator which is dark by default. <S> Ghee is essentially just butter that has been clarified and has the water and impurities taken out, but sometimes some can remain which is why ideally it's best to keep it in the fridge. <A> Homemade ghee doesn't need to be stored in the refrigerator. <S> You can put it in an opaque container and store it in closed cupboard. <S> Also, the older the ghee is, the yummier and healthier it is. <S> When making ghee at home, make sure you over cook it a tad bit (this will not alter its taste). <S> This will ensure that your ghee stays good a longer time, even over a year. <S> Even slightly undercooked ghee starts giving a foul smell within a month and should not be consumed. <S> You know your ghee is perfectly cooked when you see it well granulated.
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The storage container container for ghee must be opaque to filter out UV rays.
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Why does salt prevent soy milk from curdling in hot coffee? As many people have experienced, soy milk will often curdle in hot coffee. I've experienced this myself with both instant and fresh coffee, and with my homemade soy milk (not my favorite soy milk brand from the store, which has a few extra things). There are many people out there with the same problem, which is typically blamed on the acidity of the coffee, acid being well-known as a coagulant: http://www.thekitchn.com/why-does-soymilk-curdle-in-hot-148329 How to prevent curdling in a local vegan coffee creamer- aka- Post Apocalypse hippy coffee creamer? One day, I tried adding salt to my coffee, knowing that it is said to reduce bitterness ( ref ). That day, my soy milk didn't curdle. On each day thereafter, if I added a pinch of salt to my coffee before adding the soy milk, it wouldn't curdle. My heating procedure has remained the same: mix instant coffee with boiling water to dissolve, add cold soy milk, stir, then microwave until hot again. What chemical interaction could plausibly result in salt preventing the curdling of soy milk? <Q> I can't find any definitive answers to this question online. <S> All the discussion I could find are speculation. <S> Additionally the proteins are more likely to curdle if they are heated very quickly. <S> I will assume that you heated your coffee and milk identically with and without the salt. <S> If you had changed the order of adding boiling water, for example, it could have prevented your curdling. <S> If you have hard water then there will be a good amount of calcium salts in your water. <S> Coffee itself also has a good bit of magnesium. <S> These salts will coagulate soy proteins more readily than acidity. <S> Sodium chloride does not cause soy proteins to coagulate. <S> Sodium chloride ions will replace calcium ions- <S> this is used in water softeners and soaking beans. <S> My suspicion (which to prove would require more experimenting than I have time for right now) is that the sodium ions are preventing the calcium and magnesium ions from coagulating your soy proteins. <A> Acid curdles soya: that's part of tofu making. <S> Black coffee is in the range of 4.3 - 5 <S> According to New Scientist: <S> The pH required to make tofu from soya milk is around 5.7 to 6.4 <S> I'm reckoning that there may be tiny flakes of coagulation in the cup but not noticeably so. <S> You could test this by dissolving in salt first then pouring soya without stirring at all: see what 2min gives. <S> Finally, stir it up and see if it's your regular cup. <S> Now someone else say why a supposedly neutral salt has that effect...? <A> Sodium chloride is mildly chaotropic with respect to most proteins. <S> That is, the charge interactions between Na+, Cl- and charged amino acids in soy protein make it moderately more soluble, even in a slightly denatured state.
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Factors that cause soy protein to coagulate are heat, acidity, and the presence of magnesium or calcium salts. Anything in the coffee that neutralizes acid below a given threshold will prevent it.
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What's optimal hardness for a kitchen knife blade? Many knife manufacturers provide the hardness value for the knife blade in the specifications - like 53HRC or 57 HRC. What's the optimal hardness for kitchen knives? Do I always prefer the ones with higher hardness all else being equal? <Q> Unfortunately, even hardness is a trade-off, all other things (like maintenance, appearance, balance, thickness, and so on) being equal: Harder <S> Pro - Holds edge longer <S> Con - More difficult to hone on a steel <S> Con - More brittle, so more likely to chip <S> Softer <S> Con - Doesn't hold edge as long Pro - Easier to hone on a steel to an extremely sharp edge Pro - Less likely to chip <S> Con - More likely to get little dings and dents <S> I think the manufacturer's indicate the type of alloy they use to help indicate the quality of their product, as opposed to more generic knives. <S> Things aren't always equal, though--in choosing a knife, I would not consider this fact one of the more important ones compared to how it feels in your hand, the thickness of the blade, how much maintenance it requires (for example, so-called carbon steel knives need more loving care). <A> It depends on a few different factors <S> There is no single optimal hardness for a chef's knife. <S> It depends on: <S> The geometry of the blade <S> The alloy used (two different alloys at the same hardness will have different vulnerability to chipping, edge retention, etc) <S> It's a MYTH that a 63HRC knife will perform better than a 57HRC knife. <S> The harder knife may chip more easily, lose its edge more easily, etc. <S> depending on the factors above. <A> Some other users said hard steels are brittle and chip easily but this not always true. <S> The same steel if hardened above its possibilities gets more brittle but if you compare different steels it's a different story. <S> Some steels are very hard and if well manufactured they will last long without chipping. <S> High carbon steels (such as M2) are hard (you can find them with HRC 62) but they get rusty easily. <S> Powdered crucible steels are very good and usually more rust resistant. <S> Among the best steels you can find Cowry X, ZDP-189 (HRC 66) but they are really expensive. <S> A little bit cheaper and softer are SG2, HAP-40 and Hitachi blue and white. <S> Other good steels are SV30, SV35 and SV90, or cheaper alternatives like VG10. <S> Hardness is not the only parameter here, some steels are hard but don't achieve a good edge because they are made with coarse particles. <S> The way the knife is manufactured also affects its specifications. <S> For example Damscus knives are built in a complex and long forging process that creates a multilayered steel, very resistant to chipping and very hard. <S> Laser and cryogenic treatments are also common. <S> Special coatings (with chemical vapor deposition) can be added to further increase the hardness, it's very common to use tungsten carbide. <S> If you want to cut medium or soft materials the harder the steel the better, it all depends on your budget. <S> If you want to cut very hard materials, and you do it by hitting it, then you would need to be careful with brittle steels. <S> In the kitchen you only have this problem when breaking bones. <A> If you select knives by hardness, that only makes sense if the knife is also made of a steel that can support that hardness well. <S> Note that the hardness of the steel will not have any bearing on its stiffness , as counterintuitive as it seems. <S> But: The softer a knife, the easier it will permanently bend, or flatten when impacting a board. <S> The harder, the more force will only cause it to elastically deform then spring back. <S> Harder also means a force working on it will not be relieved by bending it away. <S> What cannot bend, and is at the end of its elasticity, will break. <S> Force needed to actually break is dependent on the steel type, and tends to be very little if the steel is hardened above what is recommendable for it. <S> So a very soft steel will just bend away when overloaded, requiring you to bend it back afterwards. <S> A very hard steel will be tensioned more and more, until it snaps. <S> Which can result in small pieces of your edge being lost, giving you a blunt knife, or the actual blade snapping. <S> What I'm giving here are experience values from having handled quite a couple of knives keeping an eye on what holds an edge well <S> and what doesn't: For those used for straight push cutting/chopping/slicing with controlled force , like a Santoku, Nakiri, Gyuto, 60-64HRC. <S> Suitable steels: VG10, non-stainless (carbon), PM steels. <S> For a chef knife used in a rock-chopping/walking/mincing manner, 57-60. <S> Harder, more brittle steels tend to microchip from being loaded sideways. <S> Anything used to chop with momentum, or to lever with, or to cut very cold or hot foods: softer, 54-56HRC. <S> Anything used for controlled slicing on softer ingredients, without impacting the cutting board, or for VERY careful board work (eg Sashimi knives or Usubas): 62-69 HRC, but mind that very hard edges usually need a more obtuse edge angle on a board than something in the sub-65HRC region. <S> Carbon and PM steels. <A> For a thin knife blade you want a 16 carbon. <S> A good spring steel. <S> For a thicker knife a 18 carbon. <S> A stiff spring steel. <S> Holds a edge a little longer. <S> Over that steel becomes brittle. <S> Will break easy. <S> 14 carbon is a weak spring steel. <S> Dulls fast. <S> These are blacksmith figures on hard steel. <S> 0 <S> pig iron. <S> 24 carbon dimond steel very hard & brittle.
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The mix of cutting styles (slice, push, chop) ...and more Generally high performance chef's knives will run in the 57 to 63 range for hardness.
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Wood for a cutting board, will sanding make it food safe? I would like to make a cutting board from some hardwood I have. I'm pretty sure it has been imported, so I think it might have been fumigated or treated for insects/pests at some point. I've tried researching about this but I found very little, but the little I did find suggested sanding it as the fumigation process would only leave chemicals on the surface. Does anyone have any input? It looks like a good beginners project but I want it to be as food safe as possible. <Q> As another answer notes, wood is porous and could very well have absorbed the chemicals deeper than you'll sand out. <S> I would definitely err on the side of caution here and only use wood that you know is safe to begin with. <S> There is no finish that you can use on a cutting board that will keep the base wood completely out of contact with the food, due to knives being used on it. <S> I would recommend starting with hard maple. <S> It makes durable, great-looking cutting boards, and is completely food-safe. <A> Wood is inherently porous, so the big concern with wooden cutting boards is keeping them relatively sanitary after chopping things like meat and fish on them. <S> Some people use mineral oil or bees wax, although I have personally used coconut oil. <S> Straight cooking oil isn't a good idea because it will go rancid. <S> One thing that you want to make absolutely sure of is that the wood has not been pressure treated or soaked in any kind of preservatives. <S> If the hardwood was ever exposed or intended to be exposed to outside elements then there is a good possibility that it could be treated with highly toxic preservative chemicals. <A> My brother is a carpenter, and he would suggest using Salad Bowl Finish ( http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5344 ) <S> I can personally attest to the fact that it does a nice job - we used it on all the cutting boards in our kitchen.
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If you think the wood was treated or fumigated, I wouldn't trust sanding to make the wood food-safe.
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What is nattō supposed to taste like? I recently tried nattō on top of rice. All I tasted was bitter. I didn't get any nuttiness or saltiness. The natto was also generously garnished with scallions, maybe that was a major bitter contributor. What is nattō alone supposed to taste like? <Q> Natto shouldn't be salty by itself, because salt kills the culture that grows on the soybeans. <S> Salted soybeans are fermented into miso; unsalted ones become natto. <S> Normally, you'd season the natto with some combination of strong Japanese-style mustard, soy sauce, scallions or Japanese leeks, and maybe grated nagaimo if you want an even more mucilaginous texture. <S> I'd say it's slightly sweeter than a boiled white soybean would be, but it's possible than an objective measure of sugars might disagree with me there. <S> Soybeans are very mildly bitter on their own. <S> Tempeh, a similar cultured soybean, tends to be slightly bitter, but I would say it's not a very pronounced trait, if at all present, with natto, as most of the bitterness seems to be removed by the fermentation. <S> Assuming you started with frozen natto that wasn't freezer burned that you allowed to reach room temperature, or fresh natto that wasn't excessively old, I would simply mix the natto aggressively in a small bowl for a few minutes until the mucilaginous strands form. <S> Then season as desired. <S> If you're expecting a surprising flavor, by the way, you may be disappointed in nattō. <S> Japanese cuisine emphasizes contrasting textures much more than aggressive flavors, which is to some extent why so many dishes are seasoned only with varying proportions of salt, soy sauce, sugar, sake and mirin, and vinegar (su). <S> But if you're experiencing an unusually bitter natto, that sounds like a problem with the natto that you purchased, rather than the ingredient itself. <A> I have tried a number of types of natto, and the smell and the texture are usually much more prominent than the taste. <S> Recently I had to describe it to a person that had never tried it, and I said something like "feels like runny, gooey old socks, with a hint of raw potato - worth trying once ". <A> If we talk just about taste, natto itself is a bit bitter, but it is usually accompanied with a bit of mustard and a light soy sauce which makes it salty and sour. <S> The smell... <S> Well, if you can imagine the trash bin, when sometimes there's some liquid in the bottom? <S> I think we can compare it with that. <S> At the same time, when you get used to it, it is quite a pleasant taste. <S> Not everybody gets used though. <S> Even in Japan. <S> It's a fermented food and fermented food tend to taste and smell strong, but I wouldn't say it's stronger than a strong French cheese. <S> Definitely better than Taiwanese stinky tofu. <A> Agree with everyone. <S> Just wanted to add, that my family usually mixes in: dashi-flavoured soy sauce, dash of hot mustard, chopped green onions, bonito flakes, julienned-sized nori, and mix thoroughly in its own bowl until stringy - because the stringiness is the healthy fermented bit. <S> This way it doesn't taste as bitter and the umami flavour contrasts against some nicer flavours. <A> I believe there's a difference in flavour and smell for different people because some are 'super-tasters' and others aren't. <S> To me it smells like coffee, and to my husband it smells like ammonia - he is a super-taster and finds raw tomatoes, and raw cruciferous vegetables bitter. <S> I find them delightful. <S> I make natto at home, and yes, the smell is strong, but to me it smells like badly made coffee from robusta beans. <S> Acrid? <S> The flavour is the same with some ammonia, but I kill that off by sprinkling vinegar, stirring, and letting sit for two minutes before serving. <S> It's very pleasant like that, but I like to mix it with kimchi. <S> I like to serve it with a runny egg on kimchi Bokkumbap, actually. <A> Young natto reminds me of raw foie-gras minus the fat. <S> Old natto tastes like liver and smells like boiled soybeans mixed with old Brie cheese. <S> Don't know what people throw in their garbage, but its flavor has never reminded me of that.
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The flavor of natto is fairly mild; the aroma is certainly stronger than the flavor itself, and is reminiscent of bleu cheese and sweat.
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How to prevent sliced vegetables/roots from sticking to the blade This is especially problematic with garlic, but onions, roots and other vegetables are sometimes just as bad. When making thin slices, with the problem worsening as the portions are cut smaller, the garlic clings to the blade and I have to wipe it off after each go. Are there any tips or tricks used to prevent this? I've never seen a chef on a cooking show do anything special to their blades beforehand, and they never seem to have the problem. My knives are high quality and very sharp. <Q> I just ignore slices that stick to the blade. <S> Each typically gets pushed off by the next one, so you only have one or perhaps a couple of slices on the blade at a time. <S> When I've sliced the whole thing, I can wipe them off. <S> This doesn't work when you're rough-chopping, in that delightfully casual way the TV chefs say "just run your knife through it all a few times" since half the stuff is on the blade, but it does work when you're slicing a carrot or garlic or whatever. <S> Just now, I sliced potatoes thinly for gratin and noticed that I semi-automatically gave each slice a little shove, using one of the fingers from the hand that was holding the potato, just as the slice finished. <S> Obviously this only works for slices large enough to stand up past the top of the blade, but it's a technique you can use for some roots and veggies, even if not for garlic. <S> I'm pretty sure I don't do that for things I intend to chop again in another direction, but only for things I am slicing. <A> You could look at your knife skills . <S> Do you hone your knife (correctly) before you start cutting? <S> Another thing is the way professional cooks cut, they use the knife to slice through the food making a slicing motion. <S> Some people just press their knives against the food and apply pressure, which is the wrong way. <S> Lastly, when dicing, you could make one or two horizontal cuts, then nine or more vertical cuts... without cutting through the base. <S> This way, the food is still attached to the base and will not stick to the knife. <S> Lastly, you turn the food 90º and make the last cuts to create smaller or larger dices. <S> Edit: <S> There are knife blades designed to reduce the food sticking to them. <S> They have dimples or 'cullets'. <A> It helps a lot if you wet your knife blade before mincing garlic. <S> It'll still stick to the blade some, but not quite as much, and <S> what's left is a lot easier to brush off. <S> For bigger things, you can try knives with dimples (like Kyle suggests ), and sometimes a wet blade helps here too, but these things only go so far. <S> Stuff is going to stick, and the key is to learn to deal with it sticking. <S> One thing that really helps is to slice with the knife angled slightly, cutting just a bit toward the bulk of the vegetable, so that the slices are tilted away from it and when they get pushed up and off the blade, they fall away from the part you're chopping and don't get in your way. <S> You'll probably still feel the urge to brush it off, but eventually you'll get used to letting it fall. <S> Beyond that, BaffledCook's tips on knife skills are good - read and upvote them too! <A> The little pockets on the knife allow the air to separate the slicing easily instead of it being stuck to the blade. <A> With garlic, give it a rough smash and chop, then let it sit with some salt (preferably coarse) for a couple of minutes. <S> That makes it much less sticky.
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Professional cooks are either faster than ordinary cooks, so the food doesn't have time to adhere to the blade, or maybe their knives are sharper . I have this same exact problem and for me the solution was to use a hollow edged knife instead of a hollow ground one.
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How could buffalo chicken dip be stabilized? I frequently see buffalo chicken dip showing up at parties. The idea of it sounds pretty good, but more often it ends up all separated with pools of grease like this: (Source: browneyedbaker.com) What could be done to stabilize the dip so it remains creamy and unseparated. I had the idea of adding egg yolk, but I suppose you'd have to at least be careful with it to prevent the egg from curdling. <Q> I would suggest making this on the stove top, or in the microwave, instead of in the oven. <S> What is happening is that the oil from the cheese separates from the rest of the dish. <S> If you are using bottled salad dressing and cream cheese, there is already many thickeners/stabilizers in those. <S> (Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Carob/Locust Bean gum) <S> An immersion blender would help to make sure the lumps are gone, after adding the hot sauce, but before you add the chicken (as long as you want to have the chicken texture). <S> From my experience, the oily separation with the cheese is caused by it over cooking. <S> If you aren't a cheese snob (I am), you could substitute Velveta cheese for the cheddar/jack cheese. <S> Do you remember their commercials with the oily gooey messes with cheddar vs Velveta? <S> It is the same principle at work here. <A> Although baking is a totally adequate way of making this dish quickly. <S> If you want to improve presentation, for parties and so on, I would recommend switching to making it in a crock pot or something like that (keeps it warm, contained). <S> If you wanted to add a stabilizer at this point, I would recommend agar-agar (boil in broth, fold into dip - use a smallish amount so that it works as a thickener and stabilizer but not like gelatin). <S> As for a component stabilizer to just add to the recipe, all of the ones listed in Aaronut's comment and Kristalyn's answer would work. <S> My preference, especially with a recipe like this would be to use mustard, prepared or ground. <A> Just made some buff chic dip in the microwave and it did NOT get greasy. <S> Even after sitting out for awhile. <S> What I did was microwave the cream cheese and a couple good squeezes of Ranch for 2 minutes. <S> The cream cheese was stil in block form after microwaving (not melted) but mixed together real easily. <S> Don't over cook the cheese!!!! <S> Then add chicken and buffalo sauce to taste and microwave in 30 second increments until hot. <S> I'd show you a picture if I could. <S> It looks creamy and delicious. :) <A> +1 to mfg for the crock pot suggestion. <S> That is how we make it. <S> To expand a bit, we do not put the cheese on top. <S> We find that it hardens into a skin once it cools a bit, making it very difficult to dip anything into it. <S> Instead we combine the shredded cheese with all the other ingredients at once in the crock pot. <S> We do cook the chicken separately, boiled usually. <S> The key to a consistent texture there is to finely shred the chicken in a food processor rather than fork or hand shredding, as larger or longer pieces of chicken make for a lot of broken chips. <S> We actually just made a batch of this yesterday using boneless skinless thighs rather than breasts and even with the higher fat content <S> we had no problems with separation or oil run off. <S> I also want to add that we have tried putting larger chicken pieces in the dip and then using an immersion blender to smooth out the whole mix. <S> I don't recommend it. <S> The chicken doesn't end up uniform in size, and when hot the dip combines easily with minimal stirring so you don't gain anything by such rigorous blending. <S> Late edit: I want to add one more thing about doing this in a crock pot: don't let it sit too long on its own with the crock pot on. <S> It will burn. <S> Even on the lowest setting, the parts that are touching the sides will scorch. <S> If it happens a little bit, you can stir it in and it's not so bad, but it's definitely not at its best that way. <S> This dip reheats really well either in the crock pot or in a microwave, so don't be afraid to let it cool and reheat it. <A> When I make it, I purposefully cook it to the point of oil separation, to get the taste and texture that I (and my audience) prefer. <S> Otherwise, it has an overly-creaminess, and less pungence. <S> Again, that’s just us. <S> I frequently serve it without achieving separation if I'm in a hurry, but look forward to reheating.
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I suggest that you slowly melt the cheese, along with the cream cheese & salad dressing on low heat .
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What's the crud in the pan with potatoes and oil? Sometimes I make sautéed potatoes. I dice the potatoes into little cubes about 1cm or less to a side, then cook them in a pan with about 1-2Tbsp of hot oil. The result is sort of like little french fries. In spite of the oil, the pieces have always stuck to the pan. I hypothesized that the potatoes were absorbing the oil and that must be the culprit, so I tried it once with about double the oil. The potatoes still stuck, but this resulted in a layer of dark-brown oily crust forming in the bottom of the pan (that was a pain to remove, too). It seems like the best option is to use little oil, and just deal with the potatoes sticking for the first few minutes (once they get cooked on the outside, they don't stick anymore). But I'm curious: what is it that is mixing with the oil and forming this crust? And is there any better way to cook the potatoes without having them stick to the pan? <Q> The coating you are talking about is potato starch that is browning on the bottom of the pan, similar to what happens to roux when it is prepared. <S> If you deglaze the pan using alcohol, it will come right off without any effort (water works too, though more is needed). <S> As described at Newton Ask a Scientist , the hot oil encourages a steam barrier to appear between the potatoes and the pan, temporarily protecting the potatoes from sticking and encouraging the formation of a crust that will permanently keep them from sticking. <S> Depending on the amount of potato being cooked, the amount of oil added to the pan will have to be adjusted for thermal mass, since the addition of uncooked potatoes will cause the oil to cool down very quickly. <A> Well, its either potato or oil (obviously). <S> You could be getting some sugar or starch out of the potatoes, and having it burn to the bottom of the pan. <S> Most of this would probably come off pretty easily if allowed to soak in hot water (especially the sugar). <S> Try deglazing it off the pan, that will probably be fairly easy (and if its browned instead of burnt, the resulting liquid can probably be put to culinary use). <S> Alternatively, you could have actually started polymerizing the oil—seasoning the pan like you would a cast iron or carbon steel pan. <S> This would be much harder to get off. <S> On stainless, Bar Keeper's Friend will do a pretty good job of it. <S> In either case, I'd suggest stirring the potatoes more (possibly constantly) or turning down the heat. <S> Maybe both. <S> Also, during initial browning, its pretty common for things to stick, and then release when they're ready. <S> Nothing wrong with that. <A> I ran into the same problem. <S> I had problems with the potatoes sticking when I used olive oil more often than when I used canola or vegetable oil. <S> Also, you have to make sure the oil is hot enough to start sizzling as soon as the potatoes are put in and not stop as more potatoes are added. <S> Finally, if you aren't using a non-stick or ceramic pan (example, stainless steel), then you're always going to have some sticking.
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As for how to get the potatoes not to stick, it's important that the pan and the oil are quite hot when the potatoes are added to the pan.
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How to clean ice from ice cream maker bowl without thawing? I made a sorbet using a bad recipe (too watery) and I had a 3 mm thick layer of solid ice form around the walls of the ice cream maker bowl. The plastic spatula can't break it and the user's manual warns against using hard/scratchy implements in the bowl (metal is explicitly forbidden). I would like to clean it without letting the bowl warm until it thaws, as the bowl needs a day of refreezing before reaching optimal ice cream making temperature. Any ideas? <Q> I take a "good enough" approach - scrape it out <S> reasonably well, rinse the rest of the way with hot water with a towel waiting in hand, then dry it as fast as possible. <S> I usually end up with a very thin film of ice in some places, but it's not enough to keep it from working well the next time, and even if you always do this, it doesn't accumulate since you're rinsing and melting it all every time. <A> Or if you like to live dangerously (and I know you do), you could just spray some automotive de-icer, <S> the kind you would use to de-ice a frozen windscreen in there, and wash extremely thoroughly afterwards. <A> I've never had quite as much ice form in my ice cream maker bowl. <S> Whenever I get bits of ice or frost on the inside of my ice cream maker bowl, I just wash it under the tap using cold water. <S> You really only need melt and dislodge it enough to pull it away with your hands or the spatula. <S> The running water should keep things melting. <S> Once the ice is gone, I wipe down thoroughly with a dry cloth and put back in the freezer. <S> I've never had small amounts of water freeze so quickly that I couldn't wipe it away.
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You could let it warm up just a little, then dump some salt into the bowl, which will speed up the melting process by preventing refreezing.
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Grinding melted latex off a pizza stone? My fiance and I got a pizza stone for christmas, and are still learning how to use it. Tonight we accidentally used a potholder which had silk-screened designs on it, and almost immediately the white silkscreened lettering (I believe it's latex) had melted off on to the pizza stone, so we now have big white splotches that we can't get off (tried steel wool, scrubbing with water, etc. No luck on anything. I'm considering hitting it with an orbital sander because at this point, I figure it may be ruined if I don't try something more drastic. Has anyone done this, or used something like a dremel to grind chunks off of a pizza stone? <Q> It won't suffer much from having a millimeter or two of material removed in one area, so I'd just go ahead with the Dremel and grind it down to clean stone rather than resorting to chemicals that may or may not work and may or may not impregnate the stone. <S> There's no substance made short of diamonds that can resist a grinding wheel. <S> Worst case is you end up with one side that's unusable for anything that requires a smooth surface, but otherwise it should be fine. <S> It's mainly just a rock, after all. <A> Silkscreening ink is made to withstand scratching. <S> So I wouldn't go the dremel route. <S> The best thing would probably be blotting paper, if you can get it, but if not, try other types of non-glossy paper. <S> Heat the stone again, then put the new material on it and press strong enough. <S> A hot clothesiron above the new material might work best - it could be worthwhile trying it with a cold stone and a hot iron, meaning that the latex is hot (therefore sticky) on the paper side but not on the stone side. <S> If that doesn't work, I would try to get it off by a chemical process, throwing ever stronger acids, bases and solvents on it until something works. <S> Even though other cooks dislike the idea, I haven't seen any sticky film capable of withstanding concentrated NaOH <S> (I have used it to remove seasoning from polished forged iron, which did not go off by dremel), and the stone (provided it is natural stone) <S> shouldn't suffer. <S> Of course, this should be the last step - vinegar, baking soda, bleach, concentrated ethanol and maybe acetone-free nail polish <S> remover should come first (do not mix any two at once!). <A> If your experience is anything like mine the pizza stone won't survive long enough to bother maintaining it. <S> Maybe I need to find a thicker stone, but the three we've bought so far have all cracked through normal (even light) use. <S> That said, if your pizza stone is worth the effort, I'd recommend a "burn it off" approach vs an orbital sander. <A> Do you have a BBQ? <S> Place the pizza stone in there <S> (latex-side down), close the lid, and turn it up to full blast <S> (toss some foil-wrapped potatoes or something there while you're at it). <S> An episode of Pitmasters later, and you'll likely have burned off most of the residue without risk of melting it further into the surface. <S> Don't open it until completely cooled. <S> The somewhat-even heating and cooling will mitigates the risk of cracking it. <S> You can probably try this in an oven, but a decent BBQ will get much hotter. <S> You wont likely have a shiny-new stone after the scorching; but hey, a well-used stone wont stay pristine for all that long anyway.
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The first I would try to do is to transfer it again somewhere else, to something more porous/sticky than the pizza stone.
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How would changing the amount of egg affect a pancake recipe? When I make pancakes, the recipe I use calls for 1 egg and 1c of flour. However, usually I increase the flour (up to 50%) to make a bit more. I've tried both keeping 1 egg, or adding a second one, but it doesn't seem to make any difference...in other words, it seems like there's an awful lot of room to maneuver when it comes to how much egg to add. If so, I could add 3 or 4 eggs to get more protein into the pancakes. How would adding lots of extra eggs affect the end result? <Q> This answer assumes the US-type of pancake. <S> There are some pancake recipes with no egg at all. <S> So the question is, what does the egg do in a pancake recipe? <S> It contributes soem fat and emulsifiers from the yolk, some water, and a bunch of protein (mostly from the whites). <S> This will add structure to the pancake, some eggy flavor and richness, and perhaps somewhat mitigate the danger of toughening the pancake through over mixing, by inhibiting gluten formation (mostly due to the fat and lecithin from the yolk). <S> However, as you have already discovered, the egg is not completely essential to the pancake, which basically a griddled quick bread, and can easily get all of the structure it needs from the gelatinization of the starch from the flour. <S> Adding lots more eggs would start to move you into custard or quiche-like territory, where the product would have a lot more egg flavor, and start to take on a more scrambled-egg type texture depending on how far you go. <S> You will get less flavor but more textural change from using just whites. <S> If you love pancakes, I would make them with any pancake recipe you like, and enhance your protein intake from other food items. <S> Personally, I love a scrambled egg, and they go great with pancakes. <S> Edit:I see in your profile that you are in France. <S> Since we also call French style crepes the same thing in English, I am thinking you probably do mean US style pancakes, so the above would apply. <S> If you are thinking of crepes, they tend to be a touch eggier than pancakes to start with, which helps give them the structure to role or fold easily while still being so thin. <S> I imagine that they could take a bit more egg still, with some change in texture and more egg flavor, but might start to stick to the pan more, as egg really likes to stick. <S> At the extreme end, you would essentially have thin fried scrambled egg, which you can roll up with fillings, as some other cuisines do. <S> Still, I am not an expert on crepes; I have never made them myself. <S> If that is what you are asking about, hopefully someone else can give you a more knowledgable answer. <A> An EU large egg is bigger than an American, an EU Medium egg is the equivalent of a US Large egg. <S> So if you are using an american recipe that uses large eggs use medium eggs in the EU if you are trying to be precise. <S> Conversely, use US XL eggs if using a European recipe. <S> The upshot for @Kelsey is that using an EU large egg on an american recipe but adding more flour probably gets the recipe right from a proportion standpoint. <S> Here is the wikipedia egg reference page <A> I put 3 eggs in a two egg pancake recipe all the time and notice absolutely no difference at all.
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If you are using an American US-style pancake recipe (or any American recipe for that matter) in the EU a point to remember is that EU egg sizes are bigger for their number than US sizes.
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How to add flavor to potato soup (using minimally processed ingredients)? I've made my first potato soup and it has no taste. Just to get an idea this is how I made it: chopped and onion and a carrot and place them with some oil to fry. After the onion got brown, I added the potatoes, water and salt and kept it cooking until the potatoes were done. It tastes like ... just... boiled water. How do I salvage the soup, preferably using minimally processed ingredients (for example, avoiding MSG)? <Q> First, cook your potatoes in stock, not water. <S> I prefer chicken stock <S> but you can use vegetable stock if you prefer. <S> Make sure you use only enough stock to barely cover the potatoes, and cook them with the lid off. <S> When the potatoes are done, add milk or cream until you achieve a nice, creamy consistency. <S> If necessary, you can thicken it by mashing some of the potatoes against the side of the pan. <S> I would use a hard cheese like Parmigiano or Romano. <S> Now just season to taste. <S> With a simple soup like potato, I would stick to salt and pepper only. <S> If you do use other spices, be careful because they will easily overwhelm the delicate flavor. <A> Some ingredients I like to include in potato soup: <S> Cooked, chopped bacon Corn Shredded cheddar (or similarly mediumstrong cheese) Cabbage or broccoli <S> Any combination or all of the above can be added to potato soup. <S> The cheese, in particular will add an overall creamy flavor and texture. <S> (If you weren't concerned with the MSG and/or sodium, I'd suggest a couple of chicken boullion cubes, too.) <A> Seems to me that, aside from telling you to add ingredients (I am going to assume that you added salt prior to adding water to help sweat the ingredients), you may be missing the step of fully preparing your stock. <S> While browning your onions will have been effective; did you just add the carrots along with the water, did you give them an opportunity to sweat and brown as well? <S> Some considerations: <S> Be sure that you allow the onions to fully brown. <S> This will ensure that they have expressed their fullest flavor Be sure that your carrots are being steamed (covering the pot with a lid is very helpful) and then cooking fully to create your stock <S> If you added the carrots and the onions at the same time, but the onions are browning sooner than the carrots even get soft, add some water to the bottom of the pan to prevent the onions from burning, but to keep the carrots cooking (only add enough that onions float but carrots rest on bottom) <S> I would also add that roast <S> the potatoes might be helpful. <S> In terms of a few additional ingredients: toasted sesame oil, fennel (whole, fresh), dill (whole, fresh) <A> Fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary or thyme will give your soup zing. <A> If you are after salvaging this pot of soup rather than starting over, <S> 3 fresh snipped fennel green with baby peas and asparagus (primavera) <A> I think you can cook your potatoes in water it is not a problem <S> the question is how to make it fragrant even though you don`t have a stock base:first put some onions, 2 garlic cloves,3 celery leaves,small chopped carrot all of them with natural butter and let them cook for 5 minutes till they turn translucent take them to the mixer and ground then finely put them back in the pot and put 3 cups of water <S> let them simmer for 5 minutes in another pan fry your potatoes just a little bit then add them to the simmering vegetable stock <S> when the potatoes are 75% take them all to the mixer again and mix them then return back again to the pot here you can add cream or cheddar cheese add your black or white pepper and salt if you want an oriental flavor add 1/2 tb of cumin <A> The answers above are best if you're starting from scratch, but if you want to salvage this pot of soup a stock (or bouillon) cube or powder is your best bet. <S> It's processed but it should work.
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Also, you can alter the soup by pureeing some portion of the potatoes and adding it back to the pot. some possibilities 1 a sprig of rosemary and some garlic that's been fried with a slick of olive oil 2 white pepper horseradish and sour cream You can also add some grated cheese.
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Do breads always have to be baked in some vessels in an oven? If yes, then what shaped vessels would those be? Is it even necessary to use a vessel for baking breads ( assuming I don't care about the shape of the bread )? In this link for (example) French bread I saw that the dough is not in liquid form, so it won't spread away if I put it straightaway in the oven wrapped in a tin foil? http://steamykitchen.com/75-baking-the-perfect-loaf-of-french-bread.html Can breads be baked without any vessel? If not, then what shaped vessel should be preferred for baking breads? If yes, then what is the appropriate method for baking it directly in oven? <Q> For example, the link you gave for french bread completely describes how to shape and bake the loaf. <S> There's no wrapping in foil or anything; you coax it into that shape, and it's flexible and stretchy but won't spread out or anything. <S> I'm not sure why it refers to a "baking vessel", implying that it's something that contains the loaf. <S> All you need is a flat baking sheet. <S> Once you've made bread dough this should be pretty obvious <S> - it's not a big wet mess, it's something with structure that you can work with and shape. <S> It's pretty much the same with all other shapes of loaves - you get them into the general shape, toss them on a baking sheet, and bake them. <S> You can make small circular rolls, small oblong rolls, big circular loaves, big oblong loaves, whatever suits you. <S> There are certainly traditional shapes for some breads, and you should probably follow recipes, since baking times are of course affected by size, but the general principle remains the same - you shape it how you want it. <A> After taking a glimpse at the website, I think I know what she is talking about. <S> I keep my pizza stone in the oven at all times. <S> I bake my bread directly on top of it. <S> I makes for even baking, and a wonderful crust on the bottom. <S> The same principle applies with a Cast Iron Dutch Oven. <S> I'm assuming that she is talking about the type you would use camping, over a campfire, that are massive. <S> You would put your bread inside of that "vessel." <S> That being said - You can bake French Bread without one of these things. <S> The crust won't end up the same, but it is worth taking a chance. <S> However, I really suggest getting a pizza stone. <S> They can be found rather inexpensively, and they really improve many different breads. <S> I put either my loaf pans or baking sheets directly atop the pizza stone. <S> Another plus I've found with the pizza stone, is that it keeps the heat of the oven better distributed. <S> It is well worth the investment. <A> Sometimes the vessel serves other purposes besides shaping. <S> For example, in the book I'm currently working through, Tartine Bread , they suggest baking the shaped loaves inside a dutch oven to increase the humidity of the air immediately next to the bread -- the dutch oven will capture escaping steam and hold it near the bread, resulting in a better loaf. <S> This appears to be the same theory espoused in your link. <A> Where I come from (Switzerland) it is indeed very uncommon to use any vessel. <S> Indeed the various shapes of bread even set them apart. <S> You can image-google for "Butterzopf", "Krustenkranz", or just plain "brot" to get an inspiration if you feel like baking a shaped bread.
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The general answer is that you use a loaf pan if you want the common rectangular loaf shape (it's good for slicing for toast and sandwiches), and otherwise you don't need one.
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How to keep baked seitan from being too tough? I've been trying to make seitan at home more often and have a great slow cooker version that has won me over, but no matter how hard I try, every time I bake it it comes out awful . For instance, I followed this recipe and this recipe and both times it came out dry, tough, chewy- pretty much inedible. The stuffing, from the first, was good, stayed moist and was eaten up quickly, but the seitan got thrown out. I followed the recipes exactly and cannot figure out what I did wrong (other than my broth/water not being warm enough, perhaps?), or why every time I've tried this doesn't work. Suggestions? <Q> I have tried this, and it really does make a difference in the final texture. <S> I typically cut it into cubes, soak it for about 10-15 minutes, then drain it and proceeded as normal for the recipe. <A> Most recipes for seitan cook it too hot in the beginning (over-leavening it before it can set, getting it too light/"brains-ish") and too short (leaving the gluten rubbery). <S> Try 140 <S> °C, 3 hours, wrapped in THICK tinfoil (several layers. <S> Tightly or loosely makes a textural difference, because you are controlling how much it can expand). <S> Also, brands of gluten powder differ a bit in how firmly/toughly they set. <S> Also, be careful <S> when frying baked seitan - neglecting it for even a minute and letting a spot of surface burn or completely dry out makes that spot hard as concrete. <S> Also, try mixing in some other protein-rich flours - 10% by weight chickpea (gram) flour is a starting point, maca will also work great (but costs a fortune)... <A> Three things: Knead it <S> very little Bake at a low temperature (325F for 90 minutes works for me) <S> Add an ingredient that interferes with gluten formation (e.g. tomato paste) <S> I follow this recipe , with a few modifications. <S> I knead much less than recommended - just enough to bring the dough together, basically. <S> The first time I made it I kneaded for a few minutes, and the seitan came out tough and chewy, just like you describe. <S> Think about it: when we make bread, we want some chewiness, but flour is only 10% gluten <S> so we have to knead a lot, and encourage most of the gluten to develop. <S> Vital wheat gluten flour is 75% gluten, so we don't want all the gluten to develop or the seitan will be super rubbery, unless it's given a high water content by boiling. <S> I've also had seitan turn pretty rubbery (though not as bad as the over-kneaded stuff) <S> when I accidentally set the oven too high. <S> Even though I shortened the cooking time, the damage was done. <S> The recipe calls for tomato paste (and ketchup, but I add extra tomato paste instead). <S> Skimping even a little will produce chewier seitan. <S> I've also tried adding an oniony flavor to seitan by caramelizing onions, pureeing them, and substituting the puree for some of the water in the seitan. <S> To my surprise, the seitan turned out very soft and squishy, even though the wet:dry ratio was the same as ever. <S> My theory is that tomato paste and pureed onions both contain something that interferes with gluten development. <S> I've switched to using chopped pieces of caramelized onion rather than puree, since that doesn't interfere with the gluten as much, and it gives the seitan a nice sausage-like texture. <A> I cook mine wrapped not too tightly in parchment and 2 layers on foil in a slow cooker on low for 4 hours. <S> Comes out fine - solid, chewy but fine. <S> Adding various other ingredients can alter the flavour immensely - tomato paste, garlic, onion, yeast extract, nori crumbled up etc Experiment 9 times out of 10 <S> it's more than edible <S> no matter what you try. <A> Here is what I do. <S> By the way I do all the cooking in my house. <S> My wife and sons (aged ten and sixteen), and I are all vegan. <S> I prefer baking my seitan. <S> Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Mix in a bowl for 2 minutes: <S> 1 cup vital wheat gluten 1 tsp onion 1 tsp steak seasoning a quarter cup of nutritional yeast flakes. <S> In a separate cup: 3/4 cup of beef broth 1/4 cup of soy sauce. <S> Pour in and mix slowly by hand. <S> I knead it until it is tough, usually 7-8 minutes. <S> Now cut it into 4 equal pieces. <S> Let it rest. <S> Flavor up some broth, cold do not heat. <S> I crush up a beef bouillon into two cups of water and flavor it to taste. <S> Put the seitan chunks into a small pot that has a cover or metal top. <S> Pour in the broth over the seitan. <S> Pick up the pieces to make sure the broth gets under it. <S> The broth should come up half way but not cover the seitan. <S> With the lid on the pot put it in the oven for 45 minutes covered. <S> Take it out and flip the seitan in the broth. <S> DO NOT COVER. <S> Put the uncovered pot back in the oven for 30 minutes. <S> Let it cool cut it and enjoy. <S> I use this to make breakfast sausages by adding Italian seasoning to the slices and sauteing it. <S> I will make lunch meat by just sauteing the slices with no additional flavoring just a little olive oil in a pan. <S> I make spareribs by sauteing in barbecue sauce. <S> My sons love seitan. <S> For me the trick is in kneading it until it is tough and well mixed and to saute it after baking. <S> Taste just like pork, or beef. <S> Follow the steps above and make fish and chicken just season it <S> and you are on your way. <S> I will never eat an animal again.
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For what it's worth, I read once that you should briefly soak seitan in a bowl, covered in boiled water, to soften it up before using it. I've learned that changing the quantity of tomato paste dramatically affects the texture of the seitan.
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Is it safe to eat freezer food with bad odours? I accidentaly switched my freezer off for a week. This lead to spoilage of food, pool of blood inside freezer etc. Trays are unremovable and difficult to clean. I have thrown everything away and tried cleaning with baking soda, bleach etc but smell hasn't fully gone. I'm assuming its just the smell of blood and I don't want to buy a new freezer straight away. If I freeze food in the meantime 1. will it absorb odours? 2. If it does will the food be safe to eat? 3. Can you suggest how else I can clean the freezer or should i go and buy a new one? Thanks <Q> Food placed in a freezer with bad smells will definitely absorb odors, unless it's in very very airtight containers/packages. <S> It won't make it unsafe to eat, just very unpleasant. <S> As Michael said in his comment, the odor is likely in the plastic now, so it's going to be pretty hard to get rid of. <S> You'd want to clean every last trace that you can - use brushes for hard to reach places, use whatever cleaning products you need to help dissolve caked on stuff. <S> It's hard to say exactly how long it will take or how successful it'll be; that depends on all the details. <S> Depending on how porous the plastic <S> his, how nasty whatever soaked into it is, and how long it had to soak in, things could vary widely. <A> Not worth the risk, just throw it out. <S> There's no way to tell whether the smell was absorbed, or comes from bacteria in the food itself. <A> Plastic is similar in chemical composition to fat molecules. <S> That is why plastic containers tend to hold odors and colors from foods placed in them. <S> A perfunctory google search should help. <S> The link below is for plastic containers, but some of the solutions should work for a freezer as well. <S> Once it is as clean as you can get it and refrozen, most of the odors should be suppressed. <S> Don't forget to toss in a box of baking soda and replace it regularly. <S> How to clean plastic containers
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If you had fatty foods in the freezer that leaked, they could have bonded with the plastic molecules, making the resulting stains and odors very difficult to remove. After that, all you can really do is let it air out until it doesn't smell too bad - door open, preferably some moving air (outside would be best).
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Best moment to put salt in spaghetti? Different friends have conflicting theories about the best moment to pour salt into spaghettis: Before putting the spaghettis, so that the salt infiltrates inside the spaghetti. Just a bit before throwing out water, because salt reduces the boiling temperature. After throwing the water out. What is usually considered best practice? <Q> For 200g spaghetti (2 people) count ~2-3 liters of water and 20-30g rock salt. <S> You can reduce the amount of salt if the sauce you are using is already quite salty. <S> As a note to your point 2, the salt INCREASES the boiling point of water (a process known as boiling point elevation ) <S> However, the increase in boiling point when adding 20g of salt to 2l of water is practically insignificant. <A> Salt doesn't lower the boiling point of water, it elevates it. <S> Even so, the amount of salt you add to pasta water (10g/litre is a good guide) will barely make a difference. <S> You need to add nearly 6 times that amount of salt to a litre of water to raise its boiling point by 0.5°C. <S> As throwing things into boiling water can result in splashing, I suggest adding it to the water before you bring it to a boil. <A> I'm going to argue for adding the salt after a boil, but before adding the pasta ... <S> because I have stainless steel pots. <S> If you add salt to cold water, it won't disolve and disperse quickly. <S> This results in the salt falling to the bottom of the pot, then slowly disolving there but not mixing. <S> This increased concentration of salt can end up causing pitting. <S> Instead, I bring the water to a boil, toss in the salt, then bring it back to a boil (mostly because the lid was off, <S> not because I significantly moved the boiling point) <S> , add the pasta, stir it ' <S> til <S> it's all fitting in the water and not clumping together, put the lid back on, bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat (as we only need to maintain a boil we need less energy than trying to elevate the temperature; the less rapid boiling also reduces the odds of the starchy foam boiling all over the place). <A> KISS <S> ( Keep It Simple Stupid , words I live by. ), add the salt to the pasta( almost all pastas will benefit from salt <S> ) water <S> anytime after the water is added to the pot and before the pasta is added. <S> Just please...add the salt . <S> If you are concerned about corroding your stainless steal pans... <S> ( shrugging ) find something else to worry about. <S> There is a reason that stainless is also called CRES(corrosion resistant) steel. <S> You can cause stainless to actually corrode <S> but it's not easy, your more likely to cause discoloration that can be cleaned with a product like Barkeepers Friend . <A> Some people believe that you should not add the salt to the pot until the water is boiling because, allegedly: It can cause damage to your pot, inducing pitting in stainless steel. <S> We could not find strong confirming evidence of this (see this question ), especially at culinary concentrations and temperatures. <S> It can raise the temperature that the water must reach to boil. <S> This is true, but trivially so: the temperature difference is on the order of 0.3 degree F. <S> It makes no practical difference in cooking. <S> The real limit is that you want it dissolved and distributed throughout the water when you add the pasta to begin cooking. <S> I suspect an actual study would show that with strong boiling and the convection it creates, adding the salt with the pasta would probably be equally effective in the sense that it would be distributed very rapidly, but I am not aware of any research here, and it is just as easy to add it earlier. <S> Since there is no strong credible reason to delay adding the salt, I add it along with the water personally, since it is easier not to forget. <S> Note: <S> I wrote this answer for a new question, before I saw the duplicate.
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Salt should be put before putting the spaghetti (or any other type of pasta for that matters) in the water.
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tamagoyaki eggs sticking to the pan I've gone through many boxes of eggs trying to cook tamagoyaki, that's Japanese rolled omelet. It uses a rectangle frying pan which is the same as an ordinary frying pan, but rectangle shaped. In short, you put a little oil in, put a layer of egg in and roll it up. Then repeat. I've tried low heat, high heat, medium heat, taking it off the heat, small hob, large hob, pre-heating without oil, pre-heating with oil, a small coating of oil, soaked in oil, waited for it to set solid, rolled as soon as it started setting and every recipe and every youtube video guide on tamagoyaki - everything. The results are always the same: It sticks to the "non-stick" pan and it falls apart. What's the secret? Here's a basic successful tamagoyaki instructional video Here's my result <Q> Are you sure that the "non-stick" properties of your square pan are still OK. <S> The pan in the picture looks pretty tired. <S> I also note that the pan in the "successful video" has a ridged bottom. <S> This gives more surface area to the bottom of the pan and gets more heat up into the egg mixture to cook it. <A> Rolling when the consistency is correct is important. <S> Looking at your example I would say that attempt needed more heat. <S> The egg should be cooked on the bottom, while being 'jelly-like' on the top. <S> This makes the roll stick to itself without sticking to the pan. <S> You also need to just wipe down the pan with more oil after each roll. <S> Your problem is a bit strange as you should have hit upon the combination with all the attempts you've listed :P <S> Good luck <A> Actually it's your pan, I have that same pan in the rectangular shape as yours as well as a round one. <S> That pan actually does NOT have a non-stick surface. <S> It has almost a painted carbon layer on it, but it is not non-stick. <S> And as one other person said, the pan must be hot, and move the pan closer or farther away from the heat to adjust it. <S> You also have to oil the pan between layers as well to keep it from sticking. <S> The oil has to be spread with a rolled up paper towel so it is spread thinly. <S> If you pour the oil in, it will pool up too thick and will cook unevenly which leads to sticking. <S> This technique also works with pancakes to make a more even brown color, where a thin layer of fat is better. <S> Hope this helps. <A> There's couple reason why it sticks. <S> One of the reason is your sugar to egg ratio in your recipe. <S> I've made tamagoyaki couple times when I was a sushi chef. <S> The key is always less sugar to egg to keep from sticking. <S> Also keep the pan HOT! and pour 1-2oz of egg mixture onto the pan at a time. <S> All while you're moving the pan on and off the heat/burner constantly while you're cooking. <S> Don't keep the pan on the heat the whole time you're cooking, it will burn the cooked part of the egg when you pour your egg mixture during the layering process. <S> It's a lot of trial and error, but it's quite fun once you get the hang of it. <S> It's a lot of moving on and off the burner. <S> Also remember revisit your recipe and tweak it. <S> Hope this helps. <A> I've had the same problem. <S> Did you wash your pan with detergent? <S> Or did you use the pan to cook other things such as bacon? <S> It sounds funny <S> but when this happened to me my mom "cured" my pan and told me that I must never use that pan again for other things, only for tamagoyaki, and also that I must never wash the pan with detergent, only with very hot water.
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That pan is quite finicky with heat and you do need quite a lot of oil to make sure the eggs don't stick. When in doubt turn up the heat and control by moving the pan.
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Difference in cookie texture if we use melted vs softened butter I would like to know the difference in the final result if we use softened butter or melted butter in an ordinary cookie recipe. A few days ago i baked chocolate chips cookies i waited for the butter to get the room temperature and then i smoothed the butter with the mixer (...) and at the end i put the cookie dough in the frighe. I just wondered what if i melt the butter so i will not have to wait for the butter to get soft, anyway i will put the cookie dough in the frighe later. But what will change? Some recipes demand for butter in room temperature softened and to turn sugar and butter mixture into a fluffy outcome. Some other recipes demand to melt the butter and sugar in low heat. What is the logic behind what each recipe demands? And why? <Q> There are many factors in play such as the type of sugars, amount of eggs or other sources of hydration, amount and type of leavening and so forth, but as an overall generalization: Melting the butter will lead to chewier cookies <S> Creaming colder/room temperature butter with sugar will lead to cookies with a higher, more cake like texture. <S> Refrigerating the dough before baking will help inhibit spread because the butter is colder, and takes longer to melt. <S> It is also gives time for the liquid in the recipe to hydrate the flour. <S> See <S> What does an overnight chill do to cookie dough, that a 4 hour chill doesn't? <S> See the transcript of Alton Brown's Three Chips for Sister Marsha episode for a good treatment of chocolate chip cookies and their variations. <A> My experience is that every cookie I've baked that has a base of: softened butter white & brown sugar egg <S> baking soda flour (which are most chocolate chip recipes), melted butter (or even too soft, almost melted butter) will result in very flat, almost toffee-like cookies. <S> Not that they're bad <S> , they can be quite tasty if you can get past the look of them (like a lunar landscape). <S> I'm sure there are others on this site that can give the exact chemical and molecular reason for the need for softened, not melted butter, but from my many years experience as a cookie baker, that is my observation. <A> I did my science research project on this and found that the softened butter will result in chewier, and smaller cookie than with melted butter. <S> The cookie with melted butter will also be thinner. <S> I also figured out that if you use double the melted butter you get a WIDE, thin, and crispy cookie and with half the butter <S> you get a small, chewy, and what I found very appealing to most people in taste, texture and appearance. <S> P.S.I used the toll house recipe without nuts and with choc. <S> chips. <A> There are some ingredients that are used while baking cookies to make them perfect in taste and texture. <S> These are baking powder,softened butter,egg,brown sugar,white sugar. <A> I just made two batches of chocolate chip cookies. <S> One recipe had butter creamed at room temperature and the other had melted butter. <S> The ones with the melted butter were noticeably chewier. <S> Both batches are yummy. <S> We prefer the melted butter.
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If we are using melting butter in cookies then the cookies will become chewer in taste.
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How long do raw chestnuts keep? I bought some chestnuts in the fall for Christmas but haven't used them all yet. How long do they keep? How would I tell if they 'went bad'? They look just like they did when I bought them (no blemishes) but may weigh less (they seem light) and seem harder to the touch (but I may be misremembering). <Q> According to Chestnuts for Sale : Chestnut storage is not the same as most nuts. <S> Fresh chestnuts should be stored like carrots. <S> Chestnuts are comprised of about 40-50% water and thus if not stored properly, they will spoil. <S> Therefore, chestnuts should be stored with great care and attention. <S> The ideal storage conditions for chestnuts are 33-35 degrees Fahrenheit and 85-90% humidity. <S> We recommend storing chestnuts in covered containers in the coldest part of the refrigerator. <S> Stored properly in the refrigerator, chestnuts can have a shelf life of approximately 2-3 weeks. <S> If you plan to use the chestnuts soon after receiving them, simply place them in a covered container in the coldest part of the refrigerator. <S> The colder, the better. <S> Otherwise, they recommend freezing them (preferably par-cooked), and provide information at the link above. <S> Washington Chestnut offers the following information about storing chestnuts, to prevent molding to which they indicate the chestnuts are susceptible due to their high water content: <S> Do not let fresch chestnuts freeze and thaw (except if you are freezing for a purpose) <S> Never store chestnuts in a sealed plastic bag (except dried or frozen) <S> Keep chestnuts refrigerated unless drying or sweetening the chestnuts <S> Never bathe the chestnuts in plain water - <S> this causes mold spores to be transferred to all the chestnuts passing though the bath water <S> - instead, wash in clean running tap water Try to purchase fresh chestnuts close to the time you want to eat them <A> I raise and sell fresh chestnuts. <S> The secret of long storage is the proper handling of chestnuts in the first 24 hours after harvest before any deterioration starts to occur. <S> Within that 24 hours our nuts our cleaned, sized, graded and put under refrigeration [32 degrees F.] with controlled humidity [85-90%]. <S> Due to seasonal demand we usually put unsold fresh nuts in the drying room about December 15th for use with dried products the next year. <S> The nuts are still fine at that closing date. <S> Always try to buy farm direct from a US producer. <S> Last year we ate fresh nuts stored our veggie crisper every night until our personal cache ran out which was the first of April. <S> I will have give properly stored nuts a longer shelf life than 2-3 weeks. <A> Chestnuts spoil in two ways: they go moldy and they dry out and become pretty much impossible to eat when roasted. <S> It's possible that when they are hard and dried out, they could be ground into flour or something; I've never tried that. <S> Being light is a really good indication that they've dried out. <S> Some chestnuts are moldy when I buy them, and I am pretty sure the ones I bought before Xmas that are still on my counter are either moldy or hard right now. <S> The good news is you can't miss the mold when you take the shells off the cooked chestnuts and you often spot it when you cut the X before you cook them. <S> Don't eat moldy ones. <S> The hardness won't hurt you, so give them a quick bake and see if you actually have any nice ones still (you probably don't.) <S> But don't save them for Valentines! <A> I find they tend to dry going stale rather than rot, quite quickly too. <S> They will get harder and lighter, and the shells more brittle and apparent gaps between shell and nut, allowing a depression to be made that springs back. <S> The nuts inside shrivel as they dry, which causes that. <S> It's usually immediately obvious when cutting the crosses in the shells for roasting which ones are affected. <S> When they are like that, they roast very hard and dry and often the shells are hard to remove - not very nice all round, though you could probably grind them still if chestnut flour was the order of the day. <S> Takes a fair while before the flavour is rancid. <S> In short, if you are using them whole or chopped, try to use the heavier ones that feel entirely solid and do not leave them too long. <A> Place chestnuts in a sink of water... <S> the floaters are the spoiled ones... <S> the good ones are heavier and will sink. <A> I purchased some last November 2014, I have kept them in the little refrigerator in my office. <S> It cycles between 25 and 35 degrees. <S> Today April ninth I took 2 out to check <S> I peeled both of them there was no black mold or any mold nor are they dried out and gotten hard <S> , I ate one and it tasted good. <S> It appears as though that the temperature rotating between freezing and slightly above freezing has kept them fresh and good.
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If black molds have entered into the chestnut kernel, do not eat the chestnut Chestnuts can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks Cooked chestnuts must also be refrigerated if not consumed right away I find the best before dates in the shops are usually within a week or so of purchase and that is not a bad estimate for when they start to get stale.
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Chili/Stew - Is it necessary to cook all the meat before adding to the rest of the ingredients? I'm planning on making a big batch of chili this weekend. Usually I brown/cook all the meat before putting everything in a pot to simmer for several hours. I just read On Browning Ground Meat in Recipes | Serious Eats which suggests only browning a portion of the meat before cooking the rest. I understand about browning & flavors from the Maillard reaction. My question is: Since I'm going to be simmering everything for several hours, do I need to cook the rest of the meat before mixing with everything else? Should I? Update: Wish I could mark all the answers as accepted! Mouth feel is something that I hadn't considered in thinking about cooking the meat before simmering. FYI, I'm using a combo of chopped chuck & Italian sausage. My current plans are to brown one side of the chuck, and cook/drain the sausage, reserving the fat for a roux as suggested by @CosCallis <Q> What do you mean by "need"? <S> Will the stew have a deeper, richer, more savory flavor if you brown the meat first? <S> Absolutely yes, due the maillard compounds you alluded to. <S> Is it necessary to brown the meat before the long braise in the stew for food safety reasons? <S> Not at all. <S> You can cook it unbrowned, and it will be perfectly safe assuming you otherwise practice good food safety: <S> bring it up to cooking temperatures fairly rapidly, and cook it long enough. <S> Neither of these are usually a problem in stews. <S> In fact, some cuisines don't generally brown meats before boiling or poaching them, and still have outstanding outcomes--I am thinking of Tex/Mex taco fillings (not the ground beef kind, for example). <S> Now, as to should? <S> Personal preference. <S> I would choose to because I like the beefy flavors browning brings to the table. <S> Kenji Alt is now recommending just browning one side well, and then beginning the stew or braise, which I think is a very reasonable compromise. <S> See his Carne Adovada article for discussion on this. <S> This is the article that lead to his thoughts on browning ground beef that you cited. <S> . <S> . . <S> On re-reading your question, I wonder if you are implying that you are using ground meat. <S> Since you said stew, I was assuming the meat was not ground. <S> If you are using ground meat, as in chili, which is essentially a ground beef and chili stew, you still have options. <S> Browning will lead to more flavor, but require longer stewing to have a fully tender mouthfeel, as the browning will initially make the meat tough. <S> Just cooking through (greying, as it were) will lead to a firmer mouth feel than beginning the stew with raw ground meat, which leads to a soft, silky type of texture, almost. <S> This is actually traditional in some Cincinnati Chili recipes. <A> First, I concur with @SAJ14SAJ. <S> An additional reason (that you may 'need/want') to brown the meats first is that it will allow you to drain a fair portion of the oils from the meat before incorporating into the remaining ingredients. <S> Depending on the quality of the meats you have selected this could be a significant volume. <S> Draining off this grease will improve your chili (IMHO). <S> For my part I will reserve (save) <S> the grease then use it to make a roux that will be added back in toward the end to help thicken the mix. <S> [Edit] For those who may be interested, the dark roux recipe that I use (from Alton Brown) can be found here . <S> Although AB starts with vegetable oil, I have found that animal fats work very well, adding a more complex flavor. <S> Remember though, the 'darker' <S> the roux, the less it will thicken, which is why I recommend baking less time than the 1 1/2 hours listed. <S> Correction : <S> baking temp for the roux is 350°F (not 250) as I mentioned in the comments. <A> The answer to your question is given on the page you referenced. <S> Since I'm going to be simmering everything for several hours, do I need to cook the rest of the meat before mixing with everything else? <S> No, not unless you want to. <S> In terms of ensuring the meat is cooked correctly, simmering for 2 hours or more is more than enough time. <S> Should I? <S> That's a trickier question and depends on what you're looking for in your dish. <S> The downside to that will be that the meat that was browned, after two hours simmering will be overcooked. <S> So that's a flavour v texture decision to make. <S> Another consideration might be the amount of fat you incorporate into your finished dish. <S> Depending on the fat content of your chosen ground beef, which does vary somewhat, browning the meat first allows you to remove some or all of that fat before adding it to your dish. <S> By adding the uncooked ground beef directly to your dish, you have no way of removing any of that fat content. <S> That may or may not be an issue for you, but there are certainly some people (myself included) that like to be able to control and regulate the amount of animal fats I consume. <S> A reasonable balance between flavour, texture and fat content would appear to be a combination of browned first and adding uncooked ground beef, but the right ratio for you is probably something you would need to find by experimentation. <S> If it were me, I would brown all the ground beef first, for two reasons. <S> First for the additional flavour and second for the ability to remove the fat content. <S> But that's just me and my personal preference.
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By browning all or some of the meat first you're adding another layer of flavour to your dish.
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Kosher salt vs. Table salt for rib eye steak I don't have any Kosher salt on hand and I'm cooking a rib eye steak tonight. Can I just use table salt, or would that drastically effect the taste of the steak? Why is Kosher salt better to use? <Q> The reason people choose Kosher/Sea/Rock salt over table salt is mainly down to the crystal size and the lack of additives like iodine. <S> Kosher salt is less soluble and less dense than table salt. <S> The large crystals in these salts mean that unless there is a fair bit of water present they don't completely dissolve. <S> This means it is less likely you'll over salt steak even if it's caked in crystals. <S> Table salt will dissolve with far less water present and will, therefore, get absorbed more easily into the meat. <S> Also the lower density means you can liberality sprinkle Kosher/Sea/Rock salt on things and even if it does all dissolve you <S> 've actualy added less salt than you would think. <S> It looks like a lot but 1g of Kosher/Sea/Rock salt takes up a lot more space than 1g of table salt. <S> 1tsp table salt would be way too much. <S> I'd go for about half the volume of Kosher salt if you were dissolving it in liquid and maybe as little as quarter the volume if I was using it as a rub (as in salting a steak). <A> Kosher salt is processed differently and has no iodine in it, so some people like the flavor better. <S> It's not going to make that much difference, any salt will do. <S> Just don't oversalt it, you want to taste the meat, not the salt. <A> You don't describe the recipe, so it's hard to say why the author insisted on Kosher salt. <S> If the salt is just a seasoning, Kosher salt (which has bigger granules than table salt) will add a grittiness that some people enjoy. <S> Either way, you're not going to ruin the steak just by substituting table salt. <S> You just won't get the precise effect the recipe was aiming at. <S> Which is a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the taste of the people eating the steak, but a minor thing in any case. <A> The difference in salt is more related to how the salt is being used. <S> So for the purpose of quickly salting before cooking or at the table any type of salt will do. <S> However if you are salting your meat at least an hour in advance and letting it rest before cooking (which I HIGHLY recommend you do) then using the larger grains of Kosher salt has a positive effect. <S> Salting the meat causes the proteins contained in the meat to change and allows the meat to retain juices significantly better. <S> At the same time some of the salt is pulled into the meat as the water that has been drawn out of the meat through osmosis is reabsorbed back into the meat near the end of the hour. <S> Using a finer grain salt, such as table salt, will allow significantly more salt to be absorbed into the meat. <S> Using a coarse grain salt, kosher, will mean a more perfectly salted piece of meat. <S> For reference see: http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/03/the-food-lab-more-tips-for-perfect-steaks.html
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If you're supposed to rub the salt on the steak to remove surface blood, then kosher salt is more effective than table salt.
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Substituting almond milk for regular milk in coffee without bitterness I've tasted my local coffee shop's specialty coffee in which they substitute homemade almond milk for regular milk, and it tastes creamy and smooth. No bitterness. When I try to recreate this with Starbucks coffee beans ground and put into a moka maker, and then adding sugar and microwaved Silk almond milk (bought from the store, and frothed a bit with a milk frother), it tastes slightly tangy and kinda bitter. The taste is kinda strange. I don't taste it from the coffee or the almond milk alone, but when combined, it forms. Does anyone have any ideas what could be happening and what I could do to remedy it? I would like to avoid too much sugar. <Q> I don't have a confident answer as to why it's happening. <S> My wife uses Almond Milk and drinks it with her coffee. <S> She's never noticed any bitterness. <S> My first suggestion would be the coffee itself, rather than the almond milk. <S> The way you make coffee (in a moka pot) will produce different results than at Starbucks or any other coffee shop themselves. <S> That said, if I understand you correctly the local coffee shop you're drinking at isn't Starbucks. <S> Personally I find many of their beans to be bitter... <S> Despite you not being able being able to identify the bitterness in the coffee when drank black, I'd suggest that those beans are your problem. <S> Things to try (Starting with what I'd guess as being the most likely to solve this...) <S> : <S> Buy beans from your local coffee shop, preferably the same ones they serve. <S> Ideally this coffee shop can tell you when the beans were roasted, and preferably this date is recent-ish. <S> But, if not, that's fine, Just try a different bean first. <S> Add a bit of salt. <S> See this related question Change the way you make coffee (drip, moka, etc...) for a day and see if the harsh tones are still present when you add your Almond Milk <S> Do you use your moka pot regularly, <S> if you hadn't used it in a while, perhaps there are some harsh flavours that have gone stale? <S> (Kinda stretching here). <S> Try a different Almond Milk? <S> The last thing I would do is add sugar... <S> That usually doesn't cover up the bitterness. <A> Actually, almond milk in coffee always tastes bitter to me, even when the black coffee is wonderful without a trace of bitterness. <S> I believe there is a chemical change in the mixture. <S> I have only tried commercial almond milk, so I am going to try making it and see if it is any different. <A> I've read that the almond milk can taste bitter if it is burned. <S> If you microwave the milk, you should do so on a low setting. <S> See https://www.quora.com/Could-almond-milk-be-boiled <A> Have a fancy coffee maker at home... <S> The brand of coffee makes a big difference, if I get at bitter cup a little honey removes the bitter bite. <S> Should work with almond milk instead of regular as well, just make sure your almond milk is not pre sweetened. <A> I use a French Press and no matter what kind of coffee <S> I use <S> , I've never had a bitterness problem, as long as it isn't a really cheap brand. <S> I, too, prefer to use almond milk but the one with coconut milk or cream in it comes out much richer. <S> Yes, it does have some fat, but at least it's not dairy. <S> I agree about using a picnh of salt. <S> Mt Dad swore by that.
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Perhaps the Almond milk is highlighting out some unpleasant flavours in those beans. However, since not many people sense this, I wonder if it is also individual taste perception.
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Chili with bitter aftertaste and not enough kick I cooked chili using the following ingedients: Oil for sauteing 1.5 pounds beef, minced 1 large white onion, finely chopped 1 red bell peper, diced 1 orange bell pepper, diced 2 Tbsp tomato paste 1 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes 1 12 oz bottle of beer 2 tsp sugar 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1 1/2 tsp cayenne peper 1 tsp red peper flakes 2 tsp Tabasco 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp crushed coriander seeds 2 tsp Worchestershire sauce 1 can of cooked red kidney beans (drained and rinsed) The method was, basically: Saute onions and pepers for approx 5 minutes Brown beef Add tomato paste, and mix Add can of tomatoes and mix Add beer Add sugar, salt and pepper Boil for approx 20 min Add remaining spices Cover and simmer for 2.5 hours 20 minutes before it's done, add the beens Two problems: A slight bitter aftertaste Not enough kick I think that the bitter aftertaste is from the cayenne pepper. I have read that cayenne pepper is quite neutral in taste (not bitter) and carries a lot of heat. Is this correct? Then I tried this: Put a couple of spoonfuls of chili on a plate. Add 1/4 tsp (approx) of cayenne pepper and mix. Taste. Well, the heat increased, but not TERIBLY so (it was perfectly eatable). Also the bitter aftertaste became worse. I also tried tasting a tip of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, directly. Ok it was hot, but not unbearably so. Most of the heat was in my throat, not in my mouth (mostly as an aftertaste), and I did have that bitter aftertaste Can something be wrong with my batch of cayenne peper? Or is this how cayenne peper realy tastes? I could reduce the amount of cayenne in my recipe, but then I would need something to increase the heat.I could go with more tabasco (I tried this on a spoonful of chili) but this would, also, increase the acidity (tastes a bit sour) which is not terible, but not ideal either Any sugestions? <Q> I've never known cayenne pepper to have any flavor, so if it is bitter you may have a bad batch, or the brand you are using may have put in additives that give it a bitter flavor. <S> You may have other sources of bitterness: <S> beer: <S> brewers add hops to beer to give it bitterness, and some beer is more bitter than others, it depends on which type you chose Tomato paste: this can have a bitter taste if it is not fried off. <S> If you add it directly to liquid it often adds bitterness to a dish Kidney beans: I've always found that canned kidney beans have a bitter taste, even if rinsed <S> So there's other ways you could get bitter chili. <S> I'd balance it out by adding some sugar or honey plus maybe a bit of lemon juice or tamarind paste. <A> Different brands of cayenne pepper taste quite different. <S> Some not so good. <S> I bought some Frontier Cayenne Pepper from Amazon. <S> I was curious how hot that actually was, so I put some on a spoon and tasted it. <S> Definitely hot (as in, I do not recommend repeating this experiment). <S> Also had a nice pepper flavor. <S> Tried the same with my store brand that I had before. <S> Was not hot (at least, not compared to the Frontier stuff!), and also tasted pretty bad. <S> More like dirt. <S> Spit that out, and deposited the rest in the trash. <A> Your bell peppers may be the answer to bitterness. <S> They contribute bitterness when picked too early (often in store-bought items), when cooked at too high a temperature and for too long, and when the white rind inside between the compartments (it's called the placenta of all things), is not removed. <S> The latter is quite bitter. <S> Yellow are slightly more bitter than red, and green is most bitter of the three. <A> The cumin! <S> Cumin can leave a horrible aftertaste. <S> I avoid it in my chili for this very reason. <S> It's like a skunky, lingering unpleasantness. <S> I don't think it's the pepper or the tomato, you would have smelled the tomato if it had been sour. <A> If you used a beer with a high IBU (International Bittering Units), such as an IPA, the bitterness will concentrate as liquid in the beer evaporates. <S> Using such beers in a reduction sauce is also frowned upon for the same reason. <A> I've heard that the acidity in tomatoes can make a chili sour and that a common trick to make soups and stews less sour is to put in a little baking soda. <S> Just make sure you cook it a little while longer to get rid of any reaction (if it bubbles) and clear out the flavor. <A> I had this problem in a pretty big way after riffing on Cook's Illustrated's Taxs chili recipe. <S> There was a very pronounced bitterness, which I am certain came from the roasted dried chiles. <S> I found a wonderful video by Barb Stuckey, author of "Taste: <S> What You're Missing," where she explains how the bitterness can be balanced out with other flavors (especially sweet, sour, or salt.) <S> The ingredients you can use are only limited to your imagination once you understand the principles, but some of the better additives I found that will mask/complement the bitterness are: Fresh or no-salt canned tomatoes <S> Lime juice Chocolate Corn Brown or regular sugar <S> More salt <S> Maple Syrup
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I recommend using a dunkel or bock beer with chili...lower IBUs, and higher malt...leave out the added sugar.
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How to thicken marinara sauce? Here's what I'm using: 16oz crushed tomatoes 1 head of garlic 1/2 cup red wine Parmesan cheese Basil Oregano Salt 1/4 cup olive oil I start by lightly cooking the garlic cloves in olive oil until they brown. Then I add the tomatoes, followed by the wine, oregano, salt, basil, and cheese. I then slow cook everything for about an hour. The sauce is turning out kind of watery though. How I can thicken it into a proper hearty Italian pasta sauce? <Q> The best way to thicken marinara sauce for me, without losing any taste is to cook it a little longer. <S> Cooking it longer is just keeping the sauce on simmer, uncovered and stirring it occasionally so its cooking consistently and taking it off the heat when you think it has reached desired thickness. <S> You can also try draining the tomatoes before you crush them. <S> You could even try adding little breadcrumbs, but it might change the taste. <A> There are a number of ways to help thicken sauce, but I think your first problem is you're not cooking it down enough. <S> You want to simmer uncovered (sometimes a couple of hours), stirring often, to get it to thicken the way it sounds you want. <S> I tend to prefer fresh tomatoes to canned and avoid tomato paste (personally) to avoid a somewhat bitter flavor (until you pan fry the bitterness out of it first). <A> If your sauce doesn't taste watery and is just simply too thin, I'd suggest undercooking the pasta by a few minutes and letting it finish in the sauce (a handful of parmesan cheese doesn't hurt either). <S> Here's an example of it being done <S> This is my favorite way to finish pasta, and I will actually dilute thicker sauces with pasta water to do this. <A> A suggestion I would contribute is to swap the red wine for a smaller portion of red wine vinegar. <S> It gives it a nice acidic flavor (you can balance this with some white sugar which will help it thicken even more, but I prefer my red sauces with more tang). <S> It will also have less fluid overall. <A> There are two ways. <S> Just like they are telling you. <S> The water in the crushed tomatoes is killing it. <S> Get whole tomatoes peeled, drain the water and blend them. <S> Sauce should be perfect. <S> Or cook longer giving flavors a better chance to meld. <S> I prefer cooking down. <A> If you don't mind a smoother sauce, like for pizza or the like, you can use an immersion or traditional blender to puree the sauce. <S> This will make the sauce thicker and smoother. <S> How thick, exactly, depends on how chunky the tomatoes are to begin with. <S> If they are already fairly finely crushed, this won't help much. <S> If they are more of a diced variety, this will help immensely. <S> That being said, you are moving away from a traditional marinara if you puree too much. <S> Maybe try removing some of the sauce, pureeing it, then stirring it back in. <S> Old kitchen trick for thickening things without using cornstarch or a roux without necessarily compromising the original texture. <A> hope that helps
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I cook my sauce for two days on and off it, always starts out watery and thickens with the simmer over that period.
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Roasting large quantities of garlic: whole unpeeled heads or peeled cloves? I'm going to be making a soup dish that calls for 50 cloves of roasted garlic. I have always roasted garlic by cutting off the top of a head, drizzling it with oil, and wrapping with foil. Then when they're done I just squeeze out the paste from each clove. But some comments on the recipe say it's easier to roast them already peeled in a covered dish so you don't have to squeeze 50 cloves and deal with all the stickiness and peels. Since I already know how to easily peel whole cloves very quickly , it doesn't make much difference in the amount of work for me to do it either way. In fact, it's probably quicker to peel them. My question is, does it affect taste or any other quality to roast them as an entire unpeeled head rather than as peeled individual cloves? And if not, should roasting time be adjusted? <Q> Garlic roasted as a head, as unpeeled cloves, or as peeled cloves is all much the same. <S> It is just easier to handle unpeeled, and even easier when kept as a head For easy results just trim the excess paper skin and roots of a whole garlic head, carefully trim just the tops of most of the cloves <S> Don't drizzle with oil and wrap in foil, this will just make a mess, and steam them more than roast them. <S> Garlic is already very oily, it shouldn't need any more. <S> Roasting items should be exposed to dry heat, not steam Roast until soft and medium-dark brown. <S> When cooled slightly, pull cloves apart and lay them out on a board. <S> Squeeze out each clove using a firm spatula or other blunt tool. <S> This should not be too messy. <S> Wear disposable gloves if you don't like garlic on your hands <A> Peeled cloves can burn where they touch your roasting pan when roasting for a long time or at higher heat. <S> Roasting in the skin protects against this a bit. <S> So you may have to adjust your roasting time and method if you go with peeled cloves. <S> Personally, I would go with whole heads as I find they steam a little during roasting anbd produce a better texture at the end - fewer <S> dried out bits. <A> From what I understand, the papery skin does not freeze well, and it's easier to peel first if you want individual cloves for measuring.
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If you plan to freeze, I've seen it suggested that you roast the cloves individually, so you can freeze them that way and use them a little at a time instead of having a large amount of paste.
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How can I make buttermilk? I have a recipe that calls for 16 ounces of buttermilk...but don't have any. How can I make buttermilk? What is a substitute for buttermilk? <Q> You can make a buttermilk substitute. <S> You'll need milk and lemon juice (using a ratio of 1 Tablespoon of acid per cup of milk) <S> Place a Tablespoon lemon juice in a liquidmeasuring cup. <S> Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cupline. <S> Let stand for five minutes. <A> In recipes, buttermilk brings liquid, some milk solids, some acid, and if it is not made from skim milk (it is a cultured product), some fat. <S> In a pinch, you can substitute approximately 1 cup milk with 1 tbl lemon juice or vinegar. <S> For information on making your own cultured buttermilk, see this article from Serious Eats . <S> It is made from milk and an active culture starter from commercial or previous buttermilk batches, much akin to making yogurt. <S> Edit: <A> You can also make your own non-cultured buttermilk. <S> Buttermilk was originally the product of butter production. <S> If you follow instructions to make butter (agitating heavy cream, recommended at least 35% milkfat content until the solids & liquids separate--this can be done via electric mixer or even with a marble in a jar), you will have not just butter but also buttermilk. <S> The buttermilk that is made this way is not tangy like cultured buttermilk, but perfectly good for baking--and even drinking. <S> Traditional old-fashioned buttermilk used fresh, raw cream that was allowed to culture & sour (raw cream contains the right buggies for this and when done in an environment (e.g. a diary farm that had been processing cultured dairy for a time) rife with the cultures it would sour more quickly & evenly. <S> Most folks nowadays use a live lactic-acid producing culture to control the flavor & production. <S> You can also use yogurt or culture buttermilk as a starter for your cultured butter. <S> After you have cultured your cream, you follow the basic butter making steps and wind up with cultured butter and tangy cultured buttermilk. <S> While various recipes are available online, I have used Ricki the Cheese Queen's recipe for cultured butter: http://www.cheesemaking.com/Butter.html with good results. <S> It would also be fun to try the jar & marble method (great for kids, too): <S> http://www.ehow.com/how_5678906_make-butter-baby-food-jars.html <S> Or, yogurt is a good buttermilk substitute. <S> You can use 3/4 cup of yogurt mixed with 1/4 cup milk or water to get the consistency right. <A> Actual buttermilk is obtained as a by-product when extracting butter from sour cream. <S> But that is a lengthy process. <S> For a quicker way to get buttermilk, you can mix curds with water in the ratio of 3:1.
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As hinted in Fisher's answer, for some applications, particularly quick breads and muffins, buttermilk can also be substituted one to one with yogurt or sour cream.
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I have a coarse pepper grinder, and it says not to grind over steaming pots, why is that? It says not to grind over steaming pots on the label of the pepper grinder. Is this so you don't get burned or for some other reason? <Q> There are two possibilities I can see: <S> The steam can wet the pepper in the mill and cause it to cake in the grinding mechanism <S> There's <S> an over-protective lawyer worried someone will scald themselves and blame the grinder company. <S> Which of the two is your guess. <S> Personally I use my grinder over steaming pots all the time and I've never had any problems, but YMMV. <A> <A> I think all hand-held grinders have this warning of not grinding over steaming or boiling-hot contents. <S> The grinding action could splash the hot contents and scald your hands. <S> If hot oil is involved - temporary or long-term blindness. <S> You might accidentally slip your hands into the hot pot. <S> No legal dept of a manufacturer would want that to happen to their customers. <S> To them users are idiots tending to sue. <A> You should never season over steaming pots of anything. <S> The moisture ruins the seasoning. <S> Just pour season in the palm of your hand then dump in. <S> (Always keep hands washed when cooking)
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If the grinder has a steel mechanism, rust could be the concern.
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Mystery "organ" on the underside of chicken thighs? There is a small, round, black "organ" under chicken thighs, and some people like to eat it. Identifying this seems to be quite the lingering Internet mystery. They are there on prepared fried chicken--specifically Popeye's, but I'm sure it's there on any prepared bone-in chicken thigh. I've read various claims that it's the "oyster", liver, kidney, or a blood vessel. By "under" the thigh, I mean that it's found on the bony side opposite the meat. See these pages: 1 , 2 , 3 . There are tons more if you search . Photos follow: Chicken thigh with gizzard thing exposed, then removed, then cross section. <Q> As discussed in the comments under the question, I believe the organ in question is a kidney, from the pocket in the pelvis of a thigh butchered in a fairly unusual manner, with that part of the pelvis still attached. <S> See page 3.21 in the University of Kentucky's PDF of Chapter 3 of Chicken Anatomy and Physiology . <S> It shows where the kidney's are in the chicken (moderately graphic), and the shape looks quite similar to the mystery item in the original question's photographs, allowing for shrinkage from cooking. <A> There are no organs on the underside of a chicken, the oyster is simply a bite-size piece of muscle which is tender and usually the tastiest piece of the whole bird. <S> Two of links are about the oyster, which isn't gizzard-like at all. <S> The first link is asking what the livery tasting stuff that sometimes comes attached to chicken thighs is, which is in fact liver left by poorly executed preparation by the packaging company. <A> Those are the kidneys. <S> I just finished butchering eight chickens yesterday. <S> They look exactly like a little kidney bean (lol). <S> I don't believe they will hurt you, after all people eat beef kidneys, kidney pie, etc. <S> kidneys are usually removed along with everything else. <S> They can be easily popped out with your finger. <A> A good cook removes it before preparation; I have never seen it removed by a butcher. <S> As for the oysters, those are the two "backstrap" or "tenderloin" muscles in the small of the back. <S> They're not organ meat -- <S> just very tasty chicken. <A> http://www2.ca.uky.edu/poultryprofitability/Production_manual/Chapter3_Anatomy_and_Physiology/Chapter3_excretory.html Check this from the Kentucky College of Agriculture. <S> Looks like <S> the mystery part is the kidneys. <S> It also says that, "The kidneys are normally left in when a broiler carcass is processed." <A> Here in Sydney Australia it's always there, always. <S> Fresh chook(whole or thighs), charcoal chicken(bbq), KFC(Kentucky fried chicken), whatever. <S> It's definitely not the oyster. <S> I also thought they might be a kind of bone marrow deposit/reservoir like what humans have in our hips(the putty like stuff they do bone grafts with when you badly break a bone). <S> IMHO, whatever it is, it's the best bit of the bird there is, YUM!!! <A> Kidneys are generally found in any chicken thigh portion. <S> I've eaten chicken from many places and never had difficulty finding the kidneys. <S> If you're actually cutting the kidney section out of the thigh, then you aren't leaving the whole thigh.
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The organ meat inside the bony part of a chicken thigh is the kidney. I thought they might be testicles, but they would only appear in roosters, not chickens.
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Can I reuse chopped onions? I have a Hot Dog Stand. I use chopped onions every day, can I re use the left over chopped onions the next day? The onions are in a container that keep them cold all day long. Some days the onions have a lot of liquid in the bottom, is that a problem? I do not want to get anyone sick. <Q> If you're operating a hot dog stand, I'm going to guess that you'll want to follow your local health codes. <S> There's a very good chance that it'd be a violation. <S> In most areas, it wouldn't be anything to stop you from using it for your own meals, so long as you didn't serve it to the public. <S> (and you might have to transfer it to a different container, so you keep the public & personal stuff seperate). <S> At worst, you get sick, but you don't get the public sick. <A> This is a good thread to read about storage time for onions after they've been cut. <S> There are also some ways to attempt to keep an onion fresh. <S> If you're cutting your onions to serve then Joe is correct in stating that you'll want to adhere to local health codes and possibly even consider cutting your onions to order or only cutting a small amount and adding to it as needed- any good customer would prefer a fresh cut onion to an off, cut up cup of them anyway, <S> right? <S> It's also prudent to remember that in nearly all cases you cannot see whether or not a food has gone bad entirely, but since you stated there is a watery liquid in the bottom of your onions <S> it sounds like there are some visual indicators. <S> Just remember: If in doubt- throw it out (especially when you're serving it to the public)! <A> Most cut vegetables have a shelf life of 24 hours, I've worked in restaurants were they "extended" the shelf life, but a health inspector would look for a same day sticker to indicate that those onions are not left over. <S> If you are finding yourself overwhelmed with the amount of prep needed and are over prepping to compensate and stay ahead, pre-prep your onions. <S> You can do this by having a cambro of peeled onions (or complete whatever primary or secondary steps you follow before reaching your final product) and then cut only what is needed for that day. <S> If you're having trouble figuring out how much onion you need for the day weigh the amount of onions you prepped before and after service, and see how much was used. <A> Use 3-4 smaller containers so you are not opening and closing it multiple times and bringing the onions out of the cooler multiple times. <S> And you are not mixing old onions with new.
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So long as they've been kept chilled through the day, I'd be inclined to use them in some sort of cooked dish for dinner.
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Is it ok to store open cans in the fridge? I'd been taught growing up that you should never store canned food in the fridge in the open can. Is there any scientific basis to this, or is it just an old wives tale? What types of foods should not be stored in their can once open? Would olives, for example, be harmed from this sort of storage? Or only more acidic foods like tomato paste or pineapple be affected? <Q> Short answer: storing food in an open can is normally safe for a short period, but inadvisable. <S> Longer <S> answer: <S> There are three main issues with storing foods in an open can. <S> They are metal oxidation, contamination, and funk. <S> Oxidation. <S> As commenters have observed, cans used to be made of tin, which is toxic. <S> Modern cans are made from either steel or aluminum. <S> If the contents of the can are acidic, cans are lined with a polymer (plastic) inner layer. <S> If that layer is broken -- say, by a major dent in the can or by using a knife to scrape out contents -- then the acid can get to the metal and, over time, corrode it, and some of the now-oxidized metal will dissolve into the food. <S> As far as we know, the oxidized metal is not toxic, but it tastes horrible. <S> Contamination. <S> Any open container of food can become contaminated when an airborne water droplet (tiny -- microns wide) containing a nasty microbe drips or settles into it. <S> The major biological culprit here is Listeria, which can grow in any moist environment, including spaces refrigerated below 40F (5C). <S> Also, if juices from your raw meat drips onto an upper shelf, which later gets wiped inadvertently into your container of ready-to-eat food, you are likely to get Salmonella or E coli. <S> This risk can be mitigated if you keep your raw meats on the lowest shelf, but not eliminated. <S> Also, it is worth noting that contamination through this pathway is a relatively rare event -- but even so, it is not worth the risk. <S> Funk. <S> Have you ever put an ice cube in your beverage and notice your beverage tastes strange? <S> The chemical compounds that give food their flavor tend to be volatile (meaning they will readily leave the food into the surrounding air). <S> Also, the mustiness of a refrigerator/freezer is due to volatile compounds produced by mold and mildew. <S> Foods that are wet <S> and/or fatty can be molecular velcro to these compounds. <A> For short periods, cover the can with a plastic sandwich bag and secure with a rubber band. <S> Keeps air out and moisture in. <A> Newer side edge cut can openers make a lid for resealing the can for fridge storage, so I do it from time to time. <S> I think its an old wives tale at this point, as said people were more concerned with the bpa in the plastic liner than anything else. <A> <A> I've been told that lead or tin, used to solder/seal the side seam of a can, would oxidize when exposed to air and lead to (mild) lead poisoning. <S> But cans are no longer sealed with lead these days, <S> so: an old tale but not an old wives tale.... <A> The refrigeration system/components will prematurely fail due continued exposure to acidic "vapors" released into the closed environment. <S> Every appliance tech is well aware of the correlation of messy food storage and higher system problems. <A> I've been storing food in opened cans in the refrigerator for years, and have never had a problem, other than mold, which will occur over weeks in the fridge. <S> I think people are over worrying over this question. <S> As long as it works for me, I will do so. <S> I do use plastic lids if it's to be stored more than a couple of days.
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I was taught that keeping opened canned food in the fridge leads to botulism.
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How should I prepare an excellent sauce from sous vide juices? Reading the other posts on this, I realize I should have coagulated the myoglobin and removed it before attempting to make a sauce with what's left over. Anyone have a good trick to do that simply? The issue is that there really isn't much left over. Typically, from 2 prime strip steaks cooked at 130F for 2.5 hours, I'll get 4-5 tablespoons of juice, and that's with the myoglobin. (I also cook the steak with some olive oil.) I sear the steaks with a good butane torch rather than a pan (primarily so my kitchen doesn't get smoke-filled), so there's no pan fond available. What do you sous vide steak folks do for a good sauce? <Q> Finely mince shallots, garlic and parsley (or whatever fresh herb you have on hand) Mix into softened butter Spoon butter mixture over hot steak Feel good about the decisions you have made in your life <A> Forget the pan or bag juices. <S> For the sauce I do recommend cooking up a good beef fond in quantity. <S> You can freeze the stock in portions. <S> I vacuum bag mine (in a chamber vac) in one cup portions and freeze. <S> Frozen stock is easy to use as a sauce base. <S> One of my super simple favourites for beef is a bittersweet sauce made with caramelised shallots, carrot and celery stalk - unpeeled, coarsely chopped and more or less burned in oil, and you can throw in some garlic as well if you like. <S> Add some brown sugar and caramelise further. <S> Deglaze with red wine and port, throw in any herbs you like and reduce (just make sure it is not too sweet). <S> Add the (frozen) beef stock and reduce. <S> Strain and finish off with some diced butter before serving. <S> The key is a good sauce base. <S> Regarding sous-vide <S> , I always pre-sear <S> the meat for a couple of reasons:1) <S> Pathogens are on the surface of the piece of meat you are about to cook and pre-searing takes care of them. <S> Torch is fine if you are worried about the mess. <S> I usually use clarified butter and finish off with a torch to cover the whole piece.2) <S> You start the Maillard reaction and this will continue to add flavour when bagged. <S> I think the produce just tastes better. <S> I usually do a quick post-sear with a torch and/or clarified butter. <A> The simple solution was for me to heat up the bag juices in a separate saucepan until the myoglobin coagulated, then strain the coagulated protein out and prepare the sauce as usual in a saute pan with aromatics, butter, wine, etc. <A> Take some shallot, green onion, or white onion and chop fine Saute in pan with butter and all left over cooked bits and juice Stir in heavy cream and brandy <A> SousVide Supreme's website has a great post on how to make an easy pan sauce here: http://blog.sousvidesupreme.com/2013/01/tips-tricks-pouch-liquor-pure-culinary-gold-for-sauces/ <A> The juices in the bag tend to be watered down too much, particularly after a very long cook. <S> Then, reduce further after the cook. <S> I think the general practice, at least at my house, is to dispense with the left over liquid in the bag and create any sauces on the stove top. <S> For steaks, a finishing sear in butter (try coffee butter - see Chefsteps.com), will leave you with a few tablespoons of "sauce".
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You can make a good sauce, but you need to begin with a super concentrated stock in the bag.
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What to do with chicken scraps I just bought and cooked a whole chicken in the oven and I'm wondering if there is anything I can do with the scraps left over from slicing up most of the meat. Thank you! <Q> Make stock: <S> Take the entire carcass, brown it in the oven, put it in a pot with some carrot, onion and a bay leaf. <S> Cover with water, bring to the boil and let simmer for an hour or so. <S> Then you can strain it and reduce if you like. <A> You should check this site here: Chicken Leftover Recipes @ AllRecipes.com . <S> They've got tons of ideas.. <S> I especially like leftover chicken in quesadilla, quiches, salads, casseroles, and stir fry. <S> Edit: If the "chicken scraps" you are talking about are mostly bones, chicken stock is probably the way to go. <A> (Just be sure to check carefully for small bones!) <S> The internet or any general cookbook should have a variety of recipes for chicken salad. <S> My favorite includes halved green grapes and green onion.
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Chicken salad is a nice use for leftover chicken pieces.
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New to jam making - do I need to can? I am a noob-to-be jam maker and a noob seasoned advice member. I want to make this pectin-free jam recipe ; but here is the issue: In English speaking sources, any jam recipe goes with instructions on canning. In Turkey (where I am from and I currently live), the hot water bath canning process does not exist and a few people online pointed out to the fact that this process does not exist outside North America (although I am not sure how true this is). I would like to know the reason surely but here is my question. I want to make the aforementioned jam in 1 , put them in freshly cleaned jars (in the dishwasher), put mine in the fridge and give away some to my friends and family. Will I be posing any risk to people who eat the jam? If not, how long will the jam last in/out of the fridge? Thanks for the help. <Q> If your jam has at least 1:1 ratio (1 kg of sugar per kg of fruit) or more, you do not have to can it. <S> Then it is so overwhelmingly sweet that bacteria cannot live in it. <S> If the jam has less sugar (1:2 are popular, 1:3 are found sometimes), then you have to either can it, or keep it in the fridge and consume it within a few days, similar to any other cooked food. <S> Else, you are colonizing bacteria in your jam, and at some point, some of them will happen to be pathogenic and cause some unpleasant disease in whoever eats the jam. <S> After canning, you can keep the closed jars at room temperature without any new bacteria developing. <A> The reason why we "can" things is to prevent spoilage. <S> It allows you to make a number of batches of something (like Jam) and then store it on the shelf, unrefrigerated for extended periods of time until you're ready to open the jar. <S> That said, when you finally do open it, you're assured that the large majority of bacteria was killed at the start of the process, and no new bacteria has developed that will spoil your product <S> Yes, you can make jam, and then skip the "canning process", but your starting product will have a shorter shelf life (days?). <S> I don't know what that shelf life is, so I'll let someone else with more experience chime in on that one. <S> So... that doesn't really answer your question. <S> But I do have another suggestion. <S> If you'd like to make Jam and you'd like to skip that "canning"/sanitization process, google for something called "freezer jam" . <S> Instead of using the canning process to kill any bad bacteria, you're using the freezer to store your product. <S> My father-in-law does that and the jam works beautifully. <S> At very least, it gets you started making jam while you decide if the "canning" process is worth the effort. <A> I am in the US, and make jam without using the pressure sterilization method, but rather the older style inversion method. <S> You will still need jars with rings and lids ( Example ). <S> I wash the jars in hot water, and then hold them in a warm oven, just a bit too hot to touch. <S> I keep the lids and rings in boiling water while making the jam mixture. <S> When it is ready, the very hot jam goes into the hot jars, the tops of the jars are wiped clean, the lids are screwed on tight, and the jars are inverted for at least several minutes. <S> Then turn it back <S> right side up, and wait for each jar to seal. <S> The heat kills the bacteria, and if there is enough sugar and acid, keeps it safe. <S> DO NOT USE THIS FOR NON-JAM/JELLY CANNING! <S> The jams are safe for months, as long as they sealed and stay sealed. <S> After opening them, I usually refrigerate them. <S> If the jars are too hot, the jam will explode out of the jar, get jam on the seal, and it won't seal. <S> But everything does need to be hot, so bacteria are killed. <S> The newer pressure sterilization method is considered safer, and the only way to can non-jam items. <A> When I was young my mother used to make huge batches of Jams and Jellys. <S> To seal them up for the winter she did not use a canning process. <S> Instead she used bottles with simple twist in covers. <S> The bottles were serrilized in boiling water. <S> Then they were removed from the hot water with tongs and filled up with the steaming hot jam or jelly mixture. <S> She set these out on the counter to cool for a short time covered with a cloth.... <S> but not really very long at all. <S> When the jars were still rather hot she would pour in a layer of molten paraphin wax on top of the jelly mixture that was starting to set up. <S> This sealed the jar from contamination. <S> After the wax had hardened she would twist on the covers and store the many jars of jams and jellys on shelves in the cool basement. <S> All winter long I carried sandwiches to school that were made from home baked bread and jelly from those jars. <S> When one went to use a fresh jar of jelly or jam the wax was simply broken into pieces and spooned out of the jar. <S> I recall that it was rare to ever find a jar from the shelf in the basement that had gone bad and spoiled. <S> Do people still use the wax method today? <A> I live in Turkey and my nanny showed me how they can in the boiling water. <S> It's real simple for jams and veggie sauces. <S> You have the sterile jars and lids (re-used generally). <S> Then you boil them in the water for 40 minutes to an hour.
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Canning is a process in which the jam is closed against any new bacteria (that's why you have to close the jar hermetically) and then heated enough that most old bacteria are killed.
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How much tea is ideal out of one tea bag? My mother regularly uses 1 tea bag for two cups or 2 tea bags for a teapot. I've read on several sites that one tea bag is ideal for one cup. So, how much should I get from a tea bag? Also, is the steeping time different if I was trying to get more tea out of the same tea bag? Some say that steeping it longer gets more flavour out of the bag. Somewhat more formal research suggests that releases the bitter parts and makes the tea bitter rather than thicker. I know you shouldn't reuse coffee beans when making an espresso, but does this apply to tea as well? <Q> This completely depends on the quality of the tea and flavor you're going for. <S> It is common practice (especially in China) to make 2-3 or more cups/pots of tea from good quality loose leaf green tea. <S> The flavor will change after each steeping, becoming lighter and milder, but also just different in certain ways. <S> You can do the same thing with any lower quality tea, you just have to decide if you like the flavor of the second, third, etc. <S> steepings. <S> If not, don't do it. <A> After looking into this much longer than a sane person should have, I've realized that the strength of the tea doesn't depend so much on the quantity of tea. <S> Controlling the strength of tea is normally done by controlling the steeping time . <S> As stated by paul, the best way to dilute the strength of a tea is by resteeping it. <S> The steeping time of a tea is most determined by the coarseness of the tea leaves. <S> Similar to garlic, finer leaves make the taste a lot stronger, whereas large, coarse leaves will be weaker. <S> The instructions on the bag often say what's been tried and tested. <S> I'd recommend going for two tea bags only if you're planning to go for larger than a teapot, for tea suited to drinking by itself and with added ice, or with certain weaker teas. <S> For black tea, the common steeping seems to be 2-3 minutes. <S> There's little harm in steeping too short, but steeping too long will create a harsh bitter taste (though some people may actually want that). <S> For cheap, harsh, unbranded teas, 3 minutes seems to be enough unless the leaves are finely chopped. <S> Don't shake the tea bag or stir the drink while steeping it, because it will cause the harsh stuff to enter water faster, and black tea should be steeped at 98 degrees C. <A> Your tea bag will contain what the manufacturers deem to be the right amount of tea for their customer. <S> So if you buy a cheap brand, low quality tea you will not be expected to make the same amount of effort as you will never get a quality cup of tea from it, 1 bag [to] 1 mug, boiling water, stir squeeze and drink. <S> Not in my opinion an ideal cuppa. <S> If you want a proper cup of tea you need to steep (brew) your tea for 3.5 mins and don't squeeze the bag as this releases bitterness into your brew. <S> The tea bag will contain 2-3 grams of tea. <S> And never, never reuse an old tea bag. <A> One cup per bag is a good rule of thumb. <S> Depending on your tastes as well as the type and quality of the tea, you could make 1-2 cups per teabag. <S> Avoid steeping too long or else the tea will become bitter, particularly for black teas. <A> Personally I'd say 1 tea bag per mug, however in slightly larger mugs leaving the tea bag in a wee bit longer should also be fine (not too weak). <A> most teabags will have instructions printed on the packaging, indicating what quantity of water they were intended for and how long to steep them. <S> With single-cup bags becoming ever more popular (handy for the office, not so much for at home IMO) you just have to be careful which bags to buy :)
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Quite often, one tea bag can make quite a lot of tea, enough for a teapot .
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What is the purpose of kosher salt in peanut butter? Can it be replaced with something else? From here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-peanut-butter-recipe/index.html Ingredients 15 ounces shelled and skinned AB's roasted peanuts, recipe follows **1 teaspoon kosher salt** 1 1/2 teaspoons honey 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil What is the purpose of kosher salt in Peanut butter? Can it bereplaced with something else? <Q> Alton Brown just generally prefers kosher salt, for reasons that don't really apply to peanut butter, which will be ground down anyway. <S> What matters is the total weight of salt. <S> Remember, kosher salt tends to weight approximately 1/2 as much (depending on brand) as table salt, per unit of volume. <S> So you can replace the kosher salt with sea salt, or any locally available salt on a weight per weight basis. <S> The absolute amount of salt to use is also completely a matter of taste and preference. <S> It does not participate in any chemistry, and is not sufficiently concentrated to have any preservative effect. <A> The best peanut butter, in my subjective opinion, contains peanuts and nothing else. <S> Liquidize the nuts in a food processor until it's as smooth as you want it; and you're done. <S> Peanut butter made this way might go a bit stiff if you leave it, but give it a good stir <S> and it'll go back to normal. <S> Good wholefood brands sell ready-made peanut butter of this kind, with only peanuts on the ingredients list. <S> In your recipe: Salt and honey are added for flavour <S> Peanut oil is added to make the consistency thinner <S> If you like those flavours, then by all means add salt and honey. <S> Kosher salt comes in flakes or large grains. <S> If you add it late, or don't process the mixture for long, then there will be grains of salt in the mixture; you may like this. <S> I'm fairly sure that since peanuts are oily, not watery, it's possible for grains of salt to remain in there a long time without dissolving. <S> If you use table salt -- or if you use kosher salt and process for a long time -- the salt will fully dissolve and its flavour will be evenly spread through the mixture. <A> Salt is salt if dissolved into a liquid or blended into a paste. <S> It is mostly called for because it has become "fashionable". <S> Kosher salt does have specific culinary uses, but not as a dissolved or blended ingredient. <S> There is no global standard on table or kosher salt crystal sizes. <S> As with most recipes that do not specify a weight, use your better judgement on the amount of salt you require. <S> You can always add more latter. <S> Obviously the larger the crystals the less weight per volume there will be. <S> Also salt that is dissolved or blended tastes stronger than table salt sprinkled on top. <S> Unrelated hint: if you want stronger table salt, grind it a little finer.
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Kosher salt is just larger crystals, it tastes and works the same as any other salt. The purpose of the salt in peanut butter is only to enhance the flavor.
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How can I stabilize a souffle? In baking souffles, I find that they start deflating from the moment I remove them from the oven. One chef suggested adding xanthan gum which is hard to find and quite expensive. Do you think arrowroot might work, or can you suggest another alternative to stabilize them?. Many thanks. <Q> Try a small amount of cream of tartar instead of xanthan gum. <S> Cheaper, more readily available, and the acid stabilizes the protein matrix. <S> Also, some tips from Better Homes and Gardens : use a collar, beat your egg whites to a stiff peak but remember to GENTLY fold them in, and don't open the oven door for at least 20-25 minutes to prevent cold air from collapsing the rising souffle. <S> And yes, even properly cooked souffles do deflate somewhat. <S> Serve immediately and be gentle when removing from the hot oven - no banging the pan down onto the table. <A> Its normal for a souffle to deflate after leaving the oven. <S> Keep in mind that you have only a minute or so to get the souffle to the guest carefully with out banging it on the table. <S> The longer you can keep your souffle hot and steaming, the longer it will stay risin. <A> I always use s "collar" when making a soufflé and what it is is a strip of grease proof paper that you wrap around your souffle dish about 2-3 inches taller than the top edge of the dish, tied with kitchen string. <S> It will stop the souffle from spilling over the edge of the dish. <S> Just remove it before serving.
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In the past with chocolate souffle i have had success with whipping the egg whites to a stiff peaks then carfully folding the mixture together.
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Sous vide over cooking toughens meat? I'm new to sous vide cooking. The equipment I'm using is a Ronson slow cookerconnected to Sous Vide Magic PID controller, no bubbler. No vacuum sealer. I calibrated the SVM temperature reading to boiling water, and it was veryclose (99.9 oC). I then "auto-tuned" the PID. The end result is that ittakes a long time to get up to temperature (/slow/ cooker), but holds itwithin 0.1 oC once achieved consistently. For my first experiment I wanted to try Douglas Baldwin's Flat Iron Steak recipe. (12hr @ 55 oC) I chose three well marbled blade steaks (cheap cut) with a little bit of bonein the centre. Each steak was individually sealed in a zip-lock bag using thewater submerge method Doublas Baldwin recommends. The first day I cooked them for 10 hours (not 12, it was dinner time, and I wasimpatient :( ). I quickly seared the steak 30 seconds per side in a very hotpan and rested it for 3 minutes before serving. It was very tender and had abeefier flavour than any other steak I can remember. But there were sometougher bits around the sinew, but still edible. I left the other two pieces in the fridge over night and continued cooking oneof them for 10 hours the next day. To my surprise after 20hr total of cookingat 55 oC, this piece felt tougher and more rubbery than the first, and thesinewy bits were distinctly even tougher. Does anyone have an explanation forthis? I know thickness in a slab shaped piece of meat is most crucial in determiningcooking time, and each of these steaks was about 15mm thick (so not verythick), so potentially even 10hr was too long? <Q> Anything you salt will firm up in texture over a period of time. <S> I suspect that since you cooked these with seasonings and then chilled and left them in the fridge before reheating an eating they firmed up a great deal in the fridge. <S> If you check out this blind tasting conducted by Dave Arnold at Cooking Issues you'll find some more detailed info about this topic. <S> The gist of it is that for cook-chill-reheat purposes you shouldn't salt the meat before searing. <S> For cook-direct serve meals <S> your just fine doing it that way. <S> http://www.cookingissues.com/2011/10/12/to-salt-or-not-to-salt-thats-the-searing-question/ <A> The best way to judge doneness of food (especially when cooked sous vide) is to take its temperature, rather than use size/time tables. <A> From the same book, Dougles Baldwin's sous vide guide , "The water-holding capacity of whole muscle meat is governed by the shrinking and swelling of myofibrils." <S> If you cook meat too long, you will end up with more moisture in the bag outside of the meat, rather than inside the juicy steak. <S> You can see this if you cooking two similar steaks for drastically different amounts of time - there's a lot more water left in the longer-cooked bag. <S> Cuts that are meant to be cooked for a long time are done to break down collagen into gelatin, making a hard cut softer, but cooking even longer dries out any meat. <S> Soft cuts don't have much collagen and don't benefit from a long cook.
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Another possibility is that the extended cooking time dissolved and extracted all the collagen in the meat, making it seem "tougher".
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How can I cultivate and store yeast? I am often making a basic leavened bread for some basic recipes, like naan, burek, focaccia, pizza, etc. However, I find that dry active yeast is prohibitively expensive, considering it is a self-replicating living organism. Is there a way to effectively create and store yeast for a reasonable period of time (~3 months) from a mother spore? <Q> In order to store yeast for that period of time it has to be make inactive, and the process to do that yourself is challenging, time consuming, and you'd need specialist equipment. <S> It would be prohibitive in both time and cost, far above just buying yeast. <S> You can of course make a starter by mixing equal amounts of flour and water plus some yeast, this will keep the yeast alive by feeding it, and you can keep it alive indefinitely by feeding it once per week. <S> You add some of the starter to your bread and it supplies active yeast. <A> You can "hibernate" a yeast starter in various ways. <S> Firstly, if you leave a starter in the fridge, and neglect to feed it, it can be revived after months or even years, by kneading it into some fresh dough, and feeding it as normal for a few days. <S> Secondly, you can freeze a starter. <S> After thawing it, again knead into fresh dough, and feed as normal, and once again you'll have a healthy starter after a few days. <S> Thirdly, you can preserve a starter by drying it. <S> Spread some starter very thinly on parchment paper, and allow it to dry completely. <S> Crumble this into fresh dough to create a new starter containing the old yeast. <S> If you bake regularly, though, you don't need to do any of this. <S> Just keep a starter continuously fed. <S> Never use all of it at once, but stir in some fresh water and flour to replace what you've used. <S> If you're lucky, or careful, you can preserve the strain of yeast you start with. <S> Normally, however, even if you start with commercial yeast, a wild strain will soon become dominant, and what you have there is a sourdough. <S> Many people prefer sourdough, but you do have to get used to its slower action and its more acidic flavour. <S> Preventing other strains from colonising, is one of the complexities that contributes to the cost of producing commercial dry active yeast. <S> However, as others have noted, bought in tubs rather than sachets, it should be very cheap compared to the other ingredients in your bread. <A> Place a glass with water and flour <S> just covered with some fine mesh (so no insects or large particles fall into it) and leave it overnight exposed out. <S> Some yeast you catch would be terrible for making bread <S> but some others would yield a great sourdough. <S> Once you find you you like you can keep it alive forever in the manner <S> answer 1 describes. <A> I would also recommend going for the "starer idea", using water, flour and a little yeast. <S> I did this last year for severeal months and it worked really well for me (used it to bake bread most of the time). <S> However, I just wanted to add <S> , that I know this kind of starter-usage as sourdough , rather than yeast.
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You can also try to capture "wild" yeast.
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Can I cook two types of dried beans simultaneously? My bean cooking method is to soak overnight, then cook in a crockpot on low all day. By dinner time the beans are ready. I have only ever done this with a single type of bean at a time. However, I would like to make chili and I have two types of beans (white beans and red kidneys) and am wondering if this method would work if I mix the two types of beans together. Would this be generalizable to other types of beans cooking together, or more than two types of beans at a time? <Q> The beans should obviously have similar cooking times. <S> For example I wouldn't cook chickpeas with other, harder beans because the chickpeas would be mush. <S> Most varieties do have similar cooking times <S> so this isn't often a problem. <S> Second, black beans shouldn't be soaked with any other beans because they will stain the other beans a very unappealing gray color. <S> Admittedly this is cosmetic <S> but I soak my black beans separately <A> I'd like to mention possible 'gotchas' if you're going to do this -- <S> You want to use similar-sized beans. <S> If you're mixing small & large beans, then they're likely not going to cook at the same time. <S> Avoid old beans. <S> They take longer to soften, and you don't want to find that one bean refuses to soften while the other has turned to mush. <S> If you're cooking red beans or any kidney bean, you need to boil the beans for a few minutes at the beginning of cooking to inactivate the phytohaemagglutinin . <S> .... <S> So, in this particular case -- you should not just soak & throw them into a slow cooker -- <S> as you have red kidney beans, you'd need to boil them for 10 minutes before cooking. <S> If you were doing this on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker, you'd be fine ... <S> but not a slow cooker. <A> Any kind of beans can be cooked together. <S> It's all about preference and your imagination. <S> Try white beans, kidney, lima and pinto beans. <S> They cook well together and make an awesome baked bean dish. <A> I have a huge jar of mixed beans left over from other bags just a Hodge podge.. <S> and I cook them all together <S> I presoak them fast soak when I forgot.. <S> it's got everything I can think of in there <S> (were bean eaters lol). <S> From chickpeas, limas, pinto, black, red and green lentils, black eyes peas, white beans red beans.. <S> I just throw in a whole peeled onion (it disolves and gives the beans a nice sweet flavor) seasonings some sort of pork (bacon, sausage, ham hocks, left over ham bone, whatever's on hand) usually and let simmer all day. <S> Never an issue. <A> I always mix beans for soups and chillies, only one type is too boring for me, never an issue. <S> Actually, you can find bags of "15-bean soup" kits in the bean section of grocery store - they also needs to be presoaked and manufacturers dont expect you to sort everything out and soak/cook each type of bean separately :-) <A> It is okay. <S> I'd suggest boiling them first, separately, to cook out the undesirable colors. <S> Also, if you boil the beans, let them cool, drain and cover with fresh water, boil again, repeat this until they will not boil up anymore. <S> This removes the coloring and gassiness, at which point I combine them in the slow-cooker.also soaking before the boiling helps gas as well.
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Most beans can be soaked and cooked together with two exceptions.
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Baking naan without an oven? Is it possible to make eggless naan without an oven? <Q> I've had good luck baking naan on an indoor grill. <S> I have an electric one, but you could use a stovetop one as well. <S> Just apply a little butter, ghee, or spray oil, wipe it off, and bake. <S> (Click for larger images) <S> I used an alternative method to make lavash: an inverted wok over a stove burner. <S> You'll need a gas stove to do this one. <S> I applied them dry, cooked about 1-2 minutes on one side only. <S> You can brush with butter or ghee after they're done. <A> A naan by definition is a leavened flatbread baked in a tandoor. <S> You can improvise by using a very hot oven, perhaps with a pizza stone to retain heat when the oven door is opened, and to transmit heat into the naan through direct contact. <S> However, you have asked how to prepare naan without any kind of oven. <S> You can cook bread that's similar to a naan on a dry frying pan. <S> Prepare the dough in the same way as you would prepare naan dough. <S> Heat a frying pan until it is very hot. <S> Roll out pieces that will fit in the pan and are about 5mm thick. <S> Place in the frying pan and heat until cooked on one side. <S> You will see it swell up. <S> Turn it over to cook the other side. <S> This is not naan - it is closer to kulcha - but it is a delicious flatbread accompaniment to curry, just like naan. <A> I have had the best results baking naan on an outdoor grill- <S> preferably charcoal. <S> Get the grill as hot as you can. <S> If your grill is big enough then indirect heat would be good. <S> If the bread is over the flames then there will be a little charring but that tastes good as long as it isn't excessive. <S> The naan will cook for around a minute on each side. <S> Use plenty of butter. <A> The key to naan is temperature of baking. <S> I have found that somewhere around 315 °C – 425 °C [600 °F – 800 °F] is the optimum temperature for making naan. <S> Most home ovens are not able to attain that high a temperature, which is why it is difficult to replicate the results of a restaurant at home. <S> Without an oven it is even more difficult to attain that high a temperature, although there are recipes that use the inside wall of a pressure cooker as a tandoor for making naan on the stove top. <S> You can try using that technique but increase the percent hydration of the dough. <S> I make naan dough with about 80 percent yogurt by weight. <S> You can try increasing the proportion of yogurt and see if the stove top technique works. <A> I personally don't have experience with naan-baking, however I once made tortillas (which is of course not the same as Naan) in a non-stick skillet which worked nicely. <S> Even though tortillas and Naan are two different things, I recommend you try it using a skillet. <A> Yes. <S> I have seen a video on YouTube about it http://youtu.be/wduhE_MB7Nc
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I think the closest you can get to Naan without an oven is to bake it in a pan/skillet on high heat (as mentioned as well earlier).
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How to ensure that the chicken meat is not over cooked or under cooked? I am cooking the chicken breast (together with bones and cut into 4 main pieces) in a soup. (The soup was cooked with some other ingredients first and then the chicken was pieces was thrown after 1 hour of cooking the soup. The fire was removed after boiling the chicken for 15 minutes) However, I notice that the chicken meat when taken out, some are rather uncooked (the outside of the meat is OK but the inside towards the bones is not. Some are rather overcooked as the meat is tough to chew (the outside layer was like plastic and the inside towards the bones are rather hard). How do I maintain the consistency such that all the 4 pieces of meat are not under cooked and over cooked? <Q> It is fairly atypical to cook large, bone-on pieces of chicken—including breasts—directly in soup. <S> After all, who wants to find bones in their soup? <S> (Making stock is another story....) <S> Bone on chicken breasts difficult to cook evenly, due to their shape. <S> Some parts are thin, and will cook through rapidly, and other parts are thick and require a much longer time to cook. <S> This makes it easy to have overcooked and undercooked areas. <S> They are also a little unforgiving in soup if overcooked, as they tend to become tough or stringy in texture. <S> Normally, chicken would be pre-cooked via another method, and then cut up or shredded, and placed in the soup in the last few minutes in order to heat through for service. <S> The skin can be removed prior to adding the chicken to the soup, if you desire. <S> Note that this method will not add the flavor and gelatin (for that rich texture) from the bones to your soup. <S> Instead, as cook chicken parts for other dishes, save the bones and other scraps in the freezer. <S> When you have several pounds (a couple kilograms), you can use them to make chicken stock. <S> Homemade chicken broth is a fantastic base for soup, and will help you achieve an excellent flavor. <S> If you absolutely want to cook chicken breast directly in your soup, I recommend that you de-bone it. <S> Cut it into bite sized pieces. <S> As one of the last finishing steps in preparing the soup, reduce the pot to a simmer rather than a full boil, and drop in the chicken pieces. <S> This will permit the chicken pieces to poach gently in the broth. <S> Your soup is ready for service. <S> once they are cooked through—my guess is about 15 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces, but check them occasionally. <A> Best would be to cook the chicken using sous vide separately and only add it after the cooking/boiling of the soup. <S> If that is not possible, your should consider the following: Try to make the chicken pieces the same size. <S> Start cooking the biggest pieces first so that they can cook longer. <S> Reduce the heat and cook longer, this will make the difference between over cooked andunder cooked less. <A> You don't mention the other ingredients, but assuming that they are vegetables, potatoes, etc., they will cook in much less time than the chicken. <S> You could try cooking the chicken first, and then adding the other ingredients. <S> Or you could try preparing the chicken in other ways, in a separate pan: for example, you could use smaller pieces of the chicken and fry them, and afterwards add it to the main cooking (in your case, a soup).
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My favorite method of preparing chicken to use in soup or other recipes is to roast it, still skin on for flavor, but any method will do.
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Do you know of any good rectangular spice storage solutions? Currently I'm storing most of my spices in a cabinet next to the stove. That's the best place for them. However, because of the way the shelves are spaced, I generally need to stack containers, leading to a pretty huge mess in our spice cabinet. I'd like to get some containers that are relatively uniform in size so they can be stacked on top of each other without falling all over the place. And I'd like them to be rectangular or some other non-circular shape so they can be placed in rows easily. And, for the tricky part, I'd like containers that have some sort of shaker part so I can shake the spices in if I want to. Any suggestions? I've seen some very expensive things out there and am wondering whether there are other options. I can store spices that don't fit in the containers on the second shelf of the cabinet, so I don't mind the size quite as much. <Q> My solution to this is to use the containers I already have and put them on this: <S> It's called a double decker lazy susan. <S> I've had mine about 30 years <S> but I'm sure they are still sold. <S> It spins to make it easy to access anything. <S> You put some spices on the top shelf and some on the bottom. <A> What do you think of these ? <S> They are rectangular, and not ugly but perhaps a bit expensive. <A> Have you thought about a magnetic spice rack? <S> This one is from the Container Store, but there are several different models out there: http://www.containerstore.com/shop/kitchen/spiceStorage?productId=10011223 <S> This way, you could hang an inexpensive magnetic strip inside the cupboard door (You can find them at most craft stores, IKEA, etc) and then attach your spices to it. <S> I use this method, and I really like it. <S> You could also hot glue/super glue big magnets to your existing containers and put them on the strips that way. <A> Emsa has spice organizers designed to solve this problem. <S> I don't know if they are available worldwide, but at least in Europe, it shouldn't be too hard to get them. <A> Check out these types from Clubhouse . <S> They come with shaker, and larger opennings. <A> I have bought freeze-dried spices in small, square carton-like containers that are meant to be stored in the fridge (they don't have to be), and are easy to make a row of in the inside door of my fridge - dill, parsley, etc. <S> Storable for a long time, actually. <S> These could be adapted to the counter. <S> They're sold under the "President's Choice" label, and perhaps others? <S> Also, "TableFare" has an interesting triangular, stackable system which doesn't take up a lot of space - don't know the price, sorry - www.tablefare.com <A> I personally use two lazy susans, like Kate has mentioned ... <S> but if also have the option of finding a 'spice rack', where you have a set of shelves or a carosel that holds the spices horizontal. <S> The carousel ones generally come with jars (sometimes with stale spices already in them), the shelves might not, but they're more flexible in dealing with non-uniform containers. <S> ... <S> but you can also get shallow wire shelves that have a lip that you can mount to the inside of the cabinet door ... so that you pull the front row of spices to the door and reducing the number that you have to look behind on your shelves. <S> The multi-shelf ones require better measuring when you install, as you want to make sure that you don't have the rack or bottles in the same plane as the cabinet's shelf.
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In some places you can buy the spice in a stackable rectangular container.
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How much to reduce salt when using salted butter in place of unsalted butter I normally don't keep unsalted butter on hand since I use it so seldom. So when a recipe calls for salt and unsalted butter among its ingredients would it be alright to use salted butter and reduce the amount of salt? And if so, by how much should the salt be reduced? In other words, how much salt is typically contained in a tablespoon, ounce or gram of salted butter? <Q> Depending on brand, it is approximately 1 1/4 tsp per pound (US), or a little more than 1/4 tsp per stick (4 oz). <S> For most applications, yes it is fine to substitute and adjust; you can just adjust the "salt to taste" step of your recipe in many cases. <S> There are a very few uses (such as yeast raised dough) where you want to be more precise. <S> I would not use salted butter for a yeast dough by preference, but if I had to, I would calculate the amount of salt to remove from the other ingredients based on this ratio: 1 1/4 tsp salt / 16 oz butter <A> Salt is sodium chloride, it's 40% sodium by weight. <S> Land O Lakes salted butter (my go-to brand) has 90mg of sodium per tablespoon. <S> That means it has 225mg of salt per tablespoon, or 1.8 grams per stick, 7.2 grams per pound. <S> Table salt weighs 5.7 grams per teaspoon, so Land O Lakes salted butter contains 1.26 teaspoon of salt per pound of butter. <S> I always bake with unsalted butter, but just now I am making a brioche according to a recipe that will take as much as 6 ounces of butter in one loaf. <S> That’s a stick and a half, a BOATLOAD of butter. <S> I wanted to make it special and use a highly rated, European style cultured butter. <S> I’ve got the butter, but it was only available salted. <S> That’s ok. <S> This brand has 55mg sodium per tablespoon. <S> That’s 660mg sodium for all of the butter in the recipe. <S> 660mg sodium = 1650 <S> mg salt (NaCl), or 1.65 grams. <S> The recipe calls for 3.3grams of salt to be added with the (unsalted) butter, so I’ll add (strangely enough) <S> half of that, 1.65 grams. <A> According to the folks at America's Test Kitchen, the salt content in butter varies and may increase or decrease the amount of water in the butter. <S> If you use unsalted butter, there are few if any variations. <S> I've baked muffins and cookies with both salted and unsalted butter and personally prefer unsalted butter in baking but salted butter when adding to a finished dish (vegetables) or making things like grilled cheese. <A> If you're substituting the unsalted butter you have into a recipe that calls for salted butter: <S> If using metric units, add about 1.5% salt. <S> That means for 100g of butter, add 1.5g of salt. <S> If using English measure, add 5/16 tsp per 4 oz stick of butter. <S> Similarly, if you're substituting salted butter into a recipe that calls for unsalted butter, remove an equivalent amount of salt elsewhere. <S> Be more cautious going this direction, though; for example, if you're making a dish where butter is added separately from the salt, you should think about why the salt is being added separately before using salted butter.
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If you're in the US, labeling laws actually make it pretty easy to know exactly how much salt is in your butter, and yes, it varies by brand.
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Can Rum-balls be made without alcohol? My wife and I enjoy a recipe for rum-balls that she has made in the past, but we have friends that choose not to consume any alcohol. Is there any hope for non-alcoholic rum-balls? What could be substituted? <Q> Can you make rum balls without rum? <S> Well... <S> I suppose you could use rum extract, which has a very intense rum flavor. <S> You would also want to add some sugar syrup or water to make up for the lost moisture in your recipe. <S> However, you would not get the exact same outcome due to the lack of the evaporative effect of the alcohol when eating the confection, and due to the lack of alcohol as a flavor carrier. <S> I surveyed a number of rum ball recipes. <S> For yields of about two dozen to five dozen, none of them used more than 1/2 cup of rum. <S> This means that the rum per serving is on the order of a tablespoon or so, or less. <S> You and your friends might feel this is a level of rum consumption that is fine. <S> I don't drink alcohol myself, and this level would not bother me. <S> There are many, many, many desserts and confections that you could make. <S> If your friends are strongly opposed to any alcohol at all, why choose this one, where you are trying to substitute for the key ingredient that gives the dish its identity? <A> <A> I made rum balls and substituted orange juice. <S> These were for the kids so it worked out great. <S> Since you can substitute Baileys, I made peppermint balls using peppermint coffee creamer, instead of rum, with a dash of mint extract. <S> I rolled them in a combination of powdered sugar and finely crushed peppermint candy. <S> Delish!
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Just use artificial rum flavoring in the recipe instead of rum.
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What can be used as a wrapper with minimum taste? I'm creating a recipe, which is essentially a duck parcel. The problem I have is how to make a parcel. Filo pastry worked but is too dry. I then read Giorgio Locatelli's idea on use very fine potato sheets, where the starch will help it to glue, but I couldn't get this to work (may be I had the wrong potato, I don't know, I couldn't create a parcel, it only worked as a 'basket' with no lid). The potato would have been great because it's not a very powerful taste and would not have overpowered the honey duck. So, filo was too dry. Potatoes may have worked but I couldn't get it to work and of course bacon is obvious but the taste would be too over powering. So, what else can be used to create a parcel around food? <Q> It's not entirely clear if this needs to be cooked after being wrapped. <S> If you can cook it beforehand, and you really want something that has no taste at all, then you can't do much better than the technique Adria uses his tomato and black olive ravioli , which is basically to create paper-thin sheets of gelled agar and gellan, cut them into circles, and wrap. <S> Of course the technique makes it trivially easy to adapt to other shapes and sizes. <S> If you really want them totally sealed, a torch or even a smear of very hot water should do the trick, it'll gel again as it cools. <S> If this needs to actually be baked or fried, then I'd go for dumpling wrappers or gyoza wrappers, which are just circular versions of spring roll skins. <S> This is exactly the application they exist for, and there are various kinds of rice-based skins that are so thin, they're actually translucent: <S> It goes without saying that white rice is pretty bland and won't add much flavour of its own. <S> The Cook's Thesaurus also has a long page on wrappers ; if the above don't work, maybe one of their other suggestions will suit your fancy. <A> You could use baking paper - a French technique called en papillote . <S> You just fold the paper carefully to create a good seal. <S> Another alternative is a simple Chinese-dumpling style pastry made from flour, salt and hot water, but this is perhaps not as well suited to baking. <A> In addition to the suggestions ElendiTheTall makes, various cuisines have a tradition of wrapping food with leaves (these are just some examples): <S> Grape leaves, as in Greek cuisine, for dolmades Corn husks or banana leaves, as in various South American and South Western cuisines for tamales (possibly with a masa layer) <S> Cabbage leaves, as in various European cuisines Another option would be wrapping the food with a flat bread after it is partially or fully cooked, such as a tortilla, as in enchiladas, burritos, taquitos, and so on from various South American and South Western cuisines. <A> There is Vietnamese rice paper <S> (it is not paper, mind you: this is edible, and paper is not) <S> that looks designed for what you have in mind. <S> http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2009/06/vietnamese-rice-paper-buying-tips.html <S> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banh_trang <S> bánh tráng needs to be rehidrated before use, but the process sounds quite easy. <S> Then you end up with something like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goi_cuon <A> For a more continental alternative to the ones mentioned here: a crepe. <S> They're also easy enough to make from scratch from the most staple of ingredients. <S> With enough skill, you can get them to less than 1 millimeter thick, and they can obviously be cooked. <S> If you use half-water and half milk, and oil instead of butter, you can make the flavour even more neutral. <S> Not sure how specific you need the parcel shape to be. <S> It'd be easiest to just roll up the filling in them, but that might be better if the filling is cooked beforehand if you're going for a short cooking time. <S> Otherwise the prolonged frying will make the crepe taste toasty, although honey and duck should be able to stand up to that. <S> If you don't need a perfect seal - say the parcels are more for presentation and delivery <S> you could also wrap it the way galettes bretonnes are:
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If filo was too dry you could also try a short pastry, which has more fat and thus should be softer.
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Using noodle cooking water to loosen sauce? One of my guilty pleasures is perusing my wife's Real Simple magazine for recipe ideas and cooking tips. In the March 2013 issue one of the cooking tips has me a bit confused. In the Three Steps to Knockout Noodles article step 3 recommends: Reserve ½ cup of the [noodle] cooking water. The starchy, seasoned liquid is great for loosening up cheesy, creamy, or tomato-based sauces. What is being recommended here: to use the cooking water in the sauce? to use the water as a cleaning agent on plates? <Q> I always reserve a bit of pasta water to add it to the pan. <S> The reason is simple: if you drain your pasta and add it to the sauce the pasta will suck up all the sauce and become a bit dry. <S> Adding the pasta water ensures that your pasta will remain moist. <S> Also yes, it helps thickening the sauce (this does not necessarily apply to tomato sauce). <S> Now, let's be clear: you DO NOT add your pasta water to the sauce when you are preparing the sauce. <S> You only add it when you put your pasta in the sauce. <S> It also helps if you don't drain the pasta, just take it out of the boiling water (using tongs, ofc) and put it in your sauce while still on the stove. <S> A quick 30-50 secs stir and that's it. <S> Hope this helps. <S> PS: <S> 1/2 cup seems like a lot to me. <S> For two portions of pasta I usually add around 3 tablespoons. <A> In these cases the starch in the water coats the proteins in the cheese and prevents them from binding to the cheese's fat which would otherwise act as a sort of glue as it melts. <S> This is the same reason why, when making Fondue, you typically coat the shredded cheese with a small amount of flour, cornstarch or arrowroot. <S> An example of a dish where using the pasta water is required for the recipe to turn out correctly is Cacio e Pepe <S> (Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano and Black Pepper) <A> Based on a bit of goole centric research <S> thekitchn.com: <S> Quick Tip to Thicken Sauces with Pasta Water , Bon Appetit: <S> How to Make Perfect Pasta tip #4 , and a few others it looks like a common enough practice to add your starch water to sauce in order to give it a smoother creamier texture thus improving mouthfeel. <S> You'd also be adding flavors from the starch water itself; presumable any salt you would have added to the cooking water. <S> The recommendation seems to be primarily for oil based sauces, but may aid tomato sauces as well. <S> To me this seems odd, and I personally am not jumping to give it a go. <S> I like my home made pasta sauces <S> just fine thank-you-very-much. <A> They're recommending using the water in the sauce. <S> It adds flavor, some of that being the salt you presumably added to the water. <S> Also, see the answers to this question .
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In addition to the reasons covered in other answers, some pasta dishes with sauces including cheese actually require using some of the cooking water in order to turn out correctly.
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Alternative to Food Grade Silicone I recently bought a new meat grinder and they recommend washing it with hot water, drying it completely, and spraying a food grade silicone to prevent the stainless steel parts from rusting. Can I just use a light coating of oil like I do my cast iron to prevent rust? <Q> You can wash this off before use <S> Most meat grinders need a drop or two of oil on the bearing surfaces before you start grinding. <S> Use any food oil you have handy as you will be washing it off when finished <A> Oil on cast iron pans is not for preventing rust, it's for seasoning - the heat polymerizes the oil and creates a nonstick layer bound to the pan. <S> That's why you don't put oil on the whole pan, just the part you actually cook food on. <S> If you try to oil your meat grinder, it's not going to be bound to it, and you'll just have an oily grinder that gets oil on everything it touches. <A> the blade and plates are usually not stainless even if the rest of the unit is. <S> I always figured it was because stainless (while harder and better and holding an edge) is somewhat brittle and could flake off from bits of bone. <S> just a thought though.
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Dry stainless steel parts should not rust, and should not need any oil for storage For non-stainless steel parts, use any food grade oil as a rust preventative coasting.
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How can I get rid of garlic breath? I personally do not enjoy eating garlic, but some people in my family do. I really dislike the smell, and I care for them. I do not want to be rude, but if I can have some help on how to get rid of the smell, that would be great! Thanks! <Q> Before answering directly to the quesiotn, a little forword is needed: <S> The garlic contains allicina (alliisina , glucoside solforato), an enzyme (alliinasi), vitamine A, B1, B2, C and niacina (another vitamin in B complex). <S> What happens is that there is a serie of chemical reactions when you chew the garlic, with the result of creating allile disolphour, which is what have the typical garlic smell. <S> The latter substance is very volatile and easily get in solution in liquid and gases. <S> So.... (this is the interesting part) <S> when you ingest it, the propagate almost everywhere in your body. <S> That's why you can smell it thorugh the organs which eliminate this substance, that is to say lungs, kidney, skin. <S> Hence, in conclusion, when you eat garlic, it is not only a problem of your breath, but your whole body smells of garlic (in fact <S> if you make sport and you sweat, you'll see you smell of garlic). <S> This said, here are some remedies for the breath: <S> Chew sage leaves or prasley Chew cofee grains <S> Chew liquorice stick <S> Chew anice grains <S> Eat slowly a honey spoon <S> Eat slowly an apple <S> Drink <S> slowly a grappa Drink some milk or some yougurt spoon <S> Chew slowly some lemon slices <S> Drink some sodium bicarbonate. <S> last, use mouthwash prepared with cloramine solution at 1%; the clorite will get in contact with your body tissues, mitigating the garlic essential oil effect. <S> In any case, after a while (maybe hours) <S> the smell will come up again. <S> References: http://www.placidasignora.com/2011/01/14/chi-laglio-mangia-daglio-sa-rimedi-contro-il-puteolare/ http://benessere.atuttonet.it/consigli/rimedi/alito-aglio-rimedi.php <A> Sometimes its not just a matter of brushing your teeth to get rid of the smell of garlic. <S> Actually the smell of garlic in your breath even after you have brushed your teeth after eating, it comes from your stomach . <S> To get rid of the garlic smell, try one of the following methods 1 , 2 : <S> Try drinking some green tea. <S> This helps sometimes. <S> Use home made lemonade because store-bought lemonades tend to have very few actual lemons in them. <S> Turn the spoon upside down to get your tongue all the way back! <S> Exercise immediately after eating a meal that contains a lot of garlic. <S> This will speed up the excretion of the garlic and make the body odor less prominent throughout the rest of the day. <S> Be sure to shower and apply antiperspirant or deodorant after exercising. <S> Drink <S> an 8 oz. glass of milk with your meal or eat 6 <S> oz. <S> of yogurt after the meal. <S> The live cultures in yogurt will prevent the bacteria from remaining in your mouth. <S> Milk inhibits the growth of bacteria. <S> Eat an apple, orange, lemon or slice of melon after eating a meal with garlic. <S> The citric acid will keep the mouth moist with saliva, preventing the growth of bacteria that causes bad breath. <A> Not necessarily related, but assuming you're cooking with cloves of garlic, cutting them in half and removing the heart (the little green bit in the middle), and then adding them to whatever recipe significantly cuts down on the smell it gives your breath.
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So, apart from not eating it, another remedy is in the cooking: If you make the garlic boil before using it, the high temperature will inibite the production of the smelling agent, and you'll not have this killing smell. Drink a liquorice or mint decoction Drink lemonade, or eat a lemon. Run a stainless steel teaspoon all around inside your mouth, touching all the skin surfaces, including the entire tongue and the sides!
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Are there visual differences between regular and decaf coffee? I once asked a waiter at a restaurant how he managed not to mix up cups of regular and decaf coffee when bringing them to various tables. He replied that he could tell by looking at the bubbles – in one type, the bubbles linger, whereas in the other they disappear quickly (of course, I can't remember now which one he said was which). However: I can't find any evidence or research that supports this, but I don't have any reason to believe that the guy wasn't being serious. Is there any truth to this? <Q> Coffee foam/bubbles is made up of a mixture of proteins, sugars, oil droplets, caffeine etc , and the lifetime of a bubble is highly dependent on the composition of its membrane. <S> Given that decaf is coffee that's been solvent extracted, it wouldn't be at all surprising to see its different composition affecting bubble lifetime. <S> However, no one seems to have conducted definitive studies of the matter. <S> – answer upped from comments as requested. <A> Background: <S> I'm no expert, but I'm very picky about coffee. <S> I prefer dark, smooth roasts that aren't too bold. <S> I used to grind my beans by hand with a mortar and pestle prior to brewing in my French press, but I got lazy and addicted. <S> However, I still pay close attention to the appearance, smell and taste of my coffee. <S> Now I grind with the machine at the store and use a Keurig. <S> I just had decaf coffee for the first time. <S> I bought two bags of self-ground coffee beans: a bag of Sumatra and a bag of decaf Sumatra (Swiss water method, not solvent-extracted). <S> I have had this brand/roast many times before as recently as a couple of days ago. <S> When I brewed my first cup of decaf, I freaked out because it looked weird coming out of the Keurig! <S> There were teeny bubbles (not quite foam) swirling around as it poured, then they kind of grouped in the middle once it finished. <S> They finally dissipated about halfway through the cup. <S> But coffee DEFINITELY looked different. <A> In some restaurants the decaf is instant. <S> After all, the waiter wasn't telling you how to tell them apart in all circumstances, just how he tells them apart at work.
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Instant and brewed coffee will look very different in terms of things like bubbles, or a little sheen on the surface.
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Is horse meat safe to eat? It's been in the news lately about horse meat being disguised as beef . Is this really that serious? Is horse meat unsafe? Or is it just taboo because horses are "cute"? <Q> It is perfectly safe to eat (when produced, transported, and so on under sanitary conditions, just like any other edible meat). <S> In some cultures it is considered a delicacy; in others, it is not considered appropriate to eat, but those issues of cultural norms, not of safety. <S> The news is because it is a violation of trust (truth in labeling) in a cultural background where horses are not normally eaten. <S> Personally, I might wonder what other shortcuts the purveyor had taken if they are lying about content... <A> From wikipedia <S> Horses in the United States are not bred, raised or treated as meat. <S> Almost all equine medications and treatments are labeled 'not for horses intended for human consumption.' <S> In the European Union, horses intended for slaughter cannot be treated with many medications commonly used for U.S. horses. <S> It is produced and eaten in various countries . <S> A bit of trivia - Icelandic people were reluctant to convert to Christianity for a long long time after Pope Gregory III banned horse meat consumption in 732 AD, because it was considered a Pagan thing to eat horse meat. <A> In the European Union, all horses must have a so called passport, which is a document that ensures that no forbidden medicinal products end up in the meat. <S> When treating a horse, you can in some situations choose to use a drug that is approved for use in the food supply chain, but in some cases this is not possible. <S> Keep in mind that horses will live 15–25 years. <S> If a horse has been treated with a forbidden drug, it is illegal to introduce it in the food supply chain (must not come into the slaughterhouse) and must be sent to destruction or be buried. <S> The scandal in this case is that no one in the supply chain, except where it was wrongly marked beef, knew that it was horse meat and if it was approved for human consumption or not. <A> The issue was with veterinary drugs which are not permitted for food use ending up in the food supply.
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There is no mammal meat which is dangerous, with the exception of certain organ meats such as polar bear liver (which has toxic levels of vitamin A). Adding to @SAJ14SAJ's answer, horse meat is perfectly fine for eating, but not if the horse has been treated with medicines that make it un-fit for human consumption.
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can a person taste the difference between coffee that has been ground 8 hours prior to brew vs 12 hours prior to brew? I have read the other threads and understand that the fresher the bean the better. Also that the closer to brew the better. This question directly relates to the use of a morning cup that is brewed with a timer set drip maker in which the grind takes place the night before. Can someone truly taste the difference between a grind done 8 hours before a brew vs 12 hours before a brew? Will that 4 hours truly make a difference in the chemical composition in a perceptible fashion after it has already been sitting for 8? <Q> Of course it is best to grind directly before brewing, but in your case, as you use a timed drip maker I don't think it acutally does make that of a difference. <S> Plus other aspects also affect the flavor of your coffee (water temperature, temperature of surroundings (kitchen), way of extraction (in your case it could be the way the grounds sit in filter) and, for a great deal, the age of the coffee itself. <S> So if you taste a difference, it could be the result of (an)other factor(s) as well. <S> Not only the + 4 hours of 'sitting time' the grounds had. <S> To sum it up: Simply try it yourself (as Pete Becker mentioned in the comment). <A> It's sort of an exponential thing ( <S> well, logarithmic actually). <S> There is a big difference in smell between, say fresh ground to four hours, but less of a difference between 4 to 8, and even less at 8 to 12. <S> When it's first ground, much of the aroma evaporates into the air, so there is less to lose hours or days later. <S> If you have the luxury to grind the coffee right before you brew, then go for it. <S> If you're trying to plan your day, though, so you can brew in 8 hours instead of 12, I'd say it's not really worth the extra effort. <S> Grind it, put it in an airtight (mason) jar in the freezer, and you'll be fine for a week or so. <A> Much of taste is down to smell, if you cannot smell a difference in coffee <S> that was ground 8 hours versus <S> 12 hours before I doubt you would taste a difference. <S> It would be an interesting experiment, if you try it let us know the results.
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While the timeframe between grind and brew affect the taste of the coffee I wouldn't go as far as measuring it down to hours.
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Why do I need over ripe bananas for banana muffins? Okay, I won't use prefer to use raw bananas for sure. But, I wish to understand why are over ripe bananas required for the muffins. Why won't ripe (yellow) bananas do? From: https://cooking.stackexchange.com/a/24652/6168 You want to wait until they're so ripe you wouldn't want to eat them - blackening skin, very very soft. <Q> They are easier to mash (so that they incorporate more smoothly into the batter), sweeter (more starch has converted to sugar), and more aromatic when overripe. <S> Still, you can get quite a good muffin or banana bread from fully ripe, but not overripe, bananas. <A> Muffins will brown faster. <S> I believe this myth grew out of the fact that recipes were created to use up what would otherwise go to waste: it then was inferred that over-ripe is ideal. <S> My personal opinion (highly heretical) is that slightly under-ripe bananas yield muffins with more banana-y flavor (not burnt sugar flavor). <S> I began experimenting after finding that banana chips are made from half-green bananas. <S> A bit of acid in the muffin batter (sm squeeze of lemon perhaps) further brings out the banana flavor. <S> Starchier under-ripe bananas bake up fluffier relative to the brown ones -I <S> don't even need eggs or egg sub! <S> In the end, it's all about personal preference but for recognizable banana flavor, bake up a batch each and invite friends to a taste test which has 'more bananas' in the recipe. <S> I'm betting greenies. <A> Most people want that distinct banana flavour. <S> Which you get with over-ripe bananas. <S> If you use bananas that are still suitable for eating, it won't be banana-y enough. <A> I have used yellow bananas that were absent of any spots - it was still very young and the bread I baked didn't taste like banana at all not to mention it took very long to brown and the consistency of the bread was not at all suitable. <S> I couldn't bring myself to even share it with anyone else because of how bad it turned out. <S> All I could taste was the cinnamon and nutmeg.
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At the risk of heresy, I say when over-ripe is called for it is by the mistaken impression that the flavor is improved when it is only that it is sweeter, less starchy.
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What helps against astringent mouthfeel from spinach or chard? Spinach and chard dishes, if prepared from fresh veggies, have a somehow astringent mouthfeel, that can be unpleasant. Does anybody know what exactly causes this mouthfeel chemically and/or knows a good counter substance that makes the astringency go away? <Q> Blanching briefly does an excellent job of neutralizing bitterness, or more precisely, astringency, even if the blanched spinach is recooked. <S> Basically, boil water, add washed spinach until submerged (5-30 seconds depending on preference; chard could go up to a minute or so depending on the target texture desired). <S> Drain quickly. <S> Submerge drained spinach in a bowl of ice and water to rapidly chill. <S> Press spinach to remove excess water. <S> Recooking, even in applications like quiche, will do a very nice job of retaining the bright green color and generally astringency, if present at all, is minimal. <S> If I am not recooking in some way, I often just dress simply in something like fresh ginger and soy sauce or a ground sesame, mirin and salt based sauce without reheating. <A> A remedy I would recommend would be a bit of butter or oil, just enough to give a bit of a coating. <S> You could do classic with a bit of butter, salt, and pepper. <S> You could do Italian with some olive oil and garlic. <S> Or Asian with some sesame oil and soy. <A> Spinach and Swiss chard contain small amounts of oxalic acid . <S> This is the same substance that makes rhubarb so tart--in fact, it is the active ingredient in some cleaning chemicals, like Barkeeper's friend. <S> While toxic in large quantities, you would have to eat a lot of greens (on the order of pounds to kilograms) at once to have any issues other than the unpleasant taste and mouth feel. <S> While you could chemically neutralize it, as with baking powder, the results would probably be hideous on many levels, including strange color changes. <S> I would buy only young spinach leaves for short, fast cooking methods; or use one of the longer braise type preparation methods. <A> Growing up, vinegar was always on the table with greens. <S> I particularly like Chinese black vinegar (from Shaanxi) for tougher greens and balsamic for tender ones <A> I learned a little trick for this while living in Italy. <S> I use about 2 tbsp for about 6 oz of raw spinach. <S> Alternatively, I have soaked spinach in milky water before cooking. <S> Rather than patting it dray or straining it, I use tongs to pull the spinach out of its bath, which leaves just the right amount of the milky water on it. <S> This solves the aftertaste problem every time for cooked spinach. <S> I'm at a loss for raw!
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When you are cooking the spinach, add a bit of milk or heavy cream, just enough to coat it lightly and cook off. Though the adding-fat answer is the correct one in my mind (have had plenty of puckery young-spinach sauteed), funnily enough vinegar or lemon replace one pucker feel for another.
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How to sprout quinoa (and other grains) safely I've recently begun sprouting my own grains but I've found (no matter the method I use) that they tend to be too...crunchy? My boyfriend described my last batch of black quinoa tasting like it had some sort of "husk" or "shell" on it that made the flavor and texture less desirable. I make sure to rinse the quinao thoroughly to avoid getting a bitter or soapy result at the end (rinsing at least three times). And rinse at least 2-3 times a day to make sure to avoid mold growth. So far I have tried the following methods, plus some (note: I do not have a sprouter, I use a large mason jar): WikiHow with a short rinse/soak period Ehow with a longer soak and a 2-3 times a day rinse Power of Food with a upside down container to make sure everything is drained off thoroughly I also have used paper towel, light cloths and cheese cloths as covers depending on which method and what it describes. It seems consistently I am getting a little better each time, but they are still a little hard. Is it my water temperature (I've used tap and make sure not to make it too hot or too cold). Any suggestions or tried and true methods to get a good result with grain sprouting? <Q> As you stated above that you have used every possible method, i use simple method for grain sprouting. <S> First i wash grain properly to remove dust and then soak them in normal temperature water for at least time mentioned in recipe. <S> The first step in preparing quinoa is to remove the saponins, a process that requires soaking the grain in water for a few hours, then changing the water and re-soaking, or rinsing it in ample. <S> So, continuously changing water after ever 3 hrs to keep them fresh. <S> Then followed by your usual sprouting method. <S> But for sure there must be the problem with the quality of grain batch which may be due to fertilizing,soil or any other reason. <S> You better purchase from some good quality grains then follow the usual procedure of sprouting. <S> It happens sometimes, i had been through same once <S> but till that stock lasts in my kitchen. <S> There after i went to have good quality grains and issue resolved. <S> Hope it would help you out. <A> It is going to sprout, how it sprouts. <S> If you do not like it, try another seed source or another seed altogether. <S> There are so many plants that have many varieties. <S> Maybe you had a different variety last time or a different seed altogether. <S> One issue may be that the seeds are not for sprouting. <S> I cannot find my notes on sprouting but this looked informative. <S> http://learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/A3385.PDF <A> If your grains seem too firm, you could try letting the sprouts develop further. <S> The longer they have to sprout, the more of the carbohydrates (which can be crunchy) will be used up by the developing plant. <S> If you are exclusively sprouting grains though, some of the crunch may be normal. <S> A lot of grains have a husk or similar outer layer that will never quite go away with sprouting (but may soften a bit more if kept moist longer).
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I am not sure you can change how a grain sprouts.
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How should I clean this mess at the bottom of my wok? I've been using my wok for about a year now, and recently it's developed a kind of patina around the bottom of the cooking surface. I've tried to follow the care instructions as best I can, taking care to wipe it down after use, and only scrubbing it with cleaning fluid when it gets really dirty. If I have to scrub it down I typically wipe some oil over it whilst heating very gently in order to "re coat" the wok. I don't know if this is typical wok care procedure, but I'm following the care guide that came with this particular wok. The wok is made of cast iron, and is sold by Le Creusset, information here . The patina has gradually become more noticeable over time, but it is not flaky, cannot be removed easily by scrubbing and/or washing up liquid. It doesn't impart any kind of negative flavour into the cooking, so it hasn't put me off using it. Does anyone know what this is, and how best to remove it? <Q> A patina is expected in this type of cookware. <S> Even the Le Creuset web site discusses it at this link: <S> http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/Help-Advice/Care--Use/Care--Use-Cast-Iron-Satin-Black-Enamel/ <S> Don't try to remove it. <S> It's the sign of a seasoned pan and is helping, not hurting. <S> If you really feel the need to try to remove it, Le Creuset makes a cleaner for their enamel cookware you could try. <S> We've used it on our pots and it works quite well. <S> http://www.crateandbarrel.com/le-creuset-enameled-cast-iron-cookware-cleaner/s242309 <A> Some years back I cooked on a friend's Le Creusset but it had a teflon coating. <S> Sure yours doesn't? <S> If it is bare metal then changes in color and carbon accumulation are normal especially in the area that receives highest heat. <S> Cleaning would be as per your wok/cast iron protocols -leave <S> it hot and dry and lightly oiled- <S> but looking new is not desirable. <S> So sorry, no advice how to remove marks <S> but if you allow the wok to mature without aggressive scrubbing, it will eventually go nicely dark again (but never new looking) <A> I have one of these woks, the interior is black enamel. <S> I'm sure a lot of people will be aghast at this solution <S> but it works a charm. <S> Just spray it on and wait 1/2 hour or so, then use an old toothbrush to remove the buildup, and wash very well. <S> It will not harm the enamel. <S> I use it on the outside too, to remove the baked on stuff. <S> It will just take a couple of squirts, for your job. <S> Comes out like new. <S> It will remove any seasoning. <S> Not really necessary on enamel. <S> I have at least a dozen LC pieces and use this method all the time and have always had perfect results. <S> Just clean very well, before use. <A> Its hard to tell from the picture, exactly what the surface of the wok is, and the website doesn't provide much help either. <S> It seems that it is coated with something; Le Creusset seems to do enamel and teflon nonstick coatings. <S> Both of these coatings are common and provide a nonstick effect, but neither work terribly well for high temperature stir-frying, which is traditionally done in an uncoated steel pan. <S> If you are sure that it is a patina, on the surface, and that the surface is not being damaged, you should be fine to cook on it. <S> In fact, I would advise against trying to remove the residue, and instead remember to use a fairly liberal amount of oil, and to preheat the oil before adding food to the pan. <S> Traditional steel woks can, as mentioned, be cleaned with a harsh abrasive such as sand or a stone. <S> I would not recommend treating your pan this way, however, unless you want to risk stripping the coating.
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I use Easy Off oven cleaner. Perhaps you could carefully use a scotch-brite pad to remove the residue, but I would only do this if the pan were enamel coated, and still very carefully.
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How to cook grass-fed, high-fat hamburger on electric stove? I've managed, through trial-and-error, to learn how to cook regular hamburgers on an electric stove. But recently, I've switched to grass-fed beef (with 25% fat, higher than regular hamburgers), with less-than-stellar results. So, given these conditions: An Electric stove (Yes, although every cooking book I've seen, thinks you should be cooking with gas - my apartment has an electric stove, so that's what I use.) U.S. Wellness Meats grass-fed, 75% lean burgers . These are pre-formed , and 25% fat , which is higher than the standard burgers I used to cook. I'm sure the fat content affects cooking - I'm just not sure how. 12" Calphalon non-stick skillet (although I'm wondering if I should replace it, that's a separate issue). Infrared thermometer - very nice tool, I can't imagine not having one after using it. What I want to know, is how, using only these resources, to cook a burger that is at least medium-well, if not well-done. So far, I've generally managed to get the outside too cooked, or the inside too pink. I'd appreciate detailed, step-by-step instructions, if anyone has them. Even the so-called basic cookbooks seem to give just one-liners, for things like hamburgers. For instance, one situation I don't know what to do about - after about a minute, the burger starts to bow up, so the underside isn't touching the skillet. It's obviously not getting cooked, so now what? I've seen posts saying you shouldn't press down grass-fed burgers. Most of the time, I'll flip it after a minute, so it's flatter. Is that a good method? I have no idea. Or they say "cook on medium-high heat". Well, my electric stove doesn't have a medium-high setting, it has numbers 1-6. Give me a specific temperature (say, 350F), and I'll use the infrared thermometer to find it. Update: yes, the hamburgers have thawed out in the refrigerator for a day, and I usually set them out while the stove is heating up. I also have an internal thermometer. As for using an oven - I'd prefer to use only the listed resources (with a skillet), rather than extra items (don't have a cast-iron skillet, don't want to cleanup a baking dish). If there is no other way to cook them well, I'd go with the oven, but I'd rather not. <Q> Summary or "detailed" instructions: flip frequently, and if it's still cooking too fast on the outside and too slow on the inside, adjust the temperature down a little. <S> Maybe you'll take two or three tries to get it perfect, but such is life. <S> Medium-high probably means somewhere between halfway and maximum on your stove. <S> There's no temperature, don't worry about obsessing with a thermometer. <S> Just try something 4-5, see how it goes, and adjust if necessary. <S> (A thermometer doesn't really help, in any case, because what you care about in the end is the power output of the stove, not the temperature the pan is at.) <S> Flip as frequently as you want or need to. <S> It'll make it cook more evenly, because you're effectively heating from both sides, instead of letting one side stay cool while the other side cooks. <S> It will also reduce the total cooking time. <S> Notably, Harold McGee has been advocating this for a while, and it really does work - see this blog for some nice plots and cross-sections from simulations, or this Food Lab post for a nice hands-on test with burgers. <S> You can flip as often as every 15 seconds if you want to pay that much attention to it. <S> If you still have trouble with the outside being too cooked (or the inside not being cooked enough), simply reduce the heat. <S> This is universal advice, not at all specific to burgers. <S> Alternatively, for burgers, you could make them thinner. <A> Cooking any item to well done is tricky. <S> I suggest you use a variant of the method that restaurants often use: <S> Place the seared hamburgers in a pre-heated 350 F oven until cooked through to your liking, probably another 10-15 minutes depending on thickness, temperature, and other idiosyncracies. <S> You want an internal temperature of 160 F (measure with an instant read thermometer) for medium-well. <S> They will be grey and unappetizing looking, but that is okay. <S> After removing the burgers from the oven, preheat your frying pan (without the burgers) to very, very hot. <S> Sear the hamburgers on each side until they are brown, crusty, and delecious looking. <S> You should use a pan which is suitable for both stovetop and oven use at these temperatures, or you can use two different pans. <S> Cast iron is ideal for the stovetop searing. <A> Start slow, my electric stove surprised me after using gas for a while, with how hot it could get. <S> Medium or even a little lower at first. <S> The brown searing will come as the patty cooks, and there is no need to "seal in" flavor with an initial high-temp sear. <S> When forming patties by hand, it is helpful to put a "dent" in the middle with your thumb, so the patty is thicker around the edges than in the middle. <S> You can do this to your preformed patties before putting them on, and the middle will puff up <S> so it is disk shaped, instead of ballooning into a football shape. <S> For now, your nonstick pan will be okay, but please do consider something else. <S> Never use soap on them, and learn to keep them seasoned. <S> They'll hold up to high temperature frying much better than nonstick (and with 25% fat, you really won't have to worry about the burgers sticking regardless). <S> On your electric stove a heavy iron pan will even out the heat from the burner. <S> Otherwise, if you want something more similar to nonstick that you can wash, look for black enameled cast iron. <S> They're more expensive, but pretty handy to have around.
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My recommendations are a seasoned cast-iron pan (I saw these at the grocery store for $15-30).
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Which parts of a spring onion should I use in a pasta salad? The recipe I've got ( Commonsense cooking , page 211) for a pasta salad lists spring onion ( green onion/scallions ) as an ingredient, but doesn't say which part to use. Should I be using the long, slender green tops, or the small white bulb, or both? <Q> Using both is fine. <S> I would reserve some of the green end to sprinkle on top for presentation. <S> The white part is stronger so you may want to add it a little at a time. <A> Well if i was you i would taste both parts of the spring onion and decide what will work best with your other flavors, you will find they have a notable difference in taste and texture.. <S> i would go with the green part 99% of the time <A> You could also use Chives instead of spring onions. <S> Green leaves of spring onions are mostly used for garnishing the pasta salads. <S> I use Chives mostly for the following reasons. <S> Chives are less stronger in onion aroma <S> Chive is tendor and has less pronounced onion flavor <S> Less amount is required Ofcourse both has their distinctive flavours <S> and if you desire your dish should have the spring onion flavour then forget about Chives. <S> Here what I mentioned is more for a garnishing/presentation point of view. <A> <A> The whole springonion can be used, except for the roots. <S> The white parts are usually stronger in flavor, but have a more tender texture. <S> The green parts have a more subdued flavor, but are a bit crisper. <S> In older springonions the tip of the green part can become either limp, or dry and bitter, but the rest will usually still be usable.
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The whole onion can be used, but I like the "spring" taste in the greens, so I use three parts finely-cut greens to one part whites.
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What is the difference between corn flour and corn meal? I have a recipe that calls for a mix of corn and wheat flours, but my local grocery stores (in the south east US) only carry corn meal. What is the difference between corn flour and corn meal? Can I safely use corn meal in the place of corn flour? <Q> The difference between the two can be seen below (the post it is from is an experiment comparing corn meal and flour used in anadema bread ): <S> The corn flour is the white, finer ingredient on the right. <S> The first obvious difference is that the texture will differ between the two. <S> The second is that it would have different uses. <S> Both would be effective at displacing gluten-containing flours (as in, neither would be helpful in gluten formation). <S> In terms of substitution, however, corn meal is likelier substituted by something like semolina flour and corn flour is likelier better substituted by quinoa or garbanzo bean flour. <A> Both are ground corn (maize, as they would have it in Europe). <S> The difference is that corn flour is usually ground to a much finer texture than cornmeal. <S> While in some contexts (such as breading chicken), they can both be used, you will get different textural results. <S> In general, you want to use the right product. <S> For example, corn muffins are normally made with corm meal, and if made with corn flour, would be much denser and without the mouthfeel the individual cornmeal granuals provide. <S> Update: in some places, polenta is another term for corn meal (as well as for the porridge or mush made from the corn meal). <S> Masa is dried lye-treated corn, which has been ground. <S> It is used widely in southwestern, central, and south American cuisines, including for the iconic corn tortillas, and for tamales. <A> Corn flour could either be finely ground untreated (the alkaline process) corn or powdered starch (usually corn or sometime wheat based) depending where you live <S> The only way to tell is to check the recipe to which is required. <S> If it is a bulk ingredient like flour for bread volumes, then is probably is finely ground untreated corn. <S> If it is one or two spoons mixed into a liquid and then heated, then is probably is being used as a thickener and they are referring to the powdered starch In many countries of the world you generally cannot purchase finely ground untreated corn, but can readily purchase corn <S> derived starch <S> Please post a link to the recipe if you are unsure <A> Possible definitions are available in a recent publication of Annals of New York Academy of Sciences - look for table 4. <S> Corn meal is listed as particle size from 300 to 600µm, with fat content of 1.8%, while corn flour is listed as particle size less than 212 µm, with fat content of 2.7%. <S> They also mention various definitions in US CFR 137, which provide indirect particle size definitions in terms of how much of the product will pass through various types of sieves/cloth/gauze. <A> That means From Maize flour the starch and protein is separated and the fine smooth part is starch as itvis in Wheat flour when Starch and protein is separated... <S> the starch part is called as Mayeda in Hindi and the protien part is called as Ravaa in Hindi. <S> By:Izzuddin Saify
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In very simple words difference between Cornflour and Maize flour is Corn flour is the Starch part of Maize flour..
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What do eggs with two yolks indicate? For the first time I have seen hen eggs with two yolks. Do they indicate a special kind of hen? OR A special kind of grain fed to the hen? OR Some scientific procedure which makes hens produce such eggs? Are these kind of eggs safe to eat? <Q> Double-yolked eggs are the result of an anomaly in the egg generation process in the hen. <S> They can happen in any breed of hen, on any feed. <S> It is a result of two ova being generated at the same time, and then encapsulated in a single shell. <S> According to My Pet Chicken , it happens more often with younger hens. <S> I am not aware of any process to intentionally foster double yolked eggs, but that doesn't mean such a thing doesn't exist. <S> They are safe to eat, although they may be visually startling. <A> A hen aged between 20-28 weeks has a one in a hundred chance of laying a double yoked egg. <S> Since all the eggs in a box usually come from the same flock and all the birds in the flock are the same age, if you find one double yolk, the probablity of finding more in the box is high. <S> As double-yoked eggs are larger than single yoked, if the eggs are graded to be the same size in a box, the probability of finding them increases. <S> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16118149 <A> According to my onetime teacher in Reproductive Biology at Oregon State University (Go Beavers!), Fred Menino, hens commonly lay multiple yolk eggs (I think the record is 9 yolks, but I may be mis-remembering) <S> when young, before they are completely reproductively competent. <S> To some degree this is a result of the selective breeding programs we (humans) have used to increase the numbers of eggs chickens lay in their most productive laying years, which favors hens that reproduce early in life. <S> It is not a special kind of grain; though the diets of commercial layers is very carefully chosen to maximize egg-laying, that just means getting the hens the closest to perfect nutrition for making lots of eggs. <S> The scientific procedure is selective breeding for maximum egg-laying. <S> This is very powerful. <S> It's not "genetic engineering", but has results very quickly, and has been practiced since humans have been breeding animals for food and profit. <S> The eggs are as safe as any other egg.
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So, to answer the question(s): Yes, it is a special sort of hen, bred for generations to lay huge numbers of eggs.
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Substituting vegetable oil for canola oil Can you use vegetable oil instead of canola in a party mix recipe using saltine crackers? <Q> Short answer is yes, you can almost always substitute vegetable oil and canola oil for each other. <S> Vegetable oil is made predominantly from soybean oil but it usually is a blend of oils from vegetables such as corn, olive, pumpkin seed, grape seed or even canola oil itself. <S> Canola oil is made from pressing a plant that is a hybrid of the rapeseed plant. <S> It has the lowest levels of saturated fats out of all the vegetable oils. <A> Yes you can. <A> Vegetable oil is a category of oils, not a specific type. <S> It could be palm, avocado, or many others. <S> What is typically sold as vegetable oil in stores is soybean oil. <S> My guess is that soybean oil will work as a substitute for what you're doing, but that canola oil may be somewhat healthier.
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You can actually use any oil at all, just be aware that each oil has its own taste and thus the final product will have a slightly different flavor.
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