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Should asparagus be peeled before cooking? I have it from two sources that asparagus should be peeled before being cooked in simmering water (Julia Child) or fried in butter (Heston Blumenthal). I tried Julia's method once and I've been discouraged from peeling them again ever since. I probably overcooked on that attempt; they turned out a bit limp. But even so, don't asparagus look nicer with the skin on? And what's wrong with the skin anyway? The asparagus spears I buy are quite thin with tender skin. Does the advice to peel only apply for thick asparagus spears? <Q> As a rule of thumb that would pretty much coincide with what JustRightMenus said: green asparagus is generally not peeled, but white asparagus should definitely be peeled. <S> I think it's the same plant, just cultivated in a different way. <S> (And interestingly, in Germany and the Netherlands, the green stuff is much less common, whereas in North America I've never seen the white ones.) <A> Strange, I've never heard of peeling asparagus. <S> Ive never done it even with the thickest of stalks. <S> The only thing you have to make <S> sure you do is snap off the woody ends of the stems. <S> I also only steam, roast, or grill my asparagus. <A> My grandmother used to peel her asparagus (the thick-stalked ones) so that it would cook up tenderly and look pretty on her platters. <S> She used to peel her celery , as well (apparently because she believed that thick celery skin was bad for the digestion in addition to being ugly. <S> I've seen similar ideas in some of my old cookbooks). <S> In several of my old cookbooks, the peeling of asparagus is presented as having to do with being able to eat the late, woodier pickings (peeling it ensures tenderness) and aesthetics. <S> Frankly, I think unpeeled asparagus looks just fine, so I don't peel mine---and thick asparagus is great for the grill! <A> I've heard the same recommendation before - <S> the idea is that if asparagus is very thick (say, 1/2 inch or more in diameter), and if the bottom is much thicker than the top of the spear, then peeling it will help it to cook more evenly. <S> First, chop or snap off the bottom inch or so, as it will most likely be inedibly tough. <S> Then peel the next 2-3 inches up. <S> You'll want to lay the asparagus down on a flat surface to do so, so as not to snap it while peeling. <S> I've never had asparagus from a grocery store that was tough enough to warrant this, but it can happen with homegrown, for whatever reason. <A> Normally, I just snap off the woody ends, but if the asparagus is particularly thick I will slice it length-wise on a diagonal. <S> It all comes down to preference, and which is more labor-intensive. <S> In general, I disagree with peeling fruits and vegetables because so many vitamins and good-for-you stuff are in the peels! <A> I have never peeled green asparagus just removed the woody ends and have always cooked it the same way - in my trusty 30 year old Panasonic microwave which never seems to break down! <S> It is perfect every time, just like steaming I guess.
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If you have particularly thick asparagus that seem tough, you may want to peel the bottom section.
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Looking for non-standard (i.e. no dill) fermented pickle suggestions I'm looking for some outside the box ideas for fermented (sour) pickles. Fermented pickles only use a salt water brine, spices and some time. Here's a short list of what I'm NOT looking for: Anything using dill Sauerkraut Kimchee An example of what I am looking for is the selected answer for this question. What flavorings do you use for sour pickles? Cucumber pickles using tarragon. A friend suggested red bell pepper pickles using lemon grass. Let your brain go wild. If you're having trouble thinking of something, pick a spice or herb and then a vegetable that might taste good pickled with it. <Q> I'm including links to specific recipes here, but not all of these recipes give fermenting instructions. <S> I'm sure you could do these fermented though - as opposed to using whatever other pickling method is given. <S> Pickled watermelon rinds <S> are fun - spiced w/ clove, ginger, lemon, and cinnamon. <S> Blueberries can be pickled - try with allspice, cinnamon, and clove. <S> Lemons or limes pickled with ginger and green chiles - or try with cinnamon, peppercorns, and a few hot peppers. <S> I really want to try this! <S> Nuts can be pickled, too: Pickled Green Walnuts may be worth trying. <S> Have you ever had pickled ginger (commonly served w/ sushi)? <S> Lastly, you can also apparently pickle fish. <S> Pickled Herring , anyone? <S> You may want to check out this book, containing 200 pickle recipes or this book with hundreds more . <A> AB did an episode on Good Eats about Pickles a few years ago. <S> Here is a list of his "non-dill" pickle recipes: Firecrackers Summer Fruits Hurry Curry Cauliflower <S> Note: none of these appear to be "fermented", though. <A> Bread and Butter Pickles <S> Ingredients 2 1/2 lbs pickling cucumbers (fresh from the market) 1 pound white or yellow onions, thinly sliced 1/4 cup pickling salt (can use Kosher salt as a substitute, regular table salt has additives in it that will turn the pickles dark and muddy the color of the pickle juice) 1 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar (5% acidity) 1 cup apple cider vinegar (5% acidity) 2 1/4 cups sugar 1 Tbsp mustard seeds <S> 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 3/4 teaspoon celery seeds <S> 1 inch cinnamon stick 6 allspice berries plus a pinch of ground allspice 6 whole cloves plus a pinch of ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon turmeric <A> You didn't specify if there was a certain vegetable you wanted to pickle, but my grandmother used to make excellent pickled green tomatoes, and she didn't use any dill in them that I'm aware of. <S> It looks like most of the recipes I'm seeing online also don't include dill. <A> Here are some Asian inspired ideas: <S> I really like using Japanese Umeboshi plums to flavor other pickles. <S> They are quite tart on their own. <S> I've never experimented with it, but I think it will taste quite good. <S> You can also use Lihing Mui, which is a lightly sweet and really tart flavoring that you can get in powder form. <S> Here's a Hawaiian recipe (with Filipino influence) that uses it... <S> Pickle Mango with Li Hing Mui <A> Inlagd Sill (Pickled Herring) is a favourite Swedish dish: 2 salted herring 3-4 tblsp spiritvinegar (failing that white vinegarwith as high acetic acid content asyou can get) <S> 1/2 cup or 80g sugar 1/2 cup water 1 sliced red onion 1 small sliced carrot 8 <S> dried whole all spiceberries (slightly crushed) <S> 1 bay leaf Soak the salted herring in water overnight. <S> Drain and bone the next day and to make four filets. <S> Slice the filets width-wise to make herring chunks about an inch and a half across. <S> Bring the other ingredients to a boil and then leave to cool. <S> Mix the herring pieces in with the pickling liquid and then fill a pickling jar. <S> Keep the herring in the fridge for two days before serving with boiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, crisp-bread and hard cheese. <S> Update: <S> The spirit vinegar in Sweden (ättika) is sold in as high concentrations as 24% acetic acid. <S> If you are using something below that, adjust the proportions of water vs. vinegar to aim for a final solution around 6%. <S> If your vinegar is 6% to begin with, that means that you can cut out the water altogether using instead about a cup of vinegar. <A> A few suggestions from my own kitchen: <S> Beet spears with caraways seeds. <S> I coat the spears with salt to draw out as much juice as I can, but they definitely need a bit of extra brine to keep covered. <S> They come out with a sweet and sour, Eastern European flavor. <S> Julienned carrots with garlic and whole peppercorns. <S> I usually just slice the garlic cloves in half, but you could mince them for stronger garlic flavor. <S> These also need a bit of extra brine added. <S> I usually ferment them for about a week. <S> They're addictive. <S> Sauerruben. <S> This is a traditional German thing, just like sauerkraut but made with grated turnips. <S> The flavor is a bit mustardy. <S> Fantastic as a condiment for sausages or other strong-flavored meats. <S> I've made all of these multiple times, and they never disappoint!
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Thinking outside of the box...try a traditional sour pickle recipe and throw some of these plums in.
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I was going to try a recipe for Ceviche - are there any fish varieties not recommended? Ceviche is basically using just lemon juice to "cook" the fish, so I was wondering if there are any fish varieties that wouldn't be recommended using this method? <Q> In general, you want to avoid "oily" fish, because it will tend to go rancid rather than curing properly. <S> By oily fish I'm referring to sardines, mackerel, bluefish, and similar "fishy" fish. <S> Farmed trout and true sole also don't work very well, as they're too delicate and tend to fall apart into a fish mush while marinating. <S> Finally, cartiligenous fish, such as shark, skates, and chilean sea bass will be horribly gristly and difficult to chew as ceviche -- and you shouldn't be eating them anyway, they're endangered! <S> Pretty much, you're looking for a lean mild-flavored white-fleshed fish: tilapia, flounder, rockfish, cod, John Dory, mahi-mahi, and similar fish will work in any "generic" ceviche recipe. <S> There are specific recipes for tuna, swordfish, shrimp, squid and octopus which are also excellent, but only if your recipe calls for it. <A> My initial reaction was "stay away from meaty fish like tuna or swordfish" but a quick Google shows those as common variants. <S> That said I like white fish, squid, scallops, and shrimp. <S> But I don't think anything is strictly off limits. <A> There are also variations on ceviche that use gently poached fish instead of raw. <S> If you're at all worried about the quality of your fish, you could try poaching it first.
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Farmed salmon is also generally a bad idea because it's so fatty; in general, you would only make salmon ceviche if you had a specific recipe for it.
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What is 'Cooking Chorizo'? I have a recipe that calls for "Cooking Chorizo" (in the UK). What is this? Would normal cured chorizo be an acceptable substitute? <Q> Spanish Chorizo comes in two forms both of which to the best of my knowledge are fully cured (cooked): one which is more for eating on its own (like salami) and the other which tends to have a higher ratio of fat in it and is used primarily for cooking. <S> The latter one being what the recipe is referring to as "cooking chorizo". <S> Oftentimes the cooking chorizo is in a paper casing that must be removed (unless you need some extra fiber in your diet). <S> Either one of these would work, however you might need to add a little oil to the pan if you need to cook other things in the fat that would normally be rendered out. <S> Mexican chorizo is always a raw product which must be cooked and is usually in a plastic casing. <A> "Cooking chorizo" probably refers to chorizo for cooking rather than eating raw. <S> Cooking chorizos are usually smallish (8-16 cm), sometimes curved like a banana and tied together by a string in chains, whereas eating chorizos are usually straight, larger (30-50 cm), and you eat them raw in thin slices, like salami. <S> In some places in Spain, they use the word "chorizón" to refer to eating chorizo and differentiate it from cooking chorizo. <A> The semi cure only takes a week, where as fully cured takes about 8 weeks. <S> Fully cured you can eat without cooking. <S> If the packaging doesn't state if it's for cooking <S> and you are not sure, check to see if it's semi cured, or not. <S> Cooking chorizo is also spicy - it's not sweet cured! <A> Portuguese chourico comes only one way that I know of. <S> That is raw and needs either frying or cooked in soup. <S> It is high in fat content. <S> I would assume to add flavor also to hold it together. <S> I always buy mine (since I live in Minnesota) from Portuguese food Inc.
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Spanish 'Cooking' Chorizo is semi-cured, hence, you have to finish the cooking process yourself.
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Where can I find ancient ages/middle ages recipes and preparation techniques? I always had an interest for recipes from ancient ages (ancient Greece, Roman empire) and middle ages (i.e. after the fall of the Roman empire until the Renaissance). It's nice to experience what people who lived hundreds of years ago ate daily, or in special circumstances. Does anyone know books or similar resources to propose on this regard ? Thank you! <Q> Many of these recipes are derived from the works of Apicius, but are not solely based on his writings. <S> "Roman Cookery" has been praised for getting beyond just Apicius (the best known resource on Ancient Roman cuisine), but also may be harder to find than the other two. <S> For Medieval cooking you might try "The Medieval Cookbook" by Maggie Black, which focuses on English and French recipes, or "Pleyn Delit" by Butler, Heiatt, and Hosington. <S> Black's book was inspired by "Pleyn Delit" and the two books are somewhat similar, so you might want to only choose one, depending on your interest. <S> Another good choice might be "The Medieval Kitchen" by Redon, Sabban, and Serventi (translated to English by Edward Schneider), which focuses on French and Italian cuisine in the era before New World ingredients were introduced, which sounds like what you're looking for. <S> All of these books include a lot of history and discussion of ingredients and cooking techniques of these eras, and often include original texts so you can judge for yourself how close the interpretations are to the original recipes. <S> On the web there are a number of sites devoted to Apicius and ancient ingredients and recipes. <S> For Roman you might browse this page: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mjw/recipes/ethnic/historical/ant-rom-coll.html or for Medieval recipes you might try these: <S> http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/medieval.html http://www.medievalcookery.com/recipes/ http://www.godecookery.com/godeboke/godeboke.htm <S> Medieval Cookery also makes it easy to browse by category or country. <A> Have you ever visited Gode Cookery ? <S> From the site: Many of the recipes in this site originate from true medieval & Renaissance sources, are fully documented, and have been adapted for use in the modern kitchen. <S> Original sources & bibliographies are featured whenever possible; historical authenticity and research are our main concerns, along with producing viands that are enjoyable & good to eat. <S> Those recipes that are neither authentic nor documented are clearly defined as being so, and are included for those who wish to prepare modern foods with a medieval flavor. <S> Whether it's a small repast for two or an entire medieval feast, a documented period dinner or a party with a medieval theme, Gode Cookery can provide authentic and delicious dishes with which to please and satisfy your guests. <A> A Roman by the name of Apicius is credited with one of the earliest printed cookbooks called "De Re Coquineria". <S> As of a few years English versions of it were still be printed under the name "Food and Dining in Ancient Rome" I believe (I have a copy at home but am currently at work). <A> Besides the stuff that other people have already mentioned, you might check to see if there's an SCA group near you . <S> Most of them focus on different aspects of historical recreation (combat, clothing, dancing, etc), but they also tend to do banquets and such, so they might not only have recipes, but also advice on how to deal with changes in cooking techniques and materials. <A> I was thrilled to see this question. <S> I've always been fascinated with ancient recipes. <S> There's a great online resource of thousands of Ancient Roman recipes. <S> It's called De Re Coquineria by Marcus Apcius. <S> The recipes have been translated from Latin. <S> I covered the information and the links in a post called Eat Like a Roman: http://www.spicesherpa.com/2009/10/14/eat-like-a-roman/ <S> Good luck and have fun! <A> If you would also like to try out prehistoric recipes and cooking techniques, then Jacqui Wood, an environmental and experimental archaeologist is a great source. <S> Her book "prehistoric cooking" and "Tasting the Past: Recipes from the Stone Age to the Present" are brilliant.for medieval cooking there is a website http://www.godecookery.com/mtrans/mtrans.htm which has translations of medieval recipes <A> you might be able to find this Italian title:"Notae de coquina. <S> Manuale di cucina italiana medievale" about Italian medieval kitchen. <S> This wikipedia page is also worth looking: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liber_de_Coquina <S> It lists two links where one can download the digital version of this medieval cooking book. <S> Have fun!
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If you're looking for books, you could try "Roman Cookery" by Mark Grant or "The Classical Cookbook" by Andrew Dalby and Sally Grainger for ancient Roman food, or "The Philosopher's Kitchen" by Francine Segan, which combines ancient Greek and Roman cuisine.
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Boil an egg in the microwave Is it possible to boil an egg in the microwave? Ideally without having to pierce the shell first <Q> It's possible to blow open the door of your microwave if you try it on high for too long. <S> For best results, watch it from about a foot away. <A> I decided to post this as an answer instead of a reply to @AttilaNYC . <S> I think you're better off just boiling it. <S> I'm a big of fan of doing and cooking stuff fast; however, eggs are too perfect and to lean to do that. <S> Boil the damn water, dump your egg in it until it's done. <S> I don't love, but I like this site . <A> Be careful putting whole eggs in the microwave. <S> A relative of mine was burned on her face (fortunately not severely). <S> After removing the egg from the microwave it exploded. <A> Depending on the size of the eggs, you'll need between 6.5 and 8 minutes at 1100 watts. <S> Once you've settled on a brand and size of eggs, you can get them perfect every time - hard boiled, soft yolk etc. <S> by tweaking the cooking time between those two values. <S> Fantastic gadget, 4.5+ stars on Amazon with over 1200 reviews. <A> ** <S> DO <S> NOT MICROWAVE EGGS, NOT EVEN IN A BOWL OF WATER. <S> ** <S> I feel especially strongly about the grossly understated and potentially life-changing danger of doing so, there is no exaggeration. <S> I speak from personal experience, not it-happened-to-someone <S> -I-know. <S> Don't risk serious burns and high speed flying egg shell fragments <S> JUST DO <S> NOT TOY WITH THIS at all <S> ; I had and it was just luck that I did not end up losing my sight, just blistered eye lids and face. <S> If you must use a microwave, heat a big bowl of water ALONE WITHOUT EGGS (put some baking beads in the water to minimise superheating). <S> Then take the hot bowl of water out of the microwave and put the eggs into the hot water to cook. <S> Wrap the entire bowl with a thick towel as insulation to preserve the heat. <S> You do not need to maintain a boil or water at close to boiling point to cook eggs <S> Water makes up nearly 90% of egg white and nearly half of egg yolk. <S> So an egg is >75% water. <S> Microwave cannot distinguish between water in a container and water in the egg and just heat one part preferentially or selectively. <S> Fats in the egg yolk also have dipoles capable of absorbing microwave for heat conversion too. <A> I have heard that you can wrap each egg in a piece of alum. <S> foil, being sure all shell is covered. <S> Put in a micro safe dish with water to cover fully or preheat a sufficient qty of water then add eggs. <S> The foil prevents the microwaves from penetrating the shell and causing exploding eggs. <S> The water is supposed to prevent arcing. <S> Timing would depend on amt of eggs and water, and whether you preheated. <S> * WARNING <S> * <S> I HAVE NOT tried this myself, but it sounds reasonable <A> I admit I haven't tried this in the microwave, but it should work and avoid the exploding-egg possibility altogether. <S> What you would do is, take a large microwave safe container - the larger the better, really. <S> Fill it with water, though leave room for the egg(s). Heat the water until boiling hot. <S> Carefully add your egg, and leave it in the microwave <S> , door closed, until it's cooked - how long will depend on your ratio of egg to water and how cooked you prefer it, but to give an idea four eggs would take about a half hour . <S> The hot water cooks the egg, and since, beyond heating the water, the microwave is never actively aimed at the egg it won't have an opportunity to explode. <S> The technique would work even if the hot water is kept, say, on the counter - though the residual heat in the microwave, and the insulation of its walls, will help keep the heat up <S> so the egg cooks faster, in the same way turning off the stove but keeping the pot on the still heated surface <S> keeps the heat up a bit. <S> If you use the same container and roughly the same amount of water each time, you should be able to figure out pretty precisely what works in your microwave with a little trial and error. <A> I've had eggs explode trying to hard boil them. <S> Just add salt to the water and they no longer explode... <S> I've tried to research why that prevents the explosion, but can't seem to find the science behind it .... <S> BUT .... <S> Trust me ... <S> It does work. <S> I do 3 eggs in 6 minutes on HI now.
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I've been using the Nordic Ware Microwave Egg Boiler for a few years.
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Culinary uses for bolted lettuce? Does anyone have a culinary use for a lettuce which has bolted? Or do I throw it away? Bolting being what gardeners call that moment when your lovely full bodied lettuce suddenly shoots skywards, in order to produce seed. Once salad crops have bolted the leaves still have a good colour, but they are usually thought of as unusably bitter. <Q> Alternatively you might also try a Lettuce and Pea Soup: <S> Sweat onions in butter, season with salt and pepper. <S> Add lettuce and wilt down. <S> Add fresh or frozen green peas along with chicken stock and bring to a simmer until peas are soft and tender. <S> Puree (maybe add a little chopped fresh mint) and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and sugar if the peas don't produce enough sweetness. <A> Bolted lettuce tastes bitter; I'd suggest putting it in your compost pile if you have one. <S> Of course, if you like bitter greens, you could make a salad of your lettuce (perhaps with a mix of other greens) with some dried fruit, toasted nuts, and a little goat cheese; the flavors might marry well. <A> Taste it. <S> If it is too bitter to be pleasant, bin it. <S> In my experience, it usually is too bitter unless it has just barely started to bolt. <A> I've discovered our chickens are very keen on them and that seems to me to be the best use for them. <S> Whilst this isn't a proper food-and-cooking answer <S> the unwanted lettuces are (indirectly) coming back into the kitchen in the form of very lovely free range eggs.
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While it might be too tough and bitter to eat as a raw salad, you might try it as a warm wilted lettuce salad with a sweet and sour dressing (bacon, bacon grease, onions, cider vinegar, sugar) to help mask bitterness.
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Can whole chilli peppers be frozen? I have some Dorset Naga chilli peppers bought from the local supermarket. Aren't they lovely? :) Well, unfortunately, my local supermarket (I think the only one in the UK that stocks them) doesn't always have them in stock, so when they do appear on the shelves, I quickly stock-up on them. Storing them in the fridge, they'll last maybe a week or so before starting to deteriorate. My question is, can these chili peppers be frozen and, if so, will freezing them have any "negative" effects ? I buy these particular peppers for their heat (and also their great smoky flavour), so I'd hate for either the heat or the flavour to be negatively impacted if they were frozen. <Q> Yes, they can be, but you'll want to prick each one with a sharp knife once or twice to prevent them from bursting. <S> Once that is done, put them into a small freezer-safe storage bag, remove as much air as possible from the bag, and seal it. <S> They keep reasonably well for about six months without tasting "burnt," but they tend to be a tad mushy upon defrosting. <S> I always thought the mushiness factor had to do with length of freezing time, but since you asked, I did a bit of research. <S> Apparently, what makes chilies turn to mush actually has to do with how quickly they initially freeze: <S> The undesirable mushy end product that comes from freezing fruits and vegetables isn't from the act of freezing itself, but from how you freeze. <S> Your ordinary freezer, or even deep freezer, freezes food slowly. <S> Chilies have water in their membranes, and as they slowly freeze, it forms jagged ice crystals that pierce and puncture the membrane, so that when you defrost it, you're left with a leaky and "tenderized" result. <S> The solution to this problem is easy … faster freezing. <S> If the water doesn't have time to form jagged ice, you won't have a mushy membrane. <S> Happy Living (from which I pulled the above quotation) has an article about how to safely use dry ice to freeze chilies quickly. <S> (I'll probably keep going the way I always have and accept the mushiness, but if you want to freeze a lot of chilies for a variety of applications, the dry-ice method looks promising.) <A> I freeze whole chillis without any trouble at all. <S> They seem to work much the same afterwards, but I wouldn't want to use frozen ones for anything in which they appear substantially raw, because the texture's seriously compromised. <S> The heat and flavour seem to be more or less unharmed though. <A> I grow Ghost Chilis (naga jlokia, but jolokia) and have tried freezing them,although the heat and flavour seem relatively unchanged the texture is alwaysgoing to be mushy. <S> I found drying them is a much better way to preserve themif you need to add them directly to your food, but if I am making a curry sauceor soup I use the frozen as they get chopped up and heated anyway <S> so you don't really get the mushiness. <S> Drying them is as simple as stringing them up in the kitchen or lay them out on a wire rack or similar, so long as air can circulate all around. <A> Since I don't make salsa everyday I hate to discard chilis that are given to me. <S> I run them through a "Ninja" and then freeze them in small freezer bags. <S> When I need to make salsa I take out a bag and with a sharp knife cut a slice off and added to my other ingredients to make a tasty salsa in the middle of winter or anytime. <S> They never loose their flavor or heat. <A> I've never tried it, but the Encyclopedia of Country Living notes the following: Freezing Food That Contains Chili Peppers : <S> Remove the chilies before freezing, or the stuff will get hotter and hotter! <S> To freeze chilies by themselves, chop them up first. <S> The thick and fleshy varieties are best preserved by freezing rather than drying. <S> And then under the section on sweet peppers: <S> Freezing Sweets . <S> Cut in half, remove seeds and pulp. <S> Freeze your nicest ones in halves for later stuffing. <S> Dice or slice the others. <S> No need to blanch. <S> Package in small plastic bags, since you make want only a little at a time. <S> ... <S> Never thaw peppers before using. <S> ... <S> (I removed the bits about serving suggestions or specifically about pimentos, as it wasn't relevent) <A> You can also dry peppers by placing them on a cookie sheet and putting them in a closed car for about 3 days in the summer. <S> It gets about 120-140 degrees in a closed car. <S> I've dried peppers repeatedly this way. <S> No ovens, no labor at all. <S> Just remove stems and slice in half, place on cookie sheet, pop in car and forget it for a few days. <S> JMP <A> They can be then cut and added to whatever dish you're preparing straight from the freezer (be it a curry, chilli con carne or even salsa) <A> I sometimes wonder if the chillies become slightly milder after being frozen, but I don't think the difference in heat is substantial. <S> If I'm not cooking with the chilli, but as a garnish, I usually put them in a soy sauce to help defrost them without making them taste mushy. <S> (I agree that you should "never defrost the chillies", but at the same time, it's freaking weird to have cold lumps on your food!) <A> Freeze chillies for cooking. <S> But if you want whole chillies to serve with a meal, store them in a glass jar with white vinegar and a tablespoon of salt. <S> You get the taste of vinegar but the heat and flavor are as they should be. <S> In both cases remove the stalks first. <A> If anything, we've found freezing whole "calcutta" chillies in freezer bags has resulted in something strange. <S> They seem to be getting hotter as we work our way through the last bag we froze, using one chili chopped finely in a pasta sauce for two has become sufficient for a heat level between mild and medium whereas we would use two or three of the same type of chili in the past. <A> Of course you can also home dry all your chillies (just on a string with air circulating all round) then use same as for all dried chilli. <S> I now have an amazing variety of dried chillies to call on. <S> I will definitely be freezing some now, i always feel guilty going into my local indian supermarket and buying just the one or 2 i need, so constantly have extra!
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Although not specific to that type of chilli, I freeze whole chillis I grow "as is".
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how often is cleaning done in a professional kitchen? Today I saw Gordon Ramsay Kitchen Nightmares. Regardless of the alleged nature of "reality", he said that fridges at his London restaurant are cleaned twice a day. Is that excessive or in line with standard hygiene guidelines ? What about the kitchen and storage rooms ? <Q> I have worked in two professsional kitchens. <S> The insides of refrigerators and other storage areas don't need to be cleaned that often because everything in them is in sealed containers. <S> They should normally be emptied and wiped out at least once a week, and of course immediately if there is any kind of spill. <A> It totally depends on who's leading the kitchen. <S> I've worked in a restaurant where we cleaned the fridges, floors, everything twice a day. <S> A quickish clean after lunch service, and a full clean at night. <S> In most other places I've worked, the fridges were done once a day, and the whole kitchen after each service. <S> Regardless, you'll do what's called a 'deep clean' <S> once a week which would include extraction, chillers, dry store, moving everything out of the kitchen etc. <S> I once worked in a place where the fridge doors were taken off so you could clean beneath the screws.. taking it a bt far I think, but puts things in perspective in the next job! <A> In my Navy service, where the galley tends to roll with the waves, we did a lot of cleaning. <S> A quick clean after breakfast, wipe surfaces and the insides of the line fridges. <S> A deeper clean after lunch, including scrubbing the surfaces, emptying and cleaning the line fridges properly, scrubbing the stove top (electric), and sorting out the deep-fryer. <S> After all that we'd do the floors properly. <S> After supper we'd basically reset the whole kitchen, including cleaning the dry storage and walk-in fridge. <S> After late night snacks we'd really just tidy up, and wipe any surfaces, but not properly clean the galley. <S> Once a week though, everything gets taken apart and scrubbed, and also sterilized where appropriate, including the walk-in freezer and fridge. <S> There's also the once yearly passover cleaning, where compressed air is brought in to make sure all the dirt is kicked out of everywhere. <S> After that we used a pressure-washer, and then a blow-torch to make sure everything is clean and/or dead. <S> It helps that all the equipment is stainless steel in this case. <A> Different restaurants have different standards. <S> The first restaurant I worked in, we would tear down everything after lunch service when the night crew & chef arrived. <S> That meant everything currently dirty through the dishwasher, everything that was stainless steel getting scrubbed & sterilized, floors swept and mopped, floormats hosed down and sterilized. <S> Then we'd do that again at 4, and again at 6:15 right before dinner service. <S> The walk-in fridge was completely emptied and scrubbed every week, freezers once a month, dry stores moved and shelves/floor cleaned and swept every two weeks. <S> You could eat off the floor in that place. <S> Personally, I think that should be the standard everywhere. <S> More normal is line fridges <S> once a week, walkin fridges once a month or so <S> (this means deep cleaning on top of the usual sweeping/mopping and a quick wipedown of the shelves). <S> All stainless steel, stovetops, etc gets scrubbed down every night, floors swept and mopped. <S> Then we do a full-on deep clean from the back door to the dining room doors quarterly--everything pulled out, scrubbed, line pulled out and powerwashed behind, etc. <S> The secret really is to start with a sparkling kitchen and maintain it. <S> 24 hour restaurants rely on their downtime (often but not always 3-6AM) for their cleaning hours. <A> A good restaurant will have a thorough clean after each service. <S> Of course, not every restaurant is a good one...
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The main kitchen itself (all the work tables, stoves, floors, refrigerator fronts and so on) is cleaned after each service, and very thoroughly each night with hot soapy water and sometime sterilizing solution.
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What is the formal definition of savory? What is the formal definition of "savory" when used in cooking? I hear a lot about things coming in either sweet or savory forms — e.g. crepes — but in context it doesn't seem that savory is the term for all things that are not sweet. Does it have to do with preparation methods? Ingredients? Taste of the final product? I have been assuming that "sweet" means something like "sugary," as it does in common usage; please correct me if that's not the case here. <Q> "Sweet" doesn't have to necessarily be sugary sweet...basil, tarragon, fennel, carrots, beets, etc. <S> have sweet flavors that are not excessively sugary sweet. <S> The term "neutral" is typically used for things like crepes and choux paste (eclair paste) because when made in their traditional style they are neither savory nor sweet and can work with either flavor profile. <A> There isn't a formal definition, but you have the correct basic idea. <S> Sweet means something you would think of as sugary enough to qualify as dessert, or at least like a breakfast muffin - any case where sweetness is the most dominant of the basic tastes (sweet / salty / sour / umami / bitter). <S> Savory is everything else. <S> There are plenty of cases where this line can be quite aggressively straddled to the point where which category a dish fits in would be debatable. <S> This is especially true in the sort of hypermodern 30 course Alinea / El Bulli type menus, where there are often specific courses that act as a transition from the savory to the sweet world. <A> Savory, called Umami in Japanese, implies the presence of Glutamates, the carboxylate anions and salts of the amino acid glutamic acid. <S> The identification Glutamate receptors on the tongue only took place in the past decade, although the ability of the tongue to detect glutamates has long been know. <S> In the early Twentieth Century, a Japanese scientist isolated monosodium glutamate (MSG) while researching the savoriness of seaweed broth. <S> In short, just as saltiness signifies sodium ions, savory signifies glutamates. <A> Sweet and savory are not opposite flavours or tastes. <S> They can and do coexist to some degree in most food ingredients, example the tomato. <S> Beef is savoury but contains some sugars. <S> The only tastes that are opposites are sour (acidic) and bitter (alkaline), these cannot co-exist for long as they react together to form new flavours. <S> So its not the absence of sugar but what the dominant taste is. <S> The ancient romans put honey with virtually all meats and fishes. <S> Weather the dish turned out as a sweet or savory depended on how much honey they added.
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In cooking, "Savory" does generally refer to a flavor profile that is anything other than sweet.
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does white sugar have a shelf life? i have had a sealed container of white sugar for about 5 years now, we have been using it slowly, but is it safe/healthy to continue using it because of its age? or should i replace it? <Q> Presuming, likely, that it is stored as you note in a sealed container. <A> White sugar was commonly used as a preservative in the past, in much the same way as salt. <S> It's wildly hygroscopic (like salt), and an excellent desiccant, so if you packed something in it, it would accelerate the drying process. <S> This is actually the origin of fruit jam and fruit preserves, which are still common today, even after better methods of preservation are available. <S> Salt was more common simply because many things like eating/living in WET sugar, so you had to be careful with how much water was in the thing you were trying to preserve. <S> But as long as the sugar was dry it's an extremely hostile environment for bacteria and little crawly things. <S> Kept dry, it will last forever. <A> As long as the sugar is dry, there is nothing that can go wrong with it that will not be immediately visible. <S> If ants, flies, cockroaches get at it, it'll be pretty obvious. <S> Invisibles like bacteria or virii can't live on dry sugar, and the same goes for fungi, as it tends to soak up al of the moisture from anything trying to live on it. <S> Basically, as long as it's white and nothing is crawling on it, it's fine. <S> Sometimes I think that food manufacturers put a best before date on stuff just to make people feel better, or buy replacements every so often. <A> Somewhat counter-intuitively, bacteria can't grow really well in an environment that's pure sugar. <S> Just keep it dry.
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Various references, including this one from Lantic sugar note the shelf-life of granulated white sugar as indefinite or effectively forever.
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How much gluten will set off somebody's celiac disease? I have a house guest incoming that has celiacs and I know that it means they can't eat gluten. But does that mean that I need to yank everything that has wheat out of my kitchen for the duration? I need to know if this something that gets set off just by looking at wheat or if it's tolerable in small quantities. <Q> I am celiac. <S> Ideally you should clean your entire kitchen, clean out your silverware and utensil drawers and wash all utensils in the dishwasher. <S> Wipe all surfaces and sinks with bleach wipes. <S> Scrub all pots and pans, to remove gluten films then wash in dishwasher. <S> give all dishes to be used a run through the dishwasher. <S> Off limit items are seasoned pans (cast iron, or porcelain), earthenware, pasta pots, strainers, toasters, cooking stones, wood spoons or utensils, cutting boards, blenders and crockpots. <S> To avoid contamination use fresh mayonnaise, mustard, peanut butter jars, etc. <S> Do not use any ingredients such as sugar that may have been contaminated with flour from use while baking. <S> Because you are not familiar with ingredients that contain gluten, use only pure ingredients if you are cooking for your celiac guest. <S> Avoid spice blends. <S> Also see: Unsafe Gluten-Free Food List (Unsafe Ingredients) <A> For most celiacs, it is any trace of gluten. <S> That means that you don't want something to touch gluten and then touch the food a celiac will eat (example: a butter knife used on toast and then double dipped back into the butter will contaminate the butter). <S> My gluten-free friends have suggested that they are better judges of ingredients, as well, as gluten hides stealthily in things like chicken broth injected into inexpensive chicken brands. <S> You can probably keep your gluten products in the kitchen, just make sure when making gluten-free food that everything is clean. <A> Apart from the official recommendations (20 PPM) , this is also individual. <S> You should hear with your guest what applies for this person. <S> Some needs a very strict clean environment, while others tolerate some minor contamination. <S> You should also not bake anything with flour when having gluten-free products in the open. <S> After baking/cooking with gluten contained products, you need to be thorough in cleaning up in the kitchen afterwards. <S> It would be best not to bake anything with flour when you friend is in the house, because flour dust will float around in the air. <S> But just having the flour packed away in a cupboard or drawer will normally not be a problem. <S> Practical tips <S> Bread meals can be a challenge, but as long as you keep some basic rules, this will go smooth. <S> To be sure nothing you serve to your guest have been contaminated, you should buy new food to be sure butter, spreads, meats, jam etc. <S> are clean. <S> You can put out a mug with some clean knives and spoons that you can use to take from the jar/box, and lay it on the side of your plate before applying with your own knife on the bread. <A> I beleive the Celiac Foundation's definition for "Gluten-free" is having less than 0.06 parts per BILLION of gluten. <S> Yes, I'm serious. <S> For example, just removing the coutons that have already been added to a salad won't do the trick. <S> You have to never have put the coutons in the salad to begin with. <S> (this comes from experience at a restaurant that supposedly knew what gluten-free meant).
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Clean cooking Normally, you don't need to remove everything with gluten from your kitchen, as long as you keep products with gluten separate from the gluten-free products you plan to use in your gluten-free cooking.
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What is the purpose of sifting dry ingredients? What is the purpose of sifting dry ingredients (esp. with flour)? I heard in one place that it was because this is the best way to mix them well. I heard somewhere else that this is a carry-over from when flour used to still contain some chaff. What's the real reason? When does one still need to do this? <Q> Fix Compacted Flour. <S> Flour will compact over time (and during shipment). <S> Or, you could just stir it before measuring and be sure to spoon the flour into your measuring cup in order to get a correct volume measurement. <S> Remove Unwanted Material. <S> Yes, sifting would also remove larger pieces or bits of chaff. <S> It would also remove insects. <S> However, neither of these are problems with modern store-bought flour. <S> If you grind your own flour (my sister-in-law does this), then you may still want to sift it, though. <S> Mix Ingredients Together. <S> Sifting can also be used to mix other dry ingredients into flour. <S> I bake quite a bit, though, and I've never had a problem with just using a spoon or whisk to mix dry ingredients together. <S> In summary: don't bother. <S> Just use good measuring techniques and stir your ingredients together well. <S> No one likes a lump of baking powder lurking in a muffin! <A> Sifting aerates the flour. <S> This alters the texture of the finished good, resulting in a lighter, airier texture. <S> This still has relevance today, and should be done when the recipe calls for it, but you can experiment freely on your own. <S> Generally there is no need to sift when making bread, biscuits or scones. <S> Delicate sponge or chiffon cakes using pastry or cake flour must be sifted given the proclivity for clumping these flours have. <S> You should be aware that pulsing your dry ingredients in a food processor is a bit more effective at aerating, as well as mixing the ingredients. <S> It also requires much less effort. <A> I use a whisk in a bowl to mix dry ingredients before adding them to wet ingredients when there's a huge difference in the volume between some of them. <S> For example, adding a few teaspoons total of soda, salt, spices, etc., to two cups of flour. <S> I think this does a good job of distributing the ingredients <S> and I don't care much for using an actual sifter. <S> Also, for recipes that call for sifting flour, etc., before measuring by volume, you will get a vastly different amount of that ingredient compared to measuring without sifting it. <S> You can cheat this by using weight instead of volume. <A> According to Cooks Illustrated: <S> Sifting flour or cocoa powder is a chore, but sometimes it is important. <S> When making a delicate cake like a sponge cake or genoise that requires flour to be folded into beaten eggs and sugar, sifted flour can be added quickly and distributed evenly (because sifting aerates the flour), thereby reducing the risk of deflating the batter. <S> Recipes with cocoa powder, such as chocolate cake, also often call for sifting the cocoa powder. <S> In this case, sifting breaks up small clumps of cocoa that form as the powder sits in the package. <S> Sifted cocoa can be evenly distributed throughout a cake batter; with unsifted cocoa <S> this isn’t always the case. <A> The main purpose of sifting of dry materials through a sieve is to remove all foreign particles or to break up lumps.
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You could sift the flour to fluff it back up.
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How do you source meat that will be minimally cooked? I was recently asked where one could find meat that could be prepared "blue to blue-rare". What kinds of meat (other than fish) can be prepared this way and how would one go about finding a reliable source? I imagine chicken and pork are out due to salmonella and trichina, but what about (non ground) beef? Are any other land animals typically prepared this way? <Q> The thing to remember, vis a vis bacterial contamination, is that it's almost always the OUTSIDE of the meat that's contaminated, not the inside. <S> With pork and chicken you're worried about an internal parasite/bacteria, which is why they're not cooked rare. <S> With beef, if it's grade A, it's good to go, and most everything you buy in the grocery store is fine. <S> With tuna (which is another one people like super-rare) <S> the story is mostly the same, though the chance of getting a parasite from fish is higher. <S> In both cases, do a hot sear on the outside, and it'll take care of any bacteria that may be hanging around. <S> The reason ground beef is considered a higher threat is because the "outside" is pretty much the whole thing after the grinding process. <A> If you're in an area with a large enough Ethiopian population, ask around where they shop. <S> There's are Ethiopian dishes such as kitfo and gored gored that feature raw beef, and they take the preparation very seriously. <S> If you have a specifically ethiopian butcher in your area, it's a good bet. <S> Other than that <S> You might also see if there are any places that will sell you a whole primal in a cryovac packaging (even some grocery stores will)-- this would mean that it was sealed at the slaughterhouse, and I would hope it's had less chance for contamination. <A> You could cook most beef blue and black -- what that means is seared on the outside and pretty much raw on the inside. <S> These days it's seen most often on Tuna -- seared on the outside and still cool on the inside. <S> I think that's what Satanicpuppy was talking about. <A> Find a butcher who knows what they are talking about, can tell you where the meat comes from, and most importantly cares about the meat they sell. <S> Ideally, they buy direct from local farms and can tell you where everything came from. <S> The biggest problems from supermarket ground beef is that they combine meat bits many different farms, allowing one bad cow to ruin the bunch. <S> Grinding your own beef or finding a place that grinds their own on site is the safest way to enjoy a burger at anything less than well done.
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, I'd go with a busy butcher -- the busier they are, not only is it a sign that people aren't getting food poisioning there, but they're also turning their product over faster, so it's likely to be fresher.
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How to create a muffin recipe I would like to experiment more with muffin recipes, but I don't want to stray too far and end up with inedible product. Are there basic parameters I should follow in creating my own muffin recipe? What makes a muffin a muffin, as opposed to a cupcake? What proportion of wet to dry ingredients should I use? What is a good method for converting one fruit/veggie ingredient to another? So if I have a great apple muffin recipe, how do I know how many berries to use instead? Or grated carrot or squash? <Q> Michael Ruhlman's Ratio defines a muffin as a form of a quick bread. <S> The basic quick bread ratio is: 2 parts flour 2 parts <S> liquid <S> 1 part egg <S> 1 part fat <S> So you can make a muffin with those basic ingredients in about that ratio. <S> Remove any of those ingredients, and you no longer have a muffin. <S> Substantially change those ingredients, and you've moved somewhere else in the dough continuum or even towards a batter. <S> Personally I'd classify a cupcake as a type of cake. <S> The ratio for pound and sponge cake are both: 1 part butter <S> 1 part sugar <S> 1 part egg <S> 1 part flour <S> The differences between cakes are often the mixing method - creaming versus foaming, for example. <S> You can see, though, that in a muffin your flour-to-fat ratio is higher than in a cake. <S> Muffins also don't require sugars. <S> Cakes and cupcakes do. <S> From the basic quick bread ratio, you should be able to add any fruit or other ingredients (try bacon or turkey bacon), substitute in dry ingredients for flour such as bran or oatmeal (or another grain), and make a lot of other interesting changes. <S> Just make sure you stick to the basic proportion of a quick bread. <S> If you add a very wet ingredient, remove some liquid. <S> Change tastes by adjusting oil versus butter (or browning your butter). <S> Add sugar, baking powder or soda for leavening, spices, extracts, etc. <A> Whew. <S> This isn't as easy as you'd think. <S> The short of the "cupcake" question is simple though: often there is no difference. <S> Many big breakfast chains will serve you cake batter "muffins" in a heartbeat. <S> A true muffin will be a bit coarser, <S> a bit more bread-y. <S> It's like the difference between a biscuit and a scone. <S> The basic muffin (oil,egg,milk,powder,flour) is easy. <S> The problem is when you start mixing in flavor. <S> For heavy stuff (pumpkin leaps to mind) you need to add more baking powder and baking soda as well. <S> I also tend to separate my eggs, and fold in some beaten egg whites for a little extra lightness. <S> For berries and wet things, shake 'em in some flour first, so all the fruit doesn't settle to the bottom of the muffin. <S> I'd shake them in the flour you plan on using for the muffins, so you don't get too much flour in your batter. <S> If you're using frozen fruit, don't bother to thaw. <S> Sour cream, yoghurt, and buttermilk can all be subbed in for some of the milk. <S> Thicker batter needs to have proportionately more leavening agent, while looser, wetter batter should have less (so as to avoid weird bubbles). <S> With subbing in different fruits and vegetables, the most important thing to consider is their water content. <S> Berries are pretty much interchangeable. <S> Apples and peaches, on the other hand, aren't. <S> I'd rate a peach as being more like a berry in that sense (I used to go to a place that made peach and cream cheese muffins that were literally worth killing for. <S> Literally.) <A> I'm basing this off of observing these recipes all from Smitten Kitchen. <S> I'm using all the same site with the thought that I want the same person making (or at least adapting) all the recipes. <S> http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/05/always-the-corniest/ <S> http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/11/olive-oil-muffins/ <S> http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/promise-keeper-pumpkin-eater/ <S> http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/05/a-new-muffin-in-town/ <S> http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/01/ricotta-muffins/ <S> http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/02/a-meatover-and-a-muffin/ <S> http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/04/whole-wheat-apple-muffins/ <S> Here's a quick approximation of wet to dry for each (not including small amounts of leavening or spices or things like apples that are both wet/dry ingredients): <S> corn: 2.25 C. dry to 1.5 C. wet <S> olive oil: 2.75 C. dry to 1.5 C. wet <S> pumpkin: 2.75 C. dry to 1.5 C. wet <S> raspberry: <S> 3.15 C. dry to 1.7 C. <S> wet <S> ricotta: <S> 3.75 C. dry to 2.5 C. wet <S> sour cream: 2.25 C. dry to 1.75 C. wet <S> wheat: 3 C. dry to 1.75 C. <S> wet <S> As you can see, most recipes have about 3 cups of dry ingredients to 1.5 or 2 cups of wet ingredients. <S> To be more detailed: Most of the recipes have about 1 C. flour and 1 C. sugar. <S> Around 1/2 C. of fat (butter or oil). <S> Between 0-2 large eggs... <S> so I would try 1 egg to start with. <S> Between 1/2 tsp. <S> and 1 Tbsp. <S> baking soda... <S> so I would try 2 tsp. <S> 1/2 tsp. <S> of salt. <S> As to your other questions, I think the other respondents nailed them: Cupcakes have frosting, muffins might have a light icing at most. <S> Adjusting for berries, other fruits and so on depends a lot on the season. <A> The biggest differences between muffin and cupcake: (1) muffins are usually not frosted, at most lightly glazed(2 <S> ) muffins usually just have you mix wet and dry ingredients separately, while cupcakes have you cream the butter and sugar <S> When substituting fruits and veggies, you don't need to worry much. <S> Start by doing it simply by volume (1 cup of berrries instead of 1 cup of apple pieces) and you won't be too far off. <S> If the new ingredient is significantly wetter or drier you might want to adjust the liquid a bit.
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There is no "right" consistency for muffin batter: some will be thicker and some will be thinner.
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Is it possible to turn old tomatoes into flour? I saw a recipe that employed Tomato Flour - how do you turn tomatoes into flour? <Q> The recipe was most likely referring to Tomato Powder which is available from the Spice House in Milwaukee, WI. <S> I don't think you'd be able to produce the same result at home. <S> Even if it is possible, the trouble wouldn't outweigh simply purchasing the commercial product. <A> I do this at home frequently; start by thinly slicing your tomato (roma tomatoes work best, because they're much meatier) and drying. <S> You can do this using a food dehydrator, or in an open oven with low heat. <S> This will take 5-10 hours, depending upon your tomatoes. <S> After your tomato slices are dried COMPLETELY, place them on a cookie sheet and freeze them. <S> This will remove any remaining moisture. <S> Take your frozen and dried tomato slices and put small batches in a coffee grinder until they are powdered. <S> If you want to ensure that there are no flakes, sift the powder through a flour sifter. <S> Hope this helps! <A> The tomatoes that I dry in my dehydrator are easily dry enough to grind to a powder in my food processor. <S> I remove the seeds but not the skin before I dry them. <S> It would be impossible to remove the seeds after they are dried as they are cemented into the fruit at that point. <A> I've seen Tomato Powder, but never Tomato Flour, I guess it could be a regional thing. <S> It's basically just dried tomatoes that are finely ground, as best I can tell, but I'd stem and seed them after they've been dried, as that's not going to contribute to the flavor.
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Even if the tomatoes could be dehydrated to the point where they are crisp enough to be ground, I don't think you could pulverize them fine enough very easily.
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How can I cook more flavorful Chicken through and through? When I cook chicken, the flavor seems to be concentrated in the skin. But when I get a rotisserie chicken from Costco, it seems to be very flavorful through and through, beyond just the skin. I've experimented with various seasonings, including salt/pepper, soy sauce, or various store-bought marinades. They're all good, but again, all the flavor seems to be in the skin. In my chicken quest, and out of admiration of Costco chicken, I've purchased a Ronco Showtime Rotisserie oven, which I use regularly. I'm quite the novice cook, so it has certainly helped the level and consistency of my chicken. However it seems to make little difference when it comes to flavor. From what I know, cutting the chicken into pieces gives the chicken more flavor. But I'm looking for other solutions please. How can I achieve more flavorful chicken through and through? <Q> One option to consider to add flavour to a chicken is brining . <S> Since writing this answer I've followed Nigella Lawson's recipe for Spiced and Superjuicy Roast Turkey which has resulted in fantastically tasty and moist turkey at Christmas every year, to the point where I won't countenance turkey at Christmas without brining it now. <S> If this translates as well to chicken (which I fully admit I should've tried by now!) <S> then it's well worth the time and effort. <A> Brining works well, but it can take some time. <S> A possibly faster way is to use a marinade injector. <S> They look like large hypodermic needles, and you use them to inject flavoring into the chicken meat before cooking. <S> Butter, herb mixtures, salty things, and garlic are all very good. <S> Put everything in a blender if you use chunky ingredients. <A> What kind of chicken are you cooking? <S> I can really taste the difference between a cheap store bought vs Free Range from farmers <S> market/ <S> Butcher - buy the best you can afford. <S> I usually stuff the cavity of whole chickens with a selection of: Onions, Lemons, Herbs (Thyme, Rosemary) and garlic along with a descent glug of oil, salt and pepper. <S> Then rub the skin with salt, pepper and oil. <S> Cover the chicken for the first 2/3rds of cooking then remove to brown skin. <A> I, myself, was skeptical of this method. <S> I tried it out at Thanksgiving and using a Creole Butter injection marinade. <S> To my surprise, it was the best turkey Ive ever eaten. <S> My friends were so impressed. <S> I highly recommend it. <S> It keeps the meat seriously moist and flavorful. <S> Even the white meat turkey was soft like dark meat, and delicious. <S> Here is the bottle I used: http://www.brucefoods.com/mystOre/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=21&idproduct=67 <S> I highly recommend this stuff! <A> Seconding Rob's suggestion. <S> Brining is the only way to go with poultry. <S> It will pull the seasonings deep into the meat of the bird and produce a very moist product. <S> I have used Alton Brown's turkey recipe on chicken with great success. <S> It takes some preparation of course but I won't cook a turkey any other way anymore. <A> One secret I use is crushed chicken bullion cubes. <S> You can add a couple to your marinade or brine if you're using that approach. <S> You can also just form a paste with a little olive oil and rub this into the meat under the skin. <S> Let it sit for at least a half an hour. <S> The great thing about this method is that instead of flavoring your chicken with more and more flavors like lemon, Rosemary, or other herbs, you're instead flavoring it with chicken. <S> You can turn the blandest boneless, skinless chicken breast into the most amazing thing. <S> It will taste as good as a skin-on piece of dark meat. <A> I've had wonderful success simply from spatchcocking and grilling the chicken. <S> Cut out the spine with a pair of shears. <S> With the bird breast up, press down with enough force to break the breast bone. <S> Fold legs and wings over top. <S> Season, and sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice and dust with herbs (provencal mix is perfect) Grill on medium heat, bone side down until almost done (15-20 minutes, watch for flare ups) <S> Flip, on high to crisp up the skin. <S> Let stand. <S> I generally find that I get better results to slightly undercook the bird, and then finish it in the microwave for about 1 or two minutes before standing. <S> I don't know why, but the bird seems moister. <A> In addition to stuffing the cavity, I also season underneath the skin. <S> Starting from the neck, I put my fingers in between the meat and skin to create small pockets. <S> This involves breaking connections between the meat and skin but not actually tearing the skin. <S> I then spread the seasoning in those pockets. <A> I have discovered that making a paste of butter, salt, pepper and herbs, and rubbing it under the meat, make the meat more flavorful. <S> You separate the skin from the meatby working your hand under the skin where the breast meets the opening of the cavity. <S> Do one side at a time, and be gentle as the skin tears easily. <S> work you fingersover the breast and leg areas. <S> Then take half the paste and rub it over all the meat. <S> If the skin tears I sew it back with toothpics. <S> The meat will absorb the flavors. <S> I do this to my turkeys also. . <A> I make homemade chicken broth and keep it in the freezer. <S> The person who advised to buy quality chicken is right, you can ask your butcher to help. <S> Then marinate it for 24 hours. <S> (many online recipes in homemade chicken stock, good olive oil, vinegar, fresh lemon, lime, and/or orange juice, garlic, herbes de provence and fresh rosemary. <S> Then grill, bake or broil it. <S> Enjoy!
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I've personally never brined a chicken, but everytime I come across mention of it in a foodie blog, forum or elsewhere, it always seems to be considered a good way to impart additional flavour into the meat. Hands down the best way to get the flavor into the meat is by: INJECTION.
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Does microwaving destroy nutrients in food? After answering this article , I did some research on microwaving killing vitamins and nutrients in food. I very quickly learned that this is a touchy subject, even among nutritionists, and nobody (at least, nobody I saw) seems to have a "this is the science behind it and here is a definite answer" answer. Some articles claim "there is no hard evidence" while others point to studies from Stanford and other respected institutions that back the "yes" answer. Some quick articles with conflicting information, if you're only going to read one please read the first and last as they seem the most reputable to me: The Straight Dope: Scientists are not sure yet, but it's likely in some cases Microwaving can be like boiling, which kills nutrients Microwaving is the best way of cooking for preserving nutrients Microwaving hurts broccoli, but is good for potatoes Harvard: Microwaving may preserve nutrients, like Vitamin C As an interesting note, the "use less water" idea, which most of us take as common sense when cooking vegetables, may also be under scrutiny. From the Harvard article above: But this is nutrition, and nothing in nutrition is simple. Italian researchers published results in 2008 of an experiment comparing three cooking methods — boiling, steaming, and frying — and the effect they had on the nutritional content of broccoli, carrots, and zucchini. Boiling carrots actually increased their carotenoid content, while steaming and frying reduced it. Carotenoids are compounds like lutein, which may be good for the eyes, and beta carotene. One possible explanation is that it takes longer for vegetables to get tender when they’re steamed, so the extra cooking time results in more degradation of some nutrients and longer exposure to oxygen and light. So, my questions are : Is microwaving known to kill nutrients in foods? Is there a way to minimize this effect? Can any nutritionists weigh in here with their experience, and ideally, the science behind their answers? This has been a very confusing research path full of conflicting information, so all answers are appreciated. <Q> Anything that breaks down due to heat is going to break down no matter HOW you cook it. <S> Boiling only "destroys" nutrients by leaching them away into the water, which is the same reason that other people say that steaming/microwaving is better. <S> Thiamine, for example, is highly water soluble, so boiling is out. <S> But it also breaks down at 100C, so you can't really cook it either. <S> Niacin, on the other hand, leeches into water, but it's not heat-sensitive, so you can cook the hell out of it, as long as you don't get it wet. <S> Folate is so fragile you can't leave your leafy greens in the sun without it breaking down (common with acids). <S> Basically, almost everything is better uncooked, but a lot of things are impossible to eat if you don't cook them enough to break down the cellulose. <S> So eat a balanced diet, and stop worrying about the microwave. <A> Without answering the question I would like to make a brief digression into physics: Microwaves work by exciting the rotational modes of water molecules, after which the energy is distributed into all the available kinetic modes (this is called the equipartition theorem and is very well established). <S> That randomized kinetic energy is called "heat". <S> The microwaves are very low energy, orders of magnitude below ionization and still far below the threshold for almost all chemistry. <S> They can only do their work at all because the rotational modes are very low lying states. <S> This is very basic physics and it is not in question. <S> What that means is that they heat food up. <S> For food with low water content they do so fairly evenly through a considerable thickness. <S> For foods with a high water content the heating happens more towards the surfaces, but still penetrates a non-trivial distance. <S> From a fundamental point of view there is no reason to believe that this will cause more nutrient destruction than any other form of heating. <A> I think that the question is phrased poorly. <S> For some foods and some cooking methods, the answer might be yes, to some extent. <S> But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't cook anything in a microwave. <S> Here is an overview article from Australia's national science agency Safety of Microwave Ovens . <S> Unfortunately, it doesn't have any links to the primary literature. <S> Most of these studies have concentrated on vitamin retention and indicate that cooking in minimal water for a reduced time, as occurs with microwaving, promotes the retention of the water-soluble vitamins particularly of vitamin C and thiamin. <A> According to a recent article ( summarized here ), microwave vs stovetop does not affect the nutrient contents of vegetables. <S> Two things affect the nutrient content: intensity of heat and volume of water used in cooking: <S> "Nutrients tend to be both heat-intolerant and water-soluble," the article says, which means that any method that requires a) cooking at a high temperature for a long time, and b) uses a lot of water <S> will result in the greatest nutrient loss. <S> (So by this measure, boiling vegetables is likely the worst offender.) <S> It goes without saying then that cooking at a lower temperature for a shorter amount of time and with less water would result in the least amount of nutrients lost, and that's what the microwave accomplishes. <S> This means that the microwave is actually better at preserving nutrients than boiling the veggies (though steaming is also a significant improvement, and if you boil them inside a soup where you drink the broth, you lose very little as well). <A> Just submitting this article on LIVESTRONG.COM for consideration: http://www.livestrong.com/article/371758-the-effects-of-microwaving-on-food/ <S> It states that microwaving has no more adverse affect than traditional cooking methods, and that your body will also denature proteins and nutrients (breakdown) in its digestion process; your body does not simply consume proteins and nutrients as is. <S> Heating is the culprit to be concerned with, and the length of which food is heated for. <S> The longer, the more denaturing occurs; and because microwaves cook food faster, it has less of an adverse affect. <S> The only negative affect of heating food, according to this article, is that it reduces vitamin content.
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The majority of reports published on the nutritive value of foods cooked in microwave ovens indicate that food prepared in this manner is at least as nutritious as comparable food cooked by conventional methods.
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What type of sausage for bangers and mash? On a recent trip, I ate at an authentic Irish pub that served the best bangers and mash I've ever had. As there's nowhere around town that regularly serves the dish, I've decided to try my hand at making it at home. While I think I can manage the potatoes just fine, I'm at a loss as to what type of sausage to use. So my question is: what brand of sausage would best approximate a traditional recipe? Ideally, it would be something I could pick up at the local supermarket. <Q> The good thing about Cumberland sausages is that the meat is supposed to be coarsely chopped and in of itself has a very high meat content. <S> However, all good sausages have this quality also! <S> So in essence look for a sausage with a high meat content (80%+) <S> and you can't go too far wrong. <A> Personally I avoid supermarket sausages, but if its all you have then usually the premium range are usually alright. <S> As Chad says, as long as its 80%+ meat then it should be OK. <S> I would strongly recommend finding a butcher, ideally one who makes his own sausage. <S> Around me (Midlands, UK) this is fairly common. <S> The specific variety doesn't actually matter that much (Irish, Cumberland and Lincolnshire are 3 of my favorites) but the quality does matter. <S> Another source would be farmers markets. <S> You can often get a good deal too if you buy in bulk. <S> Simply freeze what you don't use. <S> Also make sure you cook them properly. <S> Cook on a low heat on a cast iron grill pan and make sure you keep any juices that collect so you can make good gravy. <A> Look for Cumberland sausage - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangers_and_mash <S> or, just ask the restaurant :-) <A> the kind of sausage you use depends on what region/country style of meat you prefer. <S> if you like pork with lots of fillers, more fat and less lean, then you want English style bangers. <S> If you like a more lean pork with less fat and some lean beef with less fillers in it, then you want Irish style bangers. <S> keep in mind thou that bangers have a very distinctive taste to them and there is NO American equivilant to them. <S> and definately do NOT use breakfast sausages since those are made with maple syrup and/or molasses and is waaay too sweet for onion gravy and mash potatoes. <S> especially if you serve thim with the traditional side dish of mushy peas.
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If you don't want pork at all and all lean beef with a moderate amount of fillers, then you want Scottish style bangers.
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A recipe calls for Brown Ale, I didn't want to use beer, are there any substitutions? Here is the recipe - I didn't want to use Beer, any help? 3 lb chuck steak, cut into 2-inch chunks ***1-1/4 pints Liefmans Goudenband*** 2 Tbsp peanut oil 1 oz butter 1 oz brown sugar 1 Tbsp freshly grated nutmeg salt pepper 3 Tbsp flour 2 Tbsp tomato purée 4 oz pitted prunes, sliced 14 fl oz veal stock 1 bouquet garni 1 to 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard 2 cooking apples Instructions: Marinate the meat in 3/4 pint of the beer for 3 days. Lift the meat out of the marinade, reserving the marinade. Heat the oil and butter in a large, heavy-based frying pan, add the meat, sugar and nutmeg and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the meat is well browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a casserole and season with salt and pepper. Stir the flour into the oil and butter and cook until well browned, then stir in the tomato purée, prunes, veal stock, bouquet garni and the beer marinade. Bring to the boil, skim and then pour over the meat. Simmer very gently until the meat is tender, about 1 hour. Stir in the mustard and the remaining beer, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Peel and quarter the apples, add to the casserole and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the apples are tender. Serve hot. <Q> No beer!? <S> Hmmm. <S> Well, I can't think of anything that would give you the same flavor, and as a component of the dish it looms quite large...3 day marinade in beer? <S> No way to replace that, and brown ale is distinctive and nutty. <S> Beer and wine are natural tenderizers, which is what the marinade is for... <S> They're <S> some of the only ones that aren't acidic (buttermilk and yoghurt are others... <S> Obviously not a good choice here) <S> so filling that role without changing the character of the dish is going to be a serious challenge. <S> Are you looking for a non-alcoholic substitution, or just a non-beer one? <S> Since tomatoes and apples feature, you might try marinating in cider or tomato juice (depending on which flavor you want to push). <S> You won't want to marinate for anywhere near the same amount of time: those two are acidic enough to digest your meat after 3 days. <S> Might try apple cider and apple cider vinegar mixed. <S> Vinegar marinated beef has an interesting twang to it. <A> What, exactly, is your reason for avoiding the beer? <S> Is it the availability? <S> It really isn't the same without the use of a Belgian Sour Ale(or the like). <S> There wouldn't be any residual alcohol after cooking the broth. <S> If availability really is the issue, you could get away with using pretty much any brown/dark ale as the marinade (Though Belgian is preferred. <S> I once made Carbonade using Saison and an Abbey Ale <S> and it was amazing.) <S> Just try to stay away from something hoppy. <A> Going out on a limb and piggybacking @Satan, almond milk might, I repeat might , do the trick. <S> The unsweetened variety is very nutty, and perhaps if you add some brown sugar or caramel (when you're browning it) you might get 2/3s the way there. <S> Since there's no lactic acid in almond milk <S> I don't know if it would tenderize as well however. <A> That would take a good bit of experimentation to be sure, but malta is more or less non-fermented beer. <S> (hopped malt soda) <S> I would say do 50/50 water and malta, or perhaps 40/60.
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You might want to try a malta beverage, and then cut back or remove the sugar in the recipe.
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What makes steel-cut oats different? I've seen several people insist that steel-cut oats are better than regular oats. What makes them different? <Q> They're coarser, so they have a better texture when cooked. <S> Rolled oats are mushy and bland, even if you get the non-instant variety. <S> Groats are a pain in the butt to cook: like millet, they take forever. <S> Steel cut oats are a nice compromise (technically steel cut groats ). <S> Get some yummy groaty flavor, but the prep time is much lower (a mere half hour, instead of a week or two for whole groats). <A> Specifically, steel cut oats look like little pellets, whereas rolled oats have the familiar flat shape from going through a steel roller. <S> The rolled ones expose more surface area and therefore cook faster, but produce a different final texture. <S> I do like the steel-cut ones better, but they take upwards of half an hour to cook. <S> You can make a large batch and reheat it for 2-3 days if you like. <S> I think some folks also use a pressure cooker to speed them up. <A> Only a low heat is used, and nutrients don't magically fly away <S> Both are steamed. <S> This is done for shelf life. <S> It quite hard to buy fresh, non steamed oats (steel cut or rolled) Everything else is personal preference, taste, texture etc <S> Rolled oats cook quicker (and therefore use less energy :-) ), and can be used in many baking recipes
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Steel cut oats and rolled oats are the same initial product, and after processing they basically have the same nutritional profile.
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What is special about pierogi dough? I wanted to make home-made pierogis. Is there a special dough that needs to be used? I wanted the pierogis to be fairly thick - what type of dough would work best? <Q> Some pierogi recipes include sour cream in the dough; they also often have more egg than a typical basic pasta dough. <A> I learned to make perogis with a standard egg dough - egg, flour, water, and oil. <S> The filling is dry curd cottage cheese, salt, and eggs. <S> To shape them we use a nifty hand tart cutter that I can't find online anywhere. <S> Then we boil them in water for about 10 minutes to cook. <S> Serve with melted butter. <A> Like @justkt said you should be fine using regular homemade pasta dough. <S> If you want something more specific though I used this recipe from Food.com. <S> Its super good. <S> Especially since I also made the cottage cheese myself as well. <A> Quite often pierogi doughs are vegan, especially if you are making the peirogies for X-mas eve (where in many sects, you don't eat meat the on X-mas eave, and fish is not considered a meat). <S> 2 cups flour ~1/2 cup warm water 1/4 cup vegetable oil <S> 1 teaspoon salt Mix all together, and give it a little knead to make it consistent, but <S> no more - otherwise you'll make the dough tough <S> Then you roll out the dough, cut circles with a large mouth jar or a glass, stuff and pinch closed. <S> Boil till dough is cooked or par-boil and then fry in a pan. <S> Add onions, butter and bacon to taste. <S> Typical fillings include mashed potatoes (sometimes with cheese), cottage cheese (dry), sour kraut, fruit (desert), rarely cooked meat - anything you can stuff in it. <S> (yah I know, I mentioned vegan earlier, but vegan tastes a lot better when you add butter and bacon *rim-shot*) <A> Here's how you make'm. <S> 5 cups of flour5 <S> eggs8 oz's of sour cream1/4 cup of water.... <S> That makes the dough, cover it with a towel for 10 minutes. <A> Here is a generation recipe for a light pierogy dough; 4 cups flour2 eggs5 TBSP sour <S> cream3 TBSP oil3/4 cup water as noted above, <S> add you filling and toss in boiling water. <S> When they float their done. <S> I use a Chinese basket brush to retrieve from the water and toss in fried onions and butter to prevent sticking.
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You should be fine using a regular homemade pasta dough.
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How can I make sifting easier? I'm at the point where I will completely avoid certain recipes simply because they require sifting and I find it incredibly tedious. Is there a better method? A better tool? A magic sifter? <Q> Use a food processor to aerate the flour and mix other dry ingredients in. <S> As a bonus for me, the food processor bowl can go in the dishwasher. <S> I have to hand-wash my sifter. <A> I just use a strainer. <S> Slap something over the top <S> so your flour doesn't fly all over the place, and shake it. <S> It's got such a huge surface area, that it takes much less time than a lot of special purpose sifting tools (those stupid little cups with the trigger handles ? <S> What the hell is that about? <S> The crank ones are no better. <S> What am I? <S> An organ grinder monkey?) <S> The other alternative is to throw the whole mess in a blender or food processor. <S> That'll mix and aerate it. <A> I wonder if your sieve is too fine. <S> When I sift flour I only need to pour the dry ingredient into the sieve and shake the sieve over a bowl. <S> It takes a couple of minutes at most which I wouldn't call tedious. <S> Are you doing something different? <A> You can probably just leave the sifting step out. <S> I'm lazy when making food for my own consumption, and often just dump the flour on top of the wet mix in the bowl and sift the salt/soda/whatnot in by hand a bit. <S> Most recipes don't seem to mind, but some do (some also specify a volume of sifted flour, so that needs to be compensated for as well), so best to make an experimental batch ahead of time and see if it is acceptable. <A> <A> I also used to find sifting a pain, but got a sifter from Tupperware last year that is fabulous - highly recommended! <S> See <S> http://www.tupperware.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/AUS/website/productgallery/productcollections/bakebasics/bake+2basics+sift+n+stor for details. <A>
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I've seen people use a food processor, just dump your dry ingredients in the bowl and pulse a couple of times. i almost never "sift," per se -- i just whisk it really well to break up lumps and aerate it a bit.
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What is the purpose of seasoning a skillet? I've seen a couple questions on how to season a skillet , and this may be a dumb question, but why do you season a skillet? Does it impart flavor onto the food? For how long? (which I guess is one way of asking, "How often do I need to do it?" Do I still "need" to apply butter etc.. to the pan even though I "seasoned" it? (in this case, maybe it's a question of taste, not need) <Q> How often to season the pan <S> ? <S> You'll need to season it more when it's new. <S> Use it frequently and you'll need to season it less often. <S> Don't cook beans or tomatoes in it at first; if you do so later, you may want to re-season it. <S> Regarding adding butter, you're right: that would be for taste, not necessity. <S> If seasoned properly, a cast iron pan is non-stick. <A> Does it impart flavor onto the food? <S> Not necessarily. <S> The seasoning helps to develop a good sear on the food, and this adds to the flavor. <S> If the seasoning is very old or if the pan is cleaned infrequently, then some flavor may come from the cook top. <S> Old diner often attribute the flavor of their burgers to the grill that has been in place for the last 60 years and never cleaned, but I'm skeptical that this really impacts the flavor. <S> For how long? <S> This depends on how often the skillet is used, and what you use it for. <S> Baking cornbread seems to strip the seasoning off my skillet as does cooking tomato dishes without much oil in them. <S> I scrub under water with a plastic sponge after each use, and if it looks dry, I apply a bit of oil to maintain. <S> Properly re-seasoning takes too long, but I probably do it 1-2 times per year, and use my skillet frequently. <S> Do I still "need" to apply butter etc.. to the pan even though I "seasoned" it? <S> Probably. <S> Foods like onions won't brown nearly as well without some butter/oil in the pan to transfer the heat. <S> You may or may not need to apply oil to keep food from sticking, but it is never a bad idea :) <A> One important rule is to season your skillet (or especially, your wok), if you can see the unseasoned metal of your pan at any time. <S> If you've just made a dish and wiped the pan off and notice there's no coating on part of it, season it while the skillet is still hot. <A> Regular use of oils creates and enhances the seasoning over time. <S> Some of the lipids create a surface that becomes non-stick, but cooking will "wear" and erode this surface depending on the actual food being cooked. <S> Additionally some of the oils go deeper than just the surface, even if just slightly, an effect I believe is enhanced by higher heat. <S> This does not mean you need to use huge amounts though as that will still depend on the food being cooked. <S> Flavor: <S> yes, not because of the seasoning, but because of the use - less sticking can create a better sear, retaining the flavor, especially in foods such as meats where it is desired to seal in juices and yet create a surface where the chemical change imparted by heat is enhanced by not being lost due to sticking and integrity of the food is retained.
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Purpose of Seasoning protect bare cast iron from rust make the pan surface non-stick
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Culinary uses for hops Hop flowers are primarily used to preserve and flavor beer. Now that hops are starting to ripen in the northern hemisphere, I'm wondering: are there any other uses for them in the kitchen? <Q> You can use them to flavor other foods. <S> I've seen cakes and other sweets made with hop flowers. <S> You will probably want a low alpha-acid variety(alpha acid makes the bitter flavor), but both could be interesting. <S> To use, you could dry the flowers and mill to a fine powder. <S> This can then be incorporated directly into food. <S> I think they could be used similarly to how matcha powder is incorporated into recipes once ground. <S> Hops alone would probably add a similar flavor. <A> I've heard you can cook and serve the young shoots (just a few inches long) much as you would asparagus. <S> Has anyone actually done this? <A> Infuse into oil for salad dressings <A> Some answers already mention Bittering, Preserving, and Flavor, but don't forget: AROMA! <S> To expound on this, if you're adding for aroma, you should add at the very end of the "heating/cooking" process. <S> This is because the essential oils of the hop will not have enough time to significantly dissolve into whatever it is you are cooking if you add it at the end. <S> (eg. <S> last 5 minutes.) <S> Thus the oil scent is free to be released into the air when you smell whatever it is you are making. <S> If you add hops to something that's simmering/boiling and the hops are in the mix for more than 15 or 20 minutes, those essential oils dissolve into the liquid and become more of a flavoring/bittering agent, rather than aromatic. <S> Why is Aroma important? <S> Well, what you smell is complimentary to what you taste. <S> The two enhance each other in the eating experience. <S> You'll have to experiment with hops, but one of my favorite hops is Amarillo. <S> It has a very floral fragrance. <A> Since Pork Loin goes great with rosemary (evergreen, woody) maybe a rosemary roasted pork loin with a citrus pan sauce then at the end add a chiffonade of some piny hops like northern to the sauce to help embellish the rosemary and maybe even add a little cascade hops to emphasizes the citrus in the sauce. <S> There are tons of different ways hops could be used for cooking. <S> In a Cheddar Ale soup? <S> tie some of whatever hops are in the ale up in a cheese cloth with other fresh herbs and add at the last five or ten minutes of cooking to give it an AMAZING aroma
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You can also use the 'sludge' left over from brewing (mix of hop flowers and yeast and barley bits) as an ingredient in bread, which gives a very interesting flavor.
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What's the purpose of a parchment lid? I'm making some saffron rice. After sautéing some onions and saffron and then toasting the rice, it calls for simmering with broth for 8 minutes with a parchment lid. What is the difference between a parchment lid and a top? Is it just the vent for steam? If so, can I just partially cover with a lid? Does the parchment need to be directly resting on the rice for it to "work"? note: I know what a parchment lid is, I just don't fully understand why you'd use one. <Q> The problem with lids is in how they drip -- the water tends to condense and run down the sides, making it so there's uneven moisture in the dish. <S> Some dutch oven lids solve this by putting little nubs all over the lid, so it drips more evenly all over the dish. <S> With a paper lid, you don't get that large collection of steam in the air above the dish, so you don't run into those problems. <S> You also won't get as much total evaporation, as there's less liquid-to-air surface for the liquid to evaporate from. <S> You could go with a just a skewed lid, but it's possible that the rice might come out less than ideal. <S> (although, I'll one for taking shortcuts ... <S> if I can get an 8/10 with 1/2 the effort, I'm all for it -- you just have to know how the shortcut might change things ... <S> this one's a bit of a toss-up, because using a normal lid means there's one more thing to clean, but that's balanced by the extra trash from the parchment lid). <A> http://remcooks.com/2012/10/19/how-to-make-a-parchment-paper-lid-parchment-cartouche/ <S> A parchment paper lid is another one of those French techniques that has been around a while. <S> In France, it is referred to as a cartouche. <S> It’s used in preparations where you are trying to control heat and evaporation, for instance poached fruits, onion confit, braises, etc. <S> In these applications, if you simply use a standard pot cover the heat inside the pot will get too high resulting in the food cooking too quickly, turning to mush and not holding as much flavor. <S> On the other hand, if you leave them uncovered, too much moisture will be lost and the food will not be done. <S> Another effect would be the food will also be exposed to the air resulting in it becoming discolored. <A> For my 2 cents, I've never ever used a parchment lid in recipes that call for it. <S> I think Joe's explanation of the purported purpose is right, but I just can't see it making a whole lot of difference, and I've never noticed any moisture problems in the dishes I've made this way. <S> I'd love to hear from someone who says they can really see a difference having made a dish both ways. <A> I'd like to know where this recipe originates from... <S> my guess is from a chef or restaurant based cookbook. <S> Parchment lids are generally used in restaurant kitchens for various reasons, but generally they are disposable and can fit onto any size pot when needed, thus eliminating the need for lots of lids. <S> This is cheaper in the long run for the kitchen as well, and parchment takes up less space. <S> Plus for some cooking methods like poaching, nothing beats a parchment lid to keep delicate items submerged in their cooking liquid. <S> It could also be that the author found the parchment lid as a superior method for keeping all of the ingredients submerged in the liquid while simmering? <S> I bet that a partially covered lid would do the same job, but it is hard to say without having the entire recipe with method to examine.
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Its purpose is to control the rate of evaporation, which in turn slows the reduction of moisture and concentrates a sauce or stew in a much more efficient way.
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Why isn't my vinaigrette emulsifying properly? I made a vinaigrette tonight. Normally, to make one, I put vinegar and oil in a mason jar and shake to mix. This usually seems to emulsify the mixture properly and it holds for a while. Tonight, I made one with 20% red wine vinegar, 20% champagne vinegar, 10% dry sherry, 50% Greek olive oil, and nothing else. I found that after shaking, it started to separate within about 30 seconds, being completely split again after about a minute. Why did this particular mixture not stay in a stable emulsified state? <Q> As Michael mentioned, a shaken vinaigrette is only going to stay together primarily while you're shaking it. <S> If it's been staying together long consider yourself lucky all the other times... <S> this time was what should be "normal". <S> The more particulate such as herbs, mustard, spices, etc. <S> that you have in a vinaigrette the quicker it will emulsify <S> and the longer it will stay emulsified. <S> The particles of spice and herbs act as physical barriers that help to interrupt the droplets of oil so that they aren't able to coalesce and come together as they can when you have just oil and vinegar/acid. <S> When doing vinaigrettes by hand using a whisk, start with your acid and add the salt along with anything else, leaving the oil last. <S> Adding salt to the acid component will help it to better dissolve <S> so you get a truer reading on the flavor. <S> When it's added last as it's usually written in most recipes: "season to taste with salt and pepper", the salt usually hasn't dissolved by the time you taste it <S> and you're much more likely to add too much, resulting in a dressing that's a bit saltier than you might like. <S> The manner in which you drizzle the oil and manner in which you whisk it when doing by hand, are also important factors. <S> Also, use a back and forth <S> "zig-zag" motion rather than a circular whisking motion. <S> The "zig-zag" motion will allow the wires of the whisk to better break up the oil into droplets and emulsify them with the acid. <S> Using a circular motion creates a vortex in the center of the acid where the oil tends to pool, resulting in an oily vinaigrette. <S> The great part of using an immersion blender (aka stick or wand blender) is that EVERYTHING can go in at once. <S> Use a container that's deeper than it is wide (such as 2 cup liquid measure) <S> so that there's plenty of depth for the liquid. <S> Garlic, shallots and herbs can even go in whole. <S> The immersion blender will blend up your garlic, etc. <S> and emulsify the oil with the vinegar. <S> An immersion blender or a standard blender provide you with a the most stable vinaigrette. <A> I'm surprised you generally find that technique will produce emulsification that lasts any significant length of time. <S> I've been know to use the jar & shake occasionally, but usually it only stays mixed for under a minute. <S> Unless: you add mustard, like a teaspoon or so of Dijon mustard. <S> Mustard is a powerful emulsifier and will help stabilize it. <S> To build a normal emulsion without any help from mustard or other emulsifiers, you must add the drops of oil a little at a time into the vinegar while whisking or whizzing with a blender or stick blender, allowing them to disperse. <S> Otherwise the oil all bonds to itself and it won't get dispersed in the vinegar no matter what you do. <S> Once you've got the emulsion fairly well started, you can add the oil a little faster. <A> The temperature is, as far as I understand, another important factor. <S> Don't keep the oil and vinegar in a cold place, they mix more easily at room temperature. <S> I can only agree with the mustard tip! <S> Also, egg yolk(I've used it boiled and mashed) is an emulsifier that you could try adding.
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When whisking vinagirettes by hand, drizzle the oil form a higher level so that as it hits the bowl you have a finer stream that's easier to emulsify.
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Can I add uncooked noodles directly to soup? Most noodle soup recipes that I see call for boiling and draining the noodles separately, then adding them to the broth already cooked. Is there any reason that I can't just add the dry noodles 10 minutes before the soup is done, and add a little extra water or broth to compensate for that the noodles take? Doing it this way would allow the noodles to take up some of the broth's flavor, and also save dirtying an extra pot and a colander. <Q> similar to what julio said, the main reason is that typical wheat-based noodles release a lot of starch into the water, which changes the consistency of the soup. <S> the starches can add a dirty colour to the water, but more than that, they can also thicken the soup undesirably (think of making a roux). <S> Finally, if there are leftovers, the noodles can sometimes become completely water logged, making eating it the next day a bit of a soggy experience. <S> That said, with all these considerations there are times when you might add the noodles directly <S> in-- non-starchy noodles <S> (eg. <S> like rice noodles) seem to do ok. <S> also parboiling regular pasta before hand seems to help a lot with the starch and can still help you achieve the flavour integration you mentioned. <A> Some people prefer to cook them separately because when you do so, you can see the water changes color a little and they don't want that (mainly flour) in their soups. <S> Another advantage is that you can have your soup ready and just cook the noodles on demand. <S> The noodles go to boiling water, the soup is just very hot, but not boiling. <S> That's what restaurants do. <S> If those reasons are not important for you, do as most of us do and cook them together :) <A> That's how I cook noodle soup. <S> And yes, it does give them a nice flavor. <S> Just be sure you don't add them too soon: it's easy to over-cook the noodles by leaving them too long in the hot broth. <A> With a cream-based soup the added starch adds desired thickness. <S> It isn't worse for the soup than adding corn starch or extra flour, and color change would be indistinguishable. <S> Same for a tomato-based soup, or an egg-flower soup. <S> I like robust soups in general, and I think throwing the water out in general is a terrible thing to do to a food product. <S> Any soup that calls for discarding more nutrients and flavor from a product already 'enriched' out of the crop's natural value <S> isn't one I'd be interested in cooking. <S> Cooking flavor into the noodles beats wringing more out. <A> <A> Well first of all, any sauce you make that'll have pasta in it, must have at least 1 to 2 tablespoons of pasta water in it, i.e. 1 to tbsp of the water you boiled the pasta with. <S> Second of all, it's all about the amount. <S> If let's say you're adding a 1/2 cup of rigatoni or fussili <S> then you're fine, add'er up; but be advised when reheating, pasta will break easily on you. <S> If you're putting let's say skinny noodle type pasta, then don't put it from the start. <S> What you can do is half boil the pasta in the normal water, drain it, and then add it to your soup 5 / 10 minutes before it's done. <A> Any soup I cook that requires noodles gets put in the same pot as the other ingredients. <S> The noodles will have more flavor and it helps thicken up the soup for a heartier meal. <S> I have been doing this for quite a while <S> and it is the ONLY way I cook noodles when they are going in a soup. <S> It really doesn’t have a different taste. <A> I will add uncooked noodles to soup that have been soaked for 1 hr. <S> As for thickeners, I prefer potato flour that keeps the broth a clear and translucent look. <S> Potato flour goes a long way as a thickener~go for 1/4 normal & add more if required.
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I suppose it you prefer a clear light soup, it would preferably be better to cook the noodles separately and then pour broth over to maintain the clearness of the broth and texture of the noodle.
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Why does my homemade pasta stick to itself whilst cooking? I make a fair amount of homemade pasta (Mostly Tagliatelle or Linguine), and I tend to cook it fresh, rather than drying it and cooking from dry; however, it tends to clump and stick together in the pan when cooking. What can I do to minimise this, and make my homemade pasta behave a little more like store bought fresh pasta? For reference, I'm using a fairly standard recipe of one egg per 100g of 'OO' flour; and I add salt and a little olive oil to the pan when cooking, as well as following all the normal steps that give successful results with store bought pasta - Could it be that I'm not working the dough enough, working it too much, or just down to not using the "correct" type of flour (semolina flour doesn't appear to be available in my area)? <Q> I have that problem when I am impatient and don't let the pasta dry out long enough before putting it on to boil. <S> It is important to let the pasta dry even just in loose little heaps once sliced into noodles. <S> It doesn't have to get totally dry just dry enough that you can't squish the noodles back together into dough. <S> Also you need to cook fresh pasta for a very short amount of time in a LOT of water, about 1.5x as much water as you would use for dry, so that the noodles have less chance to run into each other. <S> In fact I frequently don't boil them at all separately but just toss them in the soup I am serving them with for for a two to three minutes before serving. <A> I just realized -- you gave measurements for pasta, and even though it's a weight and not volume, I'd still be suspicious. <S> Try the following method of mixing: Pour out slightly more flour than the recipe calls for into a pile. <S> Mix <S> any liquids in a small bowl. <S> Make a hole in the middle of the pile, so <S> the flour pile kinda looks like a volcano. <S> The hole should be able twice the size of the volue of liquid. <S> Pour the liquid in the hole. <S> Stir the liquid, slowly mixing in the flour. <S> Switch to using your hands when it starts forming into a ball. <S> Use the remaining flour as bench flour for kneading. <S> This way, the pasta will take in all of the flour that it can. <S> You'll end up working in a little bit more as you're rolling it out. <S> Or, you can use the updated food processor method: Put the flour in the food processor. <S> Add the egg(s), and blend. <S> With the processor running, slowly stream in your other liquids until the dough forms a ball. <S> Let the ball roll around for a minute or two to knead. <S> Dump it out onto the counter, and finish kneading by hand w/ more flour. <S> (I just kinda slap it back and forth a little bit). <S> As Michael points out, the flour might help to dry out the pasta, so you might want to do this step just before cooking). <S> Also, consider using lots of water, in the biggest pot you have -- any loose flour will then get dissolved further, causing less overall problems. <S> And consider not cooking it 'til it's done, but pulling it a minute or two early to finish cooking in whatever sauce <S> you're going to serve it with. <S> (yes, both of these are mentioned in the other thread, but worth mentioning again) <A> Be sure and toss it with plenty of flour and let it dry for awhile. <S> Lightly shake off the flour before boiling. <S> The flour will dry out the surface of the dough, reducing the tendency to stick together when cooking.
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You also need to make sure to knock off any extra flour before cooking -- the racks for great for this, as you can just hit the pasta to knock off any loose flour.
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What can I do with 2 lbs. of pecans? I just bought 2 pounds of pecans from a friend who received them from a fresh source. I know of all kinds of regular things to do with pecans, but short of making more or bigger dishes that happen to have some pecans in them, what are good things to do with 2 lbs of pecans? I should mention that I'm vegan, so veg-friendly suggestions particularly welcome. <Q> I'm not sure why the rush. <S> Pecans are not a cheap ingredient where I am, and I actually have to slow myself down from using too many. <S> This could be done with egg plant, for example. <S> As an omnivore I really enjoy fish coated with ground nuts. <S> One of my favorite ways to do green beans is to roast them under a broiler with onions and pecans until all ingredients are toasty and golden. <S> Pecan pie is one of my favorite desserts, and with a replacement for heavy cream <S> my recipe could be made vegan. <S> Google appears to agree that this is a definite option for vegans. <S> Another excellent recipe if you can save your pecans for fall is a pumpkin pie base with a pecan pie topping. <S> Oh. <S> My. <S> Goodness. <S> So decadent. <S> There are many options out there. <S> I rarely make cookies without pecans. <S> In fact, my ideal cookie is pecans held together by cookie dough. <S> I love pecans in muffins. <S> They also taste good in quick breads - zucchini, banana, and many others. <S> You can also grind the pecans and use them with white or whole wheat flour in a bread recipe. <A> Pecan pie, obviously Pecan brittle Candied pecans Grind to make a pecan crust for fish/chicken Chocolate chip pecan cookies <S> Pecan banana bread feel free to edit this list Also, freeze them in an airtight bag and they'll last for a long time. <A> you could make pecan butter! <S> that takes a lot of pecans, i'm sure. <A> This one is hard to answer because you said "I know of all kinds of regular things to do with pecans". <S> I'm second guessing myself wondering if all the things I do are "regular" or not. :) <S> Seriously though- <S> this shouldn't be a problem <S> and I don't think you should try and waste them all at once just because you have them. <S> As I'm sure you know, most recipes call for a relatively small amount. <S> Pecans stay good frozen for a long time (I've done a year with no noticeable effects). <S> Stuff I do with Pecans <S> but again they're all normal: <S> Throw in some in cereal and yogurt,brownies,banana bread,pie (very infrequently! <S> That's a bit rich)various saladschopped with a vinaigrette on cooked veggies,Any recipe that calls for walnuts as I never have them. <A> You can use pretty much any nut in pesto. <S> It'll taste different, but pecan pesto probably wouldn't be bad. <A> You could try a sweet dish called charoset . <S> Most recipes call for a cup or so of walnuts, but I always use pecans instead, and it comes out great. <A> One good thing about using freezing pecans is that after you freeze them, you can make pecan nut flour by tossing your pecans into the food processor. <S> Freezing the pecans allows the nuts to not turn into pecan butter when you grind them. <S> With the pecan nut flour, you can substitute it in lots of baking recipes for a richer flavor. <S> I've found it to be a great additive to vegan recipes to give pie crusts, cakes and cookies a more moist texture. <S> Just replace 1/4 of your regular all purpose flour with the pecan flour. <S> You can make a great vegan cheesecake with Tofutti (homemade vegan cream cheese), using pecan nut flour in your crust, and topping with toasted pecans and maple syrup. <A> I'd recommend that until you use them, you may want to consider storing them in the fridge or freezer, since the oils can go rancid, causing an off taste. <S> Particularly with two pounds of them, you may not use them up in time. <A> My wife makes Mexican Wedding Cookies, from 'The Joy of Vegan Baking'. <S> These are very addictive. <S> Besides the pecans, everything else is a basic pantry item (flour, sugar, vanilla extract, etc). <A> Fruitcake. <S> Okay, <S> well, not exactly -- my mom makes what she calls "pecan whisky cake", which is essentially a fruitcake -- nuts, fruit (well, just sultanas aka. <S> golden raisins) and bourbon. <S> Then it's wrapped in cheesecloth and misted every few weeks with more bourbon over the course of 4 months. <S> (but I'd just toss 'em in the freezer, 2 lbs doesn't take up much space, assuming they're already shelled) <A> I have 2 big pecan trees in my garden, which supply endless amounts of pecans. <S> So I have a similar "problem". <S> And although pecans can stay tasty when stored in a dry place, they do loose their taste over time ( <S> ~ after a year, although they're still good for cooking). <S> Basically, what I like to do with my pecans is just eat them raw (without toasting, without salt, without sugar, just open them up one by one and eat them). <S> Fresh pecans don't need any additions as they taste incredible when fresh. <S> The fact that you have to peel them one by one, slows down the pace of eating, so by the time you've eaten 6-7 <S> you're pretty full and tired of peeling :) <S> Also, I just bring a bag of them to work and watch my colleagues enjoy pecans. <S> It's actually became similar to a "water cooler effect" where everybody just hangs around the pecans, eating them and talking while taking a break. <S> Which is much better than eating waffles as we normally do when pecans are not around.
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A perhaps unusual preparation is to grind your pecans and coat whatever your main is with them as if the pecans were bread crumbs.
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Excessive water when cooking scallops This is partly a continuation of this question, since that one was already closed, but my question is about a specific problem encountered the last time I cooked scallops. I got the pan up to a reasonable temperature and put the scallops in, and as they were cooking, TONS of water came out of the scallops and filled the pan. I poured it out, continued cooking, and more water came out. Several iterations later, I thought they were done, but they were still very raw inside, so we ended up tossing the batch (it definitely wasn't sushi grade). Where did all the liquid come from, and is there any way to avoid that the next time? <Q> I've had this issue with crappy supermarket scallops before. <S> Alton Brown covered this. <S> From http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Season9/scallops/scallop_trans.htm <S> (section 5): <S> dry scallops are usually ivory, or slightly pink, or even orange in color, not white. <S> Of course, they don't actually look dry. <S> The term refers to the fact that these lovely lozenges have not been soaked in any kind of chemical, say, sodium tripolyphosphate. <S> This solution is used to help scallops retain moisture when frozen. <S> Now there's nothing wrong with that per se, unless the scallop in question is not going to be frozen. <S> You see, treating fresh scallops with S.T.P. <S> causes them to gain moisture, making them heavier, which could be a good thing for a retailer, but it's never good for a cook. <S> Because once this stuff is inside the scallop, they become very difficult to cook properly, and they are impossible to sear properly. <S> Diver scallops are probably good. <S> Look for a bit of color when buying. <S> The good news is that you probably aren't doing anything wrong, the scallops just aren't going to sear. <S> When you buy for searing, get scallops that haven't been treated with chemicals. <S> Diver scallops are almost always untreated. <S> Look for a bit of color, which is usually a sign of quality. <S> Don't buy them if they are in a pool of milky liquid (as they usually are in the fish section of the supermarket). <S> Buying diver scallops is also much more sustainable and eco-friendly, since large ships that freeze their stock at sea dredge the floor to get scallops. <S> Divers are much more selective and do negligible damage to the ocean floor. <A> If there are too many, then there is not enough empty surface for liquid released to boil off. <S> This also ends up steaming your scallops rather than frying, which I don't like nearly as much. <S> If you have enough hot, open pan around the scallops, then liquid will boil off very quickly. <A> Scallops are like little sponges. <S> Don't let 'em soak in water, or they'll absorb a ton of it and then release it all when you start cooking them. <S> If you need to wash them, put them in a strainer, and run them under the water for a second. <S> Then pat them dry with some paper towels.
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Make sure you are not crowding your scallops in the pan.
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Bean selection for a chili recipe I am planning on making a new chili using grilled venison, Great Lakes Black Out Stout, and roasted corn (I'm in Ohio and sweet corn is getting good right now). My least favorite part of making and eating chili is the beans; I hate selecting them and pick around them in my bowl. (I will probably also be using chiles en adobo, serranos, and roasted jalapenos/tien tsin as my pepper trinity.) The only ones I do actually like are black beans. What would your recommendations be for a good bean, both in choice and preparation to pair with the ingredients above? (Please include other ingredients or flavors to incorporate in the comments.) I want it to be dark and mysterious; typically I name things first and then build them up from there and this one I'm calling Bear's Den Chili (hopefully that will be a note to start you off with). <Q> We make vegetarian chili every few months, and use a combination of many kinds of beans. <S> You can use kidney, cannelini (white kidney beans), pinto, small red, small white, roman, etc. <S> We like Goya's beans . <S> If the meat is tough, you may want mushier beans to add textural difference, so you might want to avoid black beans or black-eyed peas. <S> (Unless they're your favorite, of course!) <A> I thought I hated chili growing up because my mother made it with straight kidney beans. <S> I was pleasantly surprised to marry into a family where the family chili recipe uses chili beans - kidney beans in a spicy sauce. <S> This family chili recipe has won an office chili cook-off, and I think it is in large part due to the can of chili beans. <S> I know it's a classic, but I think it would work well with your chili. <S> I'd also suggest cumin and a generous amount of chili powder. <S> Your chili will be even better if the chili powder is homemade. <A> The beans are always my favorite part of chili <S> and I usually use several varieties. <S> My favorites are black as they stay chewy longer, small red because of the smooth texture without being as big as kidney, and black eyed peas because they look interesting. <S> I'm not a big fan of pinto. <S> You might try the blackeyed peas or half blackeyed and black beans. <S> The color may fit your theme. <S> It sounds like you won't be featuring them as much as I do in my chili so the flavor of the bean is irrelevant it won't be noticeable. <S> It's the texture and color you want. <A> A slightly meaty bean, they are terrific <S> but I have only seen them dried in specialty grocers. <S> Beware! <S> They seem to take a long time to soak before using. <S> I have used and do love pinto, <S> kidney, black, and great northern and navy beans in my chili, not necessarily all at once.
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One of my new favorite beans to use in chili is a relative of the cranberry bean, called Tongues of Fire.
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Are MSG and Accent (Seasoning) the same thing? Can the seasoning Accent be substituted for MSG, for example in General Tso's Chicken? <Q> The full ingredient list for Accent "original flavor" is as follows: <S> Monosodium Glutamate, Salt, Chili Pepper, Tricalcium Phosphate (As Anticaking Agent), Spice (Cumin, Oregano), Paprika Extractives(color), Garlic Extractives, Onion Extractives, Yellow No.6 Lake, Yellow No.5 Lake. <A> Sources say: yes! <S> Spice Seasoning, Accent Seasoning, MSG Accent Seasoning and its benefits <S> This PDF also shows what you can look for on a label to indicate MSG's presence. <A> "Accent" is simply a brand name. <S> MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) is the generic name of the compound. <S> Edit: Hobodave is also correct, and this answer might seem misleading alongside it, so I want to clarify. <S> You rarely see pure generic MSG outside of labs and specialty stores. <S> Normally when you see a recipe call for MSG, it is referring to one of the various brands of "MSG flavor enhancers", and Accent is the most popular one. <S> So, they aren't precisely the same thing, but I wouldn't even call it a substitution; Accent is what almost everyone uses when they need MSG (at least in Canada and the USA) and you can definitely use it here.
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MSG is the primary ingredient in Accent.
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What Kinds of Recipes Should I Sift/Aerate The Flour? We've talked about methods for sifting flour ( How can I make sifting easier? ), and the purposes of sifting ( What is the purpose of sifting dry ingredients? ). How can I tell whether a recipe specifies sifting for aeration? How can I tell when to bust out the food processor? In what kinds of recipes will I see a better result by fluffing those dry ingredients? For example, when I make cookies, I do just whisk the flour, salt and baking soda together in a bowl, and they turn out just fine. <Q> Generally sifting is really only necessary when you are dealing with an ingredient that clumps a lot (cocoa powder, cake flour, and baking soda come to mind). <S> For the average cookie or quick bread recipe, whisking these ingredients in a bowl before adding the wet ingredients will usually do the trick. <S> Any recipe that requires aeration of the batter (Creaming method, sponge cake method, etc), it definitely helps to get out the sieve and give the dry ingredients a good sifting. <S> With the ingredients listed above, you will definitely noticed clumps in your final product or a denser texture. <S> When it doubt, it never hurts to sift. <S> I recommend using a small sifter with a handle for small batch recipes over a piece of wax/parchment paper. <A> sifting is always a good idea. <S> while flour generally won't cake from ambient humidity due to anti-caking agents, you will get drops of this and that in your flour from time to time--good idea to get them out. <S> in addition, it helps fully separate all the granules, allowing for better gelation of the starch. <A> Cakes are where sifting can make a significant difference. <S> See Shirley Corriher's BakeWise book, she goes into it in detail. <A> According to Cooks Illustrated: <S> Sifting flour or cocoa powder is a chore, but sometimes it is important. <S> Recipes with cocoa powder, such as chocolate cake, also often call for sifting the cocoa powder. <S> In this case, sifting breaks up small clumps of cocoa that form as the powder sits in the package. <S> Sifted cocoa can be evenly distributed throughout a cake batter; with unsifted cocoa <S> this isn’t always the case.
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When making a delicate cake like a sponge cake or genoise that requires flour to be folded into beaten eggs and sugar, sifted flour can be added quickly and distributed evenly (because sifting aerates the flour), thereby reducing the risk of deflating the batter.
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How to thaw a bottle of beer that got frozen accidentally without exploding the bottle Recently I had occasion to put @Kevin Selker 's answer to the test in terms of rapidly chilling beer . However, we uncovered a problem the next morning where people had taken beer and thrown it in the freezer only to forget about it. I will flip this question around now, what is the best way (is it possible) to take beer from your freezer and safely thaw it for drinking? Is it actually worth drinking if you freeze it solid, then thaw it then chill it again? will the glass be compromised? anyway, i guess this is some regular event at my parents and i would like for this to stop happening. [as an aside: we wrapped up the two bottles in towels and put them in the basement (which was relatively cool. we came back awhile later and the one bottle had exploded, the other on had a crack around the neck. we had to throw both out. so either this method is fail, or needed augmented.] <Q> I've had the same experience as you, with beer and other liquids frozen in glass bottles. <S> Whenever I try to rapidly thaw them, it seems the structure of the glass is compromised in some way and <S> it either explodes or cracks - this even has happened to me when trying to slow thaw, like you did. <S> Beer bottles, and especially cans, can explode in the freezer and will make an ungodly mess. <S> Beer bottles exploding in the freezer are rare, but I've heard anecdotal stories from people <S> I trust who said it has happened to them, perhaps with improper bottling and not enough room for expansion in the neck. <S> Since a few bad experiences with forgetting things in the freezer (I had an aluminum can of Hawaiian Punch literally explode all over the freezer one night, <S> that was a MESS) <S> I now only use the salted ice bath method! <S> I have tasted beer that was frozen and thawed without any glass shards in it, specifically a can of beer that partially exploded (I guess I didn't learn my lesson from the Hawaiian Punch that quickly). <S> It had enough left frozen in the bottom of the can that I figured I should thaw what was left, and give it a taste. <S> It wasn't bad, but it tasted a little...flatter than normal <S> , I guess? <S> It just wasn't as full flavored as I expected. <S> Definitely a noticeable difference to me. <A> If you can figure a way to thaw them safely, I'd use frozen beer in beer bread. <S> That should be more forgiving than drinking it. <A> I would suggest the best way is slow cold running water over the bottle in a bowl that covers it. <S> Reason being any rapid temperature increase is going to break the glass. <S> You may lose carbonation but really that is how beers starts <S> so I wouldn't worry to much. <S> For taste, it might taste a little bit different. <S> I have frozen wine on accident and it actually didn't turn out bad. <S> When I bought the same wine and didn't freeze it <S> I got the same flavors. <S> I think it should be alright. <A> I would suggest removing the bottle cap before thawing the beer. <S> Of course you'll want to put it someplace that won't be harmed if it makes a mess. <S> As for the resulting flat beer, maybe you could use it in chili, beer brats, beer can chicken, or childish pranks. <S> :P <S> I've also heard that beer can be good for plants. <S> Here is a listing of several other uses for beer, <S> most/all of which work well with flat beer. <S> I don't believe it would work well in beer bread though since the carbonation helps the bread to rise. <A> I've seen a microwave used to quickly thaw a bottle of Newcastle that had frozen. <S> Take the cap off, and run it under cold water until there's liquid surrounding a frozen core, then microwave in short bursts until thawed. <S> Fair warning: it tasted awful . <S> You'll want to have consumed every other bottle in the pack before bothering with this... <A> <A> Well, if you happen to have more than one frozen bottle of beer, I would suggest doing just the opposite of the suggestions so far. <S> Put one of them in a bucket of HOT water. <S> I can imagine how this might work, but I'm loath to try it.
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I submerge can or bottle in cold water to minimze rapid temp increase as this changes the drink, I froze it already so try to minimize my error, and I cringe and drink my beer, its a bit different tasting but does the trick
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How can I make my Chocolate Mousse fluffier? I regularly make Chocolate Mousse with an egg yolk, sugar and dark chocolate base folded into whipped egg white or whipped cream (or both). It's tastes pretty good and has a nice mouth-feel. Now I want it to look good. What I have looks something like this: Instead I want it to hold a form and have a delicate velvety texture like in the image below. The recipe associated with this picture uses a lot of butter. I've seen other recipes include gelatin. What are my best bets? <Q> The dessert pictured above definitely, definitely has gelatin in it. <S> That will change the mouth feel on the mousse slightly, but it might be what you are going for and will provide some of the stability that you are looking for. <S> To have it hold a form like this you will need a recipe that requires gelatin; I would recommend gelatin sheets if you can find them at a local baking/cooking supply store or order them online. <S> The fluffiness will also be determined by several things. <S> How were the whites whipped (too much, too little) or how was the cream whipped (again too much, too little)? <S> There are recipes that call for both. <S> How you incorporate all of the ingredients into one another really matters and in what order, this is called tempering. <S> You want to fold until the mixtures are just combined; no more. <S> Temperature is of key importance for all of the ingredients - some you want very cold while others (ie chocolate) <S> you want to be room temperature but not too cool <S> or it will seize up the mixture and the mousse will taste grainy. <S> Also chocolate mousse texture can definitely be affected by the percentage and quality of chocolate you are using. <S> If is is of a higher percentage it can create a denser mousse and deflate the whites and cream more easily. <A> i have only made mousse a few times, but it didnt start setting correctly until i was using a) whipping cream (ie whipped from scratch, not from a tub) and b) using a stand mixer. <S> otherwise it tasted good but didnt have a consistent fluffiness. <S> if youre doing this by hand, or using a pre-whipped cream <S> i doubt you will be successful based on my experience. <A> I made a chocolate mousse recently using soft-peaked whipped cream folded into a melted chocolate/butter/sugar mixture at room temperature. <S> I found the following helped keep the mousse light: 1) <S> Before whipping the cream (I used a hand mixer), I put the metal bowl and mixer blades in the freezer for an hour.2) <S> I folded in the whipped cream 1/3 at a time. <S> The first third tends to lose a lot of air as the chocolate mixture is pretty heavy. <S> But this provides a lighter, stabler mixture to work with when you incorporate the 2nd and 3rd thirds of the whipped cream. <S> I found that the end result was less dense than if I had folded the whipped cream in one fell swoop. <A> A mousse from The New Best Recipe helped produce the dense velvety mousse I was looking for. <S> I used two large eggs, 3 ounces of bitter chocolate, 1 ounce of unsalted butter, 3/4 cup of cream and 1 tblsp sugar. <S> Usually I heat up a yolk, sugar and milk mixture to 80C before mixing in the chocolate. <S> In this recipe I melted the chocolate first and beat in the uncooked yolks one at a time. <S> Instead the sugar was beaten into the stiff egg whites which where warmed slightly before beating. <S> The cream, on the other hand, was chilled and beaten in a metal bowl set in iced water. <S> Following the recipe I beat a portion of the egg white into the chocolate/yolk mixture before folding in the rest. <S> I took Robert's advice and folded in the cream in a portion at a time. <S> I did this with both the egg whites and the cream. <S> Presentationally my mousse was not close to the picture posted in my question, but from the shape the mousse kept while I scooped out spoonfuls, I can say that the texture was comparable. <S> On a whim I used three times as much cream as the recipe required. <S> A richer mousse would certainly have been better <S> so I hope that the specified 1/4 cup of cream can be used without radically altering the texture. <A> In this way, you can maintain your recipe and <S> it's taste, etc... but add the extra firmness. <S> To make it fluffier, remember to keep your mixing bowl as cold as you can. <A> Yes, you're right: The second picture definitely has got gelatin on it. <S> To be truly honest, I don't see the point of adding butter, gelatin or even cream to your mousse, as it definitely doesn't need it. <S> Yes, you definitely need a stand-mixer. <S> Even when the white has become very stiff, keep mixing them until it gets very hard (you must be able to cut it with a knife).
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The key difference from my usual recipe is the use of butter, although some other changes may have helped stiffen the mousse. I think you're right to want to use a little gelatin.
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How to use pie weights? Should something be placed between pie weights (whether using rice, beans, or metal/ceramic beads) and the pie dough? Should the dough still be pricked with a fork? How do you remove the weights? I looked up various advice elsewhere, used beans as pie weights with nothing between them and the dough, and I tried to pour them out. I lost the crust. Help! EDIT: How much material should I use as a weight? (what measurement of rice, beans, etc.) <Q> Yes. <S> You can either use aluminum foil that has been lightly sprayed with some Pam or rubbed with butter OR a piece of parchment paper cut into a larger circle than the pie. <S> It will create an overhang that you can use to pull out the weights or beans. <S> If you try to bake it with the beans on the surface it will cook directly into the dough and your shell will be ruined. <S> I still prick the bottom of the crust because steam and air will still be trapped underneath the pie weights. <S> When you remove the weights to finish the baking of the crust, if it has not been pricked you could still end up with pockets and air bubbles as that part of the crust is still a bit raw. <A> I use a large coffee filter. <S> This allows the crust to "breathe" better. <S> The beans go inside the filter and its easy to pull out <S> once pre-baking is done. <A> I have had better luck with parchment. <S> Waxed paper was predictably a disaster (I grabbed the wrong roll once). <S> It depends on the size of the pie crust a bigger pie takes more weights. <S> When using beans I like to have about two beans deep all the way across the bottom (2-3 cups depending on the size of the pie shell). <S> Ceramic weights are more dense, and only really need one layer. <A> I place a sheet of parchment paper between the crust and the weights. <S> This makes removing them as straightforward as carefully lifting the paper out. <S> Re: amount to use - enough to cover the bottom uniformly. <A> An alternative technique is to freeze the pastry in the pie dish. <S> Then take the frozen pastry out of the dish and put it in the oven <S> - it should bake before it defrosts and goes out of shape.
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As others have stated parchment or greased foil will keep your weights from embedding themselves in your pie crust, and make getting the weights out easier.
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What does "shocking" food do? I've seen different recipes and some shows on TV that show a method of "shocking" the food; boiling it and then when ready, placing it in ice water. What does this do for the food? <Q> <A> The problem with throwing something in boiling water is that it's still hot when you take it out. <S> The big lesson is that whenever you cook something with heat, even when the oven/stove/grill/pot/water is turned off the food is still being cooked. <S> This is why when cooking meat it's a good policy to assume that it will rise a few degrees during resting. <S> The problem with vegetables is that they already have a short cooking time to begin with. <S> Also, unlike meat, when we overcook a vegetable you lose more than just flavor and texture. <S> You start losing the valuable vitamins and other healthy reasons why we eat those foods to begin with. <A> In addition to previous answers: As 'Shocking' the food will cause a marked temperature difference between the outer layer of the food and the inside, you can use the difference in expansion/contraction for a useful effect. <S> (re: boiled egg and removing the shell). <S> Also consider corn on the cob. <S> By dropping the outside temperature, the cob will be easier to handle, pick up, and eat, but will continue to be heated from the inside heat. <S> (Careful: it will probably get 'too hot' again if you try to eat too soon).
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"Shocking" the food stops the cooking process, preventing the food from losing its color and texture.
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How do you keep a Turkey Meatloaf from getting too "dry"? I just made a Turkey meatloaf, using a standard recipe that usually turns out good with ground beef, but it was too dry - any help would be appreciated. <Q> My mom's meatloaf recipe included a couple slices of bread that had been soaked in milk and then blenderized with the egg before mixing in to the meat. <S> The milk obviously provides moisture, and the bread a nice carbohydrate matrix to hold onto that moisture. <S> Give that a shot, I bet it will hydrate your turkey. <S> (Do you dare take meatloaf advice from a 25 year vegetarian?) <A> Avery's "fattest turkey" advice is solid. <S> I try to find ground turkey breast as opposed to ground turkey, no matter what I plan to do with it, because it's easier to keep it from drying out in various recipes. <S> As he said, ground turkey is so easy to overcook. <S> You could always add some moisture by throwing some bacon grease into the mix, which I have done in the past with regular (ground beef) <S> meatloaf to help make it as unhealthy and delicious as possible. <S> This should effectively counter the health benefits of using ground turkey over ground beef, but boy is it good! <S> When my mom makes turkey burgers for the grill, she adds some italian dressing into the mix and swears that it helps keep the burgers from drying out fast. <S> Haven't tried it myself, but I can see how the oil (and water and vinegar, but moreso the oil) would help. <S> It will likely affect the taste of the dish...but that isn't always a bad thing, as I find ground turkey to be significantly more "boring" tasting by itself than ground beef is by itself, probably because of the lack of fat. <A> It's best to use the fattest ground turkey you can find if you are worried about moisture. <S> Don't use the extra lean grinds as fat helps keep the meatloaf moist. <S> If you can find a mixture of ground turkey that is labeled turkey breast or has dark meat in it this will help. <S> Also, make sure not to overcook the meatloaf as turkey is by far one of the easiest meats to overcook. <S> Internal temperature should read 160-165 degrees max. <S> But I would pull the loaf at 150 and let it rest until it comes up to temperature, covered with tin foil. <S> Almost all cooked proteins will "carryover", that is they will continue cooking after it has been removed from the oven. <S> Adding stock or extra diced onions for moisture in the mixture will help with moisture but can affect the texture and taste of your loaf. <A> You can substitute a non-fat liquid (such as stock or tomato juice) for the fat to gain back some of the moisture, but it will change the texture. <S> We've had good results using salsa in our meatloaf, since it provides acidity, vegetables, spice, and liquid. <S> This reduces the amount of egg and other liquid we need. <S> (We're down to one egg for two loaves.) <S> Another way to deal with the issue is to add more fat, but cook the meatloaf using a double-layered pan with holes in the top layer. <S> (Such as a broiler pan or special meatloaf pan .) <S> This allows some of the fat to drain off, reducing the fat and calories for the meatloaf. <S> Edited to correct the name from "grilling pan" to "broiler pan."
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In general, fat in ground meat will keep dishes made with it moist.
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Do Bouillon Cubes/Powder go bad? I just found an old jar of Beef Bouillon cubes and although there is no expiration date, I'm a bit skeptical about using them - do they go bad? <Q> IF... <S> the jar was tightly sealed and stored in a cool, dry area <S> the bouillon cubes don't smell spoiled in any way <S> the cubes aren't off-color are most likely under 2 years old <S> then they should be safe. <S> Bouillon can keep for up to 2 years according to stilltasty.com . <S> So, if you think they've been hiding out in the cupboard for over 2 years, I'd toss them. <A> Taste them. <S> If you still like their flavor, then go ahead and use them. <A> Dry, dark, sealed, and cool storage; bouillon should be safe to consume indefinitely. <S> May lose some flavor; but still safe to consume. <S> Lots of salt does preserve quite well.
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Bouillon cubes contain enough salt to preserve them from spoilage, but the flavor (which, after all, is why you're using them) may weaken, dull, and change over the years.
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Is there an easy way to trim the ends off green beans quickly? A staple in our house is green beans. It's not uncommon that I'll buy 5-10 lbs and blanch or cook them all in one session, to reheat or eat cold in lunches all week. I also buy fresh beans in bulk when in season, and trim/blanch before freezing. For a pound, trimming the ends off the beans is no big deal, but when we're talking 5 or more pounds, I find the trimming process extremely tedious and more importantly, time consuming. Similar to this question , I'm looking for some kind of trick or tool that may help with this preparation. Right now, here is how I do it: Hold chefs knife in right hand, blade flat on surface of cutting board Grab 5-10 beans and press them against the blade of the knife so they line up flush Chop ends Turn beans, press against blade again to line up other side Chop again This method isn't terrible, but it can be tedious trying to get the ends to line up for chopping. If I grab 10 beans, I feel like I'm spending too much time lining things up because they're different sizes and curvatures. If I grab 5 beans, I feel like I'm not doing as much as I can at once. I've also tried pinching the ends off by hand, using my thumbnail as a sort of mini knife. However, going one at a time like this feels very inefficient as well. So... Is there a more effective way to trim the ends green beans than what I'm currently doing, and are there any tips or tools that will make my job more efficient? <Q> I have found that scissors is the answer to this particular problem. <S> Simply grab a few bean, snip the ends and then turn the hand over and snip again. <S> This doesn't wield beans that are uniform in length though, so if you need that, you will still have to do some cutting. <S> I would say that you could blow through a batch of five pounds in a few minutes once you get the rhythm. <S> P.S. <S> I say scissors but what I really use is tin snips a la Alton Brown. <A> This seems like the easiest way. <S> I don't know if it would be any faster <S> but you could grab a bunch and just run it along a slicer to chop of the ends. <A> You'll have to test to see if this technique is faster for you or not. <S> (I've never timed a comparison myself). <S> It tends to work best with longer beans (but not 'yard long beans'), though: Grab a lot of beans, using two hands. <S> * <S> * Drop the beans onto your work surface, and line them up. <S> (pull out any that aren't well-aligned with the others, then drop back on top) <S> Gather the beans up into a tight bundle (requires both hands), then turn it vertical. <S> Loosen your grip on the beans, and jog (shake slightly back and forth) until the bottom of the beans all touch the work surface. <S> Tighten up your grip, then turn the whole bunch sideways, with the aligned ends towards your knife hand. <S> Use your non-knife hand to keep the beans from moving. <S> Grab your knife (which you needed to have in easy reach before you started), and cut the aligned ends. <S> Put down the knife Pick up the beans, and jog them in the other direction. <S> Place them down again with the uncut ends towards your knife hand. <S> Trim the second set of ends. <S> Place the beans into wherever they're going. <S> If any beans fell out of the bundle, deal with them separately. <S> ** <S> You can also grab smaller handfuls and accumulate, but you'll need to know what your maximum capacity is (which is based on how large your hands are). <S> I'd estimate I process 25-40 at a time, depending on how wide they are, but I also have rather small hands. <S> (men's small, women's medium in gloves) <A> I use the thumb-nail method. <S> If you're (almost) touching each bean individually anyway, I find it the fastest. <S> I want to inspect my beans anyway, so I do this at the same time. <S> YMMV, of course.
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You could also go old school and just tear off the ends with a snap.
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Is it easy to make my own Vanilla Sugar? Some background: We had some visitors from Austria recently and they wanted to make a cake. The cake called for a couple of ingredients not terribly easily obtainable locally and which I am not too familiar with. Quark and vanilla sugar . We understand from our friends these are pretty much staples in Austria. But we had to track them down. We are experimenting with the left-over vanilla sugar in fruit crumbles and various other recipes where sugar is required. Turns out vanilla sugar has a pleasant delicate sugary vanilla taste. But the product just seems to be caster sugar with a vanilla pod inserted. When we run out can we carry on "making" more by just sticking a vanilla pod in 500g of sugar. Does it require a certain amount of time for the vanilla to infuse into the sugar? Is there anything more to it than that, or is it that simple? P.S. The cake was called Topfengugelhupf, in case anyone is interested. <Q> The best advice I can give is to use Alton Brown 's recipe to get your timeline. <S> Vanilla sugar is very easy to make, and I hesitate to answer with a link, but my advice would be the same thing as he wrote, because this is what I was taught. <S> Basically, you want to cut the pod in half, and scrape the beans from the seed into an airtight container. <S> Then drop the scraped pods in the container, give it a shake, and let it sit for at least a week. <S> AB recommends 1-2 weeks; I tend to just let it go indefinitely until I need it. <S> A lot of people don't scrape the pod <S> but I find that it adds a lot more flavor if you do it that way. <A> Store a whole vanilla bean in a jar of sugar, shaking it up every so often, until the sugar is vanilla flavored. <S> That's it. <S> The time, I think, would depend on your bean and your taste. <A> While living in Hungary, vanilla sugar was regularly available. <S> From my experiences, the sugar actually contains the seeds of the vanilla pod. <S> To extract, slice the bean in half lengthwise, lay cut side up on a cutting board, and drag a knife across to separate the seeds from the pod. <S> Mix the contents of a pod with a bag of sugar, and shove the pod in for some extra flavor. <S> For Quark, I've never seen it sold in the states, but you can make it at home: <S> http://rheology.tripod.com/QuarkMakingOfHenning.htm and http://www.germancorner.com/recipes/hints/quark.html have what looks like solid information. <A> Alton Brown's recipe calls for one to two weeks but other than that <S> is really is that simple. <A> It takes a couple of weeks. <S> Some recipes say you should slice the beans in half, some don't. <A> Couldn't you replicate the effects by just adding a teaspoon (or two) of vanilla extract, and possibly adjusting the liquids by that minimal amount?
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Vanilla sugar is incredibly easy to make.
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How to Peel Potatoes Whenever I have to peel potatoes, I spend much of the time fighting the slippery, just-washed potatoes and keeping them from shooting out of my hands...what's a good way to peel potatoes more efficiently/easily? <Q> I noticed the term "just washed" in the question. <S> My suggestion is -- don't wash them before peeling. <S> Water is what makes them slippery -- if anything, dirt adds traction as you're peeling. <S> (and I tend to do one end, then the length of it, slowly rotating, then the other end ... <S> no idea <S> if that's faster or less slippery ... <S> but for carrots, I always do the fatter end first, as I find it'd harder hold a peeled skinny side while peeling the fatter end) <A> I know this might sound crazy, but is your potato peeler old or dull? <S> Sometimes a nice new peeler does the trick. <S> Also, I'll sometimes hold the potato with a paper towel if it's slipping in my hands. <A> This may sound like a silly answer, but it actually isn't: just do it faster. <S> Build up your speed slowly so you don't cut yourself. <S> And of course be sure you have a very sharp peeler. <S> But mainly, work on slowly increasing your tempo until your hands are a veritable blur, and it won't seem like such a chore anymore. <A> If the potatoes really are shooting out of your hands, you might try something as simple as loosening your grip. <S> When I peel potatoes, I don't even squeeze with the hand in which I'm holding it. <S> Generally, putting a lot of pressure on anything when working with knives or other sharp implements can be risky. <A> A different idea, don't peel them at all. <S> I can't think of a dish where I wouldn't rather have the earthy, crispy, chewy skin of a potato. <S> Just run them under water and lightly brush the dirt off, cut out any eyes, and be on your way. <S> This is somewhat of a non-answer, but it's how I approach most tedious cooking tasks. <A> You'll still have to pick it up to get the ends, but you should be able to get 90% of the potato done this way. <S> To keep the potato from slipping off the counter, rest it on a paper towel. <S> Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island presents and even easier method in this video . <S> Basically, you score the potato all the way around, put it in boiling water for 15 minutes, then drop it into an ice bath... <S> and the skin will just come off. <S> Very cool! <S> Of course, you'll want to reserve this method for potatoes that are going to be mashed or otherwise need to be softened for one reason or another. <S> If you don't mind buying a device specifically for this there are some pretty cool potato peelers on the market, but it might not be very cost effective unless you eat a lot of potatoes! <A> Also, you can hold the potato with a towel, or if you have one, one of those "jar openers" that is just the round silicon grip improver. <S> Those work great!
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You might have good luck with holding the potato similar to how a football is held for a field goal kicker - place one end on the table and hold the other end with the fingers of your left hand (if you're right handed), essentially sitting the potato vertically, and peel down from top to bottom. I've worked in professional kitchens, a lot of the time on prep shifts, and although there are lots of great tricks for prepping vegetables, the single thing that helps the most is to simply concentrate and move your hands faster. Wash them after peeling.
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Is there a good technique for cooking chestnuts? I would like to make my own puree and would like to know of any ways that might be recommended for cooking them first. I tried the oven once and they started exploding: Ideas? <Q> Most commonly, they're scored in an X pattern -- try to do it on the side away from the flattest side. <S> Make sure you cut all the way through the shell. <S> Then as they cook, the shell will actually peel back slightly as they cook. <S> Here's a link with pictures about baking them. <S> (425 degrees until they're done, 20 to 30 minutes.) <S> For certain recipes, you can also boil them. <S> You then will need to finish cooking them in your recipe. <S> Or you can boil them in the shell for 15-20 minutes. <S> This will lead to them falling apart -- which may be appropriate for a chestnut puree. <S> Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly. <A> I've been baking Italian chestnuts for years. <S> Holding a chestnut between my forefinger and thumb, I make two long scores on the chestnut in the shape of a "+" on the bulbous (rounded) side of the chestnut about a tenth of the way through using a paring knife with my opposite hand. <S> I then place them on the middle rack of a preheated oven (500F degrees) on a cookie sheet or stainless steel dish for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the chestnuts. <S> *They come out perfect every time. <S> I've found making a large shallow "+" is better than a single deeper slice, it makes them easier to peel once cooked and less dried out. <S> *There are "dead" ones from time to time, but this seems to happen less with Italian chestnuts than domestic (US) ones. <A> You can do them in the oven, in a skillet on an open fire, etc. <S> The secret is properly slitting the shell so that is does not explode. <S> They have moisture inside and will pop <S> /explode like popcorn if you don't slit the shell.
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Still another method I found is to cook them in oil, as described here . If you are going to cook chestnuts, you need to score them first. According to this website , you can boil them for about 3 minutes and then peel them.
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Is there a way to bring a loaf of bread that's gone dry, back to life? It seems that some of the whole grain loafs seem to dry out very quickly, even stored in a plastic bag - if it hasn't started to turn green, is there a way to restore some of the life back into them? <Q> Yes. <S> Throw it in the oven on about 200 F for 20 minutes or so. <S> The staling process is called retrogradation, and reheating can reverse it to some degree. <A> It depends. <S> If you need it to soften up for just a little while you can throw it in the mircowave for about 10-15 seconds. <S> And by a little while, I mean the time it takes to make and eat a sandwich. <S> Other than that, you can use the bread for breadcrumbs or croutons. <S> Also, dry bread makes the best french toast you will ever have. <S> Basically, you can't turn back time on a loaf but you can make it last longer by freezing it and thawing a slice at a time. <A> I have to disagree with the simple reheating method. <S> Bread goes stale through a loss of moisture. <S> Applying dry heat simply doesn't do much beneficial besides toast your stale bread. <S> Put the bread in a brown paper bag, dampen the top of the bag with water, and then microwave for a few seconds. <A> Cut it up and toast to make croûtons, or crumble into bread crumbs. <S> Your bread will enjoy new life in a salad or other dish. <S> It's a bit more work, but your bread will taste fresher longer (and as a bonus, you get to decide on the thickness you want).
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If your bread is coming pre-sliced and drying out quickly, try buying unsliced loaves and slicing it as you need it.
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Keeping a sugar solution in the fridge Based on a the coffee questions I've seen, it seems that hot beverage questions are in scope, so here goes mine: We like keeping iced coffee in the fridge, particularly in the summer. It's easiest to add sugar to the entire batch, but we both like differing amounts of sugar to coffee. Sugar doesn't dissolve in cold liquid very well. If I make a sugar suspension and put it in the fridge to sweeten the coffee as we drink it, will the mixture stay liquid or will the sugar crystals re-form? If this is impractical, can anyone offer another solution? Edit: Here's a picture of sugar solution that we've been keeping in the fridge and using. I made it 8 days ago and it's staying in solution quite well. <Q> I do exactly that. <S> I use a clear plastic squeeze bottles. <S> I fill a mug 2/3 full with sugar, and top up with boiling water, stir, cool, funnel into the squeeze bottle, and keep in the fridge door. <S> The squeeze bottle makes it easier to get the right amount of sugar into your beverage. <S> I don't even worry about keeping it sealed. <S> There's nothing much to oxidize. <S> And the osmotic pressure of sugar solutions makes it very difficult for pathogens to live. <S> This is why jams and jellies keep forever in your fridge. <S> Like jams and jellies, the first thing you're probably going to see in the way of spoilage is mold. <S> In the case of simple syrup, we're talking dark thready stuff at the bottom of the bottle. <S> This happens about a month out. <S> I chuck it, wash the bottle, and carry on. <S> On a related note, I have a blog post about iced coffee . <S> And it's kind of a little wrong. <S> Cold-brew coffee is pretty good for making iced coffee, but it's not better than leftover percolated coffee. <S> Seriously. <S> We make hot coffee at my workplace using this cheapo percolator urn . <S> We learned from the reviews on Amazon that we could just pour off the leftover coffee in the afternoon and have excellent iced coffee. <S> And that's exactly what we do. <S> (To be fair, we use Gorilla coffee , so that might have something to do with it, but I think it'd be good with average coffee.) <A> Make a simple syrup. <S> Simply dissolve one to two parts sugar into one part boiling water, cool, and pour into an empty 20oz soda bottle. <S> As long as the sugar is fully dissolved it will remain syrupy, and not recrystallize. <A> We do this all the time. <S> For coffee, we make the following simple sugar recipe: 140g sugar 200ml water <S> Bring water to a boil, dissolve sugar. <S> Drop into a glass container (we use an olive oil bottle with pourer), allow to cool at room temperature until reasonably cool, and put in the fridge. <S> You can make vanilla syrup by adding 5ml (1 tsp) to the solution right after the sugar has dissolved after bringing to a boil. <S> You want to make sure that you have it well above 140F to boil out the alcohol that is present in vanilla extract or it will taste a little "off". <S> Adding room temperature sugar to boiling water drops the temp to around 180F, which is the perfect time to drop in the vanilla extract.
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As long as you don't dissolve so much sugar in it that you've made a super saturated solution , no crystals will form.
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What uses are there for basil flowers? I have tons of basil in my herb spiral. However, this stuff is precious, and I always feel bad when I throw away the basil flowers when I make pesto sauce. Is there a way to use the basil flowers when cooking? <Q> If you pinch off the basil flowers as they start to grow, the plant will produce more leaves. <S> (Yes, this is a horticultural answer, but it will help you make more yummy dishes with the leaves.) <A> If you wanted to use them in cooking, I would recommend putting them in a sachet (a small pouch made of cheesecloth/muslin tied with cooking twine), as I know some people who don't actually like to eat the flowers, but enjoy the bitter tang they'll add to a dish. <S> They are edible, however, so if it turns out you like them, they make a beautiful garnish for a salad. <S> I'm not a huge fan, so I generally stick with Martha's suggestion and keep them pinched so <S> the plant produces more leaves. <S> Once the flowers appear, the plants energy and resources become more dedicated to flowering, and the leaf growth suffers. <S> As mentioned in my comment on Martha's answer, I find that when the leaf growth suffers, the flavor of the leaves suffers as well. <S> This site recommends putting the basil flowers in olive oil, shaking, and leaving on a window sill for a month to make a light basil olive oil. <S> I've never tried this, and I'm interested, though I'm a little wary of leaving olive oil in a clear container in the sun for a month. <S> The general idea seems cool, though. <A> I love basil flowers. <S> They are so much fun <S> and I use them all the time. <S> I have noticed that different varieties of basil at different times of the summer/growth stage will result in more bitter or delicate tasting buds. <S> You'll just have to experiment, but I have definitely had some really floral tasting flowers this summer. <S> I'll throw them into a pesto for a more complex, slightly bitter flavor - I just make sure to pick off any woody stems. <S> They are a beautiful garnish for just about any stonefruit (plums, peaches, nectarines) - how about roast some fruit, serve with ricotta and some honey...with basil flowers? <S> They are gorgeous in salads or panzanella.... <S> anything with tomatoes. <S> Finally, my favorite thing to do is use them to make basil flower ice cream. <S> Steep them along with basil leaves in a plain ice cream base and remove them once you have achieved the flavor you desire. <S> Keep in mind the flavor will develop if you let the base sit overnight (which I recommend) <S> and it will also continue to strengthen a tad as it sits in the freezer. <S> This is generally not a problem if you are making a small batch at home, but more of tip for professionals. <A> Yes, you can use them just as you'd use basil leaves. <S> They're generally milder tasting and more decorative in your dish. <S> Also - from flowers to seeds - a new harvest is also an opportunity. <A> Vinegar. <S> Pinch off the blossoms and pack them in a jar, cover with white vinegar, seal and keep in the fridge for a few weeks to flavor through... <S> Then discard the blossoms and use the vinegar for dressings or marinades. <S> Delicious stuff... Use sparingly though! <A> If you grow African Blue Basil, you'll have a TON of flowers that are not at all bitter at any time. <S> We use them in all kinds of cooking, but our favorite use is to make Basil Bud Ice Cream. <S> Literally the best ice cream I've ever tasted. <S> The flavor of these flowers is the basil itself with strong floral overtones that mesh well. <S> Great fresh as a salad topper too. <S> Honestly, you haven't lived until you try growing African Blue Basil. <S> Everyone raves about it and everything we make with it. <S> Just finished a MONSTER batch of pesto to keep us through the winter. <S> Best plant I've ever grown, bar none. <S> We had about 50-60 plants this year. <S> Also, definitely top them as they grow in tridents and by topping them, you cause them to bush out a lot more dramatically. <A> Strong in flavour <S> but I like that. <S> If you don't dilute it! :-) <S> ~ <A> Dry basic flowers can be used to make a awesome little potpourri pouch or a small sachet :) <A> Basil flowers can be eaten, for instance in soup. <A> I love putting the flowers along with lavender, lemon balm and mint in some water and once it almost hits boiling point putting it on low then drinking as tea. <S> Super yummy. <A> I plant Basil along with my Tomatoes to deter insects. <S> One Basil Plant every fifth Tomato Plant, and it really works quite well. <S> I keep cutting the flowers off until near the end of the Tomato season, and then let them go. <S> I have some African bushes that are three feet tall, and app. <S> three feet in diameter. <S> I usually give most away as either fresh, or I hang them in the shed to dry for people who like to preserve them. <S> We do use some for flavoring, especially when we can Salsa or other Tomato products like juice, soup mix, etc. <A> I grow Queen Siam Thai Basil and Genovese Basil. <S> I use the flowers in soups and pesto mostly <S> and I don't notice them being bitter or making the leaves bitter once the plants start flowering. <S> The flowers do seem to have a condensed flavor. <S> I do however snip the basil leaves while they are young and smallish since the taste seems cleaner and fresher when small.
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Using basil flowers in my fresh tomatoes I'm cooking down to can is Excellent!
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Is sushi so difficult? I've read somewere in the net that sushi is an extremely difficult food to prepare. It will take at least one year just to learn to cook the rice, and ten year to complete the experience. It's so difficult? To do a comparison, one could prepare a decent home sushi like one can prepare a decent home dish after some years of home cooking? It's more like a western chef that needs anyway to study and practice for a long time? <Q> Like many crafts which originated in Japan, their sushi training more or less creates sushi artisans. <S> If you just want to make a snack, you'll have plenty of ability given a basic review of techniques. <S> You should focus your learning on understanding food-safety, getting the rice right, and making the roll not fall apart. <S> The rest is just levels of mastery which you need not approach in your kitchen in order to experiment and enjoy a good dish. <A> I make sushi with friends about once a month, and it's not too difficult. <S> The thing that took us the longest to get right was the rice, and we got that down after a few tries. <S> It'll probably take a while to figure out the amount of vinegar you like in it, and how long to leave the seaweed in it while it's cooking. <S> For nigiri, I've got a little plexiglass box for molding the rice, which makes it somewhat easier to get it a regular shape. <S> It probably wouldn't be too hard to find one, if you're really into making nigiri and don't want to just do it by hand. <S> We also tried making tamago (sweetened omelet) from scratch last time, and it came out really well. <S> We weren't able to make it the proper thickness and have it cook properly, so we ended up making a bunch of very thin layers, stacking them, then rolling them up and slicing them. <S> We've started making sunomono as well, which makes a good opening to the meal. <S> Thinly-sliced cucumber, mackerel, and a little bit of miso dressing cut with some mirin (sweetened rice wine). <S> Sometimes we throw a little seaweed salad on top, as well. <A> To be a professional, yes there are schools in Japan that take several years to complete including lengthy apprenticeship requirements. <S> That said, I've taken a 3 hour sushi class and I can make sushi rice, maki, nigiri, and hand rolls just fine. <S> They sometimes lack a little in the appearance department though. <A> Personally- <S> I use the sushi rice recipe from "The Joy of Cooking" and it worked on the first try. <S> You should definitely not be afraid to try it. <S> It took a couple tries getting the technique right for making the rolls <S> but it's a fun family activity as the children get to pick their fillings, etc. <A> If you haven't seen it already, check out the sushi documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi. <S> He is 86 years old and a national treasure of Japan. <S> Even he, himself, says he has not mastered sushi. <S> He dreams all the time of how to improve his techniques. <S> Hence the name of the movie "Jiro Dreams of Sushi". <S> I first had sushi while living in Australia and watched a food tv show about Outback Bush cooking, with a Bushman cook. <S> I watched him make maki rolls by hand with fish he caught. <S> After I saw that, I decided I wanted to learn. <S> It's worthwhile to research how to prepare the rice correctly because 50% of sushi is pure rice. <S> Good luck!
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The hardest thing to grasp is the amount of labor and techniques needed for the rice. I was able to successfully make my own sushi after two attempts.
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Why is cream curdled in coffee? Why would liquid half-and-half creamer curdle when poured into hot coffee? This happens to me sometimes, and I'm not sure why. Could it have something to do with either the coffee being too hot or the creamer being too cold? <Q> As cream ages, lactic acid builds up in it. <S> The acidity in your coffee is enough at that point to push the cream over the edge to curdling. <S> and you should be OK. <A> I watched an episode of Blue Bloods where Mr. Selleck explained to his grandkids that the secret to not having your cream curdle in your (Irish) coffee was to hold your spoon upside down over your coffee and pour the cream over the back of the spoon. <S> I tried it and have never had curdled cream in my coffee since. <S> Don't know why it works <S> I just know that it does. <S> I'm guessing it might have something to do with increasing the dispersion of the cream. <A> I had this happen to me in the most bizarre circumstance. <S> I buy green coffee beans and roast them myself at home. <S> I have decaf and regular that I roasted separately, then grind them together to make half decaf and then brew my coffee via pour over ( no machines). <S> I did this and then used soy creamer (brand new, not old). <S> Didn't curdle. <S> Then, I brewed a cup with just the regular beans (no decaf). <S> Same way, same day, everything the same other than it was full caff. <S> Added the same soy creamer <S> and it curdled. <S> I repeated this exactly the next day and it did it again!! <S> My guess is it has to do with the acidity of the coffee beans. <A> I have organic heavy cream expiration date is March 15th 2018. <S> Its Feb 17th. <S> When I pour it in my hot coffee <S> it's still looks like it's curdled until I stir it in. <S> Even if I pour it over the back of a spoon. <S> Still tastes great and it hasn't upset my stomach. <S> But it is odd that it looks like it's curdling, it must be an effect from the coldness of the cream to heat of the coffee, or fat content reacting to heat, acidity. <S> My best guess. <S> Just weird, that it happens.
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Try newer cream or a very low-acid coffee with old cream I would think this is happening because your cream is just about to turn sour.
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Help with a chili recipe: need help on fruit/sweet selection Follow up to Bean Selection I am planning on making a new chili using grilled venison, Great Lakes Black Out Stout, and roasted corn. There was a sister thread to this about deciding on a bean. Thanks to @justkt 's suggestion i am keeping it simple with chili beans (the kidney beans in sauce). However, as i was thinking about the heat, i forgot the other crucial element: the sweet. For me a good chili isnt just kinda hot: It should be perfectly good and hot, but kept in check with sweet. This in particular is why you see a decent habanero hot sauce with lime, lemon etc in it. Normally I add citrus fruits to my chili. Since I am cooking Venison, stewed in Stout beer, and hoping for a dark woods moodiness to the food I am thinking of breaking away from the norm. What sweet would you bring to chili in this case? I googled 'what fruit pairs well with venison' and cherry (for its acidity) was suggested. This is a really sexy idea to me, but i am unsure if thats just my brain overthinking it. if added, i suppose it should be as a salty puree, probably quite early in the staging (ie when the meat is prepared and added with the beer). normally i add the components in this order (and it works well): garlic, onions, spices, beer reduction, tomatoes, meat, [fruit x?] beer reduction, beans... and typically have it simmer for 4-6 hours. Will this make a grilled venison steak tough or tender? <Q> Traditional Cincinatti chili calls for half a square of grated baker's chocolate. <S> I don't know how set you are on fruit, but given the gaminess of venison, this might be less of a flavour clash than actual fruit. <S> Unsweetened chocolate is usually used in the former, but if you want something sweeter, then you could substitute bittersweet chocolate here. <S> If that idea doesn't turn you on, I would stick with a mild unrefined sugar (i.e. brown sugar) or maple syrup. <S> The notion of chili peppers, beer, kidney beans, venison and a sweet fruit in the same stew sounds like a risky combination to me (but then again, I can't claim to have tried it). <S> Personally, I'd have to recommend a subtler sweetener. <A> I know that you specifically mention fruits, but I must admit, I personally haven't used any sweet fruits (except basic citrus fruits) in chili <S> so I favorited this question to see what the community has to say. <S> That said, I have made chili with a combination of sweet and spicy, and I used one of my new favorite things: Jaggery . <S> This unrefined sugar can be considered similar to brown sugar in use (I substitute equal amounts jaggery when a recipe calls for brown sugar), but not in composition - there are a lot of mineral salts left in it, because of the lack of refining and absence of chemicals that are usually used to process sugars. <S> It's made similar to maple sugar; essentially it's boiled down to a syrup and dried. <S> I've used it in sweet and savory dishes, and it adds a depth of flavor that I find can't be matched with any other sugars I've used. <S> I have a hard time describing it, because it's new to me, but it tastes very... <S> complex, for lack of a better word. <S> Its taste is kind of between brown sugar and molasses. <S> It is sweeter than table sugar, but less sweet than honey . <S> I do think that jaggery might add that "dark woods moodiness" element that you're looking for - in my opinion <S> , it can take the simplest of dish and add a significant amount of depth and interest. <S> It's used to add a sweet element to a lot of hot curry dishes in India, which is why my mind immediately when to it the first time I thought of adding sweet to my chili. <S> If you're interested in using it you can find it at your local Indian grocer, or purchase it online, I first got it through Amazon just to try, but have since sought out local ethnic grocers because it's significantly cheaper that way. <A> How about using dried apricots? <S> I use them frequently with couscous and they give dishes a really nice rich sweetness. <S> The beer/stock will rehydrate them to be lovely pockets of sweetness. <A> I'd be tempted to try these fruits because they are acidic and tart and generally go well with gamey meats: red currants, blueberries, cherries, gooseberries could be really interesting or totally weird! <S> I could imagine roasting off really ripe peaches with a bit of sugar, salt, pepper and olive oil, then pureeing/mashing it into the chili during the middle stages of cooking. <S> I honestly don't know if you'd really taste anything besides "acid" which you'll get from the tomatoes as well, so it might be a lot of work for nothing. <S> Like some of the other commenters, I can't say I'd be super stoked about finding a cherry in my chili but <S> who knows it could be really interesting! <S> I do think any of the fruit used should probably be roasted off a bit before added so it will intensify in flavor. <S> With lean meat like venison, I'm not sure I would bother grilling it unless you have easy access to a grill. <S> I would sear it in the bottom of the pan I wanted to make my chili in. <S> Remove it once it is browned on all sides, then add my onions, garlic, etc. <S> and saute that down. <S> Then add beans, spices, tomatoes, and the meat back in. <S> Venison is pretty lean, so the longer that can cook low and slow (a slow cooker would be ideal for this project), the more tender the result. <S> If you had 8 to 10 hours that might even be ideal - if you have a dutch oven <S> you could put that pot into your oven and let it go for most of the day. <S> I would probably add the beans in a little later to the mix depending on how much time I had to cook this thing and how hearty the bean you decide to use is. <S> Let us know how it turns out! <A> I'm tempted to go with: <S> plum date <S> fig <S> peach <S> Dried, in all cases except the peach. <A>
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I don't know if peaches would necessarily complement Venison, but they can go with chili, as many years ago I used to buy a really great Peach salsa from Waitrose (sadly, it was discontinued).
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Why roast beets in vinegar? I have always roasted my beets in a bit of vinegar in the bottom of the pan like 1/4" or so. It is how I was taught. But why do it? What does the vinegar do for the beets? <Q> I think it is mostly for the taste. <S> It certainly isn't necessary - I roast beets without any vinegar all the time, and they turn out great. <S> I just roast them in their skins, without any oil or anything added. <S> It takes a long time, over an hour depending on how big they are. <S> When they are completely tender, let 'em cool, and the jacket slips right off. <S> Roasting intensifies the flavor by caramelizing some of the sugars and removing moisture. <S> You can always season with vinegar after roasting, depending on what you plan to do with them. <A> That's the first I've ever heard of roasting beets in vinegar. <S> Acids will intensify the color of anthocyanins which are the red, purple, and blue pigments in foods. <S> For instance, sauteed red cabbage will end up a blah blue color unless you incorporate some acid (red wine, vinegar, etc.) <S> and then it will brighten right up to a bright red/purple color. <S> This could be part of the reason that someone started doing it this way (whoever it was that showed you) <S> but when the beets are whole there would be minimal contact with the vinegar <S> so I would say it's primarily for the sweet/sour flavor contrast. <S> Have you asked the person that taught you to do it that way? <A> Vinegar does a couple of things. <S> Taste, obviously, which is a good reason when cooking. <S> Specifically about beets: well, they have an earthy, sweetish flavor, often. <S> The vinegar can complement this nicely. <S> Thinly sliced beet (carpaccio) in vinegar can be nice enough for the beets not to require any additional treatment (read: heat). <A> All of the above, and one aesthetic reason: Beets and cabbage will often turn a blueish color when cooked - the acidic nature of vinegar will revive their reddish hue, making them potentially more pleasing to look at, thereby more palatable....
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The acidic nature of the vinegar does have additional effects - the acid will 'cook' your beet somewhat as well.
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How often should I clean my coffeepot, and what is the preferred method? We use a typical drip coffee maker with a thermos-type pot. Naturally I rinse the pot and filter holder every day, but how often do I need to clean it more thoroughly? I've heard that it is bad to use soap and water, but is that just an old-wives tale, maybe out of fear that it could leave a soapy residue? Once a month or so, I'll run a few cups of white vinegar through it, which seems to improve the flavor a lot, but is a surprisingly expensive proposition. Any suggestions on frequency and method? <Q> Your specific coffee maker should have instructions. <S> Mine says every 30-40 pots you brew and it uses the same typical white vinegar method. <S> I do think it's a little expensive - you basically drain a whole bottle of vinegar. <S> However, compared to the cost of the machine and, more so, the cost of the coffee it's not a bad deal at all. <A> Basically you need to follow the instructions of your coffee maker. <S> However, having to remember to clean thoroughly is a pain, as it always gets forgotten. <S> This greatly enhances the life of the coffeemaker,as you simply can't forget to clean them. <S> Also the quality ones have an automatic cleaning mechanism where you just pop in a pre-purchased cleaning tablet, and it does all the cleaning for you. <S> I've found that coffeemakers that don't do this, tend to break down (from scale) after a pretty short period of time (after about a year or two), so it's sometimes worth the extra spending to buy a better one. <A> A meta rules here (if you don't have the instructions any more, say) is "before it starts to slow down" . <S> Of course, until you have some experience with the pot in question you'll just have to live with when it starts to take longer to brew when you can see mineral deposits on parts of the machine. <S> Look, in particular, at places where hot and/or high pressure water or steam emerges into the great wide world. <S> These are prime places for precipitation of solids <S> Best, of course, to notice how long this takes and clean it a little more often than that. <A> It is bad to clean your coffee pot with soap because the soap can bind to the oil deposited from the coffee and can leave a taste behind. <S> It's recommended not to wash any part of your coffee maker in the dishwasher for the same reason. <S> To clean your coffee pot fill it with 2 cups of ice, 1/4 cups of table salt, and 1/4 cups of lemon juice (fresh or bottled). <S> Swirl it around the pot a couple times and that will do the trick. <S> Hope this helped! <A> I give my coffee maker an internal cleanse with vinegar and water once a month to avoid scale build-up. <S> I clean the pot and its basket and insert once a week in the dishwasher, and wipe down the case and heating element daily. <S> I've been using the same drip coffee maker (with its glass, dishwasher-safe pot) for about five years. <S> On those occasions when I've run out of white vinegar, I use a tablespoon of citric acid dissolved in the first few cleaning pots of water, and then run five or six pots of plain water through the maker. <A> There are two different things being discussed here. <S> One idea is cleaning the coffee residue from the coffee pot. <S> For this, I use Cafiza. <S> This is a serious cleaning agent, typically used for cleaning espresso machines. <S> I put together two short videos of the process - links on this page . <S> The other idea is the de-scaling of the coffee pot. <S> Using vinegar is the typical technique, but I bought a bag of citric acid powder (cheaper). <S> Depending on the hardness of your water, you may have to de-scale often (every month). <S> Where I live (near Atlanta) we have relatively soft water, so <S> I de-scale every six months.
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A lot of quality coffee makers today have a built in counter for the number of cups you make, and after the recommended number of cups simply stop and ask you to clean them. I use 1/2 cup of white vinegar plus water to make a full pot, run that through my maker two or three times, and then run five or six pots of plain water through the maker until there is no longer any scent of the vinegar. Citric acid is just as effective as white vinegar for descaling but doesn't smell as strong; it's also inexpensive. I use 1/4 tsp of Cafiza once per week to clean my Technivorm.
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Suitable oil for woking? I know some oil is not suitable for woking. Like sunflower oil and olive oil? What oil is best suitable for woking and which oil is not suitable? <Q> You want to use an oil that will handle the hotter temperatures of a wok. <S> This list of oil smoke points suggests that most refined oils will work fine. <S> Don't use unrefined oils or butter because they'll burn. <S> Once you've got an oil that will handle the heat, you want something that will taste good. <S> I think that's the main issue with olive oil. <S> There aren't olives in asian cuisine <S> and I think that would taste a bit funny. <S> I tend to use vegetable or canola oil for the majority of my stir-frying and then add a little sesame oil towards the end (generally when sauteing garlic and ginger). <S> The sesame oil adds a strong asian flavor to the food. <S> I've tried just using sesame oil, as a recipe sometimes recomends, but I find the flavor overpowering. <S> Unrefined sesame oil is fairly common at the grocery store, and you don't want to use that as it will burn in the wok <S> (but it could be drizzled on the food after cooking). <A> The most commonly-used is probably peanut oil. <S> Grape seed oil, canola oil, corn oil, and also sunflower oil are also common. <S> Olive oil is actually fine to use too, just not the "virgin" types which have significantly lower smoke points. <S> But I still wouldn't use it because it will impart an olive flavour that's really not appropriate for most Asian cooking. <S> Please refer to this oil smoke points table for a more complete reference. <S> You'll want a smoke point that's well over 400° F (204° C) ; 420° F (216° C) should be okay, 450° F (232° C) is ideal. <A> The best oil for the wok is rice oil (because of its high smoke point, 490°F, 254°C). <S> It is not healthy to heat any oil too far, so it's best to add the oil very shortly before adding products to the wok so the products can cool the oil during the stir frying. <S> The wok needs to be very hot to prevent sticking and create a proper stir frying effect, so it's not a good idea to leave the oil in there to smoke. <S> The oil should be kept a lot cooler than the wok surface. <S> If you add products with sufficient water content in a fast enough rate you can even stir fry with virgin olive oil or sesame oil, but it takes some practice and speed. <S> It's easier and safer to work with rice oil and add some flavored oil later in the process when the temperature is lowered. <A> My favorite is Spectrum Organics High Heat Safflower Oil - it is organic, and good <S> up to 450 F. Peanut is great too, but I can't use it in my house due to allergies.
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Peanut oil is not bad either and more commonly used. You need an oil with a high smoke point, because the wok will be on high heat.
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What does flour smell like when it goes bad? I've got about 15lbs of saphire unbleached white flour left from my 25lb bulk purchase from 2 weeks ago. While preparing a wonderful zucchini bread recipe I noticed a "sour" smell from my flour. It's been tightly sealed in the heavy duty bag I purchased it in and stored in the pantry at 70-85°F. Has my flour spoiled? What are the storage guidelines for flour? <Q> The smell is of rancid fats in the flour. <S> It is a very distinct smell, but hard to describe. <S> I would agree that "sour" is part of it. <S> The best way to learn is by comparison. <S> Smell some fresh, clean flour and remember what it is like. <S> Any kind of unpleasant odor than that is rancidity. <S> You may have smelled it also if you opened a box of cereal that has been around too long, or even poppy or sesame seeds - anything with fats that sits around at room temp will eventually go rancid. <A> It had a funky smell <S> and then I noticed there was some actual discoloration. <S> When in doubt, throw it out. <S> If it doesn't smell like when you first used it, then there is probably something going on with it whether it is rancid, moldy, etc. <S> And yes, the best way to keep specialty flours if you have the space is in your fridge or freeze in an airtight container. <A> The flour has turned bad when it starts to have a slight minty odor. <S> It's developing a fungus. <A> I believe that flour wouldn't go rancid nor spoiled for just two weeks. <S> Spoiled flour smell like paint tho, and it taste quite bitter
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I have also had flour go moldy (actually last week) and it was held in a pantry area I think that was a bit too warm and humid.
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How can I safely use a blender with hot liquids? One instruction in a new barbecue sauce recipe I'm trying out is to take the pot of simmering sauce and run it through a blender or food processor. I have now learned the hard way that blending hot liquid will cause the lid of the blender to explode off... there is barbecue sauce coating my kitchen, and I have some new burns to treat. So, what is the proper way to do this? Is there a safe way to use a regular blender like mine , or would I need a different kind of blender? <Q> It can be a bit tricky, a couple of tips: <S> Use a lot less liquid in the blender than normal. <S> Do batches if needed. <S> Vent the lid <S> so the steam can escape. <S> A lot of lids have a center piece that can come out. <S> Using less liquid will stop stuff coming out the top. <S> As Ocaasi suggests, you can cover the open lid with a kitchen towel as you start to insure there's no spray. <S> Start the blender slow and then speed it up. <S> This may not work depending on how fast your slowest setting is. <S> But once the vortex gets going, the liquid won't splash. <S> It's only when the blades start that you have that issue. <S> Slower start speed means less splash (a vita-mix can start very slowly and have no splash at all, great for hot liquids but the price tag is a bit high). <A> You can get a hand-held blender that you can stick inside the pan <S> you're boiling the sauce in instead of transferring it to another container. <S> I love this tool for soups and sauces such as yours. <S> Remember though that using a blender or food processor has a more smooth result. <S> Do you have any pictures of the end result? <S> Was it this bad ? <A> i prefer waiting-say for 30-40 minutes and then transfer the cooked food from pot to blender. <A> I but some cooled product in the blender. <S> First, I start the blender on slow mode, with the lid on. <S> Once it is running, I remove the lid and then slowly add the hot product, a little at a time (never from the hot pot), with the lid off. <S> I can then slowly adjust the speed. <S> I only fill the blender to 3/4 full and blend until I achieve the right consistency. <S> Then I repeat the process beginning with the cool product first, and slowly adding the hot, repeating the same steps.
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I've never had any accidents, but I: never fill the blender more than half always put my hand on the lid before turning it on
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What are the best cuts of meat for grinding burgers? I recently bought the grinder attachment for my Kitchen-Aid mixer. I tried grinding some chuck steaks but it was tedious as I constantly had to clear out stringy tendon/gristle pieces (not sure of the exact term, sorry). They did taste decent however. Next I tried some top round. It ground easily but seemed to have less flavor. What are the preferred beef cuts for grinding tasty burgers? <Q> I use Alton Brown's " Burger of the Gods " recipe when grinding my own burgers: 1 part sirloin 1 part chuck salt <S> He uses a food processor and pulses the meat 10x after cubing it. <S> This is much simpler than using the grinding attachment you use; I only use that for some sausages. <S> so you have <S> a juicy and tender finished burger. <S> I find that when I'm making my own burgers I don't need or want things like onion or other fillers getting in the way of my beef. <S> You can also find this recipe on YouTube . <A> For burgers I buy 2-3 different cuts - usually some sirloin and the end of a tenderloin (fattier and cheaper) and whatever else looks good. <S> Slice thinly and stick in the freezer for 20 mins or so before you start grinding. <S> I then mix in some finely minced onion and garlic, salt, pepper and a little Worcestershire sauce (all optional and to taste) before grilling. <A> I haven't tried it yet, but Burger Lab's "Blue Label burger" sounds great. <S> Six ounces of sirloin, five ounces of brisket, 12 ounces of oxtail. <A> Eye of round. <S> Try to get a cut with as little graders ink as possible <S> so you don't have to trim. <S> Cut lengthwise into quarters and slide through the grinder. <S> Mix a little in the bowl to distribute the fat a bit. <S> Patty it up and grill, or freeze for later. <S> I like Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce and sharp cheddar cheese on a grilled bun. <S> YUM!
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The sirloin gives you that rich beef flavor, and the chuck provides the needed fat
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Keeping pizza crust from getting soggy from fresh tomatoes Whenever I make a pizza with fresh tomatoes on it, the juice from the tomatoes turns the crust to mush. I think I must be doing something wrong - do I need to pre-cook the tomatoes to get rid of excess juice? Or maybe pre-cook the crust instead? Is there any way to keep pizza from getting soggy when using fresh tomatoes, or is this just a problem with using fresh tomatoes as toppings on pizza, and there is no way to prevent it? <Q> Here are a few things that have worked for me: <S> (Already suggested) <S> Scoop out the seeds and guts and then dice your tomatoes instead of slicing. <S> This should get rid of some of the moisture. <S> Add cheese and then place tomatoes on top. <S> Stretch your dough evenly and not too thin. <S> I usually don't precook tomatoes (sauce at least) because it ends up getting gummy since they get cooked twice. <A> I always pre-cook my crust for 3-8 minutes, depending on whether it's thin crust or not. <S> Works great for what you're describing <S> but I prefer it even when not using fresh tomatoes, I like a slightly crispier crust. <A> Thin layer of olive oil on the crust before you add the sauce. <S> Just drizzle on a little bit and then make sure it's evenly applied with a hand. <A> Whenever I use fresh tomatoes on pizza, I always put them on the pizza immediately after cooking the pizza. <S> That way they stay recognizable as fresh tomatoes instead of just turning to mush. <A> I pre-cook the crust for 90 seconds (>=450 degrees F) <S> on a pre-heated pizza stone. <S> Problem solved! <A> I like to slice them about 1/4 inch thick and then drizzle with olive oil, fresh thyme, garlic, liberal salt and pepper. <S> Bake on a sheet tray lined with parchment or silpat, until they start to release a lot of that juice, drain that juice off (save for other uses or sauce!). <S> Then let cool before adding to pre-baked pizza (so they don't fall apart) with the other desired toppings. <S> As long as the pizza doesn't take longer than 30-45 minutes they shouldn't brown too much, and you will get a more intense tomato flavor with your slices.
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Brush oil on the dough before applying toppings. Never tried pre-cooking the tomatoes - you could squeeze them, maybe in a ricer, but you're going to lose some texture and a lot of flavor, I would guess.
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a manual meat slicer My household really likes things like turkey and ham sandwiches for lunch. One thing I've searched around for is a 'manual' meat slicer. I'm thinking of something like a miter box like one might find for woodworking. Basically it would be a device that holds a serrated knife in a frame, and allows the meat to slide along in increments in order to achieve consistent slices. Does anyone know if there is something similar for slicing meat? (I know that electric meat slicers are available; but do I need yet another electric appliance?) Personally, I don't have any problems with just using a knife. But others in the household lack slicing proficiency. Addendum For those who have suggested that I get knives ...I have great knives and have no problems in using them; and like I said above, it's for others in the household who are not proficient. Anyway, it looks like there is nothing like what I visualized even on google searches. I added a picture of a woodworking miterbox in case people don't know what that is. Of course a knife would replace the saw and you probably wouldn't have the angle cuts; and it would be tailored so that you could slide the food item along incrementally for even slices. <Q> I know it's for vegetables <S> but you should be able to trim the meat into a size that you can slice with a mandolin. <S> I haven't tried it myself <S> but if you get on that has no blade guard <S> it should work great. <A> I'm going with an electric slicer. <S> The item I envisioned does not exist. <S> Update: <S> The housemates are happy now. <S> They're computer geeks and love gadgets. <S> They can now slice up their own ham and turkey to their hearts' content. <S> The slicer takes up space, but will pay for itself in a few months. <S> We were getting deli slices for $8 - $10 per pound. <S> Now I can get frozen turkey breast for ~ $3 - $4 per pound, roast, slice, and freeze the excess for future weeks. <S> ;~) <A> There are knives that have a built in distance measure (sorry, non-native speaker - don't know the correct word for it) <S> See here for an example <A> I don't think I've ever head of a kitchen tool like that. <S> Home slicers have really come down in price, but there's still the storage issue. <S> I'd suggest investing in a good knife and practice making consistent slices. <S> Knives store better than most gadgets and good knife technique is well worth the investment. <S> You'd want a 10-12" knife so that you can make long smooth strokes. <S> There are also special knives just for slicing tasks. <S> Like this Wusthof Roast Beef Slicer <A> If you have a local deli, it's at least worth asking to see if they'd cut your meat for you. <S> The worst they can do is say "no," right? <S> Maybe you could just borrow theirs now and then? <A> Unless the people who aren't proficient with knives are children who you don't want using them in the first place, I don't think you're going to find something for a reasonable price that takes up reasonable space, etc... <S> If their knife skills are really so terrible that they can't cut a slice of meat, <S> why don't you just spend a few minutes with them and help them improve ? <S> If they are kids, then maybe you should just cut some meat for them in advance - like twice a week just slice up a bunch of meat for sandwiches. <S> By the way, I don't know if it would work, but maybe a standing box grater's largest holes would do the trick for medium sizes pieces of meat. <A> Get a miter box like the one in your picture. <S> Using a knife set the black cam clamp in the holes to make a slice of the required thickness. <S> Slice. <S> Remove slice, slide the stuff up until it hits the clamp. <S> Repeat. <A> Manual meat slicers exist, but they look nothing like what you've pictured. <S> Like the electric motor slicers with the big spinning disk of a blade that you see in the delis, there are also hand-crank versions. <S> (never used one, but saw one at an auction house yet, but couldn't bid on it, as the auctioneer said she was going to keep it for herself) <S> They're not very common, and searching for 'hand crank meat slicer' yielded most pages that also included 'vintage' or 'antique'. <S> They also show up on eBay or etsy for $50-150. <S> (there's one eBay right now, and some electric models, including one that folds up for storage)
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You may also want to ask around to see if someone in your neighborhood already owns a home deli slicer, whether manual or electric.
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What to do with barbecue sauce We found a nice recipe lately for barbecue sauce and made 3 variations to test out. The problem is: now we have ~3 pints of homemade barbecue sauce that we need to use before it goes bad. (It won't last nearly as long as store-bought stuff with all of their preservatives). What are some tasty ways to use up our new sauce? <Q> I like to take a nice center cut pork loin and cook it in a slow cooker (crock pot) for 8 hours in homemade bbq sauce. <S> When it's done, take it out, use two forks to shred it, then put the shredded pieces back into the sauce to coat. <S> Mmmm...homemade pulled pork. <S> Freezes really well in individual portions, too. <S> Another option is to use it to marinade a nice rack of ribs or three, bake it on a very low temperature for a few hours (or as long as a day), and then grill or broil them to finish. <S> I'd say the rib meat probably freezes well too - but ribs never last that long in our house! <A> BBQ sauce pizza w/ chicken, red onion, cheddar/american, etc... <S> As sauce for enchiladas, tacos, quesadilas, etc.... BBQ wings. <S> A spicy, cheesy casserole w/ corn, green beans, pasta, etc... Add some to spaghetti sauce for a kick. <S> Obviously, sauce for just about any meat. <A> <A> We do ribs in an oven (no grill, but this works great on a grill if you have it) for about 2 hours wrapped in foil, remove foil, and add barbecue sauce at the end to cook on. <S> We do a spice rub to begin with. <S> Truly tasty! <A> We make our own pizzas and one thing we like to do is mix BBQ sauce with the tomato puree to go on the base - gives it a bit of a twist from normal pizza. <S> Also, often I'll squirt a bit into shepherds or cottage pie with the meat to make it a bit different from normal. <A> I haven't tried it with barbecue sauce, but I've had good luck freezing other sauces. <S> Could you freeze it in batches large enough for one generous order of barbecued meat?
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The weather is a bit warm for it, but I use bbq sauce in my chili when I make it.
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How to make Movie Theatre like Popcorn? Any specific brands? so far, I could not find any popcorn that tastes like popcorn at movies. <Q> I think it's unlikely that you can buy a microwave popcorn that will taste like the movie theatre. <S> You'll need a specific popcorn pan so that you can stir the popcorn continuously and that will also vent some of the steam from cooking (which a normal pot won't do. <S> Whirley Pop seems to be a common solution here. <S> Next you'll need to find the right type of oil. <S> Experiment with a couple of things to see what you like. <S> Coconut oil seems to be commonly recommended (and not easy to find). <S> Finally you'll need flavoring. <S> Try Flavacol . <S> My work has popcorn on thursdays, and they use this flavoring. <S> It's pretty dead on. <S> I don't think the actual pop corn kernels will make a ton of difference. <S> It's more the cooking technique and other ingredients. <S> Here's my primary source , but further research and experience backs that up as pretty dead on. <A> Also the popcorn popper that we use is basically a huge whirley pop, so any regular whirley pop with coconut oil should work. <S> We also put the salt seasoning in the popper with the kernels, which is why they all come out with that orange color, although I don't know if you're supposed to put seasoning in your average whirley pop. <S> As for the butter, I don't know what to tell you unless you want to melt clarified butter. <S> The butter we use at the movies isn't really butter at all, just flavored oil. <A> You definitely have to cook it in oil. <S> I like to use a wok to make my popcorn. <S> As the kernels pop, they move up the sides of the wok, getting them out of the heat area. <S> You get fewer unpopped kernels and less chance of scorching. <S> I think the type of oil, and the type of salt you apply may be the final pieces of the puzzle. <S> I started mixing Molly McButter with salt to give the popcorn that buttery flavor. <S> It's still not an exact replication, but it's a lot better than microwave, that's for sure. <A> Anything covered in lots of salt and artificial butter flavour will probably taste good <S> Not sure what your local movie theatre uses, but try this: Salt and raw (unprocessed) sugar (50/50). <S> Use a food processor on max to turn it into a very fine dusting powder Pop your popcorn with a little peanut oil, shaking the pan often. <S> When all popped add a small teaspoon of the powder. <S> Shake the pan a bit to mix and eat, yum
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I think this is primarily going to come down to the method of cooking and the flavorings. I work at a movie theater and we do pop our popcorn in coconut oil.
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Do all blenders have the problem of food sticking to the side away from the spinning blades? We have a fairly cheap (50$) blender and when we puree food the food constantly sticks to the sides so we have to stop the blender 10 times to push the food back down so that the blades hit it. Is this common, or would a nicer/more expensive blender solve this problem? <Q> In short, if you have enough liquid then a good blender shouldn't get stuck and you shouldn't have to scrape it down. <S> Read the answers to my question here - Blender Buying - Square vs. Round Container - that basically addresses the same thing. <S> Go for a square, glass container with ridges. <A> So yes, it is fairly common and will depend to a large degree on what you are processing. <S> Depending on your desired result, you can also add some liquid such as water or oil to loosen things up a bit. <S> A similar result with chunky foods is to end up with an air pocket around the blades where they spin freely and the food will not fall down into the blades to be chopped further. <A> Another cause might be the shape of your blender. <S> A round model will create more of a perfect vortex which will push the food to the sides, even if it has small ridges along it. <S> When buying a blender, I always recommend one with a more squared-off glass. <A> The ratio of food to size of container will make a large difference as well as the the texture of the item being blended. <S> This has been a problem for me with traditional blenders. <S> I've found that an immersion (stick) blender helps tremendously with this in two specific ways: First, with a stick blender, you are basically holding the blade and can move it around, preventing food from separating and sticking to the sides. <S> Second, most immersion blenders come with small bowl accessories that in essence give you a "mini blender". <S> Since the bowl is smaller in size, food separating and sticking to the side isn't as much of an issue. <S> Immersion blenders are pretty cheap -- you can get one for as little as $20. <S> I have the Braun model. <S> It's amazing <S> but I think they stopped making it. <S> The best one on the market now is the KitchenAid. <S> I use mine for hummus, soups and pestos. <S> It's without a doubt one of the most useful tools in my kitchen.
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While the material of the blender may be partially at fault, this is most likely to happen when blending foods without enough liquid.
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What to do with the fat rendered when making beef stock? I just made beef stock and after cooling the stock in the pot I skimmed the solidified fat off the surface and the walls of the pot. Since I often read 'keep duck fat' when making duck stock/broth and because lard is probably something similar from pork, should I keep that beef fat instead of throwing it away? Or does it lack the 'quality' of duck fat (for instance)? <Q> Rendered beef fat can be used in a lot of ways. <S> You can use it in place of oil in a lot of recipes, but finding out which ones you like will take some experimenting. <S> Around our house, I use rendered fat from beef or bacon in place of oil when sautéing, for example with onions and peppers, garlic or mushrooms. <S> I've also used it to add some kick to gravies. <S> You could use it to pop popcorn, which I've heard is delicious but unfortunately have never tried. <S> Mashed potatoes as well. <S> As far as fat ratio goes, it's better than butter, but not as good as other fats. <S> Beef fat has a high smoke point and is suitable for frying. <S> The table below is based off of 1 tablespoon. <S> Ratio means saturated to unsaturated. <S> Smoke point can vary depending on a lot of factors ( <S> olive oil can range from 300 when unrefined, to 375-450 when refined depending on quality) but the table below should be a good guide. <S> For the oils, I took the refined numbers. <S> sat <S> mono <S> poly ratio smoke <S> Canola Oil 0.9 <S> 8.2 <S> 4.1 <S> 1:12 <S> 470 <S> °F Olive Oil 1.8 <S> 10.0 <S> 1.2 <S> 2:11 <S> 450 <S> ° <S> F Chicken Fat 3.8 5.7 <S> 2.6 <S> 1:2 <S> 375 <S> °F Duck Fat 4.3 <S> 6.3 <S> 1.7 1:2 <S> 375 <S> °F Lard (pork fat) <S> 5.0 <S> 5.8 <S> 1.4 <S> 5:7 <S> 365° <S> F Beef Tallow 6.4 5.4 0.5 <S> 1:1 <S> 400 <S> °F Butter <S> 7.2 <S> 3.3 <S> 0.5 <S> 7:4 <S> 350°F ( fat source ) <S> ( smoke point source ) <S> A lot of people mix it into their dog's food, or use it to feed birds. <S> Seach for tallow if you want to find recipes that specifically use it. <A> The main thing that beef fat is usually used for is Yorkshire pudding. <S> Duck fat, chicken fat, and bacon fat tend to have broader applications. <S> It's really ultimately up to you and your preference and cooking style. <S> Of course it does become cumbersome to keep a container for each type of fat <S> so you probably have to decide what has the greatest benefit for you and your cooking style. <A> If you dont want to eat it, you can feed it to the birds. <S> Take a small can, cut the top off, fold the top over so there are no sharp edges, pour excess fat into it until its almost full. <S> Then throw in a few peanuts and stick it out for the birds. <A> In my experience duck fat is the best option for roasting potatoes and other root vegetables. <S> I tend to throw away beef fat as I'm not a fan but McDonalds used it for their fries a while back. <A> That fat is called tallow and there are a lot of things you can do with it. <S> Just like duck fat and lard have a place in a kitchen, tallow does too. <S> It is also called suet. <S> It keeps just about forever <S> and I like <S> the mouth feel it can add to a soup or stew. <S> However, the most common uses for tallow are non-food related, like candle making.
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I've had pasties made with beef fat, and they were delicious. You could save and use it when you want yorkshire pudding but may not be doing a roast.
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How do you prepare a steak to be rare and very rare (blue)? I really enjoy steak, and the lowest I've gone is medium rare in terms of how it's prepared. My questions are: How do you prepare a steak to be rare ? How do you prepare a steak to be very rare (blue) ? Can these be prepared with any kind of steak from a supermarket? Or is there someplace special these kinds of steaks should be purchased from? I'm interested in trying rare and maybe even very rare, but it's 1-2 steps away from raw, which I find a little uneasy. <Q> The only real bacterial problem you have to worry about with steak is e. coli , which lives on the outside. <S> Since even in a blue application the outside is cooked sufficiently to kill any bacteria, you should be fine. <S> (Presuming you are using fresh steak, naturally). <S> For blue: get a pan screaming-- <S> and I mean screaming --hot. <S> Toss the steak in to sear, flip to sear the other side. <S> Do edges if needed. <S> Serve immediately. <S> For both blue and rare applications you will want steaks that are on the thick side, and with not much marbling (intramuscular fat), as the short cooking time won't melt the fats. <S> I suggest tenderloin/filet. <A> The colour inside should be blue, and the temperature is about 37.5 degrees Celsius. <S> Seal on either side for about 1min place in an oven at 90 degrees Celsius, for about 6 min. <S> The time in the warm oven will coagulte the blood so when you cut into the meat it shall have a blue tinge and won't bleed like a rare or medium steak <A> Thermometers are your friend. <S> Blue is about 45 C, Rare is about 50 C. <S> That way you know that it's not raw. <S> That temperature kills a lot of bacteria, but not all parasites, so be careful. <S> Searing it might not get the parasites either. <S> But people have been eating the stuff rare for a long time and few get sick.
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For rare, just do the steak in a normal pan or grill, flip once, about two minutes per side (less if the steak is very thin).
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How to keep thin sponge bases moist? I enjoy making multi layered sponge cakes (specifically chiffon sponge), but I find that when cooking a much thinner base than for a normal sponge (around 1cm height), I am faced with a decision of having an undercooked sponge or having one that is perfect in the middle but a bit crunchy around the edges. Is there anything I can do to make sure that I get the same moistness in smaller bases as I do in larger ones? <Q> Is there a reason you're not just baking a standard thickness and splitting it into layers? <S> This is going to give you more control. <S> If you have troubles moving the layers without breaking them, have a piece of cardboard handy (traditionally a cardboard cake round would be used by any would work) and after cutting the cake horizontally, lift up the edge of the top piece to slide the cardboard under and then proceed to push it all the way under the top layer before carefully removing the layer. <S> Proceed with the next layer. <S> If they cake is a bit dry but not crunchy, moisten the cut surface by brushing with simple syrup on its own if you don't want any added flavor, or add a bit of a complementary-flavored liqueur to the syrup before moistening. <A> The type of pan that you use to bake your sponge in can help determine how evenly it will bake. <S> I like to use a very flat, thick bottomed non-stick sheet pan lined with parchment paper or silpat. <S> You might even hear the pan "pop" and that is obviously not a good thing. <S> Does your oven heat evenly and hold a steady temperature? <S> I know mine doesn't so rotating my pan during baking to ensure the center cooks evenly is key. <S> Otherwise, how you spread the batter to the corner will matter as the less batter you use, the harder it is to keep it from deflating. <S> Try to use 3 to 4 strokes of a large flat offset spatula (you can purchase these at any baking/cooking store) to get the batter into the corners, no more than that, and then tap the pan on the counter to get rid of any bubbles <S> (if there are any). <S> I think that you also might want to experiment with scaling the batter up ever so slightly (like 10-15%) <S> so you have a bit more wiggle room with deflation of the cake in the oven. <S> You will still have a very thin layer, but perhaps more batter will keep those edges from crisping up. <S> I'd be tempted to just scale up the egg whites for more volume when folding those into the base, but every recipe is different, so you'd have to experiment. <S> It is normal to expect that you will have to trim some of the sponge after it comes out of the pan with a very thin layer, but if it is more than 1/4-1/2 inch then something else is probably going on. <A> A light syrup is what the pros use, so <S> I wouldn't worry about it making anything too sweet. <S> If you have a " Cake Spinner ", one trick to get even layers by cutting is to put your rounds on it, hold the knife steady, and turn the cake, instead of the knife. <S> Works pretty well for me, and I'm no surgeon either. <A> How about thinking outside the box for a solution. <S> Try a using a microwave sponge cake recipe <S> this one is from Ferran Adria. <S> The microwave should cook it fast enough to eliminate the dry spots on the edges. <S> It should work great with such a thin cake you're making.
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I would also look to see if your oven racks are tilting the pan in any direction (this can shift the sponge batter to one side and make it bake unevenly or be more prone to crispy edges), or if the pan has the tendency to warp as it is heated.
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How to keep my stainless steel skillet clean I have a KitchenAid skillet that I love. But I can't seem to get it cleaned easily.It looks much like this one , but with a brushed exterior and the bottom of the interior is grooved or ribbed. For now, I run cold water on it when hot but I still end up needing light use of a ScotchBrite pad. I'm concerned I'm ruining the pan by doing so. <Q> Be careful with cold water in a hot pan - since the pan is metal, you shouldn't have to worry about cracking, but you will get a nice burst of steam in your face! <S> Your best bet is to deglaze the pan immediately while it's still hot, or heat it back up and deglaze it. <S> There are some tips in this thread . <S> As a bonus you're going to get a delicious pan sauce as part of the deal. <S> You're never going to get it store-bought perfect, but I've had a lot of luck cleaning stains that seemed permanent by using Bar Keepers Friend , which in my opinion is one of the best commercial cleaners available. <A> First, you shouldn't be trying to clean it to a mirror finish like it was when you first bought it. <S> It's quite simple to keep them clean as long as you clean them promptly after use. <S> Deglaze them while the pan is still hot using water, wine, or vinegar. <S> This can be used as the base of a pan sauce. <S> If you're trying to clean the brown stains of burnt oil off, that is answered here: How can brown stains be removed from pots and pans? <A> Once the pan cools down, spray the enterior with a nice even layer of aerosol oven cleaner/degreaser and set aside for about 10 minutes. <S> Then use your scotch brite or stainless steel scrubber on it and it should come clean of debris and good as new. <A> I have been using quickleen-s stainless steel cleaner from australia <S> this is totally eco friendly <S> it is used by a lot of hign end catering companies because it remove burn stain and discoloration as well as remove stuck on food. <A> I'm a bit low-tech about these things. <S> My trick was always to pour a shot or two of ouzo, vodka or other strong licquor into the pan after it's cooled off. <S> After about 10 minutes, it'll be much easier to clean. <S> The advice isn't much different than with commercial cleaning products, but it is definitely less toxic. <A> As suggested, deglaze with water to soften any residue and then let it soak. <S> Then scrape with a plastic scraper (e.g., the plastic spatula) and then clean with a dishwashing brush or nylon scrubber. <S> Use a blue 3-M (non-scratching) sponge for stubborn spots (but not green, which will scratch the pan.) <S> Then polish with copper cleaner (I use Wright's, but Twinkle works well, too) to remove heat discoloration and hard water deposits, and polish the surface. <S> Cooked-on spots can be softened with a paper towel saturated with ammonia, leave the soaked towel on the spot for 10-15 minutes. <S> To avoid scratching the pan, I try to avoid using any pumice-based cleaners like Bar Helpers, Bon Ami or Ajax. <S> (I just tried using bathroom tile cleaner, and it also worked to remove hard water deposits.) <S> If your pans have an anodized aluminum exterior, try to avoid using oven cleaner or anything with lye in it. <S> If you pan has an aluminum core, don't leave the lid on when you are soaking the pan or soak cooking utensils or flatware in the pan overnight, since it will cause the aluminum edge to oxidize. <S> If the aluminum edge is getting discolored, you can polish it with a tiny piece of SOS pad, being careful to avoid scratching the exterior surface of the pan. <S> Whenever possible, I try to avoid using metal utensils in our SS pans <S> (exception: the balloon whisk I use for making sauces.) <S> Most of our All-Clad still looks almost like new after 25 years of regular use. <A> I use the Lagostina stainless steel cleaner and a scrubbie (kind used to clean glass top stoves). <S> get it wet, get the sponge wet and squeeze out a bit, sprinkle about 1 t cleaner and scrub away. <S> You don't want it to be too watery, a thin paste works best. <S> TTFN
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Deglazing with water while the pan is hot is the best way to get rid of large stuck-on/burnt debris.
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How can I make sorbet without a recipe? I would like to be able to make sorbet with whatever ingredients I have on hand without always looking up a recipe. I understand that it's important to get the correct balance of sugar, liquid, and other ingredients for the end product to have the right texture. There seem to be a couple options for testing your sorbet mixture: syrup density meters and refractometers. Before I spend money on one of these tools, I'm wondering: Can I reliably make sorbet without one of these tools? What techniques do you use to make sorbet with each of these tools? Are there advantages/disadvantages to one way or another? What do I need to know about the different scales (Brix, Baumé, specific gravity, other ) and what readings should I target? Are there other things to consider regarding ingredients (purée v. juice, effect of additives such as alcohol, etc.)? <Q> Too much to go into here, but let me refer you to Harold McGee's less well known book, The Curious Cook: More Kitchen Science and Lore , where he has an entire chapter devoted to this topic, complete with tables for a whole bunch of fruits. <A> For most fruits, you need about 1/3 as much sugar as fruit by volume - two cups of fruit and <S> 2/3 cup sugar is pretty common in recipes. <S> This works with a good variety of fruits - for example, mangoes, strawberries, and kiwis should do well. <S> If it's too thick, you may also want to add a bit of water, perhaps even up to the amount of sugar you used. <S> With less water, you'll get a richer, more velvety, perhaps almost creamy sorbet, depending on the fruit; with more water it will of course be icier. <S> Of course, you'll end up adjusting the sugar sometimes - a bit less for very sweet ripe fruits, and a bit more for less sweet ones. <S> But so much of the sugar is coming from what you add that you don't usually need huge adjustments; it should generally be somewhere in the 1:4 to 1:2 range. <S> And there's enough variety just in the sweetness of the same fruit that predetermined ratios aren't always exactly right anyway. <S> If you make a few sorbets from recipes, you should be able to judge well by taste: before freezing, it will be quite sweet, a bit more than you'd want to eat. <S> Unsurprisingly, it should be similar to the sweetness of melted sorbet, perhaps a bit more sweet than melted ice cream. <S> And as always, adding a shot of liquor will soften it up; this is handy if you find that sorbets softened only by sugar are too sweet for your tastes. <S> Neutral things like vodka are handy since they'll work with any fruit, but sometimes this can also be a way to add an additional flavor. <S> And if your fruit works with a wine - strawberry-rose and blackberry-cabernet are both pretty good - then using wine instead of water will soften it very nicely. <S> Finally, I noticed the juice vs puree point. <S> I've never made sorbet with juice, but I suspect that'd be prone to being really icy. <S> I've always used pureed fresh fruit; it'd have to be really good, fresh juice to taste as good as fresh fruit. <A> I have made sorbet twice without following a recipe, just guess and go. <S> I made rhubarb sorbet and watermelon sorbet. <S> You need to make sure you add a heapingly large amount of sugar, and at least a shot of alcohol. <S> I did with 1 1/2 shots and it turned out find. <S> Doing this though, you will not get 100% perfect texture. <S> It came out of the machine good, could have served it up like that, or maybe chilled an hour. <S> After chilling 3 hours it started to become less silky.
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Your question asks about a lot of very specific scientific detail, but really, with a bit of experience, you can make sorbet without any of that.
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Can you freeze bagna cauda? (cream basically) Yesterday we had bagna cauda at a friend's house. It was too much, so everyone went home with a leftovers bottle (around 1 liter). Will it ruin if I freeze it? <Q> You can freeze cream, but it will undergo some separation issues. <S> When you thaw it you can shake or mix it to reintegrate the milk solids that have separated. <S> Unfortunately, it will not regain the same mouth feel as never frozen liquid dairy. <S> Basically I never freeze dairy that I want to drink, only things I will be cooking with or baking with. <S> In the case of this dip, I assume it will be reheated when you want to eat it, so I would say that you can freeze it and when you reheat spend some time with a whisk to recombine fully. <A> Isn't bagna cauda oil, anchovies, and butter. <A> I freeze it in an ice cube tray then zip lock the cubes in a bag. <S> Then for a quick snack I put one or two cubes into a microwavable coffee cup, warm it up and dip bread into the hot mixture. <S> Works great!
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I would say yes to freezing but whisk once back to room temperature and don't be surprised if texture changes.
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What is the butter for in a jam recipe? I made plum jam at the weekend. The recipe I had (from my Good Housekeeping cookbook) wanted me to simmer the plums in water, add sugar and a knob of butter, then boil until a set was reached. I realised too late that I was out of butter, so I quickly looked up another jam recipe online and discovered what seemed like a 50/50 split between recipes with and without the knob of butter. I made it without and it came out beautifully - clear, well-textured, lovely flavour. So what was the knob of butter meant to add? <Q> The usual explanation given is that adding butter to the fruit and sugar before you cook it will reduce (or even eliminate) the foaming. <S> My guess is that the small amount of proteins in the fruits create the foam. <S> As you heat the fruit, the proteins open up into strands that get tangled up and help stabilize the bubbles into a foam. <S> Adding the butter (a fat) helps prevent this tangling. <A> (And why I keep a copy of the older recipe pectin box insert.) <A> Butter reduces the foam. <S> Skip the butter. <S> After cooking jam but before placing in jars, take off heat and stir for 5 minutes. <S> This reduces the foam and also helps the fruit pieces to disperse evenly into the jam. <S> Win Win. <S> Then place in jars and continue canning as usual. <S> I read it in an canning book years ago <S> sorry <S> don’t know the name.
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Butter def helps reduce foaming; the instructions in the older recipes state this.
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What types of cooking are pressure cookers most useful for? We were just clearing out our kitchen and stared at this brand new, unused pressure cooker we got for our wedding over 10 years ago! We've never felt the need to use it before. I know it's supposed to be able to cook things really fast, but is this really an essential appliance? We're debating if we should give it to someone else. Before I do that though, I think I want to try it a few times. What kinds of things would best demonstrate its usefulness? <Q> I find that home cooked beans have a much better taste and texture than from cans. <S> The pressure cooker can make them in just about an hour from the moment you pour them in the pot to perfectly tender, and no presoaking is required, so I don't have to plan a day in advance. <A> It's a convenience and a time saver. <S> The high pressure simply raises the boiling point of water which raises the cooking temperature. <S> Anything you need to boil (but not evaporate) for a long time will go much faster using it. <S> Of course without the lid it is also a nice heavy pot. <S> Canning requires the higher temperature to kill botulism spores but most recipes that call for a pressure cooker will simply take longer. <S> If you haven't used it in 10 years you are probably fine getting rid of it. <S> You could send it to me for example. :) <A> a) Send it to me :) b) <S> Pressure cookers are good for cooking something like lamb shanks (or other tough meats), which would normally take several hours of braising before becoming tender. <S> In a pressure cooker, you could probably do it in less than an hour. <A> I like to use mine as a high pressure steamer. <S> Pour a 1cm layer of water into the pressure cooker, put a small rack in (came with my pressure cooker) and heat the cooker until the water boils, put your veggies on the rack, close the cooker and cook for two minutes or so on the highest pressure. <S> Never tasted broccoli that was so fresh. <S> You could use a steam oven to get the same mode of preparation with more convenience, but it's very pricey. <A> Pressure cookers use higher pressure to raise the boiling point of water, which means that you can cook at a higher temperature. <S> That leads to shorter cooking times. <S> It is especially useful for making braises, stews and stocks. <S> My personal favorite recipe to make in a pressure cooker is Alton Brown's Pressure Cooker Chili. <S> I've made the recipe without a pressure cooker and it takes 3-4 for the meat to become nice and tender while the pressure cooker can do it in 25 minutes. <S> http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pressure-cooker-chili-recipe/index.html <A> You can use it to make a version of risotto that doesn't take any stirring. <A> You can make vegetables soup in minutes. <S> Steel cut oatmeal, very fast too. <S> Basically anything that would stovetop cook for hours can be done in 20-35minutes mostly. <S> We did oxtail soup for dinner just last night in an hour, start to eating. <S> And vegetables can be steamed to perfection in just a few minutes, with some danger of overcooking. <A> pressure cooker is one of my MUST HAVE in my kitchen because aside from saving me a lot of time tendering my meat <S> but it also save your electric bill for electric stove. <A> Laura at plawingwithfireandwater.com uses her pressure cooker to make a cream croquant. <S> Pour 35% cream in your cooker to 1/2 an inch, cook for ten minutes at full pressure. <S> You will get a crunchy caramelized bit of gorgeousness made solely with cream. <A> Generally, the can be employed in lieu of: Long boiling or simmering, as with beans or brown rice Stews and other braises <S> Long steaming
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Pressure cookers generally are ideal for food items that require moist cooking methods that take a long time. For me, the best use is making beans.
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How much is a knob of butter? I was reading a question here on Food and Cooking and no one seemed to know how much it is. I tried to Google convert it to cups but no dice. So how much is it? <Q> In this Gordon Ramsey scrambled eggs video he uses a "knob" of butter. <S> It appears to be about 2 Tbsp. <S> I don't think it's intended to be a specific term. <S> You'd never see "knob" used for baking, where exact amounts matter. <S> When cooking, recipes tend to be a general guideline rather than a strict set of instructions. <A> I tend to treat it as 'a knifeful' but thinking about now it <S> its probably about 1-1.5 tbsp, depending on how soft the butter is. <S> If the butter is too cold to get a knife to scoop it with, and I have to cut it, I try to cut a corner off starting about 1 cm into the edge, creating a pyramid type shape. <S> As @hobodave pointed out Gordon Ramsey uses about 2 tbsp, but that tends to be the same with the chefs, they go heavy on the salt and the butter and the cream. <S> YMMV. <A> 2 or 3 tablespoons is equal to a knob. <S> Also it depends on what you want, it is your choice how much your eggs taste of butter. <A> Perhaps it's equivalent to a "pat" of butter. <A> I believe the term "knob" of butter was developed and used in the days before standardized measuring. <S> Other non-exact measurements: palm, handful, wooden spoonful, size of a walnut, size of an egg, a glassful ...
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The amount is about 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons -- about the size of a knob on a kitchen drawer.
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Why was the cooking liquor for my mussels too dilute? I made moule marinier, which were ok, but the 'sauce' that was left when they were cooked was more dilute than I would have liked. I cooked them in: 200ml white wine sauteed onions and garlic thyme and added parsley at the end. There seemed to be significantly more liquid at the end of cooking than I started with. Is this normal? Why was this? Is it residual water in the mussels? How can I avoid this in the future? <Q> Yes, the additional liquid came from the mussels and is going to enhance the flavor of your finished dish. <S> All you need to do is remove the mussels to a bowl, cover lightly to keep them warm, and then turn the heat up to high on your pan and reduce the liquid until it's concentrated before whisking in your butter. <S> (I presume you added butter even though you didn't list it above?) <S> If not...finish it by whisking in softened (not too soft, but slightly) butter (known as "mounting with butter" <S> monte au beurre) <S> which will emulsify with the concentrated cooking liquid and add a luxurious texture and richness to your sauce. <S> Finish by adding your chopped parsley and adjust seasoning according to taste. <A> You might try a thicker sauce? <S> Reduce the wine a bit? <S> Seems like 200ml should be about right though... <S> Most recipes I've seen call for 200-400ml. <A> Like @Fernando mentioned I always add the mussels to a hot saute pan with olive oil, S&P and garlic and saute them for around 20 seconds then add the wine letting it reduce a little and at the very end pull it off the heat and throw in a little butter along with the herbs. <S> The butter will form an emulsification with the wine reduction and give you a wonderful sauce. <A> You dont say how many mussels you are cooking, <S> it could be <S> you are adding too much wine for the amount of mussels.
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Mussels absolutely release liquid when cooked.
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How long does unopened, room temperature pop last? How long does a can of coca-cola last? Like a case of them, sitting in a room-temperature room. There is a date on the bottom (MAR1411), but what does that mean? I have a can with the World Cup on it, and I just became really curious. <Q> It lasts indefinitely. <S> The date you are seeing should be viewed as a "best before" date. <S> Over time the soda can become flat and the flavor will degrade, but it will still be drinkable as long as the can was not compromised. <S> Based on looking at some Coke I recently purchased, it appears that the date is likely 1 year in the future from when it was canned. <S> The cans in my fridge have a date of JUN1711 ; I bought these in late July. <S> Plastic bottles. <S> on the other hand, have a much shorter "best before" window. <S> This is because the plastic bottle leaks the carbonation much quicker than an aluminum can does. <S> I don't have any bottles on hand, but if I recall correctly they typically have a date only 3 months out. <A> Diet drinks such as Diet Coke have a much shorter shelf life since the artificial sweetener degrades rapidly. <S> Not too much longer after that they taste pretty bad. <S> The corn-syrup based soft drinks I usually see are undated or carry a coded date depending on the brand. <S> How and whether soft drinks are dated varies by brand and possibly by bottler within a brand. <S> If you're keeping the can as a collectible, be aware that the can will probably eventually develop a pinhole and the contents will be lost. <S> Bottle collectors never empty the bottles since that adversely affects the value. <A> Bought a Dr Pepper (in a can) from the vending machine in the back. <S> The date was Aug11/08 <S> Still tastes great <S> and it's Oct22, 2012 :D <A> I have seen my Grandfather drink old bottles of Pepsi & Coke that were over 25 years old. <S> He buys & sell second hand items (mostly antiques). <S> He's told me numerous times that the old pop tastes better. <A> btw: <S> Heat changes nutrisweet - <S> so there is a change in flavor that is unpleasant. <S> I see stores putting the boxes of diet coke outside in the sun - <S> When I see this I wonder how often the soda is stored in a very hot warehouse or truck! <S> For years I have bought 12 packs of canned diet coke when they are on sale at holidays. <S> All of a sudden - I quit drinking them after being addicted to them for years. <S> I have 3 12 packs that are approaching one year old - <S> I guess I will have to open one to see if it is worth giving to a relative.
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I believe the expiration date is on the order of three months for cans.
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What factors lead to rich crema on espresso? I love espresso, especially when it has a rich crema (the head that forms on top of a well made shot). I notice that some cafes produce this consistently while others never have more than a wisp on top. Which of the many factors that go in to pulling good espresso shots specifically contribute to the crema? <Q> Crema is a food foam. <S> For crema to form and survive long enough for us to enjoy the espresso, something needs to hold the bubbles of the foam together. <S> In most food foams proteins help hold up the bubbles, but in crema it is a mixture of proteins and oils . <S> This makes it hard to predict what makes good crema. <S> From practice, good crema comes from: <S> Enough pressure and well timed extraction Fresh grind with a good grain size distribution <S> Darker roasts <S> There are also tradeoffs between stability of the crema and the amount of crema produced. <S> The two don't seem to go together. <S> The crema also should have bubbles that pop and sprinkle the coffee aromatics into the air and our noses (like champagne). <S> The higher pressure extraction helps extract and emulsify the oils (about 0.1g ends up in one shot). <S> The darker roasts help with the Maillard reaction which creates the still unknown molecules that give crema its color and volume. <A> The crema is done by the fatty content of the coffee, the high pressure (a good expresso machine has about 15 bar of water pressure) help to extract much fat from the coffee. <A> McGee's On Food and Cooking also lists the mineral content of the water used as an important factor in crema. <S> He states that hard water will reduce the amount of crema produced but also that softened water causes over-extraction. <S> Grind size and the tamper pressure applied by the barista also make a difference to the amount of crema. <S> Though I don't have any results handy to back this up. <S> Around 30 pounds or pressure (13.5 kg) applied to tamp the grounds is considered optimal. <S> Test this on a scale to get a feel for it. <S> I've heard that some award-winning baristi will tamp with less pressure but grind the coffee finer to compensate. <S> As said before by SWrobel, beans should be freshly roasted 3 or 4 days prior. <S> Beans just roasted or within a day or two seem to produce much more crema but the crema produced is not as stable. <S> Possibly from too much CO2? <S> I am currently using a northern Italian style roast <S> and it produces a nice think crema. <S> Would be interested if anyone has done any experiments on how roast profile affects crema. <A> If you source your beans from a local roaster and grind on demand you should have no problem producing crema. <S> The only issue is producing a crema made of fine bubbles. <S> Too fresh and there is generally too much gas <S> giving you a very bubbly crema. <S> The origin and processing of the bean can also play a huge factor. <S> If you have ever tried Monsooned Malabar you'll see what I mean. <S> However at the end of the day you want a decent cup of coffee and taste is the only thing you can go by. <S> There is no ideal age for beans. <S> My favourite blend tastes best to me at around the 1.5-2 week mark and still produces a fine espresso. <A> Beans should be roasted within the last week. <S> Ideal age is about 3-4 days past roasting, and of course they should be ground right before extraction. <A> Typically, Brazil coffee beans are used in espresso blends because of their ability to produce crema, which would remove the need for robusta type beans. <S> As for your answer, pygabriel has a more technical answer.
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Also the quality of the coffee can influence the fatty contents; a mix of arabica and robusta type coffee can give a better crema than 100% arabica.
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How to make spherical chocolate-enrobed candies? How does one enrobe a candy center in chocolate in such a way that you get a smooth sphere with no ugly mark where it was sitting on a rack, or hole where it was held by a skewer? <Q> What you need, my good man, is a candy fork. <S> Basically it's a two-tined fork with incredibly thin tines. <S> Dip, lift, allow excess to drip off, place on parchment (you will get a tiny 'foot' <S> but this is normal). <S> unless you're talking about absolutely perfect spheres? <S> to my knowledge this is not doable by hand, you will need industrial machinery. <S> and the two hemispheres method will leave you with a seam. <S> i have heard one solution for the tiny hole left by a thin skewer <S> is another tiny dab of chocolate and a quick blast with a hair dryer to smooth out any imperfections, but i have never tried it myself. <A> Adding another answer because Michael accepted that one, and I don't want it to look like he accepted what I'm going to write now. <S> Another way to make perfectly spherical candies is to go the molecular route. <S> You can melt chocolate and thicken it with xanthan gum to mimic a set chocolate. <S> Then add alginate, drop dollops of the chocolate into a calcium chloride bath. <S> Before they set, push your candy centre into the ball of chocolate. <S> I haven't tried this, but the theory is sound. <A> What if you tried two hemisphere molds, made the shell, filled with your center, and then put the two halves together? <S> If you want a liquid center, you might need to freeze it first or only fill one half. <A> In order to obtain a perfectly smooth spherical coating, you will have to use a mold. <S> If you are hand-dipping your centers, you will get a "foot." <S> The warmer the chocolate, the bigger the foot. <S> Rather than dipping your center, I would recommend you "roll" the center to coat it. <S> Granted, this is messy, but you will probably get the closest to having a "non-footed" product. <S> To do this, after you temper the chocolate, put a ladle of it onto a marble slab (a dinner plate also will work). <S> With one hand, "play" with the chocolate. <S> It will get thicker as it cools more. <S> When it is pretty thick, but still liquid, use your clean hand to drop a few centers into the chocolate. <S> Roll them over to coat well with your "messy" hand. <S> Pick up the center and place on a sheet of parchment or wax paper... <S> whatever you are using. <S> When the chocolate on the plate starts to get too thick, you just add more warm chocolate to it. <S> Unfortunately, this is an experiential method. <S> It takes a while to get the "feel" for this to make the chocolates as pretty and "foot-less" as possible.
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You can also use your finger to make a swirl on top, but your chocolates will not be perfectly smooth if you do that.
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How should I sautee Portobello Mushrooms? I frequently use Protobello's in a stir fry or pasta dish as a meat substitute. I find that they absorb a significant amount of oil if I put it in the frying pan. However, if I don't use enough oil, then they start to burn. Once they've gotten to a certain point, they sweat out a lot of water. However, they often end up either burnt or greasy. How can I cook them properly so that neither of those things happens? <Q> Mushrooms DO require a good amount of oil due to the fact that they will initially absorb it. <S> However make sure that you're adding salt to them right away to help begin drawing the juices out and start them over high heat, making sure that the pan is "screaming" hot before you ever add the oil and the mushrooms so that it will retain the heat even after the mushrooms are added to the pan. <S> As the juices begin to exude from the mushrooms they will take the place of the oil and as the juices evaporate, the oil will aid in browning of the mushrooms. <S> As they moisture begins to evaporate you can begin to decrease the temperature to avoid having to add more oil and keep them from sticking to the pan. <A> I had another shot at portobellos last night (which prompted this question). <S> I found that using a spray bottle to oil the mushrooms rather than just pouring oil in to the pan seemed to work much better. <S> I'm not entirely sure why this worked, but I'm guessing that by pouring in to the pan, the mushrooms only absorb the oil on the side that's touching the pan, and the other sides may burn. <S> When using a spray, you can evenly coat the mushrooms so that they don't absorb the oil unevenly and avoid burning. <S> I use an oil mister , rather than prepackaged cooking spray, so it's actually the same oil that I would otherwise just pour in the pan. <A> Some mushrooms are best roasted/baked in the oven. <S> You don't need oil if you don't want it <S> (I add bissel olive oil), just some granulated garlic and a pinch of salt. <S> Add a bit of white wine to rescue the flavor from the pan.
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I think mushrooms taste best when they've been allowed to cook to the point where the moisture has evaporated and a really good browning has taken place (not burnt of course).
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How do I make dried blueberries? How do you make dried blueberries? Can I use an oven? Is there a proper technique or do I just bake them on low for a few hours? <Q> While you could probably do dried blueberries in a VERY low oven (150F), you'll most likely need to prop the door open slightly to allow moisture to escape. <S> You'd be best to do them in an actual food dehydrator which will have a fan to expell the moisture being released from the food. <S> Keep in mind however that if dried as they are, they will shrivel up into fairly hard little bits. <S> If your goal is something similar to the dried blueberries that you can buy in retail stores, they will have to be treated in a sugar syrup to maintain the chewy texture and keep them from totally drying out. <S> I'm not sure if the commercial producers are first drying and then soaking in a sugar solution and perhaps drying again so that the sugar is drawn into the cells of the berry. <S> Whatever the case...commercial dried cranberries and blueberries maintain the chewy texture due to being treated with a sugar solution at some point. <S> If you are looking for ways to handle a bumper crop or bulk buy on blueberries, I would recommend freezing them and stick to buying commercially processed dried berries for the best results, least effort, and greatest bang for your buck. <A> 12 hours at 250 was way too long. <S> While the berries are edible and a similar texture to what you would get if you put them in a dehydrator, they taste a bit burnt. <S> If you can find the magic temperature and time combo, I like the taste of bluberries dried in a dehydrator or done correctly in an oven quite a bit. <S> After that experiment, I've decided to stick to making fruit leather. <S> I use the basic guidelines from Simply Recipes and actually dry the leather in the back of my car on a hot day. <S> It tastes great! <A> I have found that when drying fruit, is can sometimes help to maintain the texture by sun drying them, however, bugs can get in them unless you put them in a container where moisture can get out, sunlight in and bugs cannot go in.
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I have made dried blueberries in the oven by simply placing them on a baking sheet and drying for about 12 hours at the lowest temperature my oven would go (250).
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How do you prepare squid tentacles? The 'suckers' on squid tentacles seem to each have small shell-like ( chitinous? ) 'rings' inside them that can be removed by pulling or rubbing the tentacles. This takes a lot of time and I am wondering if it is necessary? Also, how much of the mouth/head is generally good to eat? It seems that the ring where the tentacles connect is quite edible but there are also some much harder/tougher parts of flesh nearby. <Q> No you do not need to remove them, unless you're talking about very large squid. <S> Good to eat? <S> I prefer the flesh and not the tentacles, but basically anything that isn't what you remove when cleaning <S> (the internal 'bone' and assorted goop attached to it) is fine. <S> Best method for cooking is very, very fast--squid needs fast nigh heat, usually no more than 40-60 seconds depending on size. <S> Dust with cornstarch and deep fry very fast, or sautee in butter very fast. <S> Too long and you will be chewing rubber. <A> Whole squid are easy to clean and prepare. <S> Depending on the size the smaller are easier while the larger may take a little more time and preparation. <S> Pull the tentacles and head from the main body (innards should come out with tentacles). <S> You can remove the skin from the smaller squid or calamari (both of the same family) though it is recommended to remove the skin on all squid as it may be extremely chewy and undesirable. <S> For the larger squid it is suggested by some to either soak it in buttermilk, pawpaw or even kiwi fruit. <S> These all have active enzymes that can tenderize proteins and have been found not to impart any consequential flavour. <S> Remove the centre cartilage which is clear, thin and plastic like (this is inedible). <S> I find the best way is to score it in a crisscross pattern on the inside of the body because as it cooks it curls, tenderises and if done with a little care it is also attractive. <S> It is great sautéed marinated in garlic, ginger or whatever your preferred flavour such as chili etcetera and sautéed in light olive oil. <S> Or slightly dusted with cornflour and flavouring of your choice, deep or shallow fried. <S> Tentacles take a little bit more time to prepare as the suction cups have a little circular bone like attachments that can be removed by rubbing. <S> Remove the beak and you may also even keep or discard the ink sac. <S> If it is still intact this may be used for making squid ink pasta or risotto. <S> Then after cleaning the tentacles cut into desired length up to 2 inches (5 centimetres) and coat these with cornflour, salt, pepper (to taste) or my favourite <S> is <S> salt, pepper and chili powder quickly flash fried for a nice tasty drinking snack. <S> Or maybe marinated in olive oil garlic and flavourings of your choosing including herbs and this acts as a nice accompaniment on any antipasto or seafood lovers plate. <A> But be careful not to over cook it. <S> Serve with a hot chipotle aioli. <A> Extract centre cartilage and do take time to scrape off the tentacle suckers. <S> Larger squid need the skin removing - I don't bother for smaller ones. <S> For smaller squid, deep fry or stir fry as rings / tentacle pieces for 30 seconds without ANY cornflour or such like. <S> Just a light dusting of pepper, finely chopped chilli, and hint of sea salt. <S> Large squid I tend to bash to tenderise, cut them into diamonds / squares, and freeze until needed (separating with greaseproof paper or film). <S> Then lightly coat the pieces with egg, and then cover with panko, chilli pepper, chilli, light sea salt and deep fry for 80/90 seconds whilst the squid is still frozen. <S> You can get them golden that way without making them tough. <S> Feel free to also tenderise squid before freezing, but dry them off before the freeze.
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I think the best way to prepare squid is to soak it in thin seasoned buttermilk /egg mixture to help tenderize it a little then before frying, dredge it in cornflour and quickly fry it until crispy.
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What are some grilling tools that everyone should have? What are some grilling tools that a beginner should have when purchasing a new grill? Additionally, are there tools that are useful for the more advanced outdoor cook? <Q> The tools I use the most are: Tongs, Spatula for stuck things, A small towel to apply oil, thermometer, a long handled basting brush a brush to clean the grill with spray bottle with water (for flare-ups) <A> That way you can use one to handle raw meat, and one to remove cooked meat. <A> With that, oil to oil the grate, fuel, and quite possibly aluminum foil you will be grilling. <S> A grill basket of sorts can be very useful. <S> Metal skewers for making kebabs are great if you like that sort of thing and don't want to spend a long amount of time soaking wood skewers <S> so they don't burn to a crisp. <A> Tool-wise: <S> spatula, tongs, grill brush (for cleaning) and a basting brush. <S> If you're using extremely hot fire or high flames <S> there are grill-safe mitts you can buy. <S> This isn't a tool, but I find buying cedar (or other wood) planks for grilling fish and other meats and veggies on are invaluable. <S> Similarly, applewood or hickory chips for smoking. <S> As you get more advanced, there are rotisserie attachments for most grills, but they can get pretty pricey. <S> I agree with justkt that metal skewers are extremely useful, as well as the grill basket for certain fish and veggies. <A> If you're using charcoal, a spray bottle with H2O can be handy for flare-ups. <S> Otherwise, I think others have the bases covered. <A> I have a wide, flat knife that can be used as a spatula; I find it really useful. <S> Everything else has pretty much been mentioned, but I would suggest a pair of tongs with decent teeth on them. <S> It's very disheartening when that burger or steak slips out of your grip and into the coals or onto the ground. <A> An additional tool that will make grilling much easier is a veggie basket; basically it looks like a saute pan with holes poked throughout it. <S> Aluminum foil can be your friend, but these little guys are much more flexible.
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The basic things that you need are: Grill brush to clean the grate Large tongs to get food on and off of the grill In addition to what others have said, you should have TWO of each meat-handling tool (tongs, mainly).
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How can I make my own mayonnaise properly? I've tried a few variations in the past but none of turned out properly. The problem occurs when adding the olive oil. It never really mixes with the eggs leaving disjointed mess. What is the proper technique for mixing the oil so I can reach the correct consistency? <Q> The oil needs to be slowly added to the egg, vinegar, and lemon juice base while being vigorously whisked. <S> Only add more when the previous amount has been fully incorporated. <S> Once the initial 1/4 cup has been added and emulsified it becomes a lot easier to incorporate the rest, and you can add it slightly faster, but still 1/4 cup at a time. <S> This is vastly simpler in a food processor. <S> I have a Cuisinart 7-Cup <S> Food Processor which has a little white pusher piece with a drip-hole in it. <S> You can simply add the oil into this 1/4 cup at a time, it will slowly drip into the mix. <S> Use the metal blade attachment. <A> This makes the emulsion a bit easier to form and it is faster, and you can make loads without a stand mixer. <S> When making mayo in a blender (or any way) make sure the ingredients are cold. <S> I've found it a bit easier to work the emulsion if I start 2 egg yolks in a bowl and whisk. <S> Dump those in a blender, add 2 (whole) eggs, and pulse. <S> Open the top and start drizzling the oil. <S> Pulse every couple of seconds, long enough to incorporate the oil. <S> Be careful not to overwork the emulsion. <S> It can break if you blend it too much. <S> To rebuild the emulsion after it breaks, beat another egg yolk, then whisk the broken emulsion back into the egg yolk a bit at a time. <A> Take the egg out of the fridge in advance, or put it under a warm water tap for a bit, so that it is at room temperature. <S> Basically you want it at roughly the same temperature as the oil. <S> In a bowl, put the egg yoke (no white, throw it away or keep it for something else), one teaspoon of French mustard and some salt (if not sure don't put too much, you can add more later to taste). <S> Whisk that. <S> Add about a table spoon of oil. <S> I would recommend vegie oil, not olive oil. <S> Whisk it hard! <S> You want the emulsion to start happening, i.e. it should look consistent everywhere, with no apparent bubbles of oil. <S> It should take about 10 seconds. <S> Then repeat by adding no more than one table spoon of oil and whisking hard again until fully incorporated. <S> After about a quarter cup of that, the mayo should look creamy already but still light, you may now accelerate the process but putting a bit more oil every time, and there's no need to whisk as hard or as much in between, unless you start seeing unincorporated oil. <S> I find that after about a cup of oil, the mayo is good to serve, and adding more oil just makes it thicker and thicker -- <S> Fascinating! <S> Add salt and pepper to taste. <S> You may add some lemon juice as well, it's especially recommended if you want to keep it out in the open air for longer than just dinner time, as it reduces oxidization. <S> It's much faster to do (and more fun!) with a partner: <S> One person holds the bowl and keeps whisking. <S> The other slowly pours the oil in a thin fillet. <S> It shouldn't take longer than 2-3 minutes overall. <S> You may use an electric hand mixer. <S> But I don't see the point of using a food processor, which will take much longer to clean afterwards!
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I generally add the oil 1/4 cup at a time, dripping it very slowly into the base. You can make mayo in a blender.
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Using ostrich and emu eggs Every time I venture to whole foods I notice the ostrich and emu eggs for sale. The one obvious difference is size. Do the eggs taste the same as chicken eggs? Are they any different nutritionally? Can they be hard-boiled? <Q> i have a friend who has 8 ostriches, and he eats their eggs all the time. <S> the taste is (apparently) different from a chicken's... richer somehow, but not different in a bad way. <S> he has hard-boiled them, but as roux says, it takes a LONG time to do it. <S> i think he boils them for an hour, but don't quote me on that one. <S> his most regular method is to drill a hole in it, drain it into a big bowl, blend it, and then makes scrambled eggs a cup or so at a time. <S> he has found that he can freeze the leftover egg for eating later. <S> as roux also said, one ostrich egg is about 2 dozen or so chicken eggs, so be prepared! <A> In order: broadly, yes though slightly richer; I do not know, but one ostrich egg is equivalent to approximately thirty chicken eggs; <S> yes but you need to do it for (obviously) much longer and at a lower temperature--think more like sous vide, less like hard boiling. <A> I have cooked and eaten an ostrich egg once before and it was a mildly unpleasant experience. <S> It definitely doesn't taste like a chicken egg <S> - it has a denser texture (almost rubbery) and a stronger taste. <S> Scrambling it and using it as part of a frittata in two very large 14 inch pans, I was still scratching my head as to what I should with the leftovers. <S> Also, unless you have ostriches I know they can be quite expensive. <S> The emu eggs seem like they would be a bit easier to handle, but still I'm not sure I would have any reason to buy one except for curiosity. <A> I've never had Ostrich eggs <S> but I've eaten many duck and goose eggs that my family raised when I was a child. <S> I quite enjoyed them. <S> Our birds were "free range" (they wandered in our back yard) and ate a lot of grass and bugs in addition to hand shelled corn which gave a deep savory flavor to the egg that you do not get with "feed fed" chickens. <S> There is nothing quite like Goose Eggs scrambled with a bit of butter sauteed morels for a country gourmet breakfast though.
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Duck and Goose eggs are richer (large yolks) and slighly gamey in flavor - you may enjoy this or find it unpleasant depending on your tasts.
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How to properly freeze kefir grains I have been making kefir regularly for a couple years. Lately, however, my family's interest in it has waned and I have been using it less often and so feeding it less often. I want to store some kefir grains so I don't lose them due to my own negligence. I've heard that grains can be frozen but I'm scared to kill some in the experiment. What is a proven procedure for freezing (and subsequently rethawing) my kefir grains such that they stay viable? <Q> Less complicated than the other method, but similar steps at the beginning. <S> I have used two methods and both worked. <S> I have heard success stories for grains in the freezer for over a year. <S> No milk powder involved. <S> Wash the grains in both cases. <S> Methods: <S> Put in fresh milk (the same you used before to make the kefir) <S> and then freeze in a plastic container or so <S> (I used a plastic bag) <S> Let the grains dry. <S> Not just with kitchen tissue, but actually leave it dry for an hour or two. <S> Finally put it into kitchen tissue and wrap that in a plastic bag or so for freezing. <S> For thawing I left the grains in the fridge for half a day and then gave them directly into milk. <S> I tested both methods, as stated. <S> Both worked just fine. <S> In my case the max. <S> time was more than 2 months. <S> However, when "reactivating" the grains it took both some time and the results of the first two or three batches were not consumable (well, I guess they were, but just not pleasurable as kefir proper). <A> One method for storing kefir grains for periods of up to 2 months, is by freezing spare grains. <S> To freeze effectively, wash the grains with pre-boiled COOLED water. <S> Pat-dry <S> the grains between pre-ironed cooled white toweling to remove excess moisture. <S> Place the grains in a jar or in a plastic bag, seal and put in the freezer. <S> With milk grains, first add some dry milk powder, [DMP] adding enough to completely cover the grains with the DMP, seal jar or bag and then freeze. <S> DMP is mixed with the milk kefir-grains as a cryoprotectant agent to prevent freezer burn. <S> Although I've found that kefir grains are viable for up to one year with this method, this length of time may completely remove the yeast component found in healthy kefir grains [if frozen for longer than 2 months, but not specifically]. <S> Because of this potential, freezing kefir grains as explained above, is best performed for a period of no longer than 2 months. <S> If DMP is omitted for freezing milk kefir-grains, then a period of no longer than 1 month is recommended. <S> Otherwise the yeast component of kefir grains may become damaged, especially if continual partial thawing and freezing due to poor freezer mechanism is involved. <S> To reactivate frozen kefir grains, thaw by placing the grains in a glass filled with cold water for a few minutes. <S> Place the grains into a strainer and wash off any powdered milk that's adhered to the grains with cold water. <S> http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir.html#Storing_kefir-grains <A> The defrosted kefir grains worked the first time culturing in fresh milk. <S> I washed the kefir grains in filtered water till water was clear. <S> Packed the washed kefir grains into zip lock snack bags with some plain filtered water and heat sealed the bag. <S> I double bagged and heat sealed each bag. <S> After 5 months I took the bag of frozen kefir grains and defrosted at room temperature overnight. <S> In the morning I fed the kefir grains with some warm fresh milk and left to culture for 24 hours. <S> They haven't looked back. <S> Making beautiful kefir every day. <A> I have been making kefir for many years now. <S> I always freeze grains using the dry milk powder mentioned above. <S> Four days ago I cleaned our freezer of expired foods and found grains frozen 5 years ago. <S> I was curious it <S> they might be revived after so long since I've never left them for over one year. <S> I rinsed them with tapwater (I admit to being abusive to my grains) then left them in milk at room temperature. <S> I was certain they were dead, but my husband bet they were still viable. <S> Less than 48 hours later, they cultured the milk. <S> After being frozen 5 years they are alive and working well. <S> I'm really surprised. <S> Since I've read frozen viability is much shorter, I wanted to share my experience. <S> Good luck culturing! <A> To freeze milk kefir grains, I place the unwashed grains in a pint glass bottle and fill the jar 3/4 full with fresh milk, put on the lid and place in the freezer compartment. <S> To freeze water kefir grains, I do the same thing only I fill the jar 3/4 full with sugar water, (the same type as I use to make water kefir), put on the lid and place in the freezer. <S> Leaving enouh room for the ice to expand safely in the jar. <S> When I want to reuse either of them, I take the jar out of the freezer and sit it on the refrigerator top until thoroughly thawed and then use as normal. <S> When I first reuse them, they always work immediately as if they had not been frozen at all. <A> I have frozen dairy kefir grains in a 1/2 c canning jar with no rinsing, adding in a little kefir to surround grains. <S> When I was ready to use, I left jar in refrigerator overnight and added to fresh milk in the morning. <S> My grains have been frozen several times and reused in this manner. <S> So far so good.
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I've successfully frozen and defrosted milk kefir grains.
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How do I get caramels to turn out grainy? Yes, I know the opposite of the usual question. I've been making candy since I was a little kid. My caramels are always smooth and creamy. My partner's father thinks they taste good but that the texture is all wrong. He liked the gritty/grainy ones his mother used to make. Everything I have ever seen listed as a way to fix grainy caramels I have tried reversing. I have tried many things, including: adding granulated sugar late in the process not using corn syrup or other invert sugar cooking them at high temps cooking them for too short a time stirring or not stirring at all the wrong times switching recipes varying the fat content I guess I am wondering what makes caramels turn out grainy. It's not as far as I can tell, wholly related to the sugar dissolving/melting. If it was adding some granulated sugar as it cools should cause more crystals to form. Is it related to the liquid content? Because sometimes after months in a cupboard even ordinarily smooth caramels will have developed some graininess. <Q> As you mentioned it is all about how the crystals form. <S> Some of the factors off the top of my head: <S> How saturated is the solution -The more sugar packed into the syrup the more easily it will crystallize. <S> How quickly it cools -The slower <S> the bigger the crystals <S> Interference <S> - Do you have a starch or other sugar molecules gumming up the works? <S> Obviously you already knew this from your question. <S> Not using other sugars will help. <S> You might also try adding more sugar to the recipe at the beginning to fully saturate your solution. <S> The fact that you add sugar at the end <S> and it still dissolves in makes me think your solution could take a bit more. <S> Letting the solution cool slowly with your seed sugar at the end should help. <S> You would think it would be easier to get it wrong. <S> Perhaps you simply have too much experience doing it right. <A> I wish I had time for a more complete answer, but it sounds like you are trying to make fudge. <S> It's quite an involved process. <S> To give a very brief outline of the process without explaining why it works, you need to, Bring your candy mixture to a boil and then stop stirring. <S> Use a sugar thermometer and wait for the temperature to reach 115C (softball stage). <S> Wipe down the sides of the pan while you do this or the sugar crystals that form will be too large. <S> Take the mixture off the heat and allow to cool to 43C. Stir the mixture for 10-15 mins until it stiffens up. <A> Hmmm. <S> Well, I'd try stirring it after it came to a boil. <S> That usually works for my wife = <S> P <S> Do you add any acids? <S> They can prevent crystal formation. <S> Lot of people put some lemon juice in for that reason. <A> Seeing your recipe would help. <S> Try using only granulated sugar as your sugar.
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When you add other sugars to the mix (like corn syrup) you are helping ensure a smooth product by disrupting the way that a single type of sugar crystallizes. Ask an amateur to try out your recipe and see if they fail properly.
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What are some alternative wines for Boeuf Bourguignon? Traditionally a Burgundy wine is used for Beef Bourguignon . What are alternative replacements for this dish? <Q> Wikipedia describes Pinot noir as “light to medium body with an aroma reminiscent of black cherry, raspberry or currant”, so any wine with those characteristics, such as a light Zinfandel or Shiraz/Syrah will be similarly substitutable. <A> In Mastering the Art of French Cooking , Julia Child says it should be made with a full-bodied young red wine. <S> She lists the following options: Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône, Bordeaux Saint-Émilion, Burgundy, or a Chianti. <S> I've made it with a Bordeaux and can attest to it being delicious. <A> It would change the flavor profile enormously, but making the equivalent of Boeuf Bourguignon with beer would probably be quite tasty. <A> I've had great success in the past using a chianti. <A> I tend to associate "full-bodied" (and hence better for cooking since delicacy isn't relevant) with Cab Sav and Shiraz varieties far more than, say, Pinot Noir. <S> Could be the characteristics of the local wines, though. <S> I'd be surprised if the choice of wine made a huge difference to the dish, however, as long as you didn't stray too far from the criterion of "ordinary red wine". <A> Try a Fuzion Malbec. <S> It's a cheap Argentinian that stands up really well. <S> In Ontario, it's about 8 bucks a bottle, and anything comparable is at least 12-15. <S> For god's sake, don't be cooking with a 30-50 pinot. <S> That's for drinking! <A> Try a Ribera del Duero ; you may be surprised. <A> I certainly had a very delicious Boeuf Bourguignon in Calais one cold and wintry evening. <S> I complained that it was clearly not made with red wine and was rather pale and anaemic. <S> The chef came out smiling all over his face. <S> " <S> Mais oui, monsieur, it ees my mother's own recipe. <S> White burgundy from my home town." <S> He showed me the bottle. <S> It said Grand Cru on the label. <S> So I proceeded to try to hide in my seat. <S> It was followed up by an excellent Roquefort from his cousin's place down in the Auvergne <S> and he insisted I must have a good red wine (Burgundy) with this, on the house. <S> So we drank the whole bottle between the two of us! <S> Memorable evening! <A> You need some liquid that is as tasty as wine. <S> Perhaps some beef consommé <S> (Can o' Campbells!) would do the job. <S> I would add a bit of red wine vinegar, or balsamic, to make it a little bit acidic. <A> I've not tried it but <S> my uncle was telling me he's started using cider for this, googling turns up a few beef in cider recipes so he may not be losing his marbles just yet!
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Red Burgundy wine is made from Pinot noir grapes, so a Pinor noir from another region probably will work well. I'd had success with Cabernet Sauvignon before (South Australia).
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When boiling potatoes, should I put them in with the cold water or in to the hot? I've heard both. What's the correct way to boil a potato? Why? <Q> Cold, it gives the inside more time to come up to the same temperature with the outside, for more even cooking. <A> According to McGee "On food and cooking: the science and lore of the kitchen" P.283 potatoes have an enzyme that firms the cell walls at 55ºC-60ºC (130ºF-140ºF). <S> Starting cooking from cold can make the potatoes firm. <S> Starting cooking from hot will make a more granular potato. <S> That's also the reason that you shouldn't add cold water to cooking potatoes if you don't want them to be firm. <A> Also helps to choose the correct potato for what you want. <S> The Yukon Gold is a good all around boiling potato but also try the 'blue' - there are about 5000 varieties of potato. <S> I like using different colored potatoes in salads. <A> I have done it both ways, depending on whether I'm in a hurry. <S> Ideally, you will fill the pot with your spuds and then add cold water to that pot and then add to heat. <S> As Michael describes above, this will give more even cooking and you can avoid the outer surface "splitting" and other wise breaking apart with this technique. <A> If your house heating system is the kind that gives you a tank of pre-heated hot water, it makes sense to use this water. <S> Boil your potatoes using water from your hot tap. <S> This way, you will save time and money and your boiled potatoes will taste just as good.
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If you want to make potato salad, you definitely want to start with the potatoes in cold water so that the potato cooks through evenly and won't fall apart or dissolve when making the salad.
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Why add salt to the water when cooking rice? Given the great answer to the question on adding salt to water when cooking pasta , I am curious whether the same explanation holds for rice as it does for pasta (flavor and starch gelation)? Is there more at work? Flavor is true in my experience, but what else? <Q> For rice it depends. <S> Cooking any starch in water will first cause the starch granules to swell and eventually tangle up with each other (the gelatinization). <S> Dissolving sugars or salts in the water slows down the process by raising the temperature the swelling starts. <S> While few prefer pasta as a stuck blob of strands, the same is not the case for rice. <S> I like my Basmati loose, but <S> my risotto and sushi sticky, so salt may be required for Basmati and optional for Arborio. <S> There are many techniques for controlling the starch for rice. <S> To control the starch gelatinization of rice: <S> cook it like pasta with lots of water, then drain ; or par <S> cook it <S> Method 1 won't avoid the grain surface starch gelatinization, but it will help with stickiness (you may oil coat it after draining). <S> Method 2 delays the starch release allowing you to finish a risotto in seven minutes. <S> Cool for parties or for restaurants. <A> Salt is not necessary when cooking rice, but can be added . <S> Unless you add a ridiculous amount of salt it will not significantly change the boiling temperature or time. <A> Rice without salt, is like cooking pasta without salt. <A> I am Asian and perfectionist with rice. <S> I find by using salt to wash the rice and allowing some of the salt to remain in the final rice water, you get overall a better quality of rice in the finished product. <A> I read somewhere that adding salt to rice changes the osmotic balance, and this can prevent the elongation of basmati rice, and reduce its fluffy consistency. <S> However I confess I have tried it with salt!
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You need to season the rice, so YES you need to add salt to the water when cooking rice.
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Is there a way to prevent my Fruit Pie from getting runny? Is there a way to firm up the consistency of a fresh fruit pie (like peach or apple) - sometimes it gets too "runny"? <Q> Yes. <S> Presumably you're doing the firming up during the cooking, and not afterwards? <S> Drain off liquid / condense any liquid. <S> Heat fruit before placing in pie to drive off moisture <S> Use a touch of cream <S> Use binder / starch Use gelatin in the fruit mixture <S> tapioca (credit to justkt for this one) <A> Apples have pectin in them, which should naturally help keep them from being runny. <S> In fact, I've seen a blueberry pie recipe from America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated that used grated apples and instant tapioca in combination as the thickener. <S> The reason it didn't use all tapioca was that too much tapioca can lead to a gummy, over-firm gelatin like consistency. <S> In almost all the fruit pies I make, the key to perfect texture is somewhere between 2 and 3 tablespoons of instant tapioca. <S> Why tapioca? <S> Unlike flour or cornstarch it does not dull the flavor of the fruit. <S> In the case of some recipes (blueberry comes to mind), I also cook down some of the fruit to make a syrup for binding the fruit together. <S> I do not do this with peach unless the peaches have been sitting in their juices for a while. <S> I do not do this with apple, raspberry, or strawberry rhubarb either. <S> So try tapioca, but over 2-3 tablespoons (depending on fruit-type), if you find you are dealing with too much structure, switch to a mix with grated apple or straight up pectin. <A> This gadget won't make the pie itself less runny, but it will help keep your pie from running. <S> Progressive International Pie Gate <A> When I make an apple pie I slice the apples and stir in a small amount of orange juice to reduce air browning and half the amount of sugar called for by the recipe (the other half is added when the pie is assembled). <S> Then I place the apple mixture in a colander over a bowl. <S> Since sugar is hygroscopic there will be quite a bit of liquid in the bowl after 15 or 20 minutes. <S> I reduce this by half in a small pan over low heat. <S> Then I assemble the pie. <S> This keeps the pie from being too wet and reduces the chances of having a big gap between the filling and the top crust. <A> This question here: what is the purpose of lemon/acid in fruit maceration for pie baking? <S> is perhaps the answer to this question.
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The low tech answer is you macerate the fruit to draw the excess liquid from the fruit so your pie doesn't get runny.
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Can you assemble lasagna one day, and then bake it about 24 hrs later? I've always made it on the spot and cooked it then and there, but would like to make at home and take it to a large party the next day and cook it then - will it work? <Q> Yes, and I find it taste better. <S> When I make lasagna I will not fully cook the pasta. <S> Instead, I keep a pot of boiling water <S> and I dip the pasta into it to soften while I'm assembling the dish; the pasta is in the water for less than one minute. <S> The pasta seems to absorb more of the sauce, keeping the flavor but making a dish that does not fall apart as easily. <A> You can keep it in the refrigerator, ready to bake, for a couple of days. <S> It also works very well to freeze it at that point, to defrost & bake at a later date. <S> The only catch is that the baking time may need to be extended a bit, since you'll be working with a product that is refrigerator-cold, as opposed to freshly cooked. <A> I would cook the lasagne and then re-heat the next day. <S> If you assemble the lasagna while the sauce(s) are warm then you will find that the pasta starts to curl up. <A> My wife and I have made lasagna for over 100 people on a few occasions. <S> The way we have done this is to make several full pans of the product and then freeze them down for later use (up to two weeks). <S> We have seen great success with his technique. <S> However, I wouldn't wait more than 48 hours, as the breakdown will start to occur at this stage. <A> We did this when I worked prep in a restaurant. <S> Half cooked the pasta and pre-cooked the meat layer. <S> Assembled it cold and refrigerated over night. <S> It took about 45 minutes to cook on 350 f. <S> It was also covered in plastic wrap first then a layer of tin foil. <S> This helped keep it moisture while storing and cooking. <S> It does seem to taste much better. <A> It will most certainly work. <S> In fact, re-heated lasagne can taste better than it would straight off the stove. <A> I prepared lasagne last night uncooked and left in the fridge overnight, when i went to cook it the bechamel that i made has soaked in the uncooked lasagne sheets, wont do this mistake again
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Absolutely, it will work! As far as making it one day and then cooking it the next (without freezing), this is actually a real good way to do it.
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Timing an oven to start while I am out - but what about preheating? Many ovens have a timer which allows you to set the start time, so you pop your item in and later in the day it will automatically start cooking it unmanned. But all the oven cooking I can think of requires I preheat the oven before putting anything in it. Is it that preheating is desirable rather than essential, or is it that the timer feature is designed for those few cases where preheating isn't required? <Q> Preheating is mainly needed for breads and anything that has a short cooking time (< 15 mins or so). <S> I don't bother preheating when I'm roasting something for a longer time. <S> If you're setting a timer, I assume this is something that will take a while to cook, so I wouldn't worry about preheating. <A> Don't do this with your pizza but braising, roasting and casseroles seem to do OK without preheating. <S> I'm OK with beef sitting in the oven without refrigeration <S> but I have to brine chicken and pork to preserve it a little <S> and it seems to help with taste and juiciness anyway. <A> I seldom preheat for the kind of cooking I do. <S> Anything where you cooking for long periods of time, especially if the food starts out cold, should be fine. <S> The only thing to be careful of is how long the food will sit in the oven before it comes on.
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Things like cookies and cakes probably need to be preheated.
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Is it safe to cook with rainwater? Is it safe to use rainwater as an ingredient versus tap water - or even cooking things in it like pasta? Would there be any differences in measurements or cooking times - the thought being that there are no chemicals in it versus Tap Water? <Q> You really need to filter it first. <S> If you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it (also good advice <S> re: wine). <S> There seem to be sources on the internet regarding how to make rainwater drinkable, so I would start there.(example: http://www.rain-barrel.net/drinking-rainwater.html ) <S> (substitute some baking soda for baking powder, for example). <A> As long as you don't live in an area with bad acid rain, and you are catching it in a sanitary container without running it through gross gutters etc, it would be fine. <A> Rainwater, straight out of the sky, is generally safe, with some caveats depending on the location. <S> For example, in a polluted area, it's probably not a good idea. <S> The 2 biggest issues are primarily how it's collected and how it's stored. <S> Collection and storage are where rainwater can easily become contaminated by either chemical pollutants or biological pathogens. <S> So, if you want to replace your tap water with rainwater, it'll take an investment in sanitary collection and storage devices/methods. <S> BTW. <S> On desert hiking trips I have used rainwater collected from a tarp dripping into a pan and then filtered through a bandanna to remove dust. <S> I had no worries since the terrestrial sources were questionable. <A> I would happily drink rain water in any amount, in most situations. <S> But how that rainwater is collected and stored is a big deal. <S> For example: Roofs often have dirt and animal feces on them, and many roofing materials are treated with toxic chemicals. <S> Dirty, standing water is a breeding ground for bacteria, algae, and insects. <A> As long as there hasn't been a recent chemical, biological, or nuclear attack you should be fine. <S> Acid rain shouldn't be much of a problem since it's only slightly more acidic than regular rainfall (which is already acidic). <A> Keep in mind that tap water is tested to ensure it's safe for human consumption. <S> Rainwater has no such requirement. <S> While rainwater seems to be a happy-fuzzy natural resource, I'd like to stress that this could be a serious safety issue. <S> Yes, it seems unlikely, but you need an authority who knows their water. <S> I suggest seeking out a professional opinion on how to properly filter rainwater. <S> Possibly from the people who handle your municipal water supply. <A> It is safe to use water from streams, rivers, and lakes in the US (not including those affected by nuclear power plants) if you boil the water to a rolling boil and keep it there for 3 minutes first. <S> This kills bacteria which commonly live in bodies of water. <S> Rain water is unlikely to have giardia living in it, unlike streams, but sources indicate that it may contain some bacteria depending on the collection method. <S> Therefore keeping your rain water at a rolling boil at a minimum for safety purposes. <S> Note that at least one scientist from Argonne National Labs also recommends filtering , but several others on the same site indicate that rain water should be perfectly safe. <S> Does this question mean we will shortly see rainwater cooked meals infiltrating the trendiest restaurants? <A> I live in Australia, outside city about 30 mins and 10 mins from the water. <S> I collect straight from big plastic bins after it rains then bottle in your soda litre drinking bottles. <S> I then boil it, let it cool and return to litre bottle and then fridge it. <S> Tastes clean and as far as the process of precipitation, collection, boiling, cooling and bottling, it is common sense easily safer without the chemicals in treatment and pipeline rust corrosion of internal piping from standard water supply!!!! <S> Make sure to keep your plastic collection bins are food grade at least, keep them out of the sun and clean before use!!!! <S> Also I have read that chlorine in supply water is not great for seedlings, so going into your body cannot be any better. <S> So the method to use is to boil water or leave in open container <S> so chlorine will evaporate as a gas naturally from the water, standing overnight thereabouts.
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If you're already drinking your rainwater, and haven't died yet, it's probably safe to cook with. If you're planning on using it as an ingredient in baking, or any dish where the pH is critical, you may want to actually test the pH of the water you're putting in and try to balance the recipe accordingly
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How do you season/prepare a wood plank for Plank Grilling? I wanted to Plank Grill a Salmon, after hearing about how much Jarrod enjoyed it: Besides salmon, what other meats can be grilled on a cedar plank? How do I season a cedar plank in order to use it for grilling? After it's seasoned any tips on the actual grilling technique? <Q> I don't season the wood at all. <S> I buy the planks from the local grocery store or hardware store and soak in water for 8 hours. <S> The planks often say 1 hour is enough, but I think this is just marketing, it never seems to be enough. <S> Weighting the plank down to keep it fully submerged will help the process. <S> When you're ready to cook, put the plank on a hot grill and leave it for 3-5 minutes. <S> Once the plank starts smoking, then it's ready for your food. <S> Don't leave it too long or it will catch fire and not smoke well as the bottom gets charred. <S> You need to cook this with the lid down in order to keep the smoke contained around the food and also to keep the plank smoking rather than just catching fire. <S> You might need to play with your airflow on a charcoal grill to get maximum smoke. <S> Depending on what you cook, you can sometimes use the plank a second time. <S> Although this doesn't work with Salmon, as the skin often gets left on the plate. <A> The main thing you need to do to prepare a plank for grilling is to soak it in water first. <S> Otherwise, it can catch on fire and you'll have a mess. <S> For seasonings, you can use anything that you would use when roasting something. <S> For salmon, you could put down some lemon slices and rosemary. <A> Wanted to comment on yossarian's answer, but ran out of characters. <S> Went to a friend's house this past weekend and soaked them for 2 hours, which is past the 1 hour "recommended" time. <S> They flared up bad within 5 minutes, to the point where we couldn't even really salvage the plank with a sprayer. <S> I highly recommend 8 hours minimum, preferably overnight as well. <S> Speaking of sprayer, you'll want to keep a small spray bottle of water nearby to deal with any flare-ups around the edges - with the lid closed, the flame will climb higher than when it's open, and the planks are likely to catch at least once or twice if you're not careful (or even if you are!). <S> Keep an eye on it, nothing like going inside for 5 minutes and coming back to a charred mess. <S> I recommend making sure your plank is large enough that you have 1" of clearance around all sides of the fish, in case there is a flare-up, the edges of your fish don't burn. <S> I've experimented with keeping one side of the grill turned on, and keeping the plank on the side that's turned off, but I've gotten much better results keeping the plank side lit, on low, and just keeping a close eye on it. <S> Once done soaking, I lightly pat dry (with a paper towel) <S> the side that the fish will be on, then brush it with oil so the fish doesn't stick. <S> You definitely want to weigh them down as yossarian suggested. <S> Some people recommend an aluminum can from your pantry, however, I've found that this leaves rust rings sometimes, especially when soaking overnight. <S> What I usually do is take a large casserole dish, fill with water, put plank in, put a smaller casserole dish on top, and fill that one with as much water as necessary to hold the plank down. <A> The rule of thumb I've always read is to soak them for 1/2 hour per inch of length so if you are using a typical 12" plank 6 hours should suffice. <S> As far as preparing the plank I like to finish the soak in red wine and then add salt, pepper, roesmary and some lemon slices. <S> Great link I've referenced in the past for this type of stuff: <S> http://backyardprovisions.com/blogs/our-grill/11362737-soaking-your-planks-with-creativity <S> Good luck!
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I have some planks that I always soak overnight, which work great and rarely catch on fire.
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How many times can cheesecloth be reused? I've only needed to use cheesecloth a few times in the kitchen and was curious to know if it's reusable. If so, how is it cleaned and how many times can it be reused? <Q> I've not been able to use store bought cheese cloth more than twice and then only if I used it gently. <S> And I'm not gentle on the stuff. <S> I use it for cheese making regularly as well as juicing and random filtering. <S> I gave up on normal cheese cloth because it is too fragile and way too expensive for what it was. <S> I now use instead a tightly woven polyester mesh fabric. <S> I found a yard of it in the scraps section of the fabric store for $1. <S> A yard is about 3 times more than I will ever need. <S> I cut it into smaller pieces and hemmed it. <S> It is strong enough to be rung out full of grapes as well as laundered and <S> a tight enough weave to filter small particles out of beef stock. <S> I was surprised how often I end up using these cloths and highly recommend them. <A> I save my dishcloths and washcloths that become thin and worn down to just the threads to use as "re-usable" infusion pouches, and for other typical things where cheesecloth is used. <A> My wife is a gourmet cook (lucky me), and she uses cheesecloth for a lot of her creations. <S> She used to complain about having to throw it away after one use, because the mesh would fall apart if she tried to wash it, even by hand. <S> Then she found a Grade 60 unbleached cheesecloth on Amazon that she swears by. <S> She can wash it a bunch of times by tucking it inside of a tee-shirt and tossing it in the washer. <S> Here's a link, if you're interested: http://www.amazon.com/Cheesecloth-Unbleached-Strainers-Satisfied-Guarantee/dp/B00H9HZQAG/ref=sr_1_11?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1395996475&sr=1-11&keywords=cheesecloth Her fresh, hot, homemade blueberry syrup is one of my favorites. <A> Honestly, we use cheesecloth constantly in my household (making yogurt, making cheese). <S> I have some that has been used <S> 10+ times (stuff purchased from a brewer shop specifically for cheese making). <S> I have other brands (stuff from the craft section at walmart) which barely survived after a single use. <S> So, try a brand, see if it can be cleaned, and if it can try using it again. <S> You'll know when it can't be used anymore (it will fray apart, become stretched thin, etc).
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In my experience there isn't really a golden number of times it can be reused - it is much more heavily dependent on the quality of the original cheesecloth, and that varies.
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How do you peel chickpeas? When making a hummus one of the key factors seems to be removal of chickpea white skins. Are there any tips on how can I effectively peel the skins off in an efficient way? <Q> <A> Peeling chickpeas will give you a creamier texture, but won't have much of an effect on taste. <S> The most efficient way I know of peeling them is to rub small handfuls in the palm of your hands. <S> It will still take some time to work through them, but it's far more efficient than using your fingertips. <S> One other possibility is to use a product similar to Oxo's silicon garlic peeler. <S> It's a tube in which you can place garlic and roll around until the cloves are peeled. <S> I have one and it works amazingly well. <S> I suspect it would be great for chickpeas too. <A> the ABSOLUTE BEST WAY, is to cook them only half the time (the dried ones and drained 24 hours), half the time would be 20-25 minutes... take them out after 25 minutes, put a tablespoon of baking soda on an ounce (420 grams), stir the soda in well. <S> Than put them on a very hot flat pan over the fire for 2-3 minutes. <S> The skin will just stick to the pan. <S> Than put the chickpeas back to boil for 20 more minutes. <S> It'll take about 90-95% of the skins without peeling them one by one. <A> I rolled the chickpea between two tea towels and used a rolling pin. <S> Rolled the chickpeas wich loosen the skin then place the chickpeas into a bowl with water and let gravity lifed the skins up to the top. <S> I washed the peas. <S> There you are chickpeas without water easy. <A> I bought a Vintage Foley Food Mill set with the red handles on eBay... <S> It's great for mashed potatoes, crushing crackers, baby food, and separating the skins off of garbanzo beans for hummus. <A> That'll crack the peas and dislodge the skin. <S> Skins can then be quickly removed by sieving or shaking. <S> Be cautious when milling though. <S> Chickpeas can be very hard, too hard for a mill that's set for too fine a product. <A> You could pass the chickpeas through a food mill. <S> Pureeing something while holding tough parts back is what these things are designed for. <A> I shell on a regular basis. <S> Dead simple: <S> Boil dried peas for twenty minutes. <S> Cool under cold water. <S> Rub thepeas between the hands and float off the skins. <S> Five rinses and thepeas are completely skinned. <S> It takes less than five minutes for a liter. <S> Then cook the chickpeas for about one hours at a gently boil to soften for tempeh making. <S> Pictures: Removing husks from Chickpeas <A> It has never even occurred to me to try skinning chickpeas. <S> What's the benefit? <S> I pressure-cook them (without soaking) for ~55 <S> minutes—4 parts water per part of beans, with a little salt—let them cool somewhat, and put them in the food processor. <S> The hummus comes out delightfully smooth and creamy. <S> What's not to like?
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If you have a hand mill , you can run chickpeas through it on a very course setting. You can also try doing it in a bowlful of water; the skins will float to the surface when they come loose.
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Is MSG necessary or what to replace it with? I have always heard that you should stay away MSG. For example when buying bouillon crystals we should always make sure that it doesn't contain MSG. Yet I came across this recipe for spinach soup that calls for 1/2 teaspoon of MSG. This got me wondering are there any pros to MSG. Should we stay away from it or should we incorporate it into our diet and if so should we limit how much we ingest? If it is 'bad' then is there something I can replace it with when a recipe calls for it? <Q> You should refer to the discussion here: Are MSG and Accent (Seasoning) the same thing? <S> Some relevant points: <S> MSG is found naturally in seaweed and other things. <S> It is used to enhance the flavors it is combined with. <S> It is completely harmless unless you are limiting your sodium intake. <S> Check out the wikipedia article on the subject as a starting point: <S> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate#Health_concerns <S> In short there has been no linkage to any adverse effects found in many controlled studies. <S> As far as replacing it- <S> You can leave it out altogether or add a little salt. <A> MSG has been the subject of debate because of its possible effects on health -- most commonly headaches. <S> Using it creates a richer, meatier, mushroomy taste and brings out the flavor in a lot of dishes. <S> I've seen fish sauce and Mrs. Dash seasoning suggested as suitable replacements for MSG. <A> You would find it difficult to stay away from MSG since it occurs naturally in most foods. <S> Concerning the dangers of using it as a taste enhancer, I imagine the health issues are similar to those of other sodium salts.
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MSG (aka glutamates) serves as a flavor enhancer. While there is a stigma attached to MSG, there hasn't been any conclusive research to show that MSG is in fact linked to adverse reactions.
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Can I filter out vanilla bean seeds? When I scrape out the seeds out of my vanilla beans and simmer them with milk or incorporate them into batter, they always leave little tell-tale black dots in the finished product. Is it possible to filter them out somehow and is it something commonly done in the professional kitchen? I don't think I remember seeing these dots in restaurant desserts. It's not critical, but I'd rather my panna cotta be pristine white :-). <Q> A chinoise will not--I speak from daily experience--filter out vanilla seeds. <S> A coffee filter would, but my question is: why on earth would you bother? <S> It's annoying to do (and depending on what the product is, filtering through a coffee filter would ensure you lose other things), and seeing actual vanilla seeds in the final product tells your guests that you are using real vanilla beans, not extract. <S> @stephenmacdonald, most dessert recipes that call for a fine mesh strainer do so because there is the possibility of chunky things ending up in the product. <S> In the case of that recipe, I would guess it is to prevent chunks of undissolved gelatine from ending up in the final dessert. <A> Straining of custards is to remove any coagulated egg particles, not to remove the seeds. <S> OR, infuse the cream with the whole bean intact <S> , do not split it. <S> It will still infuse flavor, not as quickly or as much <S> but that would be one way to use it without specks showing in your finished dessert. <A> A coffee filter should do the trick. <S> I believe cheesecloth wouldn't be fine enough, but I'm not 100% sure. <S> This recipe for panna cotta calls for scraping seeds and using a fine mesh strainer on the final product, but as per @roux and @Darin's answers, it's not for getting the seeds out. <S> I'm not certain as to whether professional kitchens strain them out. <A> I use Vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean <S> and it turns out pure white and taste great. <S> I have made it and shared it with my neighbors and they said that it taste , as good, if not better than the one they had at the resturant. <S> I use 2 tsp. <S> vanilla for one recipe. <S> I hope this helps.
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Just use vanilla extract if you don't want specks of seeds showing. Professional kitchens do not, generally speaking, attempt to remove the seeds for the reasons noted above.
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What is the correct water to pasta ratio? I have heard one should use a lot of water when cooking pasta; how much water should I use? <Q> This question was answered to some extent in another Pasta cooking question by Roux . <S> This answer, which is basically just a link to a series of experiments by an MIT grad / Chef , dispels a number of myths about cooking pasta. <S> For instance: Water will return to a boil in the same amount of time regardless of how much is in the pot prior to pasta being added. <S> Pasta won't get sticky with smaller amounts of water. <S> It only gets sticky because of reactions in the first few minutes of cooking, and the solution is to stir it. <S> This is necessary even with lots of water. <S> You do not need a lot of water to cook pasta. <S> Water does not need to be boiling to cook pasta. <S> It simply needs to be above 180°F/82°C . <S> Some really interesting stuff in the article that debunks quite a lot of kitchen lore about cooking pasta. <S> I have tried this at home with great success. <S> The amount of salt is heavily dependent on the amount of pasta, the amount of water, and your own taste. <S> You need to find a consistent way to cook pasta and then experiment. <A> I prefer to use more water than is likely necessary, simply because when you add the pasta to the water, the temperature will drop some. <S> The less water you have, the lower it will drop/ <S> the faster it will take to bring it back to a boil. <S> Edit: <S> This very likely may be a disproven myth, please read comment below. <S> Unfortunately I eyeball it based off <S> how much pasta I have, <S> so I can't give you an exact ratio. <S> But I would err on the side of too much. <S> Edit: <S> I just eyeballed and then measured a pot, it looks like I use about 5 quarts of water for a lb of pasta. <S> I still recommend erring on the side of too much, but now only because you don't want to lose too much to evaporation and end up running low on water halfway through cooking. <S> Just enough to cover the pasta a little bit seems to work fine at our house. <A> I have found that enough so that upon evaporation, you don't run out is the correct amount. <S> But then again, using too much takes longer to boil. <S> I try to find an optimum based on these two factors. <A> My rule of thumb is 4 qt. <S> of water per 1 lb. <S> of pasta. <S> This comes from a Cooks Illustrated article <S> (I think from around '00) that suggested that this was the best way to keep pasta from sticking to itself.
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So in answer to your specific question: No, you do not need a lot of water, it simply has to cover the pasta.
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What are the benefits of using a dedicated rice cooker, rather than just cooking rice in a pot? For which reasons should I use a dedicated rice cooker, instead of cooking rice in a pot? <Q> Yes there are benefits! <S> This is one of my most used pieces of kitchen equipments. <S> Here is a list of benefits for a quality rice cooker: <S> Never burns rice <S> No guess measurements for all kinds of rice <S> Scheduled cooking <S> Keep warm settings <S> Uniform cooking <S> When I cook rice on my stove, even at the lowest of heats, I get a thin layer of rice that has overcooked stuck to the bottom of the pot. <S> For the record I have the Zojirushi 5-1/2 cup induction rice cooker . <S> Best thing ever. <A> A dedicated rice cooker works by measuring the internal temperature as the rice steams and water boils away. <S> Another benefit is that you can start the rice early and the cooker will keep it warm after it's done cooking so it doesn't require babysitting. <S> The biggest down side is that it takes up a lot of space for one task. <S> If you don't make rice all the time or if you are already good at making rice in a pot then you probably don't need to waste the space. <S> We make rice all the time but my wife is good at making it in a pot. <S> When our rice cooker broke we didn't replace it. <A> It helps you cook large quantities of rice. <S> Whenever I need to make four or more cups of rice <S> I use the rice cooker. <S> I find it difficult to get it right on the stovetop. <A> The one benefit that everyone has missed is that the rice cooker leaves a very thin layer of rice in the bottom which is coveted by every golden retriever in the country. <S> Our dogs love our rice cooker! <A> Every important benefit has already been said. <S> I cannot live without it anymore. <S> I find it perfect expecially for brown rices. <S> ... <S> and you can always use your rice cooker for a lot of different uses... <S> Check this article, it gave me a lot of inspiration: repurposing rice cooker . <S> (Rice cooker also saved my life when the gas cylinder one day <S> magically became empty, leaving me without a stove for two days)
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In my mind the greatest benefit is that different types of rice that have different cooking times will be cooked correctly in a rice cooker.
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What is the difference between "mince" and "dice"? Some recipes use the term to dice , and other recipes use the term to mince . What is the difference between to dice , and to mince used in culinary? <Q> Mincing produces smaller, more irregularly-shaped items than dicing. <S> Dicing is generally uniform, usually 1/8 to 1/4 inch on all sides, kind of like a tiny cube. <S> The best way to explain the size difference is visually, check out this link for a great picture near the top. <A> From Cuisine at home : For chopped food, think of gambling dice, roughly 5/8-inch cubes. <S> It’s a good cut to use when making dishes that cook awhile, like stews, soups, and stocks. <S> When dicing , keep the size of a pencil eraser in mind. <S> You want cubes 1/4- to 3/8-inch on a side. <S> If an ingredient is to be sautéed for short periods of time or eaten raw, as in salsa, then dice it. <S> When you mince garlic or shallots, the small pieces spread throughout a dish, permeating it with flavor. <S> To mince, first roughly chop or dice the food, then rock your knife back and forth over it until it’s small. <A> It may be an issue of locale - in British English recipes, minced would be synonymous with ground from a American English recipe. <S> Diced stays the same (British recipes may clarify with "finely diced" or "coarse diced")
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Mincing is just cutting food into tiny bits.
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What substitutes are available for sugar? I am told that I use too much sugar, and I am trying to use it less. What should I use instead of the sugar to cook, preparing desserts? <Q> The following are sugar substitutes that are not considered "artificial sweetners." <S> The links provide interesting information that should be pondered before using any of them. <S> Agave nectar Stevia Honey Maple syrup <S> (you can get this in quantities suitable for baking at most grocery stores) <S> If you're looking to lower your sugar, before going to artificial sweeteners don't discount just teaching yourself a lower sugar diet by eating smaller portions of sweets and making your own sweets with a lower sugar content. <A> I am a big fan of Jaggery when I want natural, unrefined sugar. <S> The answer below is the same answer I gave for a question about how to add sweetness to sugar: <S> This unrefined sugar can be considered similar to brown sugar in use (I substitute equal amounts jaggery when a recipe calls for brown sugar), but not in composition - there are a lot of mineral salts left in it, because of the lack of refining and absence of chemicals that are usually used to process sugars. <S> It's made similar to maple sugar; essentially it's boiled down to a syrup and dried. <S> I've used it in sweet and savory dishes, and it adds a depth of flavor that I find can't be matched with any other sugars I've used. <S> I have a hard time describing it, because it's new to me, but it tastes very... <S> complex, for lack of a better word. <S> Its taste is kind of between brown sugar and molasses. <S> It is sweeter than table sugar, but less sweet than honey . <S> In my opinion, it can take the simplest of dish and add a significant amount of depth and interest. <S> If you're interested in using it you can find it at your local Indian grocer, or purchase it online, I first got it through Amazon just to try, but have since sought out local ethnic grocers because it's significantly cheaper that way. <A> You can also try reducing the amount of sugar in a recipe. <S> Combine this with adding a "filler" like applesauce. <S> The amount this can be done really depends upon the recipe. <S> Some recipes you can replace almost all the sugar, others need to be exact! <S> I have make a chocolate zucchini cake and tried many different variations, from stevia to almost no sweetener. <S> All of them have turned out edible. <S> The taste was different, so then it is up to experimentation to find what variations you prefer.
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For actual unrefined cane syrup or sugar (considered healthier than sugar by those who consider less refined to equal more healthy), look to Rapadura Sucanat For artificial sweeteners, you could consider: Splenda
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What is sumac used for? A friend of mine told me she uses sumac (I am not sure she was teasing me, or what).Is sumac used in cuisine? If it is used, what is it used for? <Q> Historians believe that it was the common sour element in cooking for that area prior to domestication of lemons. <S> It is a characteristic seasoning element in Fatoush , a Syrian bread salad. <S> It's not usually available in the mainstream spice section of most grocery stores. <S> The best place to locate it is in mid-eastern markets, delis, upscale stores such as Dean & Deluca or online through P enzey's or the Spice House . <A> The fruit of some varieties is used in traditional Middle Eastern cuisine. <S> They dry it and use it like paprika (though it's flavor is more citrusy.) <S> Make sure you get the right kind . <S> Sumac runs the gamut between edible and poisonous. <A> It's used in Mediterranean cooking, though I don't know why more people don't use it. <S> There were shakers of it on each table at a restaurant I used to go to before its nearby location closed - http://www.sorrentogrill.com/ . <S> Anyways, my favorite thing to get there was the Braised Chicken on Wednesdays. <S> I would heavily sprinkle sumac on it! <S> The sumac gave a great earthy, slightly acidic, and very slightly salty flavor . <S> It was the reason I got the dish - because I knew I could have the sumac with it! <S> They also served warm pita with a yogurt sauce. <S> I would add sumac to that yogurt sauce , along with some salt, for a great way to start the meal. <S> You should definitely get some and experiment with it. <S> It's certainly not a strange taste, just a very pleasing combination of flavors <S> you don't get from other spices . <S> If you ask me, it also has a hint of mushrooms. <A> Sumac is a major component in zatar, a Mideastern spice blend. <S> Goes very well with any meats, especially beef, goat, and lamb. <A> salads of any kind if you make any deep fried food (such as falafel) dip them once into sumac, it adds an amazing flavor on top of dips in meat loaf / meat ball type dishes <A> I asked the same question to one of my friend, we do not use sumac that much either. <S> He basically said whenever you eat onion use sumac. <S> I tried couple times it works. <S> You can add it to any salad. <S> I make onion salad with sumac, very easy. <S> Mix onion and sumac and squeeze it by hands. <S> It goes great with hot dog, burger etc.
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Sumac is commonly used a tart flavoring element in the eastern Mediterranen region.
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Is it recommended to rinse the teapot with boiling water before putting the tea leaves in? Is it recommended to rinse the teapot with boiling water, or does that make no difference? <Q> You dump out the now cooler water and then add your teabags and more boiling water, and the teapot will now be warm and not leech out the temperature from within it. <S> This results in tastier tea, but is totally not necessary if you didn't make enough hot water, or don't want to spend the time doing so. <A> Preheating the tea pot with hot water will also prevent the tea pot from cracking when you do add boiling hot water for the tea to steep in. <S> I will say that I have a fairly thick-walled tea pot <S> , I rarely preheat it, and I've never seen any danger of cracking. <S> However, if I had a nice china pot, I would preheat it. <S> Better safe than sorry! <A> My mother and father were raised and lived in Wales and England from 1903-1923. <S> The homes were quite cold in the fall, winter and spring. <S> If you put boiling water into an extremely cold teapot it would crack and weaken the pot. <S> I have been trained to do this even when it is in the warmth of summer. <S> I have noticed that if someone pours boiling water into my bone china tea cups or mugs, that they will crack. <S> The china cups and tea pots should at least be at room temperature otherwise a warm rise is required. <A> Assuming it's clean beforehand, the only reason I can think to do this would be to keep the water hotter longer by heating the pot a bit (or, if it's a ceramic pot, to prevent the glaze from cracking... <S> I certainly wouldn't use boiling water for that though). <S> Tea should steep well before the water is too cool. <S> I don't see any reason to rinse the pot. <A> I don't remember whether I've ever seen a teapot or cup break apart the first time it was filled with boiling water. <S> But I have seen cups develop cracks. <S> Being wide open at the top, it's easy to see a new crack in a cup. <S> Pots are a different story. <S> The small openings limit both light and sight, <S> so cracking may not become apparent until it works its way to the outside. <S> Once it works its way through, it will just keep getting bigger and the pot weaker. <S> I imagine none of us remember seeing a pot break apart because of modern improvements in the chemistry, molding, firing, and handling of china. <S> With fewer faults in the finished clay, the effects of rapid heating aren't so severe. <S> But an old-fashioned pot or cup deserves gradual pre-heating for two reasons. <S> The liklihood of faults due to manufacturing of older goods is one. <S> The liklihood of hidden damage due to long use is the other. <S> When you bring a teapot home from an estate sale or an antique shop, you may not be able to tell if there are already cracks inside the pot. <S> There may even be hairline cracks on the outside, so fine that you can't see them easily. <S> Whether inside or out, the cracks will surely suffer from boiling water unless gradually preheated. <S> I've come up with a quick and energy-efficient way to gradually preheat a china pot or cup. <S> While the kettle is on the fire, I put a small amount of cool tap water into the pot or cup, then pop it into the microwave for 20 to 60 seconds, depending on size. <S> When the kettle is ready, the pot or cup is ready. <S> Nuking a pot or a cup might seem like drastic pre-heating, but it is slow-w-w-w by comparison with the instantaneous heating that comes with boiling water. <A> This is tea-tasters' lore, on the basis that the best flavour is extracted from the leaves at a temperature as close to boiling as possible. <S> Heavy ceramic pots will absorb a lot of the heat from the water unless pre-heated, and a cooler extraction will be less efficient. <S> This is less important with thinner metal pots where heat absorbtion is less. <A> Pouring boiling water into a bone china or porcelain teapot without heating the pot first will cause the glaze to crack.
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The main reason you put boiling water in the teapot before making tea is to heat up the teapot.
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