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Will botulism growing in my home-canned vegetables pop the lid? I remember that in my biology class in high school the teacher told showed us a puffed up can of pineapples which he claimed had botulism in it. Is that remotely true? and if so, can I tell if my canned ketchup has botulism in it through the same "method"? and if so how long might that take? <Q> One reason botulism is so scary is that you can's see, smell, or taste the bacteria growing in there. <S> Fortunately, though, you can see its evidence. <S> Yes, a puffed-up can or a jar <S> w/ the lid popped up means something's growing in there. <S> Discard the material; do not consume it. <S> Discard <S> a metal can if there's any visible opening, no matter how small, if the ends are bulging, if the seam doesn't look intact, or if there's a leak. <S> Discard a jar if the jar appears cracked at all, if the pop-top doesn't pop when opened (meaning there's no longer a vacuum inside), or if the seal appears damaged. <S> As for how long it takes for a problem to arise, I'm not sure; I've had the same question. <A> It can. <S> C. botulinum <S> (botulism is the disease you get from this bacteria) and other bacteria produce gas that will cause a can to bulge, given enough time. <S> The pineapples he showed you either had a severe C. boulinum <S> colony growing inside or some other nasty bacteria. <S> Regarding your ketchup, if your can is distended in any way, throw it out. <S> However, the fact that it is not showing outward signs of infection does not mean that it's safe. <S> You could still have unwanted visitors that just haven't produced enough gas to distend the can. <S> How long is variable, it depends on the conditions inside the can. <S> Under "ideal" conditions C. botulinum can double in population every few minutes. <A> yes, botulism can occur if a jar has a popped up lid. <S> To be safe, everytime you eat canned goods, make sure that you've heated it at 121 °C. <S> It's one way to kill the botulism bacteria. <S> But if a can is already puffed, it's better to just throw it away. <S> Remember that botulism is really dangerous - it can cause permanent paralysis. <S> To make sure that you're not promoting botulism when you're canning, read this <S> do's and don'ts in home canning .
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The only way to know for sure if botulism is growing in food is to have it tested by a laboratory.
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cabbage - volume to weight conversion? I am making sauerkraut, and don't have a handy kitchen scale. What is the approximate volume of 1 lb of cabbage? Also, any advice on saurkraut making would be appreciated. This is my second batch. The first one turned out very good, but I had to throw away that last of what was in the crock as it had mold on top. I am using a Harsch Crock. <Q> A medium-sized cabbage weighs around 2 to 2.5 pounds. <S> (Assuming we all mean the same thing by "medium"...) <S> My best guess for volume would be 10-12 cups. <S> Of course, you can always go to the fallback and find something else in your kitchen that weighs a pound (I tend to have pasta) and try and lop off a hunk of your cabbage that weighs the same. <S> Edit: I did find something on about.com suggesting that a medium cabbage is two pounds. <S> Unfortunately it claims that a two-pound head of cabbage makes 10 cups shredded, but that a medium head makes four cups. <S> I think the ten cups is way, way closer to correct, based on experience. <S> If you do want a volume, that would probably be a good estimate. <A> 3 pounds of cabbage should net you approximately (source) 1 pint of canned sauerkraut. <S> Otherwise, 1 lb. <S> = <S> 2 cups cooked; 1 lb. <S> = <S> 4 cups shredded. <S> I would recommend you just weigh the cabbage when you buy it <S> so you can have an idea of how much it will yield. <A> I'd say a scale is the only reasonable option here - <S> In desperation I suppose you could fill a container to the brim, float the cabbage, and measure the water that overflowed (you'd be building a crude scale, really), but a scale is far more convenient, and allows getting the salt content right (2% or 2.5% weight of salt are typical aiming points, relative to the weight of the cabbage or cabbage and other stuff.) <S> In the course of an hour making sauerkraut <S> the volume of the cabbage is all over the map from the original head, to the fluffy shreds (huge volume), to the salted and wilted shreds (most compact form, when compacted.) <S> The weight is invariant unless you throw some (a bad spot) away. <S> If your available scale is too small for the job, measure within its capacity, multiple times. <A> Very important to get the salt content right <S> or you end uo with spoiled cabbage (yep not sauerkraut). <S> According to my google search the avg Cabbage 1 pound = <S> 4–½ cups shredded. <S> I'm assuming that's a medium?
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I think you'll probably be better off guessing based on fraction of your whole cabbage than volume, since once you shred the cabbage, the volume's going to vary wildly depending on how fine you shred it and how fluffed up it is when you measure it.
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Why do you need to peel peaches to can them? I am going to be canning a bunch of peaches tonight, and I know that you have to peel them first (and I know how to do it easy), but I got to wondering, why do I have to do it? I have always done it. That is the way it was taught to me by my mother, but why? The inside is the part that wants to rot, the out side is the protective coating (or so it seems). Why do we need to remove it to can the peach? <Q> My opinion- <S> I haven't done rigorous testing: <S> Canning softens the interior of the peach <S> but when I have (in my laziness) left the skins on they stay tough and quite unpleasant tasting. <S> I doubt it has any effect on the longevity of the product <S> but it would make it a little less pleasant and versatile. <A> I've canned them with the peel on and it turns the syrup a lovely pink colour, and as far as I could tell, didn't affect the taste of the peaches. <A> The last few years, I've canned both peaches and pears leaving the skins on. <S> They are a bit tough after canning <S> but I love them both that way. <S> I also don't add sugar to the water unless I'm canning them for someone else. <S> If the peaches are ripe, they taste fresh off the tree. <S> Awhile back, Dr. Oz told his audience the 5 fruits that are high in sugar content and two of them were peaches and pears. <S> The juice from canning them without sugar tastes great, I think, and if a person can save a little money by not adding something that's not needed, then why not. <A> Here in South Africa we bottle/ <S> can yellow peaches(Geelperskes). <S> They are covered with thousands of tiny hairs if you would call them that. <S> Peeling them is definitely required as you would not want those hairs inside your syrup and sticking to your peaches. <S> Really unpleasant to get those hair in your throat. <S> Haven't tried bottling the smooth skinned type though
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You don't HAVE to peel the peaches to can them, that's just how most people prefer them.
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How Does a Grocery Store "Self-Rising Crust" Work As far as I understand, frozen pizzas sold at the grocery store are par-baked and then frozen, to be fully baked when they are put into your oven at home. I noticed that some of these pizzas describe themselves as having a "rising crust." Those crusts get quite tall, an inch or an inch and a half (probably about 3-5 cm). My homemade thin crust pizza is maybe half that height. Yet these crusts have much more in common with a thin crust pizza than a Chicago style, or the not-too-tasty bread-y imitation of Chicago-style that passes in most Chicago-style recipes and at some chain restaurants. How do these pizzas work? I have trouble seeing how they could rise after par-baking, so are they not par-baked? How could I duplicate this crust from scratch? <Q> I believe they use a combination of hydrogenated oils, yeast and standard leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda. <S> My experience is that without hydro, the super rising crusts are just tougher to make. <S> I have settled for a medium riser but an awesome taste. <S> I like to use yeast in my pizza crusts. <S> Generally, chemical reactions go faster at higher temps, so yes temperature does matter... <S> However, since the reaction starts immediately, I would say it is more dependent on the amount and how long you let it work. <S> The trick is the optimize the timing so that you bake the shape you want (i.e., fluffy and big) into the crust just as it gets to that point from the leavening (the most risen and fluffy). <S> If you wait too long it will depress... <S> I read a bit about this here as well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baking_powder <A> You could experiment with using a mixture of yeast and chemical leavening to get that result. <S> Please let us know if you have any success. <A> I've read that the "trick" for take-and-bake pizza crust is to use baking powder which has been coated with vegetable shortening. <S> This protects the baking powder from water during the mixing process. <S> The shortening melts in the oven, allowing the baking powder to fully activate. <S> For example, here's a Pizza Magazine Quarterly recipe for take-and-bake dough which calls for "coated leavening".
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My guess is that they use a chemical leavening that doesn't activate until a particular temperature, and they parbake to under that temperature.
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What is the easiest way to shred chicken? Usually I will just cook it and then tear it to pieces using two forks, but this is still pretty time consuming. Are there any secret ways to easily do this? <Q> Once it's cooled down some, I switch to using my hands ... expecially as it helps to find any bones, globs of fat, etc. <S> I find it goes much faster, particularly if you're dealing with anything other than boneless breast meat. <S> ... <S> but it shreds easiest while it's still warm, so if I'm doing a fair bit, I'll break a bit apart using forks, let that cool, break some more apart with a fork, then shread the first bit before it cools too much, repeat. <S> (so basically, I have one set broken down somewhat to cool faster while I'm shreding an already-cooled off bit). <S> update as justkt mentioned, the cooking method matters -- roasting and other high heat methods are going to cook the outside faster than the inside. <S> I typically poach my chicken if I'm going to be shreding it -- bring water to a boil, add chicken, bring back to a boil, turn to low, then leave for an hour or two ... <S> the low temp gets it all nice and tender, while the boiling kills surface bacteria. <A> Searing and baking make it a lot more difficult. <S> I too go with a combination of the two forks and hands (depending on what seems easier at the moment) method. <A> One method is to use a stand mixer. <S> Put the meat in with the paddle attachment and pulse for a few seconds at a time until shredded. <A> I just use my hand mixer while it's still hot takes me about 30 seconds! <A> I recently picked up a pair of Bear Paw Meat Handlers and they actually work quite well for this if you can't wait for the meat to cool down. <S> Hope <S> this helps someone! <S> Update: <S> I ended up purchasing some insulated latex cooking gloves which allows me to use my hands even when it's right out of the oven. <S> This is the best method I have found by far! <A> If I'm shredding it for soup (mmm, tortilla soup), I just use a stick blender.
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Boiling the chicken is the easiest cooking method to prep for shredding.
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What are some things to consider when choosing a salt? What attributes are important when selecting salt for a dish? Specifically where you would use sea salt, kosher salt or plain table salt? I can often find sea salt (iodized and non-iodized) in places I cannot find kosher salt. <Q> Most of the issues come down to the additives and the shape of the salt. <S> Some people find that iodized salt gives some off flavors, while sea salts will have regional differences in their mineral content that affects the flavor. <S> In my mind, the bigger issue is the shape of the salt: <S> Kosher / flake salt <S> : See Darin's comments for examples of some of the benefits . <S> Pretzel salt : large crystals, gives a crunch when eating it. <S> Popcorn & Pickling salt : fine crystals; will disolve in room-temp water and stick well to relatively dry items. <S> Pickling salt is uniodized. <S> Rock salt : good for salting paths and salting ice to bring down the temp when churning ice cream. <S> For general baking, or salting water for cooking, I tend to stick with cheap, old fashioned table salt, in part <S> so I don't have to convert recipes. <S> And I use iodized, because I don't eat out much, or eat much seafood or processed foods. <S> For general cooking, I tend to use kosher salt, mostly because I keep it in a container I can easily get a pinch of. <S> I've never bothered with most gourmet sea salts ... <S> maybe I'm not using enough, but other than smoked salts, I don't really taste the difference. <A> I would not recommend plain table salt for any application. <S> Keep it in a bowl by your stove and use it when you need a pinch or a teaspoon. <S> The larger grains make it easy to handle. <S> There are also sea salts appropriate to this purpose, though they are more expensive. <S> Most other sea salts, such as Maldon, sel gris, fleur de sel, and hundreds of others are meant as finishing salts. <S> A small sprinkling of these beautiful salts on a finished dish, either by the cook or at the table, can makes an enormously satisfying experience. <S> Although the flavors of plain sea salts are fairly similar, the colors and texture vary greatly. <S> This is where the artistry of pairing salt to food can come into play. <S> If you are looking for a good place to start, I highly recommend Maldon sea salt, from Great Britain. <S> It has a flaky, crunchy texture that is easy to love and usable on a huge range of foods. <S> It is well regarded by virtually every cook and chef. <S> Then there is also a range of flavored salts; generally I don't find these as useful as I can add my own flavors to a dish. <S> One exception is some of the smoked salts, which can provide a little smoky hit that is quite appealing. <S> An excellent resource for learning about salt is At The Meadow , a shop in Portland that has an excellent website. <S> Their owner, Mark Bitterman, is releasing a book about his lifelong search for amazing salts. <S> (Disclaimer, I had a brief affiliate relationship with them, which is no longer active). <A> For me there are three considerations: 1- <S> Handling <S> This one is the most important. <S> Kosher salt can be picked up easily and pickling salt dissolves well and sticks to popcorn. <S> 2- Flavor <S> This is really only a factor for fancy sea salts with other minerals or smoked salt. <S> This really only matters to me for salts at the table. <S> 3- <S> Iodine <S> Not much food in my diet contains iodine. <S> I sometimes use iodinated salt- especially in baking- just to make sure we get some. <S> Getting goiter has become so unfashionable this century. <S> Overall I use kosher salt far more than any other.
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Kosher salt makes a good general purpose cooking salt.
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Is it safe to eat freshwater fish raw? According to this question freshwater fish should not be used in Ceviche--why not? <Q> You should never eat freshwater fish in raw preparations. <S> There is a slew of other nasty beasts that can be harmful if not killed. <S> Unless you want to end up on an episode of Monsters Inside Me , stay away. <A> In addition to hobodaves fine answer, freshwater fish usually contains a lot more mercury and other very unhelathy substances caused by human pollution. <S> Some doctors recommend you to only eat freshwater fish twice a month. <A> Salmon is a fresh water fish that is regularly used for sushi, however it needs to go through extra preparation. <S> Typically it needs to be frozen at -31F for seven days to kill whatever parasites are in there.
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Freshwater fish are far more likely to have nasty parasites such as the lung fluke , that can only be killed by cooking.
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Where can I get local grains in bulk? Farmers markets and CSA's are great, but there doesn't seem to be a local market for grains. Where could a person go to purchase grains (for human consumption) besides the supermarket and online? <Q> Are you looking for grain or flours? <S> If the latter, just track down your local mills (most farms don't mill their own flour). <S> If the former, ask the millers or other farmers who nearby is growing grains. <S> It might be an inconvenience to farmers to sell very small quantities, but then again, you'll be paying a premium on what they normally charge, so it's worth asking. <A> This really depends on the locale. <S> For example in Seattle we have a couple of Washington State grain farms and mills that do sell their product at farmer's markets. <S> If you have trouble tracking down a miller directly, you might do well to ask at your local natural foods co-op if they can source this or direct you to people who can help. <S> Another place to ask would be at your best local artisanal bakeries, as they may well be using local flours. <A> You may be interested in checking out shops that sell homebrewing (beer) supplies. <S> A lot of the grains they have will be malted/kilned, but not all. <S> This will mostly be useful if you are planning to mill the grains yourself. <S> You may not be able to find much strictly locally-sourced at a homebrew shop, but it might be a good starting point. <A> Around my parts, the only place I know to get bulk <S> local grains is the feed auctions (for animal feed... not sure how it'd be for human consumption). <S> (this won't necessarily be local, though). <S> Also, all supermarkets are different -- I remember being in one near the California Ave station near Stanford University, and they had a sort of grind-as-you-need-it dispensor for flour. <S> (sort of like some of the ones that have a coffee grinder)
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You might also see if there's a local health food co-op, as many of them sell bulk foods, and you might be able to get them to sell you whatever the unit is that they purchase in.
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How can I make orange caramel sauce? I'm planning to make a chocolate orange cake and fancied making an orange caramel sauce to go with it. My plan is to make a caramel sauce by heating up butter and sugar in a pan , stirring all the time until a golden caramel and then adding whipping cream and stirring like crazy and taking off the heat. My question is what is the best way to get orange flavour in there? Can i add orange juice instead or cream? That doesn't feel like it will work. Could I mix orange juice with the cream first then add that? If I reduced the OJ down before mixing it with the cream I assume I'd get more orange flavour? Any other ideas? I will only have access to oranges and juice, no orange oil or anything fancy. <Q> I make orange caramel at work for one of our desserts. <S> You will need: zest of one orange. <S> big chunks is fine <S> 2 cups sugar 1 cup water <S> 2oz grand marnier/cointreau/triple sec (optional) approx 1/2c butter, unsalted approx 1/2c 35% cream <S> generous pinch kosher salt <S> 1-2tbsp pulp-free lemon juice Combine the first three ingredients in a saucepan. <S> Brush the exposed sides of the pan with lemon juice--this prevents crystallization. <S> Dissolve the sugar in the water over medium heat, turn down to low simmer for 20 minutes. <S> Strain out the zest, return sauce to heat, bring to boil. <S> Cook until the sauce has taken a light amber colour, pour into stainless steel bowl. <S> Whisk in butter, then cream, then grand marnier if using, then salt. <A> You want to get your flavor from the rind, not the juice. <S> It's full of flavorful oils. <S> Be sure to only use the outermost layer of the rind; the white part is the pith, and is quite bitter and not tasty. <S> You may also be able to lightly peel the outside of your orange and cook the rinds in your sauce, then remove the spent rinds before using the sauce. <S> I haven't tried this when making a caramel sauce, so you may need to experiment a bit. <S> I definitely would NOT try mixing in the juice, though. <S> The extra water and acid would probably make it a disaster. <A> You can find orange oil at any place that has candy supplies like Michaels arts and crafts, Walmart, etc. <S> it's not hard to find.
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The best way to do this in your case is probably to make your own orange zest by using a fine grater (I love my Microplane for this) and adding the zest to your sauce while cooking.
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Are vegetables poisonous if they have roots, are sprouting or are many weeks old? Can I use sprouting vegetables? Are they poisonous? When cooked, does the sprouting have an effect to foods taste? Can I use my potatoes or carrots if they already has some roots...?How about when my onion is sprouting? <Q> I'll second NBenatar but with a bit more info: Carrots, onion, and garlic aren't dangerous when they sprout <S> but they use their sugar reserves to make the sprout. <S> They go downhill very fast and get rubbery and unusable. <S> Whenever garlic or onions sprout I just plant them and use the greens instead. <S> Potatoes are a little different. <S> Even after sprouting they can still have usable parts for some time. <S> The green portions of a potato are toxic (not enough to be scary <S> but I've heard they will make you sick if you eat enough). <S> It's worth cutting away the green parts if the potato isn't soft yet. <A> The shoots, and any green parts of the potato are mildly toxic, and should be removed. <S> On the other hand, with seeds <S> (as opposed to root vegetables) sprouting is actually good for you. <S> For example, if you have beans or chickpeas, or even wheat, that has sprouted, they are edible and quite tasty. <S> In fact, people often sprout them on purpose to eat, as the sprouting makes some changes to the seed's proteins which makes it more beneficial to the human body. <S> Beansprouts and wheatgerm are more common examples of this, but it holds equally for any bean or lentil. <A> It mainly depends on the vegetable. <S> Most root veg like potatoes is fine to eat - I usually just pick the shoots off. <S> Onions and garlic - again I'd just chop the shoot off but it does mean its past its best I find.
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While root vegetables are generally safe, if somewhat past their prime, when sprouting, potatoes are an exception to this.
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How to thicken Thai curry I made some Thai red curry a few days ago. It turned out pretty well. The only problem is that it was fairly runny. I thickened it up with a slurry which helped a bit. I doubt a roux would have any more thickening power. I'm sure there's got to be a better way. Thanks in advance! <Q> First, start your Thai coconut curry sauce in a separate pot (i.e. the coconut milk and later the seasonings; no meat , no vegetables, etc.). <S> Make sure to shake the can of coconut milk before opening to ensure it is not separated. <S> Add 1/2 <S> the can to the pot. <S> Bring to boil, reduce temperature and allow the mixture to reduce to almost a paste like texture. <S> This will allow the coconut flavors to intensify, and give you a thicker starting point. <S> The key is to reduce some of your sauce before cooking everything else; if you attempt to reduce your entire sauce with the vegetables, they will overcook because the process takes too long. <S> Once reduced, add the other 1/2 of the coconut mixture. <S> You end up with a very silky, smooth coconut sauce. <S> Afterwards add your curry paste, fish sauce, sugar, Thai basil etc. <A> When you open a can of coconut milk, it usually has separated, with the thick stuff at the top, and more watery business at the bottom. <S> Don't shake or stir it! <S> Start your curry with just the thick stuff, and then thin it as needed with the remainder. <S> I would definitely not add a starch-based thickener. <S> That isn't traditional in Thai curries and will inevitably make them a little gloopy. <A> Some things I might try: Cornflour or Arrowroot - Normal thickening agents might help Half and Half - Replacing half of the coconut milk with coconut cream. <S> Reducing it down more - this will have the bonus of concentrating the flavour even more. <S> Using less coconut milk overall? <A> I've only found this using low quality coconut milk. <S> Trying a different brand or adding a thick coconut cream (or even coconut butter should fix it). <S> There can be a massive difference in what you get quality wise <S> so it's worth experimenting. <A> I tend to use those solid blocks of dried coconut milk cream. <S> You add warm water yourself to make a paste as thick as you like. <S> It thickens as it cooks too so best to make it a touch runnier than you want it to end up. <S> Unlike the tinned stuff it rarely separates. <A> A runny curry means you haven't cooked it long enough <S> and/or you have used coconut milk with a low percentage of solids. <S> Authentic curries never contain any type of starch (flour). <S> So, buy coconut milk (or cream) with the highest percentage of solids that you can find. <S> Next, use more paste. <S> If you are happy with the spice level and you still need more paste you can add bell peppers to the paste. <S> Match colours of course. <S> This will make the paste a little more watery <S> but it'll still work very well. <S> Last of all, use a better curry method to cook it. <A> Best way to thicken is is to grate a potato or two in there. <S> I also like to turn some dry coconut flakes to powder using a coffee grinder and add it in. <S> It intensifies the coconut flavor and thickens at the same time. <S> You can find it in some grocery stores or on Amazon. <S> Rice flour does the trick too. <S> Curry is eaten with rice so why not thicken it with rice flour?
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Lastly, the mother of all coconut curry thickeners is coconut flour. Potato is delicious in curries and adds creaminess naturally.
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Does honey have a bitter component? I've heard Jeffrey Steingarten, on Iron Chef America, mention that he finds honey quite bitter. I've never noticed that myself. Maybe if I really try I can notice a slight bitter finish, but for me the sweetness and floral aroma dominates. Is honey actually bitter in some quantifiable sense? Are some particular varieties of honey better known for this characteristic? <Q> It depends on what the bees had for lunch :) . <S> Acacia honey is extremely sweet, with no bitter aftertaste. <S> Chestnut honey (easy to find in Italy, don't know about elsewhere) <S> is dark and has a strong bitter note. <S> I personally love how the bittersweet goes with butter and bread, but some people hate it. <S> Generic polyflower honey usually does not have a bitter note. <A> I also notice it myself, and it varies depending on the flowers and region. <S> I read that there is a bitter honey from Sardinia, Miele Amaro. <A> I also find it--except in very cheap grades of honey--extremely pleasant. <S> And useful when building flavour profiles in a dish. <A> Honey from chestnut flowers is very bitter. <A> This may be of interest. <S> I've just returned from Sardinia and they have a honey there that's described as bitter. <S> The honey is from bees that collect pollen from the Arbutus unedo trees or 'Irish Strawberry Tree' (not actual strawberries but round fruit that look a little like strawberries. <S> "Arbutus unedo serves as a bee plant for honey production, and the fruits are food for birds. <S> The fruits are also used to make jams, beverages, and liqueurs (such as the Portuguese medronho, a type of strong brandy). <S> Many regions of Albania prepare the traditional drink raki from the fruits of the plant (mare or kocimare in Albanian), hence comes the name of the drink "raki kocimareje". <S> In order to reduce the high content of methanol in the drink, the spirit is distilled twice. <S> Honey produced has a characteristic bitter taste.[7] <S> In Turkey the fruit is called kocayemiş and it is consumed as a fresh fruit, usually sold in the streets in November and December. <S> " <S> The jar I got from Sardinia is shown attached, and in Sardinia it's known as Corbezzolo honey. <S> The taste certainly is bitter. <S> There's some sweet notes initially but it rapidly turns bitter, though still of honey. <S> Smooth finish. <S> Certainly not to everyone's taste (my wife included) - <S> But I love it. <A> There are varieties of honey that have an inherently bitter note. <S> I personally search out sourwood honey for that character. <S> It might be my favorite right after linden (or basswood here in the US) <S> honey, which is not bitter but complex. <A> Living in the Philippines. <S> Were wild honey is sold by boys walking the streets with a bucket with a comb in it to sell honey. <S> With some bees still in it. <S> Need your own bottle. <S> You first taste it before buying. <S> Some is sweet some is bitter. <S> Even had some that taste of rosemary or we call it seamist. <S> Very good for cooking. <S> Dark honey normally has more pollen in it. <S> Very dark honey has industrial use. <S> Normally you do not see this sold. <S> Strong flavor there. <S> Also type of bee that made the honey. <S> We have about a dozen types of bees some blue some red some like most see. <S> Even the black African stile bee. <S> So taste before you buy. <S> Unless you know the brand name were sameness is important. <S> There bottle not yours. <A> Over the past year I bought a small plastic bottle with a label that reads Raw Local Honey, Wild Flower. <S> When I first opened the bottle and tasted it, I almost recoiled. <S> I have never tasted honey like it; it is, to me, very bitter. <S> So yes, bitter honey can happen.
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I find honey's bitterness is in the aftertaste.
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Why does rice flour or cornstarch produce crispier crusts than wheat flour? If you add a percentage of rice flour or cornstarch to any sort of breading or pancake, you get a much crispier crust than one made with 100% wheat flour. The Vietnamese banh xeo, which is like a crepe made with just rice flour and coconut milk, no egg, comes out extremely crispy, for example. What is the physical reason that these pure starches cook up crispy? <Q> Gluten makes dough sticky and dense, so adding flours with little to no gluten might make it less sticky and thus crispier. <A> After a quick Google search it is a result of a lack of gluten. <S> From what I gather it is not directly due to the lack of gluten - but rather the lack of direct interaction between starches and gluten. <S> When starch granules are attacked by enzymes present in flour, they release the sugars that yeast feeds on. <S> Starch also reinforces gluten and absorbs water during baking, helping the gluten to contain the pockets of gas produced by the yeast. <S> Source <S> For me this is a case of correlation is not necessarily causation, as a couple of other sites mentioned that this can observation also varies from cooking method to cooking method (baking v. steaming etc). <A> the same reason cake flour makes a better roux than AP flour, higher starch to protein ratio <S> the pure starch, zero protein end of the spectrum appears in velveting <S> How does velveting work? <S> but you asked why proteins, when they cook, curdle at lower temperatures, holding onto more water, not crispy, and at higher temperatures, they begin to decompose a Maillard reaction way, getting messy, oily, and burnty, which is not the crispy we're looking for heat going into starch, beyond the boiling point of water , drives off the water, leaving the starch matrix to cook crispy. <S> that matrix shrinks a bit, but is still full of holes for water to escape through heat going into protein, beyond the boiling point of water, drives off the water and begins to create a complex, dense mess of aromatic molecules and eventually soot. <S> the outside is much less permeable to escaping water, so we tend to dump in more heat, worsening the dense uncrispy crust problem
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My guess would be a lack of gluten in those flours.
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Can I reuse cedar grilling planks? Since wooden cutting boards are safe for use with meat , I was wondering if I can reuse the cedar grilling planks. Yossarian's answer to this question about how to prepare a plank says you can use one again depending on what you're cooking. So, what determines whether you can reuse the planks? How should I clean them after use? After too many uses, will they lose the ability to impart flavor to what's being grilled? The ones I bought were fairly expensive, so I'd like to get as much use out of them as possible. <Q> I will generally reuse a plank on two conditions: <S> The bottom isn't completely charred. <S> Sometimes, the bottom ends up complete black. <S> I find that this won't start to smoke a second time. <S> It's also a mess to store anywhere. <S> The top isn't a mess of food. <S> This is largely dependent on what you cook. <S> Fish skin sometimes gets cooked on, glaze bubbles and chars, oil lights on fire and the top surface chars. <S> Something like shrimp, tomato, or sausage will be fairly clean though, and nothing will cook on to the top. <S> In order to reuse the plank, I clean it with soap and water, the same way I'd clean a wooden chopping board. <S> I've never managed to use a plank more than twice <S> and I usually just toss them after a single use. <S> Keep in mind that a dried cedar plank is a dried cedar plank. <S> Cost is generally more based on the store that you buy it in than the product you're buying. <S> A hardware super store (like Home Depot) will generally have these quite cheap. <A> Unlike what yossarian says I would never use soap to clean them unless I absolutely had to. <S> The soap will absorb into the wood which can alter its aroma when burned. <S> Also I would be very careful when reusing to always use the same types of meat/fish. <S> For instance if you are cooking salmon on the cedar plank I would always try to use a fish for that plank from then on. <S> Typically I can get 3-4 uses out of my plank if I'm careful to soak it for a decent amount of time. <S> A good resource I've found for this: http://backyardprovisions.com/blogs/our-grill/11362737-soaking-your-planks-with-creativity <S> Hope this helps! <A> I routinely reuse cedar planks 1 or 2 times. <S> I use an indirect charcoal grilling method that tends to char the bottom less. <S> I simply scrub with a brush under running hot water promptly after removing the cooked food. <S> Let dry and resoak when needed again. <S> Never had any problems. <S> The likelihood of any bacteria surviving the grilling is quite remote. <A> let's keep this simple, never put your planks over the coals or directly under your grill's burners, light one side on high and always put off to the side away from the flames. <S> you can also add tint foil wrap around the bottom of the plank. <S> It's that easy. <S> Or just use in your oven. <S> With the big planks, you can't use a microwave, plus a microwave will not kill everything! <S> Just scrub under hot running water and put it in your dishwasher.... <S> YES..... <S> it safe. <S> Soak for 2-8 hours, I do over night! <S> you can soak them in wine if you want... <S> You should get years of use from one board <S> "I do" <S> but I only use the high end <S> 1" thick ones. <A> YES, definitely! <S> I agree that thicker planks last longer. <S> I got some longer/thicker ones from Harris Teeter when I lived in North Carolina and they lasted years. <S> Here in Idaho all my planks are maybe 1/4" thick and they curve when you grill with them, but I still reuse them as long as I can. <S> They still impart flavor pretty well... we like to soak ours for 2 hours, also with a weight on top. <S> 15min just seems like the water doesn't really get in there <S> and the plank is more likely to burn. <S> For cleaning I run it under hot water and let it soak until all the gunk is soft. <S> Then I take the BACK (dull) side of a butter knife and scrape the gunk off, rinse and rescrape until it looks visually clean. <S> If the gunk starts looking less like fish and more like wood, you're done. <S> Once they dry they will still smell like fish but that hasn't stopped us from reusing them over and over until they're really charred on the bottom. <S> And none of us has gotten sick or anything either. <A> I believe I can reuse a plank for salmon cooking several times. <S> Wash with hot water, not soapy. <S> Then microwave if it will fit in. <S> The microwaving will kill bacteria. <S> Then bag and store frozen until thawing for next use <S> , so it doesn't grow anything in the meantime. <S> Microwave again before next use. <S> If unable to microwave and freeze, discard and buy a new one. <A> I bought two planks from homedepot. <S> I used them in my green egg, after soaking overnight. <S> 20 mins at 400 degrees, using a ceramic deflector plate, not direct heat over coals. <S> The planks' bottoms turned a light honey tone but no charring whatsoever. <S> Washed off in the sink with hot water and kosher salt and microvaved. <A> Whether you can reuse the planks depends on how thick they are and how scorched it is after each use. <S> I use 1 inch thick cedar planks and get four uses, sometime more out of each one. <S> I'm basically roasting ( sometime with a deflector & sometimes without) rather than grilling in my Big Green Egg. <S> I use very hot water, a scrub brush to clean. <S> Sometimes I will use olive oil for "soap", and kosher salt for and abrasive.
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You can absolutely reuse wood planks if they are prepared and cared for properly.
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How does the power setting on a microwave work? In general, how does the microwave power setting work? Is it a straight percentage of the maximum wattage or is it something less precise? For example, would the time to cook something in a 700 watt microwave be the same as a 1000 watt at .7 power? Is there any other major deciding factor in how one microwave cooks compared to another besides the power? (Assuming it is actually running at its listed power. Is it even possible for a microwave to drift off its posted power due to age or some other factor?) <Q> The majority of microwaves cannot modulate their power output. <S> So a power setting of .5 for 10 minutes would simply cycle the magnetron on and off every few seconds, with a total on time of 5 minutes. <S> You can actually hear this occurring. <S> According to wikipedia, some newer microwaves can actually achieve a more or less constant level of reduced power using a technique called pulse-width modulation . <S> I have never seen or used one of these though. <S> Microwave cooking is never very exact, so cooking something at 700 W vs 1000 W at .7 power would yield very different results. <S> The only reliable way I've found in cooking things properly in different wattage microwave ovens is simple observation. <A> It may already be an implicit assumption, but I think that time to cook is probably not as important as how to cook. <S> As with all cooking, there is a need to control temperature. <S> Running the microwave at less than full power allows time for the heat to be conducted from the hot parts to the cool parts. <S> It is similar to searing vs. sauteeing. <S> I think that the accuracy of most microwave oven's power settings are good enough (my own testing shows about 10%). <S> I would be more concerned about how I wanted the item cooked. <S> Some examples: <S> When I want to reheat things like a thick soup, I run the microwave at full power for a short period of time, stir, and run the microwave again. <S> Stirring the concoction distributes the heat faster than the conduction process. <S> When I want to defrost frozen foods (think meat), I use the lowest power setting. <S> This prevents the edges of the food from getting cooked. <A> The solution is to place a measured amount of water in a cup to reduce the power to the food. <S> This is a trial and error method, but it is the only way to truly reduce the power continuously to a food you are trying to cook. <S> I use this method for poached eggs in the microwave since they always exploded even if I reduced the power to 50%. <S> I found that about 1/3 cup of water along with the egg(s) in the poacher reduces the power so they cook at the proper speed and do not explode.
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The power setting in most microwaves simply turns the magnetron (microwave generator) off and in in cycles. While the power setting does affect the time to cook, the importance of time is to control how hot the parts of the food get.
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Why would cooked spinach contain more iron than raw? I've been researching the nutrient content of various foods and I've found that cooked spinach appears to have more iron than raw spinach (3.57 mg / 100g vs 2.71 mg /100g). Intuitively, I would have expected the opposite. Is the data I'm looking at wrong? Maybe, it is just that it is easier to aborb the iron from cooked spinach rather than raw. Can anyone explain the difference? <Q> Iron is simply an element, so it cannot be destroyed by cooking (or generally temperature changes), as vitamins and other organic structures potentially can. <S> Cooked spinach inevitably has a much lower water content, thus the relative density of all other components must increase. <S> So gram for gram, it makes sense that cooked spinach should have a higher concentration of iron (and possibly some other things) than raw. <S> However, the actual process of cooking does nothing to change the amount of iron. <A> I.e. if you had 100g of raw spinach and you cooked it (and drained it probably) you would end up with less than 100g of cooked spinach. <A> It contains more iron cooked because it has less water in it. <S> For that reason the USDA has it that cooked spinach is a good source of iron. <S> But that is complete nonsense. <S> Spinach contains oxalate that blocks iron take-up by humans. <S> The best we can absorb is 20 percent of the iron in spinach. <S> The fallacy that vitamin C helps us absorb more iron from spinach is a spuriofact. <S> See: http://www.bestthinking.com/articles/science/chemistry/biochemistry/spin-ge-usa-beware-of-the-bull-the-united-states-department-of-agriculture-is-spreading-bull-about-spinach-iron-and-vitamin-c-on-the-internet
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I would guess that cooked spinach has lost a lot of the water content, so cooking doesn't add more iron, it just increases the percentage or iron by reducing the total mass.
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How do I stop homemade Ravioli from going soggy? (storage issue) Last week I made some Pumpkin Ravioli. The filling was a bit moist, but nothing excessive. The problem is, that obviously, I don't want to be stuffing ravioli immediately before they go into the pot. I would prefer to do it earlier in the day. I made mine about 4 hours before cooking, and when I went to cook them, the lower sheet of pasta had gone soggy, and was sticking to the waxed paper. This was due to fluid transfer from the stuffing to the pasta. How should I store the ravioli for up to several hours without this happening? <Q> Freeze it immediately, especially if you can do so in single layers. <A> Try reducing the moisture of the filling (adding a little bit of cornstarch, for example). <A> I make ravioli at home large quantities to be stored for later use some 5 kg at a time. <S> Here is what I do so the ravioli doesn't stick, get soggy or turn into a ball when cooked: <S> Use ravioli lamps (trays with cavities) [editor- lamps? <S> is that right?] <S> Roll the sheets of pasta not too thin or they will not seal (#4 on the Kitchen Aid pasta roller). <S> Gently lay the first sheet onto the tray, and use a cooking cloth to press it into each cavity. <S> fill each cavity <S> Lay the top sheet and then use a wooden roller to seal and cut off the edges. <S> For filling I use ricotta with every thing -- meat, spinach, mushrooms, etc. <S> Make sure your filling doesn't have too much moisture. <S> One mistake is to put filling in the fridge and when you pull it out a room temp it will "sweat". <S> It's better to make it when you are ready to use it. <S> I use a pastry bag rather than a spoon: it's much faster. <S> Now here is my trick, (discovered after many failures -- <S> I tried flour, semolina corn starch , oil , paper,plastic and everything else you can imagine.) <S> : <S> After pressing the two sheets of pasta, making sure that each individual ravioli is sealed but not completely cut off, turn the tray over. <S> You will end up with a rectangular sheet of ravioli. <S> Let this dry and turn it over several times. <S> I do this on a wooden board, 6 at the time. <S> The air will dry them if you let sit to long the moisture from the filling will pass trough the dough and make it stick. <S> Then (about an hour later and flipped over some 6 to 8 times - 10 min in between) <S> the sheet will be dry enough to lift it from the board without bending. <S> At this time they go inside the freezer on a flat cookie tray (no paper, no oil, but dry.) <S> Leave them for 30 minutes, until frozen. <S> Then, you can separate each ravioli, breaking on the edges like you will do with a chocolate bar. <S> Leave them in the freezer until ready to cook, storing them in a Zip-lock bag if you're not using them soon. <A> To avoid sogginess, be sure to drain the ricotta through a cheesecloth before mixing with ingredients. <A> <A> make sure to place the fresh pasta on well floured surface, I actually use semolina as it absorbs the moisture better. <S> good luck!
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You could also freeze them without loss of quality, specially if it's just a few hours and the filling is a bit moist. Add breadcrumbs to the filling to absorb excess moisture.
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How do I get my chocolate chip cookies to turn out thick and soft? How can I get my chocolate chip cookies to come out thick and soft? I always use real butter; is this a problem? <Q> I've found the key to be chilling the dough. <S> If you can get it really cold, put it on room temperature baking sheets, and put it in a well preheated oven, you get a lot less spread and therefore a considerably thicker, cakier cookie, which I also prefer. <S> If I mix the batch in my KitchenAid, I'll put the metal bowl in the coldest part of the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour before portioning and baking, with great results. <A> In the Good Eats episode, "Three Chips for Sister Martha", he referred to what I think you're asking for as the ' puffy ' cookie. <S> See the transcript for how he varied a basic recipe to get more puffy / chewy / crispy variations. <S> For the puffy ones, he recommended shortening, as it'd melt later, giving more rise. <S> So yes, the butter might be a problem. <S> There is on <S> the market butter flavored shortening, if you want the taste. <S> (and it comes in sticks, making it easy to measure ... <S> I use it for my christmas cookie baking, as I've got a few vegan friends). <S> He also recommended more brown sugar for tenderness, baking powder instead of baking soda to reduce the amount it spreads, cake flour instead of all purpose flour, and chilling the batter so it spread less. <S> See the transcript for more details. <A> For a cookie with a texture more like cake, make sure to use soft room temperature butter, but don't melt it. <S> It should be around 70 degrees. <S> Cream the butter with white sugar. <S> Make sure to use whole eggs - even extra whites, as foamy whites will add to the bubble network needed for a cake-y texture. <S> This is the opposite of the Cook's Illustrated cookie, which is designed to be chewier. <A> In Cook's Illustrated Chewy Chocolate Cookies (different recipe than the one above), the tricks include only using an egg white, and replacing some of the sugar with dark brown corn syrup because the yolk surprisingly dries it out. <S> They also suggest using softened butter that's around 70 degrees, and chilling for thirty minutes before doling out. <S> There's so much science in baking cookies. <S> Yolk vs. white vs. whole egg is only one part of the equation. <S> Changing the egg won't necessarily make or break the spread of the cookie. <A> I know it's not a recipe request... but find <S> Cook's Illustrated 's Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe <S> , it's amazing and stays thick and chewy and delicious for days. <S> Their tricks include melting the butter, a lot of brown sugar, and using an extra yolk in addition to a whole egg. <A> Add melted butter in your recipe and use brown sugar instead of white sugar.
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To make chocolate chip cookies thick and soft in taste you need to cool down the dough before baking.
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What is the traditional accompaniment for Duck Confit? I have a few duck legs that I made a confit from earlier this week. I'm thinking of serving them with Parmesan Dauphinoise and some beans from the garden tonight. I was wonderring though, what would be the traditional accompaniment for duck confit? <Q> There is also garlic and parsley. <S> You can use confit in "cassoulet" as well. <S> This is something like chili con carne with white beans instead of red ones, onion, carrot, tomato, garlic (and many other secrets which change from home to home). <S> EDIT: <S> A variant of "pommes de terre sarladaises" includes mushrooms, in particular "cèpes" ( Boletus edulis ) together with potatoes. <A> Purple Cabbage. <S> I fry it with onions, balsamic, and something to sweeten it a bit. <S> (Maple Syrup, Honey, Red Currant Jam). <S> Goes nicely with duck. <S> also consider an Onion Marmalade. <A> When I've eaten it in south west France it's almost always with parboiled potatoes 'roughed up' by shaking in a pan with the lid on with some crushed garlic, then roast in the oven in the duck fat from the tin and served with French beans. <S> So I'd say you are not a million miles away from it, especially as the other times have been with douphinoise. <A> A complement of duck is apple sauce, or sage and onion. <A> Duck does of course have a traditional (albeit perhaps no longer mainstream) place in European cuisine, for which there are many different ways of severing it. <S> However, if you're a fan of Chinese cuisine I highly recommend trying plum sauce as an accompaniment. <S> This is a traditional and common way of serving (crispy) duck Chinese-style - not least in take-aways! <S> If you're feeling bold, you may even want to try making it yourself .
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In southwest of France, we serve confit with "pommes sarladaises", which are more or less fries cooked in duck fat in a pan.
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How can you prepare turnips to make them less bitter? I peeled and quarted turnips, then roasted with carrots and onions in olive oil and maple syrup, but the turnips were really bitter. Is there a way to roast them (or even another cooking method) to remove that bitterness? How long should they be roasted? Or do I simply need to pick a better batch of turnips? <Q> Yeah, maybe you just had some bitter turnips. <S> It sounds like you did all the right things to hide the bitterness. <S> If you want to try a different cooking method, I tend to like turnip boiled and mashed. <S> If the turnip is old (and likely bitter) you can add an apple. <S> You would then need to rinse thoroughly. <S> I've never tried this however. <A> I don't think there is anything you can do to remove the bitterness, though as you attempted, you can mask it somewhat with sweetness and salt. <S> And yes, some turnips are distinctly less bitter than others. <S> Try to find some "baby" turnips, they tend to be milder. <A> I have not found a bitter turnip as long as you boil with about 1 tablespoon brown sugar. <A> I discovered that cooking them with tomatoes made them less bitter. <S> Pondering this - I thought it might be the acid. <S> So I cooked them about half done in VERY salty water with a couple of tablespoons of vinagar or lemon juice. <S> Then I rinsed them well & finished cooking them in plain water. <S> I used them in a 50/50 mash of cauliflower in place of mashed potatoes. <S> Much better! <S> By the way I raise my own & have done so is several different locations with different types of soil, watered less, watered more, planted in shade, in full sun -- 'nuut'in hepped' as my Granny would say!
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I've also read that you can stir in baking soda after the turnips have boiled to remove the bitterness.
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Is there a way to infuse roasted coffee beans with different flavors? I would like to be able to grind my own flavored coffee beans - hazelnut, French vanilla ect.. However, I don't want to buy the coffee beans that are already flavored but would rather try to recreate the infusion method at home. Does it involve soaking the beans, for how long, at what temperature..... <Q> Coffee shops flavor their beans by taking plain roasted coffee, and adding flavoring oils to them. <S> After the oil is tossed with the beans, they are left alone to allow the flavor to soak in for at least 30 minutes. <S> The coffee flavoring oils are a lot like candy flavoring oils. <S> Although I haven't tried it, I bet you could use those to flavor your beans. <S> In the land of everything available through the internet, I'd bet you could purchase these coffee bean flavoring oils on-line, and in small quantity. <S> (We bought HUGE jugs of the stuff for the shop!) <S> I haven't worked in the coffee shop for over 10 years now (since becoming disabled in an unrelated accident), so I can't remember the exact ratio of flavoring to beans. <S> I want to say that for every 1 lbs of beans, we mixed in .03 lbs of flavoring. <S> I don't know what that comes out to be by volume, as we did everything by weight. <A> As the coffee brews, it picks up the flavoring. <A> Just add the flavor to the brewed coffee; there is no particular advantage in flavoring the beans in advance. <S> Any good brand of flavoring syrup like you see in a coffeehouse can be added to the pot or cup. <A> We've developed a new way to flavor coffee. <S> It's called "INBRU" <S> and it let's you flavor any coffee - dark roast, light roast, decaf.. <S> - in the brew basket. <S> It's made from recycled American rice hulls and it's pretty amazing. <S> Inbru adds no calories or sweetness. <S> Inbru is not a "whitener. <S> " It's simply a way to flavor coffee as you desire. <S> You can check it out at inbru.com
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You can also add flavorings into the coffee grounds when in the filter: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, orange rind, crystallized ginger, etc.
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How long should roast pork be cooked so that it stays light pink? Often pork is much too dry when served, I would like to have it slightly 'rosé' pink. So I am looking for some cooking instructions for cooking a roast pork in the oven. A time/temperature table should be fine. I ask this as from the information I see around, temperature varies from 160ºC to 210ºC. But from experience 200ºC makes the meat much too dry. <Q> The important part of cooking meat to a safe range is a combination of time and temperature. <S> The ranges that you often see from people like the USDA are a temperature at which everything nasty dies instantly. <S> This is a much more definitive test than saying that you need to reach a temperature and hold it for a certain period of time. <S> The US government has a great table showing time and temperature for cooking pork safely (just scroll down a little from the link). <S> As you can see, it's safe to cook meat well below the often given 160F. <S> In fact, it's instantly safe to eat at 144F. <S> I assume that the reason for the 16 degree buffer on the often stated temperature is just to make sure people don't run afoul of the magic number. <S> What you must understand is that, at these temperatures, it's imperative that you don't mess about with the amount of time. <S> They must be held for at least the time given. <S> But, 140F only needs to be held there for a minute. <S> Once you've got something all the way to 140F, residual cooking should hold it there for at least 60 seconds. <S> Just don't play this one fast and loose. <S> Cooking something like a roast is slightly more complicated than just getting the meat to temperature though. <S> Generally there's a lot of fat and intramuscular tissue that you want to rend and denature respectively. <S> That's what makes the meat so juicy and tender. <S> While this will begin to happen at lower temperatures, it takes longer. <S> So the meat may not come out as tender or flavor full as you'd like. <S> I would suggest a little experimentation. <S> As mentioned, the thermometer will be a huge help if you want to be able to do this consistently (due to varying sizes of meat). <S> I'd throw it in the oven and run some tests. <S> I usually do Boston Butt to 168F, and this comes out with some pink parts, but I'm not sure how pink you want the meat (or how much of it should be pink) <S> . <S> I'd recommend starting at about 160F and then moving up or down in temperature based on how the meal comes out. <A> The latest USDA guidelines recommend internal temperature of cooked pork to be 145 degrees. <S> This applies to whole cuts only, not to ground meat. <S> You can read a summary of the changes online. <A> The exact time and temperature for your oven will depend on many factors, so always use a probe thermometer to check. <S> If you're worried about it getting overdone, start checking the temperature a while before you expect it to be done (based on your previous experiences). <S> There are also thermometers which you can leave in the oven, and have a remote part that can sound an alarm when a certain temperature is reached. <S> Also note that the internal temperature will continue to rise a bit after you remove the roast from the oven, so you may want to aim for a few degrees below your target temperature. <S> 210ºC (410ºF) does seem too hot to cook a roast, so I'd aim for something on the lower end. <S> Whatever time/temperature combo you use <S> , it's always the internal temperature of the roast that matters, both for safety and for taste. <A> I'd start it at 425F(210c) and then drop it to around 325F(160-165C) as soon as I put the roast in: starting it hot often gives better results than keeping it the same temp the entire process. <S> After that, you're going to want to cook it 20-30 minutes per pound <S> (if it's a butt roast, you might bump that up to ~40 minutes). <S> I'd start checking it with the thermometer at the very bottom end of that range, and take it out of the oven before it hits your target temperature. <S> I do <S> NOT recommend <S> 160F(71C) degrees as your internal temp, unless you like shoe leather. <S> The USDA believes everything should be cooked to a cinder: trichinosis and salmonella and most other common nasties are killed at around 140F(60C) <S> (144F is the instant kill number, but it's pretty hard to get your meat to 140 without it staying there for the 60 seconds that would be needed to kill everything). <S> You should take the pork out at an internal temp between 140F and 145F degrees, to insure that the internal temp hits 150F(65C), which is a good safety margin. <S> Internal temperatures will continue to rise after the roast is removed from the oven. <S> If you remove it at 160F or 165F it'll be 170-5F before it stops cooking, and that's flat inedible IMHO, and in no way pinkish. <S> If you feel that you must wait until it hits 165F, take it out of the oven at 155F, and it will get to 165F before it peaks. <S> (Insert disclaimer about undercooked food blah blah blah... <S> To be 100% safe you should cook it to 1000 degrees, then snort the ashes)
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The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 160ºF (about 71ºC) for pork to be considered safe to eat.
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When should I use convection when baking? I think I understand what convection does, and (some) of the benefits, such as eliminating hot/cold spots, and being more efficient overall. Does this mean that I should always take advantage of it? If not, which circumstances are better for convection, and which are better for regular bake/broil? <Q> Wikipedia had this to say: <S> By moving fast hot air past the food, convection ovens can operate at a lower temperature than a standard conventional oven and yet cook food more quickly. <S> The air circulation, or convection, tends to eliminate "hot spots" and thus food may bake more evenly. <S> A convection oven will have a reduction in cooking temperature, compared to a conventional oven. <S> This comparison will vary, depending on factors including, for example, how much food is being cooked at once or if airflow is being restricted by using an over sized baking tray.[citation needed] <S> This difference in cooking temperature is offset by the fact that circulating air transfers heat more quickly than still air of the same temperature; in order to transfer the same amount of heat in the same time, then, one must lower the temperature to reduce the rate of heat transfer to compensate. <S> I sometimes feel like it dries things out a little more than a traditional oven, but that may just be a function of it being easier to overcook things due to the speed. <A> We have a convection oven and almost always use it. <S> I can't remember the last time we didn't use convection. <S> Our model automatically decreases the temperature, so if you set it for 300, then it will heat to 275. <S> Not sure if that is a magic 25 degree number, but it seems to work. <S> Almost all recipes cook time wise as they would with a non-convection oven. <S> Our also has a single and multi-rack mode, and it circulates the air differently in that case. <S> We have NEVER had any problems with the food drying out more with the air circulation as they say that is a common negative. <S> I am sure the effectiveness varies oven to oven, but in our case, we always use it (except for broiling of course). <A> When baking Toll House cookies! <S> I just did a test from a 16 ounce bag (24 cookies) of White Chip Macadamia Nut. <S> The first baking was was for 12 (half bag) cookies with a preheated non convection setting oven at 350. <S> The bottom was overdone and the edges looked too dark (almost burnt). <S> This took place in 10 minutes when the directions say cook 11 to 12 mins. <S> The second baking was for the remaining bag of 12 cookies with a preheated convection setting (same oven) at 300 for 10 minutes. <S> The bottom was perfect golden color and edges were perfect golden as well. <S> A nice added small flavor was a little coconut oil brushed on cookies just before baking. <S> This last batch of cookies cooked on convection was wonderful in looks, flavor and texture. <S> This was my first experience using the convection mode of my oven. <S> From now on I will always use the convection setting when baking anything. <S> I believe the lower temperature combined with less cooking time is the main factor based on my test. <S> Actually, I am thinking the convection mode acts as a toaster oven when set on toast, because during the convection the broil (top burners) are on at the same time as the bake (bottom burners) making it equal cooking coverage on top and bottom of cookies or anything else. <A> I have tried twice to bake a double-crust Blueberry pie in my convection oven with poor results both times. <S> The crust comes out hard as a rock (homemade crust, not store bought). <S> After the first attempt, I tried again adjusting temperature and time, but the results were still poor. <S> As you know, berry pies require high heat for the berries and sugar to interact and produce a filling that is firm and not watery. <S> Since the filling is inside the crust, it has to cook too long at a high temperature for the convection oven to "not" overcook the crust. <S> When I make the same pie in the regular oven, it turns out perfect every time. <S> So I have sworn off baking fruit pies in the convection oven. <S> I also find that it dries out foods that have to cook more than 30 minutes or so. <S> If yours is a convection/microwave type of oven, then be sure you don't have the control set to "mix" when you make chicken wings. <S> Microwaving meat has always been undesirable to me as it makes the meat tough and chewy. <S> My oven has the option to cook with convection only, microwave only, or a "mix" of convection/microwave. <S> The convection seems to work best for me when roasting meats or baking a covered casserole (so it doesn't dry out). <S> I doubt I'll ever attempt to bake a pie in there again. <S> I have looked all over the Internet and can't find any good advice about how to solve the baking problem with fruit pies. <A> I made buffalo chicken wings using the convection feature and they came out tough and not crispy as experienced in non-convection cooking. <S> I'm <S> actually gun shy about the convection option as a result.
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Anytime you're in a rush, the convection oven's a big help.
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How are savoury meringues made? I've come across occasionally mentions of savoury meringues with flavours such as beetroot. How are these made? What is used as a substitute for the sugar? <Q> The eggs whites in traditional meringues are used to spread the sugar into a thin foam that is then dried in the oven (or dehydrator) leaving behind the sugar structure and some proteins from the eggs. <S> To make a meringue you need something that dissolves to tangle up with those proteins. <S> I would guess that the beet meringues from Café Atlantico are made with beet powder replacing the sugar with the goat cheese in the middle adding to the sense of savory. <S> I have never made savory meringues, but if I were to experiment I would mix freshly whipped eggs whites with sugar to those created by reducing a savory liquid and then adding powder egg whites to it. <A> Well, you could always take a bite out of Adria's apple and just make foams directly from whatever liquid you wish to use (which may or may not be egg white; I'd advise against it. <S> Why dilute your flavour?). <S> Then add methylcellulose to provide you with the matrix you need for stability, and a standard ISI whipped cream dispenser will foam your product. <S> So for example, you could make a beetroot juice (250g) boiled with 50g sugar and 50g water, then cooled. <S> Add methylcellulose 8g (2.2% by weight, using Methocel F50). <S> Blend well. <S> The recipe I have (for a carrot foam) calls for it to then be whipped in a stand mixer to stiff peaks, spread on a sheet and dehydrated for 5 hours. <S> I imagine you could extrude from a standard ISI instead, probably charged twice with NO2. <S> Oh, as an added bonus, this would allow you to make completely vegan 'meringue' as well. <S> Use a different liquid, add a touch of vanilla. <A> I don't believe that sugar is required to make meringues come out properly. <S> I don't see any reason that you couldn't go without it altogether. <A> I've done this by substituting with a less sweet sugar, like isomalt, but the filling also adds to the effect. <S> For example, my last version was a cocoa macaron with chicken liver pate filling. <S> It worked well. <A> However, I've come to own a fabulous book called "meringue magic" by Alisa Morov(who <S> invented savoury meringues I believe). <S> Amongst amazing savoury recipes she says you can reduce sugar to a certain amount but can never do without it. <S> But the spices and salt make it a distinctively savory meringue.
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Sugar is crucial to making meringues!!It is what helps the chemical reaction with the egg whites and helps create that beautiful fluffy texture.
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I bite my nails. How can I keep proper hygiene in the kitchen? I'm not a professional chef, but I think someone will have this issue, somewhere, and is a chef. A similar question asked about having a cold , but nail biting is much worse due to the obvious amount of cuts one develops on fingers. Apart from the obvious (and difficult to achieve) goal of stopping the habit, how can I maintain proper hygiene and food safety while cooking? I would say gloves, but I think it's going to be a problem for complex manipulations, and it could affect the taste of what is prepared. Is there a special brand specifically for this purpose? If not, what other precautions can I take? <Q> Gloves are annoying and, much like condoms, do obscure sensation and--in the case of kitchen work--precision with your fingers. <S> For those reasons I avoid them wherever possible. <S> As a lifelong nailbiter (from when I was about 9 until I was 31), it was a habit that was really hard to give up. <S> But it has been worth it, not just professionally. <S> I know this isn't the answer you're looking for, but: stop biting your nails. <A> There is a basic set of criteria when cooking in any kitchen, either industrial/commercial or personal. <S> These include but are not limited to: Don't touch your face or hair Wash your hands frequently <S> Don't use the "kitchen rag" fordrying your hands after washing them Sneeze into your elbow pit <S> Don't taste your food with yourfingers <S> Keep your cutting boards CLEAN! <S> Follow the Danger Zone <S> temperatureguide <S> Don't work in a kitchen with a opencut (obviously, and I would say, evenif it's bandaged, don't work in thekitchen until it's partially healed) <S> Obviously, there are more and this should probably be a community wiki for further exploration on the topic. <A> If you have an open cut then wear a bandage and a glove. <A> If you can't keep your fingers out of your mouth, you must wear gloves. <S> Yeah, it sucks, and it does inhibit sensation, and is a general PITA. <S> Eventually, you should learn to keep your fingers away from your mouth, and THEN you will be able to work glove-less. <A> Use a nail biting stopping paint like "stop'n'grow". <S> They are food safe, as long as you don't soak your nails in the food, other people won't taste it <S> You need to keep using the paint for a few years, best with kids, but adults I guess can make the decision? <S> Maybe ask a trusted person to check you have it on every day <S> NB <S> I use it on the end of Scout scarves, it stops the junior Scouts sucking their scarves
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Whether you bite your nails or not wash your hands thoroughly and keep your hands out of your mouth while cooking. Keep your hair back and clothes clean And generally avoid cross contamination
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Uses for leftover potatoes from a pot-roast I made a large pot-roast with sweet onion, carrots, green beans, mushrooms and Yukon Gold potatoes (all cooked in the same pot). All the vegetables except for the potatoes got devoured, so now I have a lot of leftover, slightly beefy, potatoes. What would be a good use for them? <Q> Turn into mashed potatoes for tomorrow night's dinner? <S> If you have some roast left, too, cut it down into bite-sized bits, add back in some more vegetables, and turn it into a sort of shepard's pie-type meal. <S> (stew-like dish covered with mashed potatoes, then baked) <A> <A> I just made burritos out of leftover pot roast, of course I had beef leftover too. <S> Beef, potatoes, a bit of cheese and I happened to have sour cream in the fridge. <S> Instant burrito, with an out of place pot roast taste. <S> The mind expected a barbacoa taste from that texture in a burrito, but got regular pot roast. <S> More regularly if I hadn't had just that combination to make burritos, I'd probably dice them and add them to a breakfast meal. <S> The meaty taste will fit in just fine with an egg breakfast. <S> Add them to the eggs or just heat them up on the skillet real quick, should be great either way.
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Depending on how mushy the potatoes are, you could also chop them up and saute with some onions and meat for a nice hash.
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What is the difference between Alaskan King Salmon and Scottish Salmon? I'm considering throwing a dinner party, and I don't have much experience cooking salmon. What are the main differences between these two types of salmon in terms of price, taste, and cooking methods? <Q> Alaskan King, or Chinook, salmon is generally wild, generally caught in the Pacific Northwest, often but not exclusively in Alaska. <S> Scottish salmon is generally farm-raised Atlantic salmon, and as far as that goes is essentially identical to farm-raised salmon from Chile or Norway. <S> Price: hobodave's comment is correct that the price will vary based on location, but in fact the king salmon will be more expensive almost everywhere. <S> Generic farmed Scottish salmon is a commodity product that generally sells for about $1 more than other farmed salmon for no particularly good reason, but wild salmon can easily cost twice as much regardless. <S> Short of actually being in the Pacific Northwest it's likely that the Scottish is substantially cheaper. <S> Taste: the quality comparison is the big one here rather than species. <S> King is usually treated much better (shipped quicker, wild diet) because it's not a commodity, but not necessarily. <S> Cooking methods: no necessary difference. <S> Smoked on a plank is a common method in the Pacific Northwest, but no real reason you couldn't do either in that way. <S> Pick your favorite method. <A> There are five significant species of Pacific salmon, and only one species of Atlantic salmon, which actually runs into the east coast of North America as well as in Europe. <S> For taste, wild salmon definitely tastes better, and the Atlantic salmon is mostly farmed, but you can buy wild Scottsh salmon. <S> There is a substantial industry in wild Scottish salmon, so if you know you are buying that type you are buying the best. <S> Here in the UK Norwegian salmon sells for high prices which it does not warrant, they farm it just like the Scots. <S> For taste, go for wild Atlantic salmon, then fresh wild Pacific salmon. <S> Beyond those considerations, the farmed stuff is worth having - balance the local price against what you are going to do with it. <S> If you're going for one of those flavor-drowning salmon mousse recipes, a can of Cohoe goes a long way ... <A> Firstly, I'm British, so I may be biased, but in my experience, farmed Atlantic Salmon tastes just as good as wild. <S> It's certainly cheaper, and they're not exactly farmed intensively like battery chickens. <S> Speaking from personal preference, my wife would not be happy if I brought Pacific salmon home. <S> I did once, and the flakes were smaller, tighter and less succulent than the Atlantic we normally have. <S> Never again. <S> Curiously, if you buy cheap frozen salmon in the UK, it's Pacific, which has never made sense to me. <S> It would do for a mousse or pie, but for a fillet or whole fish, we find it just too coarse. <S> In terms of cooking, you can do almost anything, although "gently" would be my keyword. <S> You can marinate it in pretty much any spice/herb marinade, although dill is the classic herb to go with salmon. <S> You can grill (broil) <S> it, steam it, pan-fry it. <S> I prefer to put it in a dish with some fish stock and bake for 15-20 minutes at about 300F (150C), with foil over the top. <S> You can tell it's cooked when the shine has gone off the flesh throughout. <S> Then a dill cream sauce over the top is divine. <S> There are literally so many ways of cooking salmon, I couldn't choose a favourite! <A> With all due respect to the Brits and Scots (and certainly the Canadians), The Pacific salmon fishery is the largest producer of the best quality salmon. <S> ( The Russian fishery I would consider as Pacific). <S> I have never fished a Scottish Wild Run, I believe most of those fish are taken by the remains of the Aristocracy as sport fish. <S> (read expensive).If you are NOT within 100 miles of the point of origin, the lowest cost salmon is Farmed. <S> Almost all farmed salmon are Atlantic, dyed color or not. <S> Farmed salmon have a milder flavor because of a limited diet, selective breeding, and antibiotics.2.Wild salmon have flavor based on the type and size of salmon, (using USA terms, mild to strong flavor,) ' <S> Steelhead'(rainbow trout returning from ocean), Chum, Coho (also called Silvers), Pinks (pink flesh), Kings (also called Chinook) (larger fish, redder color,stronger flavor), Sockeye, (deep red flesh, very strong flavor). <S> My Father grew up seining on the Columbia River Bar, sometimes when young I helped smoke salmon with local tribes. <S> My mother hated cooking salmon because it "stunk up the house". <S> Cooking: Most chefs use heavy sauces (egg sauce, creamed dill type sauces) when cooking stronger flavor salmon. <S> Milder pink fleshed, light red color salmon can use any French sauce for trout, simply use Escoffier or Larousse cookbooks. <S> For smoking, the Scots and the Norwegians have techniques on the Internet. <S> The American/Alaskan natives have theirs mostly secret. <S> It is very suitable for outdoor,backyard grilling, oven baked pain with lemon and butter, maybe a bottled Chinese Oyster sauce. <S> Great poached in wine, or poached and served later cold on a salad. <S> Or bake a whole small fish stuffed with crab, shrimp or ? <S> stuffing.
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Scottish will vary depending on the farmer, but I think you have to prefer the King to any generically-farmed Scottish salmon. In terms of cooking, the same processes apply to all - you don't have to adjust for the species, the process works similarly.
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Do I have to discard leftover sushi? We had a party Monday night and ordered Sushi for 20 people - about 25 percent of the Sushi went uneaten, mostly plain rolls like tuna and yellow tail. I would hate to throw out 10+ rolls - any suggestions? <Q> I'm assuming these rolls contain raw fish. <S> If that's the case I'd urge you not to eat them raw the following day. <S> It might be safest to just throw it out, but you could try deep frying them in a light tempura batter. <S> Just a few minutes should be enough to cook the fish. <A> As hobodave points out, you'll need to cook the fish, because the leftovers won't be safe to eat raw. <S> While deep frying sounds tasty, I'd be concerned that the cooking time would be too short to kill much bacteria. <S> Perhaps you could layer them in a casserole dish, maybe throw some more rice, sesame seeds, sauce(s) on top, and bake until browned as an asian casserole of sorts. <A> First a red flag on the raw fish here. <S> That said, some shops keep the sushi refrigerated for a couple of days before selling it. <S> It's not what I prefer, but it is still edible. <S> If you kept it out on a buffet for a couple of hours then I'd say you're going to have to say goodbye to the rolls. <S> If you're willing to take them apart you could go for a stir fry solution. <S> Let's say a fishy variation on this recipe . <S> Before proceeding, consider carefully where the rolls have been and use your nose. <A> chop up your left over raw fish into tiny pieces and mix well with finely sliced green spring onion, tiny bit of soy sauce and sesame oil. <S> Top your rice with it and enjoy!
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Be smart, though, and if they've been out of the fridge for a long time, or if they smell strongly, just toss 'em.
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Storing knives in knife sheaths Currently there is a question about magnetic stripes vs wood blocks , but I was wondering what the general concensus is regarding knife sheaths (like this one ) They seem great if you only have a couple knives -- they don't require counter space and aren't at risk of causing accidental harm by falling off a wall. What are the pros and cons of using these instead? <Q> I use these and love them. <S> They really do simplify storage since you can just use any drawer. <S> If you ever needed to travel with your knives (I haven't) they are a great benefit there as well. <S> It's also nice to have your knife in one of these if it's just sitting on your counter while you get everything in place. <S> If you're clumsy and you knock this off the counter you'll only end up with a bruise instead of a trip to the hospital. <S> The only cons I've found are rather insignificant. <S> You have to occasionally clean them, and you have to go through that one extra step to get to your knife. <A> I've used that style of case for years (mine are LamsonSharp ... <S> which look the exact same, so I don't know if Victorinox bought them) ... <S> but either for travel, or for storing the knives I don't use much (long slicers, which I keep in a drawer). <S> If the issue is lack of counter space, and keeping knives in a drawer, I'd throw out yet another alternative -- a drawer knife tray . <S> They also make under-cabinet knife blocks , but they always seem to store the knives horizontally. <S> My mom and aunt (a caterer) just store the knives in cardboard sheaths in a drawer, so you really don't need to go to too much trouble ... <S> I just don't like the sheaths for every-day knives, personally. <S> The paper ones are better as I can get to 'em one-handed. <S> The paring knife size one like what you linked to I can pop with my thumb while holding the handle, but the larger ones I need two hands for. <A> Worked fine. <S> That is not as secure as the ones you shown, but still allows you to keep the knives in any drawer without dinging them up or presenting a major cut hazard. <S> But...I like the immediacy of a block or a magnetic mount (used both and don't have a big preference). <A> Sheaths are great, especially when transporting knives. <S> Just remember to COMPLETELY dry your blades before putting them in a sheath- <S> otherwise they may rust. <S> And yes, i've even had a four star heckle, made from stainless steel, <S> get a few rust spots from moisture.
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For a long time I just made a sheath for each of my knives from folded cardboard.
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What are other techniques to make garlic bread? I've usually made garlic bread by pouring over the bread with special garlic bread powder over spread butter. This works, but is there any way to make the garlic sauce/powder on your own? <Q> I find garlic powder to be kind of meh when making garlic bread. <S> I suggest using fresh garlic that is finely minced that has been mixed with softened butter. <S> You simply spread it on, cook, and enjoy. <S> Here is a recipe demonstrating this technique (I have not used the recipe): http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/garlic_bread/ <A> Very little prep or cleanup, and a bright, intense flavor... Be careful not to rub off too much garlic on each slice (unless of course you're very fond of garlic). <A> This is probably relatively unconventional and a completely different technique than you described altogether, but it answers the question in the title :) <S> When I'm making a stovetop dinner and don't feel like heating the oven/toaster oven/grill/broiler, I'll often melt some butter into a pan, throw some (fresh) garlic and spices in, give it a minute, throw the bread in, and crisp the bread up right in the pan in the butter. <S> Quick and easy! <A> This would be a good application for a compound butter. <S> Start by roasting a head of garlic. <S> Mix the garlic mush with softened butter (and any other spices you want, such as salt and finely chopped parsley) and re-chill. <S> Use as a finishing butter as well as for the bread. <A> A few different techniques that I use, depending on what I have on hand, how many I'm cooking for, and what sort of time constraints I'm dealing with. <S> Slice bread, grill under the broiler 'til toasted, then rub with a whole garlic clove. <S> Slice bread, grill the bread under the broiler 'til toasted, then spread with roasted garlic. <S> Slice bread, grill the bread under the broiler 'til toasted, then drizzle with olive oil (okay, I use a pump sprayer), and lightly sprinkle with garlic powder. <S> (I've done this one I've done with sandwich bread, too ... you typically need a firmer bread for the first two, though) <S> split the loaf, spread with pesto (may need to thin first with extra olive oil), close back up, wrap in foil, and bake. <A> You have a few other options than your specialty powder: <S> Look at the ingredients on your garlic bread powder. <S> They probably include at least garlic powder and salt. <S> You can make your own "garlic bread powder" by mixing these spices and then sprinkling them over your dish. <S> Garlic powder is going to be more versatile then a special purpose mix. <S> For example, garlic powder is a key component in many spice rubs for meat. <S> Instead of using powder, finely mince some garlic itself. <S> Heat oil until just warm and add minced garlic. <S> Let sit for a while to infuse. <S> Strain out garlic, pour over toasted bread. <S> Add a small amount of finely minced garlic to melted butter. <S> Spread over toasted bread. <S> Less garlic is definitely more here. <S> You asked if you can make your own garlic powder. <S> The answer is yes. <S> Completely dehydrate some garlic (a dehydrator would be useful here) and crush it with a mortal and pestle or in a food processor. <A> Raw garlic can be over powering and have a odd after taste and although I have just minced garlic and butter together for garlic bread <S> I've found the garlic doesn't cook. <S> Instead if you have time I'd recommend roasting the garlic first and add the cooked content to the butter, or gently frying the garlic. <S> Finely chopped parsley is good to add at the end too! <A> You can use crushed garlic instead. <S> Mince a clove or two of garlic and then crush it with either the flat of your knife or the back of a spoon. <S> This is unrelated to replicating garlic powder, but topping the bread with mozzarella cheese and various Italian spices is also delicious :)
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For quick & easy garlic bread, I'll toast the bread first, and then scrub a clove of garlic over it, finishing with butter or oil.
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What should I look for in a cooking pan for Risotto? I just moved across country and basically sold everything I own including my cooking pans. I used to use a medium-high sided two handled pan that I cannot find an image for to show you. It worked for my purposes but I am generally cooking risotto for six and it never held enough and I would end up with some of my grains still on the crunchy side. I tried a larger around pan and it would not heat evenly enough on a conventional range. In a moment of desperation I tried using a wok, that was not a good idea. In any case I find myself on the hunt for a good pan to use that will handle six servings and heat evenly, I know I could cook in batches but I am generally just trying to get dinner on the table. I am also aware that pans are subjective but with such a price range difference out there I don't have the money to experiment. <Q> I suggest getting a quality stainless clad saute pan or saucier. <S> saute pan shown here: <S> Unless you're serving huge portions <S> this is plenty of room for 6 servings of risotto. <S> There are larger options available though, including a mammoth 14" 6 quart one. <S> This pan easily does 90% of the work in my kitchen, so at any price it carries its weight in the kitchen. <S> That said, this past Christmas I got the All-Clad 3 qt. <S> copper-core saucier shown here: <S> It's a very close matchup, but this pan is perfect for making risotto. <S> The higher sides are a definite benefit, but you don't sacrifice much in flat surface area. <S> The copper core is amazingly responsive, noticeably more so than aluminum. <S> It's obviously rather expensive, so if you're uncomfortable spending that much on a pan <S> I'd suggest getting one of their regular 3 qt sauciers -- you'll spend at least half as much. <S> If I only had one pan in my kitchen though, I think I'd still go back to the saute pan above. <S> Its versatility is just unmatched. <S> Regarding your concerns that a wider pan won't heat as evenly, this is generally true for a cheaper pan. <S> However, All-Clad pans use magic to bond a layer of aluminum (or copper) between a layer of magnetic stainless (exterior) and 18/10 stainless (interior). <S> The end result is a very even heat which you can actually confirm with an infrared thermometer. <A> I have an enameled cast iron stockpot that works very well. <S> Need to make sure to start it on low heat and give it time to warm up otherwise the pot will get too hot. <A> It has to be thick, so it heats evenly and doesn't deform easily. <S> The material is less important, but going from good to excellent (cheaper to more expensive) <S> you should look at: Seasoned cast iron. <S> Heavy copper top-coated with stainless steel. <S> Look at what the Curious Cook has to say. <A> I usually just use a 5-6 quart stainless steel pot . <S> Your cook time will go up (it pretty much has to when you're cooking in quantity), but it should fill the need. <S> If your rice is still crunchy, keep adding liquid. <S> Rissoto doesn't really have a definite cooking time. <S> If you get something with lower sides and a wider bottom, you're going to end up with cool spots (as you discovered). <A> I have already selected an answer for this question <S> but I came across more information and thought I would share for the sake of completeness. <S> I picked up a book at the library called Things Cooks Love, Here on Amazon. <S> And it is a book written by the people at Sur la Table, which is from Pike Place Market here in Seattle, WA. <S> That is the background now here is the relevance. <S> Apparently there is a Risotto Pan, here is the definition from the book: The traditional copper risotto pan has a thin tin lining and a removable steel bale <S> handle that in the past was used to suspend the pan over a cooking fire. <S> The straight sides and broad cooking surface provide ample room for stirring and even heat distribution. <S> There is also a page dedicated to the pan and possible pan substitions, that I will not include here, but it is on page 287 if you have the book. <S> Apparently there is also a special wooden risotto spoon that has a pointed tip and a hole in the bowl. <A> It holds heat far better than anything else, guaranteeing a constant temperature. <S> Of course, this is because of cast iron's mass, which means the pots are heavy - possibly a deal-breaker for some. <S> I like Staub's products best, though they're expensive. <S> They're attractive, and can go right on the table. <S> I use one like this for risotto: (comes in sizes from 2.75 to 9 quarts) <A> For years I have used a 3 quart non stick saute pan by Calphalon (in fact I made lobster risotto last night). <S> I always had great results using this pan, and use it exclusively for making risotto. <S> However, I recently upgraded to a conduction cook top, and the Calphalon pan will no longer be an option as it is aluminum. <S> I recently purchased an All Clad stainless steel cookware set that comes with a 3 quart saute pan. <S> Although it is NOT non stick, I am sure it will do well for risotto. <S> As mentioned in previous posts, when making risotto you should heat your pan slowly and take your time. <S> Risotto is a work of art and the best part of making it is enjoying a great glass of wine with your guests while stirring (I often encourage my guests to help with stirring while I see to other parts of the meal). <S> Cheers - Gerard
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For years I made risotto in the All-Clad 3 qt. More and more, I've taken to using heavy cast iron cookware. The important part of a good pan is the bottom. Aluminum sandwiched between layers of stainless steel.
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Can I put frozen meat in a slow cooker? I was wondering if I can put meat directly from the freezer into a slow-cooker. I want to be able to put chicken in the slow-cooker without having to let it defrost for a whole day in the fridge. It is possible? <Q> Per the USDA guidelines , frozen chicken should not be cooked in a slow-cooker or a microwave. <S> It can only safely be cooked in the oven or on the stovetop. <S> A similar warning is given for beef as well. <A> According to the makers of Crock-Pot, "Frozen meats: Can be cooked in a slow cooker, however, it is best to use the following guidelines: Add at least 1 cup of warm liquid to the stoneware before placing meat in the stoneware. <S> Do not preheat the slow cooker. <S> Cook recipes containing frozen meats for an additional 4 to 6 hours on Low, or an additional 2 hours on High." <S> I've done it successfully with smaller amounts of meat, but I once cooked a roast that was probably at least 4 pounds without defrosting it and that did not go very well (nothing terrible, but my husband and I both got a bit sick after eating it). <A> http://amath.colorado.edu/~baldwind/sous-vide.html is your best source for the ways in which meat can be cooked safely at low temperatures. <S> Look at the tables in section 2 to see how long it takes for tender meat to come directly to temperature at various heats, then later tables for time to pasteurization for meat held at various temperatures (for chicken, table 4.7). <S> I would tend to recommend against whole chickens in the slow cooker because of the large thickness, but just breast or something should be ok as long as you're on a relatively high setting and you leave it in for at least eleven hours. <A> Slow cookers now cook at higher temperatures than the original ones. <S> When I was first married, if I cooked frozen meats in my crockpot, the safety of the meat always seemed questionable and I got sick a time or two. <S> With the slow cookers I have purchased in the last ten years, I have been able to cook frozen meat on high without a problem and even low heat cooks hot. <S> In fact, I have burned food trying to cook foods on keep warm (not recommended by manufacturer). <A> That being said I have no problems putting frozen london broil into my slowcooker on low for 10+ hours. <S> Makes for an easy no fuss, no thought meal <S> and I have had no ill effects. <S> Personally I would not be comfortable doing a whole frozen chicken because of how dense they are and <S> how long they take to defrost. <A> Crock pot cookbooks says yes. <S> Should be boiling water so can equalize heat. <S> I've cooked both frozen chicken and frozen beef, 9 hours on low. <S> Done for years for large parties and family. <A> I think the safest way to be sure is to microwave a little first <A> I have cooked frozen chicken breast in the crock pot for years. <S> No one has ever been sick from eating it. <S> I make pulled buffalo chicken for 5 hours on low and then 2 hours on high. <S> I think the important rule to remember is to cook the meat to the recommended USDA temperature for whatever meat you cook.
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USDA guidlines indicate that you should not put frozen meat directly into the crockpot.
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What to consider when learning to make sushi at home? I like eating sushi and think it would be a fun experiment to attempt making sushi at home. I've seen rolls put together in a restaurant a couple times - looks so simple! I've heard it is difficult though. I'm wondering if there any special utensils that I would need to make sushi rolls aside from basics found in most kitchens? Is it the kind of thing that I should look for a kit? I'm also curious if there is anything recommended for beginning - certain ingredients to use (perhaps on the cheaper side to get started), etc. Maybe some gotchas to avoid. I've been looking for a guide, potentially with detailed pictures to get started with, but nothing has hit the spot yet. <Q> There are a few tools you should have that are out of the ordinary in a typical American kitchen: <S> Sushi rolling mat <S> - It's really the only way to make maki (rolls). <S> Pro tip: when you use it, put it inside of a large zip-loc bag. <S> This helps prevent the rice sticking to the mat. <S> Wooden sushi bowl - <S> This is essential in helping the rice turn out properly. <S> The one I linked includes a free mat. <S> I don't own this particular brand; I bought mine from an asian grocery store near me for like $30, it came with a paddle. <S> If you don't want to commit to this large uni-tasker <S> then I recommend using an equally large shallow-ish plastic bowl/dish. <S> The sushi chef that taught me said plastic was OK, but to avoid glass or metal. <S> Quality rice cooker <S> - A quality rice cooker makes life amazingly easier. <S> I own the one linked and it is amazing . <S> I use it for cooking all of my rice. <S> The quality of Zojirushi is simply unsurpassed and it quickly pays for itself. <S> It makes cutting the maki SO much easier. <S> I can't stress this enough. <S> A chef's knife is just fine, but it should be well cared for and very sharp. <S> For beginners nigiri-zushi is by far the easiest to make. <S> You simply shape a small amount of rice in the palm of your hand and slap a piece of fish or other seafood on top of it. <S> Cutting the fish for nigiri is an artform and cannot be adequately conveyed here, but if you just hack out a thin piece of the right size it will taste fine. <S> Tuna and salmon are relatively cheap cuts to use for this. <S> For maki I suggest starting with spicy tuna rolls and California rolls. <S> All you need for a California roll is: avocado, cucumber, and imitation crab meat. <S> For spicy tuna mix you need: tuna, kewpie mayo , and shichimi togaroshi (or nanami togaroshi ). <S> You may also want some tobiko and/or masago roe for the outside of your rolls. <A> One thing that will be very important, is a good supply of fresh fish. <S> and this can be quite difficult. <S> In St Louis, try Bob's Seafood located 170 and Olive. <S> They supply a number of restaurants in the area. <S> By the way, I'm not affiliated with Bob's! <S> They're just good. <A> Yes. <S> If you want to make maki (rolls), you will need a sushi mat--thin pieces of bamboo bound with string. <S> You will need razorblades for knives. <S> Seriously, Japanese chefs keep their knives even sharper than I do, and I can actually shave hair off my arm with mine. <A> In addition to the answers here <S> I find that getting the rice seasoning right is actually the hardest part and it can make all the difference between good and great sushi <S> Also using good Japanese soy is a must (it is quite expensive though) <A> Any Japanese sushi snob places a GREAT (I have only recently come to understand the importance of this) deal of importance placed on the rice - <S> the quality, flavor and consistency must be top notch. <S> You could use the best fish imaginable, but if it's on crummy sushi rice, it's not good sushi. <S> At least to a true Japanese sushi elitist... (like my mom).
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You will need a rice cooker or a lot of patience for making the sushi rice properly. The single most important thing is a very sharp knife .
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How long do eggs last in the refrigerator out of the shell? I dropped my carton of eggs when putting away groceries. The eggs were broken severely enough that the internal membrane ruptured and I had to remove them from their shells. I went ahead and used these eggs right away (changed dinner plans to quiche). If I just cracked the eggs into a bowl, covered and refrigerated it, how long would they last and still be safe to eat? <Q> Eggs will last two to four days in the refrigerator. <S> Source: <S> StillTasty ( yolk & white ) <A> When keeping an egg out of the shell after one day the egg in the container looks awful. <S> Eggs arereletively inexpensive. <S> I either change my breakfast menu from sunny side up to scrambled or omelet. <S> Or I just toss it. <A> Easy, pour them into a container so it fills to the top, put the lid on tightly and freeze. <S> This way they don't get all funky looking. <S> Can also take them out of the freezer, wrap them up in clothing and take them to use hiking. <S> Less mess this way. <S> Yum, yum, eat em up...
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When ready to use them, place them in the fridge and once defrosted use them.
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Can I use cookie cutter shapes in a frying pan? Was thinking how to spice up our pancakes and eggs for the little ones and remember seeing pancakes in various shapes before. Do people put them right in the pan or bring them out and then cut them after they've been already cooked? I was thinking the same possibility for eggs too. Then I got to thinking whether or not it was safe to put them in the pan. Let's assume I have cheapo dollar store shapes and not the higher end stainless steel ones. <Q> In general places that do this with pancakes do not cut-out, but indeed use a mold or the like. <S> The scrambled eggs would likely look fine "cut", but part of a pancake is the edge, even if it is modified by touching the edge of the mold. <S> So long as the mold is metal, your dollar-store purchases should be fine. <S> You will likely need to oil/butter them in some way so that the product - batter or egg - does not stick to the metal itself. <A> I'm not sure that putting anything plastic from the dollar store in a hot frying pan is a good idea. <S> Not only will they probably melt (which may ruin your frying pan), they probably also contain BPA, which is released when plastic containing the chemical is heated. <S> That may or may not be a problem for you, but <S> either way I would suggest just getting some cookie cutters off amazon or something instead. <S> Edit: I did some quick amazon searching and saw that you can get the Fox Run Dinosaur Cookie Cutter Set , Fox Run Marine Life Cookie Cutter Set , and Fox Run Farm Animal Cookie Cutter Set (all metal) as a combo for $19.93. <S> If you're looking for cheapness, that works out to ~$1.10/cutter, which really isnt bad. <S> Hell, I'm technically an adult now and I'm tempted. <S> Dinosaur shaped pancakes/cookies/ <S> whatever I can cut with those would be awesome. <A> Don't use plastic ones for heating! <S> I am not even sure about cheap metal ones. <S> I have used Wilton's cookie cutters with the nice rubber grip; they work great! <S> Get them with 40% coupon or after season sales :) <S> I like them because you have something to hold on to even when the metal is hot.
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I have myself used clean old tuna tins to make round "self-contained" fried eggs for a home version of a McMuffin.
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How do you prepare bacalhau before cooking? A specialty grocery store recently started to sell bacalhau (heavily salted cod fish). I am guessing that a recipe I have for baked codfish would work. Since it is so heavily salted, what should I do to prepare it for cooking? <Q> Basically it depends on how much salt (not how little water) there is in the fish. <S> Here in Galicia and northern Portugal we usually soak it for 12 hours or so, changing the water once or twice. <S> That will yield a slightly salty and tangy fish. <S> If you don't like the salty edge and prefer it blander, soak it for 18 hours or so. <A> This answer is useful in the case you do not have much time (12 hours, or even days) to let the cod fish soak in water (put water, wait, change water, repeat). <S> There is a nice trick to prepare it in less time. <S> Just that: put the cod fish and vegetables in water and boil them. <S> One particular good vegetable at absorbing the salt is cauliflower . <S> Well, actually, don't do this right away with the super-salty cod fish, it is worth to just soak it a few times with warm water (no waiting needed). <S> The boiling time depends on your taste. <S> The longer the less saltier. <S> After boiling it, in case it was not for long long time (i.e., the vegetables still have nice consistency), you can actually eat the vegetables. <S> One great way to do this is by adding vegetables that would complete the dish, so it is two in one, e.g., cauliflower, potatoes, broccoli, chickpeas (garbanzo beans). <S> Enjoy. <S> Image source: www.soguima.com <A> Depends on the dryness of it. <S> Sometimes it's completely dessicated, which means you need to soak it for a couple of days, changing the water frequently. <S> Sometimes it's a bit moist and spongy, in which case you can shorten the soaking to about 24 hours, again changing the water frequently. <S> Or, you can just buy fresh cod.
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Boil it with vegetables.
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how to peel a pomegranate efficiently? Two well known facts about pomegranates: they are yummy they are a pain to peel by hand do you know of any efficient ways to peel pomegranates? by efficient i mean two things: quick minimum number of 'hurt' arils be blessed <Q> Even easier than Michael's way: Quarter the pomegranate. <S> Hold it over a bowl of water, seeds down, and spank it repeatedly with the flat of a large knife. <S> Done. <S> (The water makes separation of pith and seeds easier; the latter sink and the former floats). <A> Why peel it? <S> Works fine. <S> Tedious but about as efficient as it gets. <S> Some people like to do this under water in a bowl, but I haven't found it to give any great advantage. <A> Two steps: <S> Roll the pomegranate while pressing on it with your wrist. <S> Rolling + pressing releases the arils. <S> Cut pomegranate in half, hold each half over a bowl, seeds down, and spank with a spoon or a cup. <S> I saw it here . <S> It's in Hebrew, but you can look at the pictures and the video. <S> Try it, it works! <A> Learned this method after watching a video mentioned on Reddit : <S> Wash the fruit and the knife and the large bowl. <S> Select a heavier table spoon will make it easier to extract the seeds. <S> Score fruit about 3mm deep from stem to blossom along the ridges. <S> Make a 3mm deep cut all the way around the circumference. <S> Position the cut about 10mm above the widest part will make the next step very slightly easier than if the cut is directly on the circumference. <S> Use the curvy part of the knife will make it easier to control the depth of the cut. <S> If any juice flows out then you've cut too deep. <S> Insert the tip of the knife into the flat part of the fruit where you've made the thin slice to make a triangular cut that is 10mm deep and 15mm wide. <S> The deepest part of the triangle cut should be located midpoint between two ridges of the fruit. <S> If your knife's tip can create that cut just by simple insertion then that would be the best. <S> The insertion is to cut the white fleshy part of the fruit. <S> If any juice comes out then you've cut too deep or cut the wrong place. <A> Every pomegranate has six ridges running from top to bottom which define the natural segments of the fruit. <S> First slice off the top and bottom of the outer skin, then lightly score along the ridges. <S> This will allow you to gently pull the sections apart, exposing the tasty goodness inside without any mess at all. <S> This is by far the easiest and cleanest method I've tried, but you need to be gentle. <A> I know this question already has a lot of answers, but for some reason everyone is overcomplicating it... <S> I personally learned from this video , and it works every single time. <S> Cut it in half. <S> Hold it in a bowl of a water and break into quarters by hand. <S> Rub kernels with thumbs, and they'll separate from membrane easily. <S> The bitter membrane floats to the top of the water, so just drain the liquid with the membrane, and you're done. <S> No spanking, no peeling, and a single cut. <S> It might help to squeeze it a bit under water, but that's it. <S> The only time that this method didn't work for me was when I had an unripe pomegranate and the membrane stuck stubbornly to the kernels.
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I cut or break the pomegranate in quarters, then just sort of bend a quarter backwards towards the peel side to start breaking out the arils, and then pick loosen them with my fingers.
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What does it mean to 'salt' a steak prior to frying? I see some references on this site to 'salting' a steak before frying it. What does this mean? Should I coat the steak in salt? I can imagine that would result in a very salty steak! <Q> Yes that's exactly what it means, apply salt to the steak. <S> You shouldn't coat it, but you should apply salt very liberally. <S> It's actually hard to over-salt a steak; many inexperienced cooks actually underseason the steak. <S> I suggest about 1 tsp per side for a good ribeye. <S> Salt it about 10-15 minutes prior. <A> The steak won't absorb the salt, so even if you over do it the result won't be nearly as bad as you think, you'll only have a salty residue on the exterior of the steak. <S> Benefits of salting before you cook: <S> Some of the moisture in the meat will be pulled out by the salt, and help to concentrate the flavors of the steak <S> Having salt on the exterior helps the transfer of heat and creating a crust that forms on the outside of the steak. <A> If you salt your steak in advance of cooking, the salt starts to change some of the proteins in it and this can lead to improved tenderness and juiciness. <S> However, this article at Serious Eats: The Food Lab: <S> More Tips For Perfect Steaks talks about salting time, and explains how you have to either salt your meat immediately before cooking, or leave it for a significant period of time to allow the salt to have its effect. <S> I'm not going to repeat that content here, but I've done both <S> and there definitely is a difference if you salt your steak and leave it for 40 minutes before you cook it, noticeable all the way through the meat. <S> But be careful, it is possible to over-salt the meat especially if you're using table salt. <S> I haven't figured out exactly why that's the case, but it does seem to be. <S> The most obvious reason is that by volume, table salt weighs a lot heavier than kosher or flaked salt because it packs more densely, and most people salt by volume... <A> I thickly coat the steak in salt for an hour, then rinse it off. <S> Works great. <A> Read this, it will clear up all the mystery: How to Make Steak Tender ( http://www.ehow.com/how_4539892_make-steak-tender.html ) <S> The first step to make steak tender is to pile on the kosher or sea salt. <S> You want the steaks to be completely saturated in the kosher salt. <S> Salt pulls moisture out of the meat and then dissolves some of the salt, absorbing it back into the meat. <S> The salt relaxes the proteins in the meat, resulting in a tender, juicy steak. <S> So don't worry about how much kosher salt you put on. <S> You want around 1/2 teaspoon per steak, possibly more if your steaks are really thick. <S> If your steaks are thinner, use less.
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Salting the steak isn't just about making it taste salty - although a bit of saltiness is great for the flavour.
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Are there any cooking techniques that employ "Dry Ice"? I was watching a cooking show and one of the chefs used dry ice to "flash freeze" some fruit for a dessert - are there any other uses for Dry Ice that can be employed in preparing different foods? Obviously, you can't eat Dry Ice, so my question is based on using it as a Cooking Technique, not as a recipe. I never noticed before, but my neighborhood grocery store (Large Regional Branch) sells it.... <Q> Yes, you can use it to carry aromas in modernist presentation or to make an anti-griddle (for making rapidly frozen items with a liquid center). <A> There aren't a huge number of uses for dry ice that I know of. <S> One of the big ones is that it's a traditional way to carbonate certain beverages. <S> I've seen root beer made by taking the flat root beer base and dropping dry ice chips in. <S> It sublimates and then the gas goes into solution. <S> You could certainly use it for that. <S> Other than that <S> , it's a good way to keep things frozen during shipping. <S> It'll keep stuff deep-frozen, whereas water ice will keep everything at exactly 32 F, which is not that useful. <A> You will need the ice itself to be pulverized, then pour it into your liquid ice cream base in a mixer with the paddle attachment running. <S> Same concept as liquid nitrogen ice cream, but with mixed results <S> (according to a friend who has one it; I have never done it myself).
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It is possible, though tricky, to make ice cream using dry ice.
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How do you score pork skin? We cooked some pork belly over the weekend and part of the recipe is to "score the skin". We have some sharp knives but nothing really worked well. It was really a battle to cut the skin. We even tried out some sharp scissors! If you don't score the skin, you don't really get decent crackling. Is there some technique to doing this? <Q> I recommend (and use) a utility knife . <S> Not only are they fairly tough and sharp, you can adjust the blade to the depth you need (you don't want to cut too deep). <S> And the blades are cheap to replace... <S> As others have noted in the comments, be careful with this as you would with any knife: the blades may be small, but they're quite sharp. <A> I also used a long knife [see image] which was sharpened on a grinder but that did not help either. <S> It had a jagged or rough edge which made the same mess as micro-serrations. <S> The fatty meat clogs up the cutting edge and makes it in effect blunt. <S> Then I took the same knife and buffed the edge with a buffing wheel on a grinder, until it was shiny smooth and would hack on its own weight at 25 degrees into my thumbnail, and that did the trick! <S> A tip: <S> Semi-freeze the belly in order for the skin to be hard and it will be much easier to cut. <S> The alternative is ask your butcher to cut small squares as they usually cut a few big squares, which is not what you want. <A> The utility knife that Knives mentioned work fine, and they're pretty cheap at the hardware store, but I tend to have roofing tar or the like on any of the ones I have (and the snap blade knives <S> I don't want to disassemble to clean after using for food) <S> As I don't put them against a cutting board very often, they keep their edge. <S> I even use one of my less expensive knifes (Wustof Silverpoint), because it's got a thinner blade). <S> I don't hold it by the handle, though -- I pinch either side of the blade, and let just enough of the tip be exposed to cut to the depth I want. <S> Don't use a "micro-serated" blade for this, it grabs too much and will make a mess. <S> I don't even know that you'd want a serated blade, just a good, sharp, small knife. <A> Completely random, but use a scalpel like the ones Surgeons use. <S> you would be blown away how clean and controlled you can score, and you don't even need to semi-freeze as some have suggested. <S> mmm crackling.. <S> I had a recipe that called for using a hairdryer. <S> Made the best crackling ever with that. <A> Freeze the belly. <S> Set skin side up in a bowl. <S> As soon as skin thaws cut with very sharp long knife. <S> 18 inch blade. <S> Your pig sticker for going into the heart when you butcher. <S> Long cuts mild pressure May have to cut more than once down grove made. <A> This doesn't make sense to me. <S> I've always used my 10" Henkels carving knife. <S> I just hone it really well, and drag it over the skin with mild pressure. <S> It takes a couple of passes, but it does work. <A> use a pork scorer - 3 bladed cutter designed for scoring pork <A> This is why you need a good sharp knife in your kitchen. <S> I moved on to good japanese knives and sharpening/honing wet stones (Naniwa super stones) to give it a rasor edge, literally. <S> Japanese knives needen't be expensive, they are available from €50,- onwards, you just need to know what to buy <S> ; look for blue steel and use sharpening wet stones only! <S> no steel like the butcher does, this steel is too hard, and can chip, so also no bone or frozen food chopping, Enjoy and look where you cut! <S> I have been to the hospital just once, steep learning curve.
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I tried a utility knife in the past but that was no good. I've only done it for ham, so I don't know if other parts are worse to cut through, but I just use a paring knife.
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What is that gooey stuff from okra? When cooking okra in a bit of water, the water becomes gooey. What does the okra release that makes the water slimy? Would the goo have other culinary uses (as an additive to thicken sauces or improve the texture of ice-creams)? <Q> The slime is called mucilage. <S> It is around the seeds on the inside of the pod. <S> It is made of protein and carbohydrates including fiber. <S> Besides this, I've only ever seen it referred to as an annoyance and avoided by leaving the pod whole or dry cooking like frying. <S> I imagine there could be some creative halloween uses of mucilage but those would be off topic for this site. <S> :) <S> EDIT <S> I was embarrassed that this answer was the accepted answer. <S> I don't like answers that are (as mine was) " <S> no that isn't possible because I've never heard of it. <S> " I was hoping someone else would shatter my world with some amazing new use of okra slime. <S> My curiosity piqued I used some of my copious free time while code compiled to do some more research. <S> I was able to find a couple of non traditional okra recipes that seemed interesting- <S> such as candied okra slices or using the seeds from pickled okra as a caviar-like dish. <S> But none of them took advantage of the mucilage- <S> they all avoided it. <S> Carbohydrate based mucilage is used in ice cream and for other reasons. <S> I found the following study about food health that did experiments with replacing milk fat with specifically okra mucilage (they refer to it as "okra gum") Okra gum is acceptable milk-fat ingredient substitute in dessert <S> Two pertinent quotes: "Although not currently produced by food manufacturers, previous studies produced fat-free chocolate bar cookies with acceptable sensory characteristics using okra gum as a fat ingredient substitute." <S> "Specifically, color and smell of frozen dairy desserts containing okra gum replacement for milk fat did not significantly differ from the control product. <S> Texture, flavor, aftertaste, and overall acceptability ratings also averaged five or higher (neutral to like) for all products." <S> The study was about replacing milk fat where I think it would be more interesting as an enhancer as you asked in your question. <S> It seems perfectly reasonable that okra mucilage could find a place in more modern recipes. <S> But I couldn't find anyone doing it. <A> While researching okra for an article (I'm a freelance writer) <S> I came across this page by seridipity and thought I'd share what I've found (so far) in my quest: The mucilage in okra is a desired trait in West African (and, by extension, Brazilian, Caribbean and southeastern U.S.) cuisine. <S> Baobab leaves also produce mucilage when cooked. <S> It is used as a thickening agent in soups, stews and some stuffed okra pod dishes (also in South and Southeast Asia). <S> The only other use I've found is as a hair conditioner, which is a traditional Indian treatment that has become into some use in the United States. <S> There's some investigation into using it industrially as a low-friction lubricant. <S> Bryan Johnson <A> I boil the sliced okra, cool it, then strain to get the goo.
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I am experimenting with using okra goo as an organic "sticker" or adhesive, used to hold the inoculate on pea seeds. The mucilage is (as you alluded in your question) used for thickening gumbos and similar stews.
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Removing turmeric colour from mortar and pestle We have a large granite (I think) mortar and pestle, and while keeping it clean generally doesn't seem too difficult, I have absolutely no idea how to avoid it staining when it's used with turmeric powder when cooking curries. Generally, we'll ground the spices then add garlic and a little water to create a paste which is then fried; the only solution I can think of to avoid the yellow stain is to add the turmeric separately to the pan and leave it out of the mortar entirely. Would this work satisfactorily, or is there a way to get the colour from the mortar? <Q> Turmeric is an intense stain. <S> Another option is just to accept that the mortar may develop colors over time, and think of it as character. <A> this should remove most of the extra bits of the spice, but it may still leave a little bit of color. <S> if the color STILL bothers you, the only thing i can think of that isn't mentioned above is making a poultice like i do for my granite countertops. <S> here's a site with some pretty easy-to-follow instructions: http://www.mrscleanusa.com/en/cleaning-tips/stain-removal/granite-stain-removal.html <A> Apparently, if you washed the mortar with a mild soap and water, and let the mortar dry out in direct sunlight or a sunlamp for 5-10+ minutes, the stain will "magically" fade or completely disappear. <A> curcumin (the colour compound in turmeric) is broken down by UV light. <S> If the stain is the main issue here, leaving the mortar outside where it can receive sunlight directly (without going through a glass window) may be enough <A> Let it soak in vinegar for a day or two, then scrub. <S> Repeat process if there is still color remaining or let it sit for longer periods altogether (if nothing else, throw in a pinch of baking soda as well.] <S> this worked when i needed to remove a ginger stain. <S> But vinegar is considered acidic, so please use it as a last resort! <A> you might try soaking it in lemon juice or ammonia, too.
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I would use a little bit of bleach, let it sit until the stain disappears, then wash the mortar very thoroughly. if you're worried about extra tumeric getting into your spice mixes, i'd recommend adding a little bit of water (like 1 tsp) and grinding salt into the mortar.
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Is rare duck breast safe? Other forms of poultry are regarded as undercooked at the slightest sign of pink juices and yet it is common practice to cook duck so that it's medium rare. Is the risk of food poisoning significantly lower with duck meat than other birds? On the other hand, if we could be sure that a piece of chicken could was salmonella-free, would its texture and flavor be improved by not overcooking it? I expect the sight of pink would put most people off but if one could overcome that, could it actually taste better? <Q> Rare duck meat is safe to eat because it does NOT contain the same risk of Salmonella as does chicken meat. <S> Primarily because ducks, as mentioned above, have not traditionally been raised in the same squalid conditions as "factory raised" chickens - salmonella is a disease that is primarily transmitted through dirt/dirty unclean conditions. <S> Now, on the other hand, as more and more ducks are being raised in industrial conditions, they are also becoming more likely to contain strains of Salmonella. <A> <A> If you thought the broiler chicken industry "squalid" then you are in for one big shock when you find out about the commercial duck industry! <S> Sorry <S> but ponds with ducks waddling around is only for the very few free-range ones. <S> huge dark sheds with only water from nipple-drinkers, eye infections and misery is the norm for commercially reared ducks, so less likely to get salmonella? <S> I really don't think so. <A> They don't give reasons, but USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) do say that duck meat can remain pink, so long as it has reached an internal temperature of 165 F (74 C) throughout. <S> The same temperature requirement is given for chicken, but with the added note that for cosmetic reasons, people usually cook chicken more. <S> They also indicate that chicken is susceptible to a wider range of harmful bacteria than duck. <S> Duck and Goose Info Chicken Info <A> The reason for the salmonella warnings is because of the processing facilities not the chicken houses where the birds are raised. <S> All animals probably have some salmonella as part of their intestinal flora . <S> When you slaughter millions of birds in a given area over scores of years the bacterial portion of the local bio mass increases for obvious reasons . <S> Trying to disinfect the equipment the microbe become resistant to normal solutions. <S> What you end up with is a lot of highly evolved pathogens which are hard to kill. <S> A little carelessness during processing and you have an infected chicken carcass. <S> If you cook it thoroughly no problem and handle it carefully. <A> In the UK it's now Campylobacter <S> not salmonella <S> that's the main problem in Poultry. <S> Approx 50% of ducks are infected and 60% of chickens. <S> The pathogen is low dose and is not just found on the surface so searing won't get rid of it. <S> Cooking to around +75oC should effectively kill it but the duck won't be pink at that temperature. <S> It's often considered to be less of a risk than chicken (which most people serve cooked) <S> but in reality that's because less duck is consumed than chicken overall. <A> from the Vermont dept of Health: Salmonella organisms have been found in the stools of sick and apparently healthy people and animals. <S> Most domestic animals, including ducks, cattle, swine, dogs, cats, pet turtles and chicks have been found to carry and transmit salmonella. <S> The bacteria also has been found in a variety of wild animals. <S> Thorough hand washing after contact with animals is recommended to prevent salmonella transmission. <S> Contaminated water is also a possible source of salmonella infection.
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Yes, rare duck breast is safe and the risk is significantly lower, not least because ducks are not factory farmed in the same squalid and obscene conditions that chickens are.
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How do I stop the pressure cooker from clogging up when cooking lentils? When I cook yellow lentils at home, the valve of the pressure cooker seems to clog up. How do I prevent this? By clog up, I mean that the pressure cooker sits quietly on the burner and then all of a sudden there is a gush of steam coming from the valve. My pan is ten years old. I soak the lentils for a few hours, rinse, and add some oil and salt to the cooking water. The lentils and the water only take up the bottom quarter. <Q> You may need to add more oil, say a generous tablespoon. <S> Also, I don't think you should need to soak those lentils first, the pressure cooker should be more than able to take them apart without any advance soak. <S> Also be sure to use plenty of water. <S> At least 8 cups for 1 pound of beans. <A> make sure your pressure vent is unclogged. <S> I take a bamboo skewer and shave it down with a pen knife to be able to clean it. <S> make sure the regulator is clean. <S> I prefer the simple weighted regulator but the types do vary. <S> (and on the one I bought used, it was filthy with old dried red lentils underneath.) <S> Are you over-filling the pan? <S> On a six quart/liter cooker a pound of lentils doesn't even require the cooker to be half full of water, even if you don't presoak. <S> Never go over 2/3 full on any cooker when cooking any bean or pulse. <S> I use a "dash" of olive oil, which may be a over a tablespoon. <S> Don't have it on the stove on full blast. <S> My cooker has a pin that comes up to lock the lid on sign of first pressure. <S> Turn the stove down a bit before the weight starts to lift, and come up to full pressure a bit more slowly. <S> One of these will surely work for you. <A> I have noticed that if I cook the lentils with the seasonings and salt that the dish requires, the foaming is reduced. <S> The more the seasonings, the less foamy the lentils will be.
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One cooker I have you need to rotate, push down, and rotate further before it comes apart.
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How to rice potatoes I was wondering if anybody know a method to rice potatoes without them turning into mashed potatoes. When I do it to raw potatoes, they mush or just stay too crunchy and with cooked potatoes, just forget about it. What I am looking for is discrete, small bits of potato that will still have a pillowy mouth feel. One avenue that I haven't tried yet is starting from mashed, but I can't figure out a way to segregate the bits so that they won't reform into mashed potatoes once a fork hits them. <Q> What an interesting idea. <S> Essentially you're looking to make rice out of potatoes, yes? <S> I can see a couple of options. <S> You could make potato orzo (a small pasta that looks like rice) <S> I suppose; googling recipes for potato pasta should point you in the right direction. <S> You could also, I think use the reverse spherification method. <S> Make mash as you normally would, and then put it through a ricer into an alginate bath. <S> This should preserve the individual 'grains'. <S> You will need to have milk and/or cream in the mash to ensure there is enough calcium for the alginate to react with. <A> The amount of vinegar really depends on how firm one wants the potatoes to remain. <S> One to two tablespoons of cider vinegar per quart of cooking water is the range I use. <S> You might have to experiment because too much and the potatoes will actually be too hard to push through the ricer. <S> I recently read a Cooks Illustrated article that suggested the same trick and they gave a scientific explanation why it works. <S> Now, there are a couple of problems for your application. <S> One is the vinegar really flavors the potatoes, which works well for potato salad, but may not work for your application. <S> Two is that I cut the potatoes up into the size I want for the salad before I cook. <S> This wouldn't work for ricing. <S> It remains to be seen if you can get enough surface area on the potatoes for the vinegar to reach and still be big enough to rice well. <A> How about grating the potatoes as one would do for a rosti? <S> This recipe suggests 'cutting into matchsticks', but I think life is way to short for such ventures. <S> Just use a grater! <S> Rosti is pancake-like as its allowed to flatten into a mass. <S> If you blanch and then stir-fry your gratings in clarified butter (ghee) and keep them moving they'll stay separate. <S> Like little crunchy, soft-in-the-middle nano-chips. <S> ;-) <A> Perhaps tiny potato gnocchi would suit your purposes? <S> Of course, this would be a time consuming process. <S> If you have a pasta extruder you could shape via the extruder rather than by hand, or make spaghetti via a roller and cut it.
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A technique I discovered to keep my potato salad from turning to mush is to add vinegar to the cooking water (I also add some sugar and quite a bit of salt to balance it out).
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What is the difference between shawarma and gyros? I see both of these terms used in restaurants that seem to specialize in meat on a vertical rotisserie served in a pita sandwich. I'm not clear on whether there is a difference between the two or if they are just colloquial names for the same thing. <Q> They're rather different. <S> They are simply meat, tomatoes, onion, and tzatziki sauce on pita. <S> In Greece the meat is typically pork (never had one). <S> In America, specifically here in Chicago (their local origin), the meat is a combination of beef & lamb. <S> Shwawarma is Middle Eastern in origin. <S> The possible toppings are much more diverse, and can include: tahini, tabouli, fattoush, cucumber, and hummus. <S> Tzatziki isn't typically used, at least not in America. <S> The meat is also never pork, it can be lamb, beef or chicken. <S> They owe their similarities to their common Turkish ancestor the doner kebab . <S> See also: <S> Doner kebab Gyros <S> Shawarma <A> As sarge_smith hinted at in his comment to hobodave, at least from the gyros and shwarmas I've had. <S> (this might be a regional thing, though) <S> Shawarmas (and doner kebab) are cuts of meat, marinated and stacked, then spit roasted. <S> As you slice the shawarma meat off the cone, you're cutting across the stacked slices, so it'll end up falling into lots of smaller bits, while the gyro meat is larger slices, but still tender because it's ground meat. <S> Gyros tend to have more "mediteranian" herbs (oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary) Shawarmas tend to have more "middle eastern" spices (cardamom, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seed, tumeric) <S> Either one might have cumin, pepper or oregano, and they'll both have garlic. <S> I don't know how much of it's a regional thing (as I think I've only had shawarmas twice in the US), but when we used to get shawarmas in the Netherlands, they were served with a garlic yoghurt sauce that was similar to tzatziki, but didn't have cucumber or herbs in it. <S> They were also served inside pita pockets (with shredded carrot, lettuce and tomatoes) as opposed to wrapped in a flatbread. <A> I have many times been to Greece and have had gyros there and they are not ground meat <S> but just like the shawarma <S> it's pieces of meat stacked and roasted. <S> Difference is just like the others say spices and the toppings that go into the pita. <S> Also gyros in Greece are almost always pork meat. <A> Greek gyros is always cuts of meat, not homogenised with herbs etc. <S> like a donner kebab, and comes as either pork, or less commonly, chicken. <S> In the UK what is described as 'chicken donner' or 'chicken shawarma' is almost always very similar to what is called 'chicken gyros' in Greece in terms of the meat and its appearance, though spices etc are different and it will probably be served with different salads. <A> I'm a chef, trained by "off the boat" greeks, and gyro is lamb/beef..not pork, and I find it hard to believe that the Greek family that I was trained under would be making gyro wrong.. <S> American style is typically in a "cone" meat form, and Greek style is stacked/layered meat, then sliced as the others said.. <S> souvlaki is typically pork, which is different than gyro.. <A> Gyros are not usually pork. <S> in Greece, they are wrapped lamb and beef with proper spices skewered and roasted. <S> In America, I have made them with ground lamb and hambburger.
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Gyros are made from a loaf of ground meat, onions and seasonings, spit roasted. Gyros are Greek in origin.
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What is substitute for rum in baking? Some cake recipes calls for rum, and there is none available. How to substitute? If possible, it should be non-alcoholic. Also, what is its role in baking or cooking? <Q> The most accurate substitution would simply be rum extract . <S> It is concentrated rum with a huge kick of flavor, and much less alcohol. <S> A little goes a long way. <S> If you're going to stick with a strong liquor my first choice would be a bourbon , it's a similarly "sweet" liquor that tastes good in baking. <S> Another good option would be cachaça . <S> If you're avoiding liquor, then you may be able to use vanilla extract. <S> Non-alcoholic varieties are available. <S> According to Ochef <S> you can also use molasses thinned with pineapple juice. <S> The rum is used simply for flavor. <A> Apart from flavour, spirits can play another role: adding temporary moisture that can be useful in the mixing process. <S> Spirits add water and alcohol, which allows you to mix the ingredients, but the alcohol will evaporate in the oven, so the baked dessert will not have all that moisture. <S> I read a recipe in Cooks Illustrated where they replaced water with vodka to get a better dough for pies, but I never used that for cakes. <S> If the texture of the cake without rum works, you need it only for flavour, you can use another spirit or spice for that. <A> Unless your recipe includes the word 'flambe', its role is purely flavour and nothing more.
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As rum is derived from sugar, you could--bearing in mind the other aspects of your recipe--substitute molasses, caramel, or just leave it out.
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How long should I keep a cut onion? Since I only cook for one or two, I will tend to buy an onion and only use part of it, and then keep the rest in the fridge. Sometimes it will be a while before I use the rest. Is there any guidance on when I should finally just throw it out? What are the signs to look for? What degradations should I expect to trade off against constantly throwing out half an onion (decreased flavor, increased bitterness)? <Q> For particularly pungent onions they go in the crisper drawer to keep the smell from being too strong in the rest of the fridge, but usually they're just on one of the shelves. <S> Stilltasty says <S> 2-3 days but my personal experience says otherwise. <S> Generally in our house, they don't last long enough for the flavor to degrade too much, but they will get a little dried and the smell will get stronger over time. <S> After a week, they shouldn't be bad in the sense that you'll get sick - but you'll want to use them in a meal where the onion is the star, as the aroma will take over the dish. <S> Another option that I'm a big fan of is to dice or strip the leftovers (or, a 5 lb bag at once!) and freeze them on a cookie sheet (instead of in a bag, where they'll turn into a giant clump). <S> Once fully frozen, dump them into a plastic freezer bag, and store in the freezer for easy access to a handful at a time. <S> For most applications, you can defrost them right in the pan/pot/casserole as you cook, so they're very handy and accessible. <S> We do the same with peppers in our house for convenience. <A> I've had good luck with sealed glass containers ... including when storing sliced or diced onions. <S> I find that plastic containers can start to pick up the onion smell if you leave onion in there for too long. <S> I've kept a halved, but otherwise in one piece, onion for over a week. <S> If it dries out a little, you can always just take a slice off the cut side. <S> Cut up onion can keep for about a week, but it helps to have used a sharp knife -- a dull knive damages more cells and it'll start to break down faster. <S> (and if it's sharp enough, you can slice it up, but keep the shape, so there's no extra exposed cut surface to lose moisture from). <S> The more damage you do to the cells, the stronger the 'oniony' smells will get. <S> My judge on if it's still okay to use is to look at it -- <S> if it's gone translucent, smells funny or looks funny (including dried out), I pitch it. <A> If you have no container, you can also use a piece of plastic clinging wrap to cover the cut part. <S> If you notice that the cut dries out or does not look appetizing anymore, simply cut of one thin slice and presto, it's fresh and juicy again. <A> Another option is to caramelize one or two onions in a frying pan, and then freeze the pre-cooked onions in smaller portions. <S> (I tend not to like cooking with frozen onions, since the extra water will steam the onions rather than allow them to cook at the higher temperature you could achieve without the extra water. <A> A couple of years ago I found a container designed to store cut onions. <S> It looks like a plastic bowl with a rubber and metal lid. <S> The smell is kept inside the container and the onion lasts several weeks. <S> I don't know how it works, but it most certainly does! <S> Before I had it, I would wrap an onion in plastic and it wouldn't last quite a week. <A> I tend to put them in a sealed container with just a small splash of vinegar or lemon juice.... <S> Seems to help them to not dry out.. :-) <A> I just wrap it up in foil. <S> It will start to smell when it's going bad. <S> You're not supposed to save onions, since they are so cheap. <S> You can also buy already diced onions at Walmart. <S> I believe they stay good for at least two weeks. <A> Cut onion can be stored 7-10 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. <S> I've not experimented specifically with glass or plastic, but I can understand how glass would be better. <S> I'll have to give that a try. <S> Sharp knives are key, that was a spot on tip! <S> With regard to the comment about cut onion absorbing bacteria, that is false. <S> Anyone interested in more on that can click here: http://onions-usa.org/faqs/onion-flu-cut-myths
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When I use fresh onions, we store the unused parts for up to a week in our fridge in either a ziploc or a sealable rubbermaid-style container.
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Why are there so many different pasta shapes? Do the different pasta shapes serve any purpose, or are they just for fun? Some difference appear to be cultural (lo mein vs spaghetti), but there are so many different syles of Italian pasta, is there a reason for this? Clearly there need to be differences for stuffed / not stuffed, but why do we have penne and ziti? <Q> One answer to this is that Americans have a reversed understanding of the relationship of pasta to sauce compared to Italians. <S> In Italy, the sauce is called the condimento, meaning literally it is a condiment to the noodles, which are intended to be the main source of enjoyment in the dish. <S> When you begin to understand it that way, it makes sense that you would want to have a wide variety of sizes, shapes and textures. <S> (What Taeraresh said is also true, there are functional differences in how the different shapes hold sauces.) <A> One thing that varies is how much of the sauce adheres to the pasta, especially for pasta shapes that have ridges or hollow areas. <S> Sometimes you'll have a sauce where you'll want chunks of it to stick to the pasta, and sometimes you just want the pasta to be flavored by the sauce, but eaten more by itself. <A> It's regional varieties -- just as there's different cheeses and olives, different types of pastas have evolved. <S> Now, you might think at first that it doesn't make sense, as we could produce the same pasta everywhere <S> , you have to remember that Italians will pair specific sauces with specific pasta to get a specific balance of sauce to pasta. <S> As different things are grown / raised / <S> etc in different areas, we end up with different pastas preferred for different sauces. <S> Some are better for oil (eg, thin strands, light and delicate), some for cream sauces (wider strands, tubes), some for tomato sauces (wider strands, anything with good ridges on it), some for soups (smaller shapes), etc. <S> Now, I know, there's lots of tubes, and there's lots of strands ... <S> but others could ask why Americans need Coke, <S> Pepsi and RC Cola <S> (although, in that case, there's commercial interest, but there's still some heavy regional preferences out there, particularly for smaller local varieties) <S> As for the difference between penne vs. ziti -- the angle of the cut on the end can affect how much sauce gets inside the pasta, as the angled cut of the penne will grab some as you're stirring the pasta in the sauce. <S> (or so I've been told ... I've never done a side-by-side comparison of two with the same diameter / thickness / length, etc.) <A> Mainly that different shapes serve different purposes. <S> You should pair the right kind of pasta with the right kind of sauce. <S> Depending on sauce thickness or what's in it etc. <S> Some shapes are also designed to allow for different textures like farfale where the core cooks less than the edges, making for a richer texture. <A> Whilst there may be pasta shapes designed to be decorative rather than <S> functional most pasta shapes serve a clear purpose. <S> Spaghetti, for example holds a pesto or a finely ground beef sauce very well, whereas if you used a thicker pasta noodle for something like pesto or just a simple olive oil and garlic dressing there would be too much pasta per forkful to flavouring. <S> Yet a thick tagliatelle would be very suited to a game pasta sauce made with chunks of rabbit or hare. <S> Chunky vegetable sauces work very well with large pasta shells, as the shells catch the vegetable pieces in the sauce, making it easier to eat. <S> Tubular pasta works very well with creamy sauces (such as macaroni and cheese) because it is very satisfying to bite into the tube and feel the sauce releases within. <S> You could also say that so many shapes exist to satisfy the individual's personal taste and sense of fun. <A> It will have a different feel in the mouth, and as you chew, as well as holding the sauce differently. <S> You will notice the difference most if you aim to cook the pasta perfectly al dente.
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The pasta cooks differently based on the shape.
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Why is my Spanish rice chewy? I tried making some Spanish rice the other day and it's turned out really chewy. I can't figure out if I used too little chicken broth or not enough. It came out really starchy I think - very clumpy, feels like it's sticking to my teeth when I eat it. Basically, not very pleasant! Here's the recipe I used:- medium grained rice from Albertson's - bag said 1 3/4 cups of water for each cup of rice. I used two cups of rice and so put in 3 1/2 cups of broth.- 1 16oz can of diced tomatoes - I drained most of the juice out before I put them in- 1 sm can of diced chilies - again, I drained out most of the liquid- some salt, pepper, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder I fried up some chopped onion and peppers in a small amount of olive oil before adding the rice and broth and other ingredients. Then let the whole thing simmer for about 20 minutes - or until there was no liquid left. Any ideas? Thanks,Ross <Q> I don't know that type of rice, but it sounds like it ran out of liquid before it was done. <S> Some types of rice can be done in about 10m, some take over half an hour. <S> My tricks for risotto like dishes are: wash the rice to remove loose starch <S> taste regularly so you can intervene as needed, <S> avoid stirring as much as you can (you can stir a few times to avoid burning), fry <S> the rice with the onions before adding water, add liquid in small batches until it's done. <S> Try it with a few small batches to get the hang of it. <S> It could very well be the wrong type of rice, so you may want to try other brands. <A> It sounds like it may have needed more liquid <S> but it shouldn't have been chewy sounds like cheap rice. <S> I have a couple of Hispanic girlfriends I cook with alot they use jasmine rice toasted in a pot with a little oil and add spicy clamato juice and chicken broth for the liquid. <S> I'll get the exact recipe for you tonight. <S> No rice should ever be chewy or sticky unless your making sushi rice. <A> If you are talking about Paella, you should not use onion. <S> It's verbotten for paella. <S> Before adding the broth, did you stir the rice in the oil? <S> Did you coat all the grains with oil? <S> Did you add the broth hot? <S> Hint: you should. <S> When you hear (the sizzle) <S> the rice has not enough broth, you can add more. <S> Check how much time is left for the rice to be done. <S> The rice is done when it's not hard in the center anymore. <S> Don't overcook the rice. <S> My guess is <S> your 'chewy' rice is overcooked. <S> Let the rice rest covered for about 5min before serving. <A> That sounds low on liquid to me, though it is hard to be sure from your description. <S> If rice doesn't have enough liquid, each individual grain will still have a hard little nugget in the center. <S> If it has too much, the grains will tend to break down and stick together, though that can also happen if you are stirring, or if you are using a variety that is intentionally sticky. <S> (Like arborio, for example.) <S> Here is my recipe for Arroz Mexicana, which is pretty much the same thing as Spanish Rice. <S> You can use it as a starting point: http://www.herbivoracious.com/2009/12/arroz-a-la-mexicana-mexican-tomato-rice-recipe.html
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Also, you should use thick grained rice.
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What is the most efficient way to prepare (very small) fresh oregano leaves? While making my manicotti tonight, I received a painful reminder that the stuffing isn't actually the most tedious part of the process - it's pulling all the tiny leaves off the oregano stems. It seems as though the oregano I'm able to buy here is not fully grown; it's been like this for as long as I can remember. Obviously the stems are stiff, and bitter, and generally no good to throw in the mix, at least not with any of the recipes I use. So I really need to get the leaves off the stems, and with this oregano, it's a painful process. I've tried obvious routes, like "stripping" the leaves off the stems with my hands or a knife, but it doesn't really work. The stems are too hardy, and if I strip them hard enough to get the leaves off then I usually end up stripping the stem with it. And laying the stems flat on a cutting board and trying to chop the leaves off directly is almost impossible; the leaves are so tiny and irregularly distributed that it ends up taking longer than just pulling the things apart with my hands. Am I missing something obvious? Is there a way to prepare these oregano leaves that's more fun than watching paint dry? <Q> If you're using it in something long-simmering, like soup or spaghetti sauce, you can tie a bundle together (with cooking twine or unflavored dental floss) stems and all and toss it into the pot. <S> As it cooks, most of the oregano leaves will fall off into the food and even those that don't will impart a lot of flavor into the dish. <S> At the end, just pull out the bundle like you would bay leaves. <S> I've never had trouble with the stems leaching bitter flavor when using this method. <A> Are you sure you're talking about oregano? <S> The hardy central stem is actually a benefit here because it's less likely to break when you do the pinch. <S> I found a video on youtube , jump to the one minute mark. <A> I agree with just sitting and picking the leaves off. <S> It's no harder than shelling beans. <S> Kind of therapeutic! <S> Personally, I prefer the large fleshy Cuban oregano leaf. <S> It's easy to work with and hard to kill when growing.
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Oregano doesn't have tiny leaves, and it's quite simple to use the pinch and strip technique to take all the leaves off in one fell swoop.
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What hot sauce should I use for Buffalo wings sauce? After watching "The Wing and I" in Good Eats and being the one that always ordered Buffalo wings (I no longer live in the US), I decide to give it a try. The recipe for the sauce is: butter garlic hot sauce I wonder what exactly is hot sauce. Alton Brown said there are dozens of hot sauces. I tried to use plain tabasco but that doesn't work. Can I make my own? <Q> The original Buffalo Wings are made with Frank's RedHot Sauce . <S> The original recipe is simply equal parts melted butter and hot sauce. <S> However, you truly can use just about whatever hot sauce you want in even greater ratios if you want more kick. <S> There are also some distributors that specialize in spicy wing sauces. <S> I recommend Defcon 2 if you are adventurous and enjoy a very nice kick of heat. <A> I make my own hot sauce fairly frequently using whatever chilli peppers are available locally. <S> A good basic Frank's Red Hot Sauce recipe is here: http://www.food.com/recipe/copycat-franks-red-hot-sauce-494182 <S> I add more peppers than it calls for <S> and I end up with a thicker sauce, which is how I prefer it. <S> You can use this recipe as a template and vary the ingredients to your own preferences. <S> This basic recipe is easy to make and calls for hot peppers, garlic, vinegar, and salt - all ingredients that you should be able to get anywhere. <A> You make hot sauce by combining peppers and vinegar... <S> you have to figure it out by personal taste past that. <A> Yes you can make your own. <S> Or you can visit your local grocery store and pick from any of the likely dozens that are available. <S> Franks Red Hot is popular in North America (I find it has no flavour, really). <A> A hot sauce like Frank's largely consists of dried cayenne peppers, soaked in vinegar, water, salt, and garlic. <S> Put it in the blender until it's smooth.
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If you want a similar hot sauce to the one used in Buffalo wings, it is possible to make your own.
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For crackling, should I give pork a blast of super heat at the start or end of roasting? I will be slow roasting a whole pork shoulder tomorrow -- it's huge! For most of the time the oven will be set to a fairly low temperature and the joint will be covered with foil. However for a time I will remove the foil and turn the oven up to full temperature to get some good crunchy crackling developing. My question is: should I do this crackling at the beginning or the end of the roasting? <Q> The heat should be applied at the end, if you covered the crackling with tinfoil and slow cook it will soften (not crispen!) <S> due to the steam and the trapped fat. <A> For the best crackling, score the top before you cook it and pour boiling water over the top. <S> Sprinkle it with salt, then cover it with tin foil to cook it, removing the tin foil for ten minutes at the end. <S> Makes fantastic crackling every time! <A> This is the way I've always done it... <S> I like to give the shoulder a good blast at a high temperature at the beginining to get some good colour and add flavour. <S> Score the skin, season with salt and give it about half an hour at 220 degrees C or higher, uncovered, with some stock veg in the tray. <S> Take it out, add some herbs or flavourings if you like (bay leaves, lemon, thyme, spices etc) pour in half a bottle of wine and about the same in water. <S> Cover the shoulder in a sheet of baking paper, then cover tightly with foil (occasionally foil will stick to the fat on the pork, so it's best to have a layer of parchment between). <S> After it's slow cooked at the low temp and is falling apart tender, take it out and turn up the oven again. <S> Strain off all the juices for making your sauce, then carefully remove the skin and lay it on a seperate, dry, tray and give it a blast in the hot oven . <S> This has always worked for me as you're getting perfect meat and perfect crackling. <S> Hmm... crackling.... <A> in my opinion the whole idea of crackling is to remove the water so score the skin the previous night rub a good load of salt in next day pat dry and blast for 20 mins at 220 then reduce to 160 for the durataion until you can fork it <S> and the juice is clear i also salt, pepper garlic and cumin my roast(whole cumin), <S> elevated is better so on a rack or on abed of veg to stop it stewing. <A> Always make sure that the rind is dry and then scored. <S> I then rub salt onto and in between scored rind followed by a little olive oil and then Schwartz pork seasoning. <S> I then put it into the oven at 180 uncovered and have never failed to get the perfect crackling. <S> With all those tasty herbs I would rather eat the crackling and forget the rest! <A> Don't forget about your trusty broiler. <S> I like to do this instead of cranking up the oven since it generally takes a lot less time to reach an ideal temp and it doesn't heat up my kitchen nearly as much (which may not be a problem for you) <S> and it's a concentrated heat source so your not going to be heating the entire piece of meat (relatively speaking <S> , i know the oven will also get hotter over time). <S> I echo the sentiments of scoring the skin. <S> You could also consider a shallow fry on the skin side only to achieve true cracklin' texture. <A> This may sound strange, but <S> once I’ve scored the rind and rubbed in the salt and then let the salt draw out the moisture, i dry the rind and rub off the salt and then... <S> here’s the strange bit, I blast the rind with a hair dryer on full power and full heat until it noticeably begins to dry and tighten up. <S> This mean I’m taking less moisture into the oven with the joint. <S> I put the joint in at 220 for 30 mins and then turn down to a good temp depending on how long I am roasting for and the size of the joint. <S> I don’t roast on fan either as I’m sure this tends to move moist air around the oven. <S> So far I have had my best results with this methid
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Slow cooking meat always makes the skin flabby and if it's a joint as large as a shoulder I'd prefer to remove the skin and blast it at the end on it's own rather than still on the joint as you run the risk of drying some of the meat in the process of drying the skin enough for it to crackle.
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I need to quickly and safely thaw frozen ground beef, what are my options? Since reading the answers to my question about defrosting meat on the counter I've been good about giving my meat time to defrost in the refrigerator. However, my plans for tonight have changed and I'd like to defrost some ground beef that is completely frozen for dinner this evening. What are my options to do so quickly and safely? <Q> Put the meat in a sealed plastic bag, place in a bowl in the sink, fill with cold tapwater, then set the tap running in a thin stream with the water overflowing the sides of the bowl. <S> The moving water will safely thaw the meat through convection. <S> Make sure you get as much air out of the plastic bag as you can. <S> You might need to put some weight on it in the bowl to keep it submerged in the water. <A> If you're really in a hurry then you can't beat the microwave. <S> It might defrost a little unevenly, but assuming you plan to brown it or something afterward, then that will take care of evening it out. <S> The microwave is perfectly safe; the key point about food safety here is not allowing the meat to sit in the "danger zone" (basically more than a few degrees above freezing) for a very long time, and if it's only defrosting for 5-10 minutes in the microwave then that's perfectly safe. <S> Just make sure you cook it immediately afterward. <A> Just to be aware, a lot of people worry excessively on the safety issue. <S> Restaurant rules (at least here in Seattle) say that food coming out of <40-degree storage must be back in the cool storage and back down to <40 degrees within ... <S> six hours. <S> Seems a long time to me <S> but that's the rule. <S> This isn't really an issue for this thread cause ahsteele is after quick defrost anyway. <S> But just sayin'... <A> I've started using a new technique for defrosting without doing so unevenly. <S> It takes a lot more time and patience than just hitting defrost and coming back 10 minutes later to a partially cooked plate of raw shrimp or fish (would work for ground beef as well.) <S> What I do is to run the microwave on defrost for about half the time it would take for a "normal" microwave defrost (where the edges of the fish and/or some shrimp are pink in spots.) <S> Then I run the microwave for about 20 minutes at 10% and check on it periodically until it's defrosted. <S> I've also done the ziploc bag trick, but it sometimes leaks <S> and it's really hard to submerge it. <S> Putting it in front of an oscillating fan can work as well. <A> Defrosting meat quickly usually means you lose moisture too. <S> If you are planning on using the beef straight away I wouldn't worry about the safety issue as long as you cook it through. <A> This works only in the winter months: <S> Get home from work. <S> Turn on heater for cold house. <S> Set frozen ground beef on floor vent <S> Turn in 10 mins. <S> Total time 20, fully thawed. <S> My house drops ten degrees during the day so <S> the time it takes to get to 70 is how long it takes to thaw my dinner. <A> Laying the meat on a surface that conducts heat works well too. <S> I find that putting frozen meat directly on a granite countertop or in a copper sink (with minimal wrapping) will thaw it much more quickly than a wooden cutting board or dishes.
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The quickest way is to defrost is in the microwave, although it may not defrost evenly and some may 'cook' slightly.
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How far in advance can I stage pizza? We're having friends over and I'd like to make 3 or 4 pizzas. I'm considering stretching out the dough and put on the toppings ahead of time, say an hour ahead of when I pop them in the oven. How long can the pizzas sit on the counter in this pre-oven state? <Q> You can stage pan pizzas (chicago style, or pizza hut style) for up to four hours as long as you keep them covered. <S> You can stage a stretched dough for up to an hour and a half between two pieces of wax paper. <S> However, you need to take the time into consideration when proofing your dough so that you don't get blown dough as that will not be delicious. <S> You should not sauce the crusts or top them as pre-saucing will change how your dough cooks in the oven. <S> If the dough forms a harder crust/ dries out, you should consider tossing it as it will not result in good pizza after cooking. <A> I wouldn't recommend that; the dough may well overrise and poop out on you, not to mention get soggy from the fillings. <S> Your best bet is to just get the dough rolled out into balls and the fillings all fully prepared in separate containers and the oven preheated. <S> Then, say 10 minutes before you want to fire them, roll out the first one and top it, and do each of the succeeding ones while the previous one is in the oven. <S> Give your guests a drink and an appetizer <S> and they won't mind that you are busy in the kitchen for a few minutes. <A> We always bake our crusts for 6-8 minutes before we top them. <S> If you have all the ingredients ready for topping, it can be a very efficient process. <A> I would store prepared ingredients in separate boxes and 3 or 4 balls of dough in the fridge. <S> Then just before dinner time I would let friends have fun by preparing their own pizza by choosing exactly what they want on.
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The pre-bake can be done well ahead (and you can even freeze the pre-baked crust) and then topped and baked for 6-10 minutes when you're ready.
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Gluten-free alternatives to beurre manie/roux for thickening sauce? I'd like to thicken the sauce for my Thanksgiving turkey a bit, without making it inedible for my gluten-intolerant guests. From other questions on this site, I understand that corn starch would be an option, but it might give a more starchy flavour. Same for potato starch. Arrowroot flour would probably work according to this question , but it's not always easy to obtain. Would rice flour work? Are there other alternatives? <Q> Oh, have I got the answer for you. <S> Xanthan gum. <S> Here is an excellent article by two of my favorite bloggers on how to get started using it. <A> Agree on the corn starch, and some gluten free people have problems with corn anyway. <S> Arrowroot flour would work, otherwise use tapioca. <S> Rice flour can work, but the type is very important, and sometimes you need too much for it to be worth it. <A> I used tapioca starch. <S> A little bit goes a LONG way! <S> It's like corn starch on steroids. <S> : <S> -PAnd there's a difference in tapioca starch and flour. <S> Get the starch. <A> (She died about ten years ago.) <S> You can't, because it was apparently a Canada-only thing and Knorr doesn't make it anymore anyway. <S> But on my box it lists as ingredients: <S> potato starch lactose maltodextrin rice flour caramel monoglyceride <S> It is cool stuff because you just sprinkle it into boiling stew/gravy/whatever with no making a roux, slurry or beurre manie. <S> (An advantage to a ack of gluten.) <S> If you can source potato starch, that would probably be your best bet. <S> Failing that I would try rice flour. <S> PS: don't forget to adjust your stuffing recipe. <S> When I roast a turkey some of the stuffing inevitably falls into the gravy. <S> A gluten intolerant person can't just "not eat the stuffing" in that case, the gravy would be offlimits too. <S> I dealt with that by putting Paxo in the main part but not as full as usual, and gluten free stuff where the neck was, knowing that if some fell of that fell in the gravy <S> it was ok. <A> I use a Beurre Manie made of brown rice flour and butter for gravies. <S> I love it, and add some sprigs of Thyme
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I used a product called Veloutine for gravies for my gluten-intolerant MIL. Xanthan gum is easy to find at health food stores because gluten-free bakers use it extensively.
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Substitution for baking soda in pancakes I attempted to make pancakes this morning, only to discover that I was out of baking soda. I tried substituting baking powder, but it didn't work at all. The pancakes didn't bubble on the griddle, and they were far too doughy. If this happens again, do I need to go out to the store for baking soda? <Q> You need to use 2-3 times more baking powder than baking soda . <S> Be aware that your flavors will be affected. <S> Make sure it's double-acting baking powder <S> and you must replace the acidic liquid in recipe with non-acidic liquid. <S> You could also use some heartburn medicine that contained potassium bicarbonate :-) <A> Unfortunately there is no substitute. <S> While it is possible to substitute for baking powder , the reverse just doesn't work the same. <S> Tripling the quantity of baking powder to baking soda will give an equivalent reaction, but your pancakes will taste like metal. <A> You can use baking powder to leaven the batter but you can't replace baking soda with it 1 for 1. <S> Baking powder is soda with some acid to balance the ph. <S> Pancake recipes that use only powder will not have extra acid, such as buttermilk, added to them. <S> I love buttermilk. <S> If I were making the pancakes I would go buy soda rather than having an under-flavored breakfast. <S> Baking soda keeps indefinitely and is useful for a lot of things. <A> When no baking powder is handy, you can make pancakes using yeast <S> *. <S> It takes longer, having to let the yeast rise for 30 minutes and all, but I've done it, and the result is really really tasty pancakes! <S> * <S> No endorsement of this recipe is implied, it's merely the first one I ran across. <A> Use 2 times the amount of baking powder and a higher temp. <S> As for acid I'm not sure. <S> I sub it in cake recipes (and never cared about the acid). <S> In fact I use extra lemon juice for softness and it never interfered. <A> It is possible to make pancakes with non of both. <S> In Germany I have yet to meet someone who adds it. <S> I guess the pancakes are thinner <S> but they are tasty <S> non the less. <S> That's how the very fluffy <S> Kaiserschmarrn is made. <S> The air contained in the stiff egg-white does more or less the same as the CO2 produced by Soda or baking powder. <S> For yet another option add some sparkling water to the batter.
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Or you can carefully add whipped egg-white to the batter just before baking. Buy enough that you never run out again.
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How hot does garlic need to get to lose its sharpness? Inspired by the recent questions here, I made manicotti over the weekend. The recipe I used called for minced garlic in the filling. I love garlic and usually put in at least double recipe-prescribed dosage. After baking for about half an hour the cheese was completely melted and the filling was set to my satisfaction. The garlic, however, was not sufficiently cooked and, although minced fine, was still caused some bites to be unpleasantly sharp. I wish that I had roasted the garlic in advance. The question is twofold: How hot does garlic need to get to becooked? That is, sweet and not sharp. Is there a better way besidespre-roasting to ensure that garlic insuch a dish does not distract? <Q> My favourite way to remove the sting (which I love, but doesn't always work) is to poach in milk. <S> Generally I do this when making macaroni & cheese; I poach the garlic in the milk which I then use for making the Mornay. <S> Poaching in water also works, mincing and then sauteeing... <S> anything that cooks it all the way through. <S> Bear in mind that how you cut your garlic will have an effect; smaller cuts (mincing, crushing) break more cell walls, releasing more of the sulfur compounds that provide the flavour. <A> I can't give a specific temperature, as there's issues: <S> The sharpness is a chemical reaction which mix when the garlic cells are damaged. <S> Cooking the garlic before damaging the cells will convert the chemicals before they've had a chance to react. <S> I've never tried taking the temperature of garlic as it's cooking <S> Now, if you're cooking the garlic cloves ahead of time (I roast a couple of bulbs at a time, then squeeze out the cloves into small jar and keep it in the fridge). <S> It'll take 30min to an hour, depending on what temperature you're roasting at (350-400F; I'll throw it in with something else ... not worth heating the oven just for garlic) <S> If cooking after you've cut it, it'll only take a quick saute as you have more surface area (maybe 1 to 2 min, depending on pan temp) -- but be careful, as overcooking garlic will burn it, which is just nasty. <S> And don't do it in a dry pan, unless you're planning on ruining your dinner. <S> When it's golden, you're done ... don't let it get to brown, as brown is that stage right before black and time to clean the pan before starting again. <S> Also, it seems counter-intuitive, but finely minced garlic is more potent than coarsely chopped garlic, as you're doing more damage to the garlic. <S> It won't help in this particular case, but in many dishes that just want the garlic flavor without being overpowering will use more garlic, but slice it rather than mincing, saute it in olive oil, then remove the garlic pieces, and use the garlic-infused oil for the dish. <S> ... <S> So, anyway, not not exactly answer the questions ... <S> I'd go with low and slow cooking ... <S> specific temperatures are going to lead to fast cooking garlic, which gets you burnt garlic and ruined dishes. <S> In dishes where you can, infuse the oil, then remove the garlic. <S> And if you really have to, there's always garlic powder. <A> The sharpness of garlic comes from a chemical called Allicin that, @Joe mentions, is only produced once garlic is damaged, bruised, or minced. <S> Also, the bigger (and greener) the center cross section of garlic is the more the Allicin is produced. <S> The chemical itself actually decomposes over time once it's produced. <S> If you had minced the garlic then let it sit out for a day, the sharpness would have been strongly reduced. <S> Heating speeds up the decomposition but it is not an exact temperature that you need to cook garlic to. <S> Microwaving also removes the chemical, so you can try mincing the garlic then zapping it for 10 or 15 seconds.
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Cooking the garlic after the chemical reaction will also remove the sharpness.
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Thai lava chili: how could I reproduce this? I realize this is a bit off of a question, and I apologize if it's not all that great. But here goes. There is a Thai place near where I live that makes this amazing dish entitled "lava chili". It's spicy, filled with garlic, and absolutely delicious. I have absolutely no idea how I would even begin to try to cook something like it. Here are some properties of this dish: In some sense of the word, it's like an American chili. It's not runny like a curry, it's more viscous. It has a lot of garlic and a bit of ginger, I suspect. Definitely some red pepper flakes and a couple other types of spicy, well, spices. It has some type of oil in it, I can see it. It's a bit tangy, too, and a little sweet. I'm looking for some help recreating or approximating this dish. I love Thai food and I love Thai cooking, but I only do it for fun and really am not sure where to start on this. Edit: It looks similar to this image. The website I found that image from describes it as: This historically highly rustic Thai dish is a very quick stir-fry with Thai chilli jam, normally accompanied with Thai vegetables and rice. How would I go about trying to recreate that? <Q> I generally associate the phrase "chili jam" (also known as chili paste) with store-bought sauces, like this one . <S> It wouldn't surprise me if they were using a very similar ready-made sauce - perhaps they get it from a distributor or perhaps they even make it themselves in large quantities and store it, but I doubt that they make it from scratch for every meal - few Asian restaurants do. <S> If it's too thick, add a little soy sauce. <S> If you want more tanginess, add some lime juice. <S> If you want more sweetness, add brown sugar. <S> And if it still seems to be missing that certain je ne sais quoi , you might need Thai fish sauce, which you find in almost every Thai dish. <S> I hope that helps. <S> If it doesn't get you where you want then feel free to report back and explain how it turned out differently from what you expected - one of us can surely take it from there. <A> That looks like a "fusion" dish - ie, isn't clearly thai or clearly chinese or clearly <S> (you get it). <S> It looks and sounds like it's actually a thai inspired prawn curry, but perhaps with tamarind, some kind of thickener (ground rice? <S> Wheat flour?), heaps of fat or oil of some description, and probably contains considerable fish sauce and palm sugar, but other than that, there really isn't anything that lets us say what's in it unless we were to actually taste it! <A> If the chili sauce itself has a szechuan/General Tso's flavor to it <S> I wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't a hoisin & satay sauce base. <S> It appears to have chili pepper flake oil going through it (based on the fringe oil), but i think that to get that consistency along with the sweetness and tanginess they would likely be using hoisin (and maybe a satay) sauce. <S> Along with the guidelines from @Aar , note that with hoisin the approach I find easiest to cook with is to think of it as a flavor base you are extending with additional fillers. <S> Hoisin is not immediately a tasty ingredient to taste (and is used often as a marinade), but extended across a spectrum of flavors it makes a great binding flavor and can work like tomatoes in chili; that is to say, as a baseline.
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If the dish you were served doesn't contain ground beef or any of the things you'd traditionally associate with American chili (other than the thick consistency) then this might be as simple as whipping up a stir-fry using a store-bought chili paste.
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Keeping Hot Sauce From Separating Last fall I tried my hand at making a homemade hot sauce. Essentially: roast peppers, blend with vinegar, garlic, salt and other spices, put in jar for three weeks, strain and you have hot sauce. The sauce was great, but after about a week of sitting in a jar in my fridge it separated and became rather unsightly. Of course, after shaking it up it returned to normal. Is there a way to keep a sauce like this from separating? Thanks! <Q> Whenever you see a sauce separate, it's because you have an Emulsion , which is two or more immiscible liquids. <S> In cooking, these liquids are typically water and fat. <S> To stabilize an emulsion, you use an emulsifier . <S> The most common food emulsifier is lecithin , and the most common natural source of lecithin is egg yolk. <S> If you don't want the taste of egg or your food is not going to be cooked (i.e. a vinaigrette), then it you can actually go out and buy pure lecithin <S> (soy lecithin is common to find). <S> As the wikipedia entry mentions, there are other natural emulsifiers such as honey and mustard, and often when you see recipes calling for mustard when it seems to be a strange ingredient to add (such as cheese sauce), the reason is to help stabilize the emulsion. <S> Additionally, the most common emulsifier used in packaged or processed foods is sodium stearoyl lactylate . <S> It sounds scarier than it is; you can buy it in the store just like lecithin. <A> Xanthan gum will also work very well for holding this kind of sauce together. <S> Somewhere around 0.2%-0.5% by weight should be right. <S> Shear it in with a blender for a good long time. <S> I'm a little concerned about the food safety of your sauce though. <S> Are you certain it will remain good for weeks as you are planning? <A> I mean days of blending... <S> Just leave it in the blender and when time allows give it a good blending and then let it sit... <S> You will find after about 3 days of periodic blending the sauce will no longer separate. <A> For a long-term sauce like hot sauce, you're probably going to want an industrial strength one, and I don't really have many suggestions there... <S> I never make sauces where I can't just use mustard or egg yolks. <S> Or you can just try sticking the whole thing in the blender for a while; that'll do it with salad dressing (for example), and it might work for your sauce as well. <A> i was thinking cornstarch would work in cream sauces for reheating in the microwave
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We have found that blending the sauce for an extended period of time keeps it from separating... You'll probably need some kind of emulsifier.
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What can be substituted for vinegar in sushi rice? If you could not use rice vinegar (for reasons of food allergy, perhaps), what could you use instead in sushi rice? <Q> I would probably use diluted white cranberry juice, as being the flavour closest to rice wine vinegar. <S> I am not sure if the acidity would be sufficient, however; you may need to add lemon juice. <S> A substitute for soy you will not easily find, as the development of those sorts of flavours requires fermentation. <A> Sushi is by definition food involving vinegar, so in this case, a substitution would produce a different food. <S> Those acids from fermentation are mostly likely mostly acetic acid anyway, just like you'd produce in sourdough fermentation, so the distinction is almost moot. <S> But words are somewhat flexible entities, and you could fairly make the case that お酢 refers to acid in the abstract, even from a linguistic perspective. <S> In fact, yuzu juice is, in some reasons, sold under the name ゆず酢, even though the actual product is straight pressed juice, not yuzu vinegar. <S> There are also yuzu vinegars, but at least idiomatically, in some regions, it's within the realm of imagination to consider alternatives, however unlikely. <S> Notably, to the best of my knowledge, Tokyo is not in one of the regions that uses the word "yuzu-su", and Tokyo is the historical center of modern sushi (e.g. the non-fermented type) as we know it. <S> If you chose the abstract idea of acid, other types would be your substitute for vinegar. <S> Verjuice, yuzu juice, possible sudachi juice, daidai (similar to seville orange) juice, all in dilute forms, might be worth experimenting with, but I'd be disinclined to call the result sushi. <S> As for soy sauce, in Japan, there is a sesame seed-based soy sauce substitute meant for the narrow market of soy allergy sufferers in Japan, but you'd essentially be unable to eat out anywhere in the country if you were dependent on it. <A> I cannot find easily rice vinegar in my country. <S> I've found that the rice vinegar in a bit lighter than other vinegars, Given that I use about 2 part of cider vinegar and 1 part of water. <S> But if the use of any kind of vinegar is a problem I think that diluited acidic stuff (like lemon juice + water) should reproduce the taste (you can do your experiments). <A> What about lemon juice and wasabi? <S> (I don't have any experience with the allergy to base this on, but some quick searching indicates these would be ok allergy-wise.) <A> I am unable to use soy sauce and use of vinegar is limited because of an allergy to wild yeasts. <S> A recent product on the market is Vege Spread, it would require testing regarding amount of product to liquid in the finished product but may prove useful for your planned recipe. <S> Product is produced by Freedom Foods. <S> Sorry if brand names are not permitted. <A> You could also use Mirin and a dry white wine at a push. <S> These are both slightly acidic and go quite well with rice. <A> I agree with the poster above. <S> You really don't even need rice vinegar. <S> I love sushi with or without vinegar. <S> Taste about the same to me. <S> Only time sushi rice taste bad is when they add too much vinegar or its not cooked right. <S> I do like a little sugar mixed with the water in the steamer. <S> Don't think I'd ever miss the vinegar even though I still use a little of that also. <A> I have an intolerance to yeast, so vinegar is out for me. <S> I love sushi, but cannot use vinegar for the rice, because it causes me a lot of joint pain. <S> I use salt, sugar and a little wasabi mixed with three tablespoons of water...adding a very tasty filling such as crabstick, cucumber, avocado and a spread of creamed cheese. <S> Very healthy and tasty. <S> Salmon and tuna are good, too, with red pepper, chili, cucumber etc. <A> If the reason is an intolerance to yeast or trace alcohol, "non brewed condiment" can be used as a (considered lower quality) vinegar substitute. <S> It is in the end a synthetic vinegar. <A> Just skip the rice vinegar or use any vinegar that you have. <S> The only need for vinegar is to apply a few drops onto rice to make acid taste. <A> What about just plain Worcestershire sauce? <S> It is diluted white vinegar, has suger and salt... might work?
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There are several options for writing out the word sushi in Japanese, and instructively, one of the options is 酸し. A form of sushi consistent with its history and origins but not involving the application of vinegar directly would involve fermenting rice and fish together and allowing acids to form naturally (like narezushi or oshizushi).
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What is a substitute for maple extract? I am making cinnamon rolls with a maple flavoured frosting, however, I am having trouble finding maple extract for the frosting. What can I substitute it with? I have vanilla extract - will it change the taste of the topping too much if I use this? <Q> That said, I've substituted rum for maple in some recipes and tend to think of it as a better approximation than vanilla. <S> The caveat of course is the amount; a tablespoon is fine to substitute, an entire cup is going to impart a pretty strong alcohol flavour that you probably don't want. <S> If you don't have rum or don't think it would work for your recipe, then vanilla extract is probably the next-closest thing. <S> However, it will change the flavour; whether or not that change is "too much" is really a matter of opinion. <A> Are you looking to retain the maple flavor, or simply for a flavor that will be complimentary to your cinnamon rolls? <S> In many ways, you could use all sorts of extracts, but your cinnamon rolls will be a different flavor. <S> Almond extract always provides a very delicate flavor (unless you use too much, then it's overpowering) and would also work well. <S> Rum extract would be nice. <A> You can use vanilla extract. <S> That's what I used and it might have a strange taste <S> but it'll work. <A> I've been told that' butter vanilla will do the - closest - to the same thing ? <S> not 100% yet. <S> about to make a recipe with this instead of the maple extract I'll keep you updated.
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Well, you are not going to get a maple flavour with anything other than maple extract (or maple sugar or syrup or some similar maple product). Orange extract might be nice.
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how to use CSA vegetables most efficiently I belong to a CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture) and get a basket of assorted vegetables every week. I have very little cooking experience, and if I search the ingredients online I get a ton of recipes that have only 1 or 2 of the ingredients I need to use. So far what I've been doing is putting most of the stuff together and making a stir fry (perhaps adding onions and mushrooms as a friend recently suggested) with spices. Results have been mixed (no pun intended!). Another idea I've tried is soup, but I'm not as comfortable with that as of yet. Any general strategies (not necessarily recipes ) besides just "stir fry"? I'd prefer to be able to use all of it with a minimum number of recipes (preferably just 1 or 2) Here are 2 examples of baskets I've gotten. example from Oct : Arugula BeansBeets CarrotsRainbow Chard GarlicKale Kohlrabi OkraParsleyPeppersRadishes TomatoesWinter Squash (Butternut or Delicata) example from Aug : FennelTomatoesSummer SquashOkraOnions Black Radishes or Purple TurnipsPeppersChard <Q> Have you tried roasting the vegetables? <S> For example, from your October basket, cutting up beets, carrots, and squash and then roasting at 400F until tender. <S> Nestle in some bone-in chicken breasts, roast a pork tenderloin in the oven along with the vegetables, or another protein of your choice. <S> You could also stuff the peppers with ground beef or lamb along with sauteed garlic, parsley, kale, diced tomatoes, etc. <S> Then roast the peppers for 10-15 minutes in the oven. <S> I'm not sure these count as strategies, but I'm hoping this helps. <A> There is often a need with a CSA box to use up the last of the previous box when the new box arrives. <S> Almost any combination of vegetables works well in a soup, and leftover soup stretches the lifetime of the vegetables and can also be frozen with good results. <S> You can suit the type of soup to the combination of vegetables you have on hand, which is something I like about a CSA: it pushes me to try out new recipes. <S> Okra and tomatoes? <S> Gumbo. <S> Or Indian curry soup. <S> Chard, parsley, and squash? <S> Tortilla soup. <S> Etc. <A> I'm going to assume that your deliveries are only once a week, so it's not like you have to try to use everything in one meal. <S> Look at it in parts -- I'd first think about pairing each of the items together, and think if they'd work well together. <S> So, just looking at October ... we won't count garlic or parsley, as they go with just about everything: <S> Arugula -> salads, so carrots, peppers, radishes and tomatoes <S> Beans - <S> > go really good with dark greens ... <S> cook in olive oil with garlic 'til they get creamy and mash easily, wilt <S> some chopped up chard or kale in with it, then spread on toasted bread. <S> Beets -> not sure on pairings. <S> with a salad, <S> maybe? <S> I'm a fan of borsht, though, but not everyone is. <S> Kohlrabi ... <S> I've never cooked with, but is supposedly like brocolli ... <S> so slice up, saute with garlic (and crushed red pepper flake, if you have some and like heat), add to pasta <S> w/ jullienned bell pepper. <S> Okra ... curry, with tomatoes. <S> Winter squash ... roasted with garlic, carrots and peppers. <S> ... <S> and I've managed to hit everything (other than parsley) at least once ... <S> but like I said, you can sprinkle some on just about anything. <S> Obviously, there will be more than one serving of a given vegetable at a time, so you might have to come up with a few uses of some items <S> so you don't get sick of it ... <S> but if you do at least two items per night (or try for two items per dish, and 2 dishes per night), you'll easily get through it. <S> Don't try for a recipe or even a meal that uses every last item; that's just unrealistic. <A> Hard vegetables (carrots, beats, turnips, radishes) can be thrown in a stew. <S> Along with the tomatoes for the sauce, and the beans as a protein. <S> You can use some of the garlic, onion, peppers, and parsley for flavoring as well. <S> (You'll want some other stuff to, like beef for example. <S> And other herbs & spices). <S> That used a fair number of them. <A> so one big problem with CSA style produce VS <S> your friendly neighborhood supermarket is that A. <S> you don't know what you'll get and B. what you do get will be seasonal. <S> what if you want tomatoes in the winter? <S> I'd suggest you look into two things 1. <S> dehydration get yourself a dehydrator and start making apple chips, fruit leathers, sun dried tomatoes, and lots more. <S> this is a great way to make the most of your CSA boxen. <S> dehydrate a bunch of fresh made tomatoe sauce in the summer, put it in a baggie in the freezer, pull it out mid-winter <S> and it'll still taste amazing. <S> 2. <S> preserving and canning learn how to make your own relishes, pickles and preserves. <S> nothing adds zest to a winter meal like home-made preserves and relishes prepared from last summer's produce. <S> it's more time intensive than dehydrating is, but very satisfying and worth the effort. <S> it's also works better with greens than dehydrating does. <A> I find I'm just eating more vegetable dishes with each meal. <S> For example, last night I had roast lamb. <S> I roasted the first potatoes from the CSA and they were fantastic. <S> But I also roasted a small cauliflower (cut into pieces) and I sauteed some small white turnips and onion, because I'm getting about 5 turnips a week and need to use them up, and I'm getting a small cauliflower a week too. <S> A few nights ago I grilled steaks and in addition to mashed potatoes, I sauteed green beans and garlic and made a salad. <S> In pre-CSA days it would have been one other vegetable, tops. <S> But now I find I can't let a meal go by without adding a vegetable dish or two to it. <S> My top 3 techniques are soup, roasting, and sauteeing. <S> It's not really about technique though. <S> It's about keeping that giant pile of vegetables in mind and adding something to each lunch and each dinner. <S> This really is a feature of the CSA approach - making me eat more vegetables. <S> I'm not really making new meals, but the ones I'm in the habit of making are getting enhanced.
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Making soup is a great strategy for doing this.
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Advice for gingerbread houses? I'm considering entering a gingerbread house contest with my mom this year. I might've done a few as a kid, but I've only done one before in my adult life, more than 10 years ago, and I remember having problems with the amount of spread of the parts. Does anyone have any advice? are there any tricks to keep parts from spreading as much, or should I be baking the parts, then cutting them? (or par-baking, cut while still soft, then finish baking to firm everything up?) Should I bake the parts well in advance to let them dry out / stale up so they're stiffer before assembly, or do I want a little bit of flex when I'm assembling so I don't accidentally crack them while working? Also, recommendations on the best thickness of wall sections to use (especially based on the height I'm dealing with, as I assume I'd want them thicker the higher I'm going) would be great, too. <Q> I make gingerbread houses every year. <S> Walls should be approximately 1/4 inch thick. <S> I have found that cutting the pieces first to work best. <S> Yes there is some spread, but when they come out of the oven, I replace the stencil and trim up any spread (for the straight outside edges <S> , a pizza cutter works well). <S> I know it sounds redundant, but sometimes I don't cut quick enough, or I am distracted by the phone, or any other number of things, if I only cut after baking. <S> With the items pre-cut, if I get distracted, I at least have a usable part. <S> Granted <S> I may have to shave any spread very gently with a microplane or the edge of a knife, but that is just what works for me. <S> I also will roll the dough out on parchment paper, cut and remove the excess, then slide the whole thing onto a pan for baking. <S> This way, you don't get any "stretch" of your pieces. <S> I have several square cookie cutters that I will use to cut out the windows and such. <S> I make the windows rectangular by using the cookie cutter and cutting a square then moving it and cutting another half square. <S> This is helpful because when the gingerbread comes out of the oven, you don't have to spend a lot of time with a knife trimming the inside of all the windows... <S> you just punch any spread out with the cookie cutter. <S> As Sobachatina mentioned, melted sugar makes beautiful windows. <S> I however, will lay the walls on a silicone mat and pour the sugar directly into the window holes. <S> No need to "glue. <S> " <S> I'd hate for you to make a gingerbread house with the "wrong" icing. <S> You want an icing that will dry rock hard, like cement. <S> For this you will want to use "Royal Icing." <S> For larger houses, use canned goods to hold the walls in place while the icing dries. <S> The house should be built at least one day before you start decorating, to be sure it has set up really good. <A> When I last did a gingerbread house <S> 2 years ago we pre-cut to our pattern, put everything on parchment paper, baked the gingerbread, and trimmed it while it was still warm due to spreading (way more than we expected). <S> If we'd let it cool any more it probably would've been crumbly. <S> The recipe we used had the gingerbread firmer than cracker dough - much to firm to actually enjoy eating - and it worked out perfectly for assembly. <S> Our walls were probably about 1/4 inch thick after rising in the oven, but it was thinner before cooking, and the resulting house was a bit under a foot tall. <A> It puffs a little but doesn't spread. <S> Like justkt, I roll it about 1/4 inch. <S> Besides wall thickness, how high you can go really depends on your recipe and the local humidity. <S> When living in humid climates we have sometimes had to paint the inside of the baked walls with icing to give them more rigidity. <S> That was, however, for a much larger than normal house and a much more humid than normal climate. <S> A fun trick that I did last year and was well worth my time:I melted some sugar and poured it into a pool to spread on buttered foil. <S> Then I glued (with icing of course) <S> the sugar window panes inside all my cut out windows. <S> I installed a lamp inside the house. <S> It made for a very impressive display. <S> The just barely golden sugar panes produced a very warm glow. <A> I cut while warm. <S> At least for structural pieces. <S> This gives nice square, flat corners. <S> Indeed, the edges created like this have air bubbles along the edge which provide good purchase for the icing that will hold pieces together. <S> You need to dry all your pieces as well. <S> This is typically done by leaving them in the oven at a real low temperature for a couple hours. <S> Once dry, a thick piece of gingerbread feels as hard as plywood (mmm, plywood!) <S> Royal icing is also hard as cement. <S> Between that and dry gingerbread, you can build at least to the size of a large dollhouse. <S> Oh, and have your design done before hand. <S> Make your slabs according to the sizes you plan on, don't try making a house from a set recipe size like some directions might say. <S> This always leads to one piece somewhere that doesn't get enough dough. <S> Oh, and don't let the kids eat it while you're building. <A> Cut out the doors and windows before baking. <S> Use rock (candy cane) for the corner struts. <S> If you can get hold of the video, Heston Blumenthal made a large gingerbread house. <S> There are some great tips in there.
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With our recipe we cut the shapes before baking.
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Effects of making smoothies in advance Generally for breakfast I eat a smoothie containing 8oz soy milk, 1/2 cup berries, 1/2 banana, and 1 scoop protein powder. Unfortunately, however, my blender is very loud, and I will soon be moving into a smaller apartment with someone who is a light sleeper. If I make my breakfast the night before, and then put it in the fridge for the next morning, what will the effects be? I'd be concerned the protein powder would settle and get grainy, or that the ingredients would separate and lessen the overall flavor of the drink. <Q> I make smoothies every morning for my wife and myself (and have for over a year now), and when working out also added protein powder. <S> The only difference between our recipe and yours is an inclusion of a few ounces of greek yogurt. <S> On the days when I knew the workout would run long (and potentially make me late for work), I was making them the night before with no problem. <S> As yossarian said, as long as you make sure the protein powder is fully blended <S> /dissolved you'll be fine. <S> The ingredients do separate a little overnight, but a quick shake or stir and they're back to normal. <S> I would say to try it and see how it works with your exact combination of ingredients. <S> Something to watch out for <S> : my wife swears that sometimes, making them beforehand would cause a bit of a "sharp" edge to the taste of the smoothie - <S> if this is true, my guess would be the interaction between the acid in the fruit and the base in the dairy. <S> But, not being a chemist I can't speak to that. <S> I can, however, say that I personally haven't noticed a difference based on whether it was made the night before or not. <S> I see that you're not using ice; I don't know if you're using frozen berries or not, but if you're used to a chunkier ice-like smoothie from frozen berries, you'll lose that texture of course. <A> I can't talk to the protein powder, but if it fully dissolves, I'd think it would be ok. <S> If it doesn't fully dissolve, try using a bit less of it. <S> If you were using ice, it obviously wouldn't work. <S> So I think you're fine. <S> Go for it! <A> It obviously does not taste as fresh if drank the same day and not as good. <A> I've read that some of the nutrients will start to break down the longer a smoothie sits around, but "If you want to prevent oxidation, blend in some lemon juice or part of a peeled lemon." <S> (from smoothie-handbook ) to minimize the loss. <A> Sometimes I make my kids smoothies the night before (also w/ whey protein powder - as well as frozen fruit, milk/juice and greek yogurt) - and pour it into ice cube trays. <S> In the morning i pop 3-4 cubes in each cup and defrost in the microwave just til you can stir (its still pretty cold). <S> It seems to last up to a week (you can mix and match too - i'll store them in baggies).
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I think you're probably right, the ingredients would settle / separate, however I bet you could fix that with a spoon and a stir. I make protein smoothies (whey protein, fresh fruit, yogurt, ice, almond milk) the night before and notice a big difference in taste. I've noticed no graininess/texture difference between night-before and morning-of.
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Why did my "Turkish Delight" turn into a horrible goopy mess? I don't normally make a lot of confections but decided recently to try a few new things. Yesterday I used this recipe for Turkish delight which I originally found on the Hydrocolloid Recipe Collection . It uses agar as the gelling agent and appears relatively easy to prepare (that's why I tried it). Basically you just dissolve some agar in warm water, orange juice, and lemon juice, add sugar, simmer it, then cool and refrigerate to set. Unfortunately, what I ended up with after refrigerating overnight was closer to the consistency of jam or marmalade than a Turkish delight. It was far, far from delightful. When I prepared this I didn't actually follow the source URL and noticed a few differences that may account for the problem (but I'm not sure, that's why I'm asking): The original recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of agar; the one in the collection specifies exactly 1.2 g. The original recipe specifically says to cover with a cloth; the collection recipe is not so specific, it just says to cover (I used plastic wrap). The original recipe says to refrigerate in an ice-water bath; the collection recipe does not (I just put the dish in the fridge). Other issues that may have been causes: It turned out that my scale wasn't precise enough to get exactly 1.2 g. The amount I used could have been anywhere between 1 g and 2 g. In retrospect, I wish I had checked the original recipe and simply used the 1/2 teaspoon that it called for. I got the agar from an Asian grocery store, and the packaging clearly said "agar agar", but I did notice that it had two ingredients, the second one (after agar) being vanilla. I'm not sure whether this is normal or whether it might have been diluting the agar mix. I did notice that it did not seem to be gelling at all while it was coming down to room temperature. It was basically a soup until it had been refrigerated. Can anyone identify the most likely reason why this didn't work out? Did I use too little agar? Too much? Could some of the differences between the two recipe versions be important? Could it be something I haven't thought of yet? And equally importantly for the purposes of this question, can I fix it or am I going to have to throw it out? <Q> I've worked with agar a lot, and made a few things from the HRC. <S> Everything else about the cooling issue is normal. <S> Agar powders do vary. <S> You want to find one that is pure, unadulterated agar, not one that is setup to be a pre-prepared dessert as those are weaker. <S> If just for a laugh you want to try to save this batch, heat it back up until the agar fully melts, shear in a second amount equal to what you did last night, making sure it fully dissolves, then let it set again. <S> I'm pretty sure that will work. <S> You can also pick up a sub-gram scale on Amazon for around $20. <S> Thanks, drug dealers! <S> They are very helpful when making small batches of "molecular" recipes. <A> Well, from what I know, even though your measurements were not accurate or the agar wasn't a hundred percent pure, it should not affect your mixture in such a way . <S> The reason why your turkish delights turned wrong is more likely that you used fruit juice . <S> When using agar agar to make candy or firmer gel bases, it is not recommended to use fruit juice since it contains acids wich makes the agar unable to set properly. <S> If you want to make turkish delights with agar, I believe you are better off using flavoring and coloring. <S> I would even say you should use these in any recipe wich involves agar agar,unless otherwise specified. <S> You should also check out agar agar candy,wich is in my belief pretty similar to Turkish delight. <S> Since lokums are more jelly like, you should either not sun dry them or maybe just let them dry a little after they set (that doesn't take a lot of time,only let them cool down <S> and they'll be gel like) to get the consistecy you want. <A> According to Wikipedia, Turkish delight base is not agar but starch and sugar.
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Of all of the things you've identified as possible problems, I think the biggest likely ones are the quantity of agar, and the agar powder itself.
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How to keep a meatball round? After seeing this question I started to think more about my meatballs and wonder how can I keep them round? I have always been under the impression that you should first brown the outside and then cook them through. Problem is during the browning in the frying pan I end up with flat sides. What can I do? Help my meatballs! <Q> I saw a recommendation on 30 Minute Meals to place each one in a muffin tin (they were sized so they stuck out the top), and then bake them. <S> You'd have to find the right sized tray for your size of meatballs, though. <S> I'm guessing you'd also want a large tray underneath, though, or you risk dripping grease inside the oven. <S> ... you could probably also just put 'em on a sheet tray and bake 'em, and you'd only get one flat side, rather than from each time you turned them in the pan. <A> Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about how they look, but rather how they taste! <S> In some sense there is a trade off between the two. <S> You can initially mold them into a pretty round shape and then cook them them immediately in the sauce; this way will retain their round shape. <S> However, the more effective way (and the authentic Italian method) is to bake them in an oven first with a bit of olive oil. <S> This cooks the meatballs nicely and gives their surface a lovely texture and brown colour. <S> It is however inevitable that they will lose some of their roundness and flatten at the bottom (depending on their firmness), as you state. <S> A small price to pay for the taste however, I think! <A> Make them smaller, for one. <S> For another, does your recipe contain much added liquid? <S> That makes the raw product softer and more likely to squish. <S> Third, do you press them while they're in the pan? <S> Don't do that ;) <A> I'd imagine frequently rolling them around in the pan as you sear them would help. <A> You can bake them in the oven on racks (think cookie cooling racks). <S> This way they brown evenly all around and they don't change shape. <S> The downside is more dishes... <A> I nuke them in a microwave until the proteins bond, then fry in pan. <S> This is probably heresy, but I get round, tasty meatballs every time.
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Echoing advice above, too; baking will maintain roundness better, as will deep-frying.
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How can I make a quick bread mix less sweet? I have one of those quick bread mixes to which you only need to add water, oil, and eggs. The problem is that it is too sweet for my taste. Are there any tricks to make it less sweet? <Q> You can change the flavor profile of mixes by adding more flour to cut the sugar. <S> In the case of quick breads, I would suggest using self rising so that your quick breads will still have enough leavening. <S> Another way to cut the sweet would be to add ingredients that are savory, such as nuts or vegetables. <S> Depending on the mix, additions could vastly change how sweet it tastes. <S> They also make mixes that have reduced sugar in them that you could try. <S> Some of the health food mixes and specialty diet mixes (things like gluten free and vegan) might be more up your alley. <A> Al of the above :-) <S> Combine your mix with your pre-made mix and then cut in half for 2 batches. <A> Add a pinch of salt. <S> Modern breads are very low on salt.
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Make your own mix with more flour, less sugar and a pinch of salt.
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What are the advantages of using agave sweetener instead of sugar? From what I can tell, it seems that the only advantage is that it has a lower glycemic index. Here's my logic... On my organic blue agave sweetener bottle, it says that it's 25% sweeter than sugar, so you can use less than sugar (use 3 parts of agave sweetener for every 4 parts of sugar). Cane sugar has 4g of sugar in 1 teaspoon (4g). (4 teaspoons (or 16g) of cane sugar = 16g of sugar). Agave sweetener has 16g of sugar in 1 tablespoon (21g). (3 teaspoons (or 21g) of agave sweetener = 16g of sugar). So from a nutritional point of view, if you substitute 4 teaspoons of sugar for 3 teaspoons of agave sweetener, you are getting the same grams of sugar (16 in this case), which has the same amount of calories (64). So there seems to be no benefit here. Are they just trying to say that you're using less of the product so you can save money? If so, that is very misleading, since agave sweetener costs significantly more ($0.16/oz, $0.04/tsp) than sugar ($0.05/oz, $0.007/tsp) by 82.5%. That's nowhere near the 25% it can cost more than sugar and still be a cheaper alternative. The only other benefit I see is that it says that its glycemic index (39) is lower than sugar's (68) [source] . Am I overlooking anything? Are there any other benefits? <Q> Agave sweetener has a higher level of fructose (as high as 92% versus table sugar's 50%). <S> You can use less than 16 grams of agave sugars and have it be as sweet as 16 grams of cane sugars. <S> Lower calories for the same sweet taste. <A> One benefit to consider is that it's a syrup, not a crystal, so it'll disolve easier in liquid (although, you could also make a simple syrup with the sugar, so you're only really saving a step). <S> Agave nectar is hygroscopic, so in that regard, it behaves more like honey, but it from what I've heard (never done a straight taste test myself), it doesn't contribute much in the way of flavor, which can allow you to sweeten things without otherwise changing the taste. <A> Be careful - agave has a much higher fructose component than sugar (sucrose). <S> There is considerable research suggesting that fructose metabolizes into triglycerides (fat) rather than being directly used by the body for energy. <S> You might get more sweetness with less calories, but those calories get stored very quickly as fat rather than being used as a fuel source for you body. <S> I suggest <S> using agave might give you a counter-intuitive result. <S> Use glucose (aka dextrose) instead. <A> Other benefits would include purported health benefits. <S> I am unsure if you are simply asking what other cooking benefits there might be, but if you are asking why would someone use agave sweetener over heavily processed sugar (e.g. in coffee), the answer would probably result in it being (typically) an unrefined sugar. <S> Studies point to health issues correlating with (high) intake of processed sugars. <S> However, I also find it has a subtler flavor (than white sugar) that breaks down more easily in acidic foods.
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It's less sweet, but your body can directly use it for energy and it triggers your body's natural sense of being full (which fructose doesn't).
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How can I avoid chocolate truffle mix curdling? We are trying to make chocolate truffles by heating cream and adding to chopped up chocolate but it keeps curdling. Are there any tips to avoid this happening? <Q> I have made a lot of truffles, and even more ganache for other purposes, and I have never had this happen. <S> My guess is that you are boiling the cream too hard and that is causing the curdling. <S> How to make ganache:You will need by weight one part 35% cream to 2 parts chocolate of your choice. <S> Chop your chocolate <S> (if it's in blocks or chunks), put into a heatproof bowl (stainless steel is best) away fro your heat. <S> In a saucepan or pot (depending on how much you're making), bring the cream up to a high simmer. <S> Pour the cream immediately over the chocolate and stir with a silicone spatula if you have one, a wooden spoon otherwise. <S> The chocolate should completely melt within about two minutes; longer for very high percentage dark chocolates. <S> At this point if you are making flavoured truffles, add your flavourings (unless your flavour compounds have been infused into the cream). <S> Chill until set, make into truffles. <S> Edited to add: If you are using alcohol as a flavouring in your truffles, you will need to use either more chocolate or less cream. <S> I have found that approximately for every fluid ounce of alcohol added, remove 3/4-1 fluid ounce of cream from the recipe. <S> I prefer to infuse flavourings in the cream, and have had great success with beets, bacon (with a Guinness reduction added to the chocolate later), black truffle and pureed walnut, and honey. <S> Be sure to strain, of course, before adding the hot cream to the chocolate. <S> I have also found that white chocolate will often need slightly less cream than a milk or dark. <A> Try adding the heated cream to the chocolate away from the heat. <S> Curdling often occurs when you add too much heat to the chocolate as it's the fats and cocoa solids in the chocolate separating that causes the issues. <S> To save a slightly curdled mixture you can sometimes get away with frantic whisking but the taste will probably be affected. <A> I melt the chocolate then allow it to cool slightly and add the cream at room temperature, stirring it in gradually, adding any alcohol for flavouring as I go - I've never had it curdle this way. <A> You should melt the chocolate over a double boiler as you heat the cream, and stir the cream vigorously into the melted chocolate to prevent this. <A> There are many reasons why this can happen. <S> It is actually one of the most common problems with ganache. <S> Here are a few things that can cause the lumpiness: <S> Overheated cream - The cream should come to a simmer and not much more. <S> If you want to be precise, it should be around 105 F when it is added to the chocolate. <S> The chocolate should be finely chopped so it melts easily. <S> It should also ideally (although it doesn't absolutely have to be) be tempered. <S> If you are using new chocolate that was not previously melted, it should already be tempered. <S> What recipe are you using? <S> If you have any liquid flavorings (rum, fruit puree, etc) that can be a factor. <S> Are you adding butter or only using cream? <A> If your truffle mixture happens to curdle all you do is add a splash of boiling water and mix it in. <S> This smooths out the sauce and brings it back to a silky smooth mixture. <S> I have found that whisking the mixture when it has curdled tends to make it worse. <A> I have had it split <S> and it's generally adding something cold too late, whisking for a few minutes with an electric whisk on high speed will fix it, well it worked for me.
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When I make truffles I tend to use a cheese grater to create fine chocolate shavings which melt easily when mixed with warm cream avoiding the need to add more heat which you might need to do if you have bigger chunks.
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Pancetta Mold. How to tell whether it's safe to eat? I've been hanging my own Pancetta based on the recipe in Ruhlman's 'Charcuterie' book. Some small white dots of mold have started to appear. I want to identify whether this mold is to be expected or whether it is a sign of my preservation gone wrong. I realise mold is almost an ever present factor in charcuterie but how can you tell the safe mold from the dangerous ones? <Q> On another couple of sites ( Ruhlman for starters) I found the answer to this. <S> I've followed Ruhlman's advice and dabbed the spots of mould with a vinegar soaked cloth and it wiped straight off and looks fine. <S> My meat was coming up to the end of it's hanging time anyway so rather than worry about it further <S> I've refrigerated it. <S> I hope this helps anyone that stumbles across this with the same issue. <A> The mould is an important part of the curing process and as a general rule, as long as the mould is white and the meat doesn't smell 'bad' <S> in any way, your pancetta will be doing what it's meant to. <S> Sorry, I realise 'bad' might be objective, but generally very obvious to tell off meat with curing. <S> If the mould is white, speckled with black, or mostly black, or green, then your pancetta's in trouble. <A> if you are using a stble controlled mold (ie. <S> Bactoferm 600 or mondostart etc.) <S> the mold should appear white. <S> if you are begginning to get blue spores there is most likely an issue with air circulation or moreso the relative humidity of the chamber. <S> Humidity should reach into the mid 70s for proper mold growth. <S> to counteract mold one can also purchase potassium sorbate for the war on green and blue. <S> Since your pancetta is tesa i dont see there being a possibility of internal mold. <S> unless you did a shit job butchering. <S> I work in a producer of cured meats and our pancetta regularly takes mold from the rest of the room <A> Don't eat the mould - cut it out. <S> Probably scrape it off the meat. <S> I don't know if anyone can comment on using something to prevent growth, like rubbing down with alcohol. <A> I learned from my fathers methods. <S> In the way we prepare the Pancetta, there is very little mold that forms and if it does (white fuzzy stuff) <S> it gets cut off any way. <S> once it is washed from the salt it has stayed in for its weight. <S> we cover it with hot pepper flakes/fine pepper powder, cured with the ribs in. <S> I have attached a picture of the Pancetta that i made last year after the salting and peppering. <A> I am making Prosciutto for the first time. <S> It sat in my fridge covered in salt for 30 days. <S> It was then hung in my basement for a couple months, but then summer came and the humidity rose. <S> The Prosciutto grew white fuzzy and light green mold. <S> I took it down unwrapped and scrubbed with a water white vinegar mixture. <S> I then wrapped it in cheese cloth again and its on a wire rack in my fridge. <S> Maybe, this will help you.
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It appears that mould is expected sometimes in the Pancetta making process and as a general rule of thumb as long as it isn't too green and furry then it should be OK. Unless I'm mistaken, you should probably not eat the outer layer of the meat at all.
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Why do you marinade steak with onions? Most recipes call for onions when marinading steak, but...why? <Q> Because onions contain a lot of flavour compounds that we like, and which are synergistic with meats. <A> Onions contain proteolytic enzymes, just like honey and certian fruits, which makes them ideal to help tenderize meat. <S> They are a very common type of vegetable that's low in calories, and have a place in nearly every cuisine around the world. <S> One prime example is a dish from Japan known as Chaliapin Steak , which is a dish where you score the meat (make grid lines), pound the beef, and cover both sides of the steak in chopped onions. <S> Just letting the steak sit in the onions makes it so tender you can cut it with a fork or chopsticks. <A> In this study <S> they compare using onion with meat over a roughly 30-day period in refrigeration. <S> At the 30-day mark they have a sensory panel compare the 30-day vs non-onioned 4-day meat. <S> The sensory panel concluded there was no significant difference, but a small fraction preferred the onion meat (30-day). <S> This can suggest onions also have enzymes that inhibit lipids to improve longevity. <A> Actually, yes the onions are there to add flavor, but they also contain enzymes that break down the meat fibers making it more tender, this can also be done with pineapple and other fruits like kiwi. <S> But the fruits add a fruity flavor which doesn't taste good to most when eating a steak. <S> Onions however, add a much more savory flavor. <S> @Chris - Marinading <S> a good steak doesn't ruin it, all it does is add flavors that weren't there before. <S> Now granted one can buy some A3-A5 beef and have an extremely tender steak, but you are paying a lot of money for that meat. <S> Marinading is a flavorful way to make very tender steaks at half the cost (OR LESS!) <A> Onion contains an enzyme called or chemical named tridyhydrochrmiderm not sure about the spelling <S> but it breaks down meat much like a spider <S> does it's food .. <S> its really cool watching this take place... <S> it's way better in studies then any placebo could ever be... <A>
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Technically onions have special enzymes that are used to break down protein, so when we put it on steak or any other protein it makes the meat tender as well as soaking the taste of the onions into the meat.
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Thermometers for high temperature ovens Are there any thermometers that you can put in clay ovens, or under a broiler? Most of the thermometers have a temperature limit of 350 ~ 400 degrees. I actually burnt one down last year by turning the broiler on by accident. <Q> You'll want a commercial oven or high heat thermometer . <S> This one goes to 750° F (about 400 C): <S> My Big Green Egg Temperature Gauge goes up to 750 <S> ° F (about 400 C). <A> If all else fails, look up a scientific supply house (maybe Fisher Scientific ). <S> You'll be looking at more money, of course, and a lot of the stuff won't be certified as "food safe". <A> I was looking for a similar scenario, and I found this thermometer, which goes up to 550 C, so it would be apprepriate for a pizza/bread oven. <S> It is designed to be installed in the door. <S> Door Thermometer for Wood Oven
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But if I want to monitor the internal temperature of what you are cooking in a hotter oven/broiler, I usually use a remote thermometer which has an all-metal wire and probe:
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What is the difference between roasting, baking, and broasting? For example, when making a turkey for Thanksgiving, I generally place it in the oven (covered in foil or a turkey bag), and cook it for many hours at the recommended heat setting. I can crock-pot a "roast" cut of meat for many hours, or put it in the oven (again covered) for several hours at a low temperature. How is that different from "baking", other than when baking the top is generally not covered? <Q> Traditionally roasting used radiant heat to cook meat. <S> This would have taken place over an open flame, typically on a rotating spit . <S> In modern times this method is now called Rotisserie . <S> Modern roasting refers to dry heat cooking that takes place in an oven, the food is cooked by convection . <S> Until the late 19th century this method was referred to as baking . <S> Baking is essentially the same as roasting in modern times. <S> Baking most often refers specifically to the cooking of "baked goods" (breads, pastries, etc.). <S> However, the terms baking and roasting are often used interchangeably (baked chicken, roast chicken). <S> There doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule here as to which term is used. <S> For example, you roast asparagus, turkey, chicken, but bake lasagna, casseroles, and also chicken. <S> Braising uses a combination of moist and dry heat to cook the food. <S> This is what occurs in a crock pot, or in dutch oven/stock pot in the oven. <S> Your meat will be cooked in an ample amount of seasoned liquid such as wine and/or stock. <S> Broasting <S> I had never heard of before. <S> According to Wikipedia it's a trademarked method of pressurized deep frying. <S> I doubt this is what you were referring to. <A> Roasting - cooking with dry heat Baking - cooking with dry heat <S> Broasting - a trademark of Broaster, Co . <S> as a special method of cooking chickens by frying under pressure. <S> Preceded by a special marinade process ( source for this definition). <S> According to ochef these days baking and roasting are the have become synonyms, although they were not always so. <S> Broasting, as you can see from the definition, is not a dry heat application and is therefore different. <S> For everyone who says roasting involves meat and baking is everything else, you can point to all the roast vegetable recipes (although I have yet to hear about a roast cake, pie, or cookie recipe). <S> For everyone who says roasting is a higher temperature than baking, you can point to slow roast recipes that cook for a long time at a low temperature. <S> The best way to determine the difference is convention - if an item is normally roasted, call it roasting. <S> If it's normally baked, call it baking. <A> for me, roasting implies adding oil in some way, even if this only comes from the oil present in the cut of meat, and not emulsified oil, like the butter in a cake. <S> baking implies dry heat and no 'loose' oil. <S> roasted veg would have oil on them, baked potatoes do not. <S> A pie or chicken kiev would be baked as no oil is added, a whole chicken would be roast as it would release fats as it was heated, even if no additional oil or butter was rubbed in. <S> Update - after talking it over with a friend the actual temperature might come into it. <S> Things seems to be baked at a lower temp <S> say up to 180C and roast above say 200C, but its not a hard and fast rule. <A> The word is probably a portmanteau of "boiling" and "roasting". <S> While it used to be a common trick with vintage pressure cooker manuals, all modern home devices warn against the practice. <S> Please do not attempt at home unless you have the restaurant grade equipment that says it is specifically for broasting. <S> KFC cooks their original recipe chicken (not their spicy crispy recipe) this way. <S> They use an industrial cooker and heat the oil up very hot to start, and then they add a weighed batch of chicken and seal the lid. <S> The hot oil rapidly crisps the outer coating while the chilled chicken drops the temperature of the oil downward as it cooks.
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Broasting is generally used for deep frying using oil in the pressure cooker instead of water.
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When curing sausage, which is more important temperature or humidity? I am curing sausages, pork salami in hog casing to be precise. I am having a hard time maintaining both the temperature and the humidity necessary. I have no trouble controlling temperature 60F/15C. (I have a small wine refrigerator) however the relative humidity in it is getting up to the 85-89% range. (As measured by an admittedly uncalibrated hygrometer but which reads 67% when set in the room containing the refrigerator) The relative humidity elsewhere is somewhere in the 50-70% range depending on the room and time of day. However the temperature varies between 67F/19C and 76F/24C. The recommended target range is 60F/15C for temperature and 70% for relative humidity. So far I am not having bad mold problems, just a few tiny flecks of white(acceptable/good) mold. The smallest of the sheep casing test sausages in fact lost it's 30% in weight and seems done. The hog casing sausages are losing weight, but at a much slower rate than expected (presumably due to higher humidity). Everywhere I look there is a TON of information on raising the humidity in your curing chamber, not so much on lowering it. Suggestions for lowering the humidity of the chamber would also be helpful. Should I put the sausages in another hanging container with lower humidity and higher, uncontrolled/ambient temperatures? Should I let them continue to poke along at the higher humidity and dry very slowly, and possibly not at all? EDITED TO ADD:Silica Gel, at least in the quantity I placed in the cooler had no measurable effect on the humidity. Possibly more silica gel would have done more. <Q> You ned to get your hands on a computer fan (they are designed to run 24hrs a day). <S> I simply mounted one of these inside wall of my curing chamber (down low - as wet air drops), cut a hole in the wall of the fridge with a hole saw - which allows the fan to exhaust the moist air from within the curing chamber. <S> I also cut a similar sized hole at the top of the curing chamber on the opposite side which allows dry air to enter the chamber as the wet air is exhausted. <S> I have it rigged up to a cheap humidity controller I purchased off ebay, <S> so when the controller detects high humidity ( <S> whatever you set it at), it exhausts the humid air. <A> I am using a frost-free freezer (large) and at the moment am drying 7kg. <S> I have a temp controller which works perfectly, but as the weather changes I get a lot of variation. <S> A humidistat controls a humidifier, so have no trouble in keeping the humidity up, which I like to in the early stages. <S> The problem arises overnight when the ambient temp is lower than the fridge and so it doesn't cycle. <S> To combat this I have a heat bulb in the bottom which lifts the internal temp and causes the fridge to cycle, thus removing moisture. <S> The heat bulb and the humidifier seem to fight each other but according to the gauges, gives the correct environment. <S> Have not had any mould problems or failures yet - hope this helps. <A> Too humid an environment will, as you are seeing, slow the curing process down. <S> As long as they are still decreasing in weight you should be OK but you need to be careful of moisture forming on the outside of the casings as this may encourage nastier moulds to grow beyond the white one expected on salami. <S> If they are not losing weight at all this is a problem as this indicates the water content within the sausage is not decreasing and a high water content will encourage bacteria growth and eventually spoil the meat. <S> Try opening up the refrigerator you are using for a few hours a day to let the moisture out (the trade off is that you will heat it up a bit <S> but if it's only for a few hours you should be OK). <S> If a more severe drop in humidity is needed then aim a desk fan at them and run it for an hour or so a day. <S> Circulating the air around the sausages will help remove the moisture but may not be all that economical when you consider the electricity bill. <S> EDIT: <S> This is a totally untested idea but theoretically should work as they are designed to absorb moisture and are non-toxic (although the label warns against eating them it's more a choking hazard than any poison to worry about). <S> I'd be very interested to hear how successful you are if you try this route. <A> I have a vent in my curing chamber <S> that's an old refrigerator converted over. <S> I used a metal dryer vent and caulked the perimeter once installed, i also leave the metal flap open a bit with a magnet. <S> This allows circulation of air inside of the chamber via the fan. <S> I have a steady 58 degrees with 70% RH. <A> The short answer is within the ranges you describe, humidity is more important than temperature. <S> Reasonable temperature fluctuations will have little effect, because you've already created an environment hostile (hostile, not impervious) to harmful organisms. " <S> Spoilage" is cause by bacterial action. <S> If bacteria and other organisms cannot survive, multiply, and act, then you're not at risk of spoilage. <S> This is why canned goods never go bad. <S> This is bad, and dangerous. <S> Theoretically, if the humidity outside the sausage is any amount lower than inside, you'll have drying action, which is good. <S> The purpose of humidity ranges is to ensure that you have consistent drying and moisture loss throughout the drying process. <S> Keep some air movement, do your best on temp, and dial in your humidity, and you'll be fine. <S> Good luck! <A> You should see if Amazon or local retailer don't carry small dehumidifiers that you can put in your makeshift fridge. <S> I have seen people use them in there wine fridges which the use as a cheese fridge.
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On the other hand, if the humidity is too LOW, you're at risk for case hardening; the formation of a dried layer containing a raw center. If opening the fridge and/or using a fan don't work for you a more radical approach that might work could be to try Silica Gel packs (like the ones you get in electronics packaging) in the bottom of the fridge.
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Substituting table salt for kosher salt when brining chicken How much regular table salt should I use when brining chicken pieces? I don't have kosher salt, just regular iodised table salt. Does this really make a difference? I thought salt was salt. Additionally, I have never found non-iodised salt for sale in South Africa. There is, however, a big fad in "Himalayan Crystal Salt" at the moment in South Africa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayan_salt). Would this be better to use? <Q> If you can find canning or pickling salt, it's not iodized (and has no other additives, unlike some kosher salts), so won't contribute any off flavors that roux mentioned. <S> However, the different grain sizes will be a problem as they pack denser, so based on a chart from Marton's salt that ManiaxZX linked to in discussing differences in salts , they'd recommend cutting the salt by 20% when changing from kosher salt to table salt to canning/pickling salt. <A> Table salt weighs about twice as much per unit volume as kosher salt. <S> So if you only have access to table salt and a recipe calls for kosher use half as much (unless it is asking by weight) then it should be the same but make a much smaller pile. <S> Iodized salt does taste a tiny bit funny <S> it's true, but many people can't taste the difference. <S> For brining a chicken iodized table salt will work just fine. <S> If you've never encountered un-iodized salt <S> you are extremely unlikely to notice the "off flavors" others have mentioned. <A> As roux suggests in his comment, all that really matters is the weight. <S> You want about 30 grams of salt per liter (or quart) of brining liquid for a weak brine, which is what you should do if you're starting out with brining. <S> For table salt, that's about two table spoons; for kosher salt, it's about four. <A> (Try taste-testing different salts next to each other). <S> However, Himalayan tends to be expensive, at least compared to kosher.
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Himalayan would be preferable, yes, as the iodine in table salt can produce a bitter taste.
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How can I make my scones rise evenly? I've been making some scones and they are either falling away to one side or just sort of staying flat. I'm currently just baking them on a tray in the oven at 220C The recipe is: 450g self-raising flour 1 tbs caster sugar 80g butter, cubed, at room temperature 250mls milk, at room temperature Are there any tips or techniques I can use to make them rise evenly? <Q> Your technique is going to be critical here. <S> Leaning scones aren't necessarily indicative of improper technique, but flat ones are. <S> Keeping your ingredients cold is important when creating scones in every recipe I've read or tried. <S> Cook's Illustrated went so far as to grate the butter and then freeze the grated pieces and use a laminating technique to provide layers. <S> Your milk should also be cold, not room temperature. <S> You may also want to chill your work bowl and utensils. <S> You don't want your butter melting before those scones hit the oven. <S> When your scones hit the oven and the butter does begin to soften and melt, it will leave behind layers of air in your scone which will help it to rise. <S> You don't want to handle finished scone dough very much. <S> Use a light touch and minimal work. <S> I'd also check the date on your self-raising flour. <S> The ingredients will lose their activity over time, causing the flour not to rise as well any more. <A> I would suggest switching to a recipe with All-Purpose flour and baking soda, baking powder, and salt. <S> Also, cut in the cold butter, use cold milk and stir/knead as little as possible. <S> Pop immediately into the oven. <S> This is the way I make them <S> and they always rise nicely. <S> However, i wouldn't say they are perfectly even! <S> I think they look cute that way! <A> Of course your ingredients (except for butter) should be at room temperature before you start. <S> But here are 2 other key things to consider: (1) is the leavening agent distributed evenly through your dough? <S> (i.e. did you mix the dry ingredients thoroughly? <S> you may want to sift them together, just to make sure they're evenly incorporated) (2) have you rolled the dough (or shaped it) to uniform thickness? <S> If there are spots which are thicker (middle) than the ends, the scones could end up lopsided. <S> Hope that helps! <A> another cause of lopsided scones are caused by "twisting" the dough when you are cutting them. <S> You should always use a sharp hit and NO twisting when cutting your scone, this way you will get a lovely rise out of your scones. <A> I use strong white flour and a good amount of baking powder, all sieved twice. <S> Pop them in the fridge for 20mins then into a hot oven. <S> Some are a bit lopsided, but rise amazingly. <S> I'll remember the no-twist technique when cutting. <A> The key is not to turn your cookie cutter. <S> Flour the cutter and push down once. <S> Flour again for the next scone. <S> The turning of the cutter lets the dough rise unevenly. <A> The key is nothing to do with freezing your butter. <S> I have been trying various ones for years and now have then perfect. <S> The 2 main things to remember. <S> 1st <S> The milk which should be soured but don't buy it just warm your milk in the microwave to take chill from it then squire lemon juice in it and thus will sour it. <S> After you have done your butter and flour to breadcrumb effect stir in your sugar then make the well and pour in your soured milk. <S> It will look sloppy <S> don't worry well flour your work surface and your hands then slop it on. <S> 2nd do not overwork from here because overworking it makes the gluten active which affects the bake. <S> Just gently fold it and start cutting. <S> Don't use the jagged edge of cutter use the smooth and just press down no turn. <S> Make sure they're deep. <S> Gently fold remainder and same again any left just roll and pat you don't need uniformity you want home made look. <S> Brush with egg that look great and only 10 mins in oven for me . . <S> And I can make mine last for 4 days without drying out if you want this tip just ask
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Many other recipes use cold butter (frozen or simply very cold out of the freezer) in chunks and a pastry blender to cut them in.
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Cooking with a cut or burn on my hands I know from this question that I should avoid cooking (at least without gloves) if I have an open cut. However, once a cut starts to heal, how can I tell if it's safe to cook without gloves? Are there any firm rules, or is it based on experience and watching how MY cuts react to being washed often? Are there different rules if I have a burn? Or is it the same -- if I'm likely to ooze, I should wear gloves. Otherwise, I'm okay without them. <Q> If you're really worried about it, put some superglue over it. <S> It actually works really well... <S> Just don't stick your fingers together. <S> Regular superglue can irritate your skin, so if you have time to plan ahead, buy some Dermabond , which is a cyanoacrylate surgical glue... <S> They use it in place of stitches sometimes. <S> Works great. <S> Your wounds will NOT seep. <S> Period. <S> Honestly though, people get cut all the time in professional kitchens, and I've never seen someone do more than slap some glue or a piece of tape over it, and keep going. <S> You can't just quit work for a couple of days without throwing the whole business into chaos. <S> It's a rough trade. <A> I don't have enough reputation to upvote answer #1, but I tried, and I'll second Satanicpuppy's suggestion of superglue. <S> I use it all the time. <S> Just let it dry before you touch anything. <S> If you do bond a couple of fingers together, or get glued to a spoon or a pot or something, nail polish remover (acetone based, at least) will help you get unstuck. <A> Most commercial kitchens require gloves over an open wound. <S> Its as much for your protection as it is the people you are serving. <S> Wounds and bacteria/viruses <S> /pathogens do not mix and no one wants to worry about what diseases you may have while you are preparing their food. <A> After years helping as a student in a restaurant kitchen, a finger cut was far more frequent than a palm cut. <S> In those cases it was a pain working 14 hours with gloves, so the alternative was banding my finger and hold it together with the cut of a glove finger. <S> That also made it some waterproof.
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As a rule, if there could be any transfer of fluids, use a glove.
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What is a kitchen rag? In his answer to a question about nail biting , nicorellius referred to not wiping your hands with the "kitchen rag". I've never worked in a professional kitchen, and the only rags I have around my kitchen are dish towels, which I often use to dry my hands. What exactly is a kitchen rag, and what should it be used for? What should one avoid doing with a kitchen rag that you might use a towel for in a home kitchen? <Q> A kitchen rag is typically a white, rectangular towel that has various duties in a professional kitchen. <S> Some of the uses include: wiping-down counter tops, sopping-up spills, securing cutting boards (use DAMP rags), and grabbing hot pans (use DRY rags). <S> Generally, it is a good idea to wash your hands with soap and a sink. <S> Often kitchen rags are used to clean debris from the hands between preparing food items. <S> Usually the rags are dropped-off, picked-up, and washed by an outsourced service provider (e.g. Cintas). <S> The kitchen rags from these providers often have a thin, colored line that runs lengthwise down the towel. <S> If you would like to find some for your home, try searching 'bar mops'. <S> They are essentially the same as kitchen rags, and are usually very cheap. <A> A kitchen rag does not, as far as I know, have to be something exclusive to a professional kitchen. <S> In this very old NY Times letter to the editor, the writer talks about a cloth used to wipe the floor as either a file cloth or a kitchen rag. <S> You might wipe your counters with one. <S> You might wipe your floors with one (I hope you don't wipe both your counters and floors with the same one). <S> A dish rag would be a similar term that is a name for a wash cloth-ish sized absorbent cloth used for washing dishes. <S> I've heard of a friend's roommate using the same kitchen rag to dry hands, dishes, and sop up liquid from a raw chicken off of the floor - <S> obviously that's an improper use of a single rag, but rags could be used for all those tasks without cross-contamination if you used one for each task. <S> To sum it up, most uses for a kitchen rag can end up spreading bacteria. <S> If you've got an open sore, you don't want to be doing that. <A> One logical answer I can think of is in a professional kitchen <S> you move hot handled pans in and out of the oven or on and off the stove protecting you hand with a rag or kitchen towel. <S> From experience I can assure you that if your colleagues decide to use your rag to dry their wet hands then you try to pick up a pan handle that has been in the hot oven with the damp cloth, the resulting burn is very unpleasant! <S> As is the language used afterwards.
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A kitchen rag is simply a cloth that can be used for many things around the kitchen.
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How long can hard cheeses last in a refrigerator? I had chunks of various hard cheeses, mostly parmesan, in my refrigerator for varying lengths of time. Some as long as 3+ months. I've never seen any obvious signs of spoilage and have never been struck down by food poisoning after using said cheese. But my wife is very suspicious when using any food that has been in the fridge for longer than a week. Is there a generally accepted length of time to keep these types of hard cheese? <Q> Hard cheeses (e.g. parmesan) will typically last several months in the refrigerator once removed from the packaging. <S> The larger the chunk, the longer it will last. <S> If mold forms on the outside, simply cut it off and continue using. <S> There is no reason to throw-away good parmesan. <A> Sources vary. <S> Others say as little as a few weeks once opened. <S> You can tell if your cheese has gone bad by looking for mold. <S> You can tell if it is drying out by the presence of dark spots. <S> ( source ). <S> One way to placate your wife is to freeze your hard cheeses. <S> Hard cheeses lose the least of their flavor and texture after freezing, and so are better candidates than other cheeses. <A> This varies from person to person and refrigerator to refrigerator. <S> It depends on many factors such as: <S> The age of the cheese when you bought it; Whether or not it has been opened (shelf life goes down drastically after opening); <S> The amount of moisture in the cheese; The amount of moisture in your refrigerator; <S> The amount of time exposed to open air (if opened); The quality of the seal (if resealed). <S> And so on. <S> I can personally attest to both Reggiano and Grana Padano growing mold after only two weeks in my cheese drawer (yes, I have an entire drawer for cheese) after opening it, and at least 3 months unopened. <S> It might last more than 3 months unopened, but cheese never sits around that long unopened at my place... <S> However, since this question is about hard cheeses, it's useful to know that mold is not a deal-killer . <S> So if you've been keeping it in your refrigerator and start to see mold after a few weeks - don't worry about it! <S> Just cut the mold off and store it again. <S> I've made opened cheese last up to 2 months this way, by simply cutting off the outer layers that are starting to grow mold. <S> If you're conscientious about it, you won't have to throw anything out. <A> Soft cheeses usually last at least 2 months in my fridge, but hard cheeses last 5 times that long
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Unlike soft cheeses, where mold can grow roots and spread throughout the interior (even if you can't see it), mold can generally only grow on the surface of a hard cheese. Some say that you have up to six months unopened, 3-4 months opened.
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Can I use a Wok ring on a gas range? I have just purchased a GE Cafe gas range. The user guide indicates: Do not use a wok on the cooking surface if the wok has a round metal ring that is placed over the burner grate to support the wok. This ring acts as a heat trap, which may damage the burner grate and burner head. Also, it may cause the burner to work improperly. This may cause a carbon monoxide level above that allowed by current standards, resulting in a health hazard. However, I have read several times on the web that using a round bottom wok with a wok ring yields optimal results when cooking on a gas range. What do you think? Source: Use and Care Manual . <Q> I find it amusing that your range warns you the cooking ring <S> will work as intended . <S> It's supposed to be heat trap, and focus heat on the bottom of the wok. <S> That said, they are also correct that it may discolor the burner grate. <S> I can't really say what your grates are made from, and many cooking materials discolor at high temperatures. <S> I think the main idea behind this paragraph in your manual is to save them from warranty replacements for discolored grates. <S> I also find it highly suspect that a wok could damage the burner itself. <S> They are usually ceramic, in direct contact with open flame, and any pan traps heat to some degree. <S> Burners get HOT and have to be able to take it. <S> Although the little decorative cap on the burner might discolor as well. <A> I think you should follow the manufacturer's instructions for whichever piece of equipment is more expensive. <S> They have spent significant time and effort researching and testing how their equipment works. <S> In addition, knowingly using equipment in a way specifically warned against by the manufacturer will in almost all cases void your warranty. <A> I have a Heartland Legend range. <S> So far, the best technique I've found is to remove the grate altogether and balance a round-bottom wok directly on the burner. <S> I've tried wok rings but they have problems: <S> Not enough oxygen gets to the flame, and Heat is trapped at the bottom and doesn't flow up the sides. <S> I'm thinking that a wire wok ring is the way to go. <S> The only one I've been able to find is Joyce Chen's J31-0063 Chrome Steel Wire Wok Ring. <S> I ordered one from Amazon and am waiting to see if it works better. <S> Does anyone else have experience with wok rings on high-perfomance gas ranges? <A> Melting of "wok" burners is common when flat bases pans are used. <S> They reflect the heat back. <S> Always follow the manufacturers directions!Useing a wok with a ring on the bottom will most likely damage the cooktop. <A> All wok rings are not created equal; quality ones are made of cast iron. <S> Try to find one made specifically for your gas range: They are designed to lock onto the grate and function as an extension of the grate. <S> A ring that is designed for your range makes cooking in a wok an absolute joy as the wok is steady and balanced and heats evenly without fear of wobbling, sliding or over heating your range.. <S> I recommend going to the web site of your range manufacturer and ordering it, if it's an option. <S> If your particular make of range doesn't have the accessory, try to find a cast iron one from another gas appliance company that's as close to your grate configuration as possible , but keep in mind, nothing will fit as good, and be as safe and steady as the one cut specifically for your own model. <S> The wok ring plays an important safety role in cooking in a wok. <S> Our wok has become a permanent part of our gas range as we use it for everything. <S> The convenience of having a big sauce pan/ bowl/ fry pan always on top and ready for fire makes a nice addition to our kitchen.. <A> I have used my wok and wok ring on my indoor gas range several times with no problem. <S> The metal grates that usually cover the eyes are removable, and I always remove the grate on the eye that I use before placing the wok ring around the burner. <S> Keep in mind, it is preferable to use an outdoor propane burner as you will get the higher heat that is optimal for wok cooking and stir-frying. <S> I use the wok ring on my outdoor burner as well. <A> Good wok rings have round sections cut out to stop excessive build up of heat and fumes.
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A good wok on a good burner doesnt need such rings.
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What is a poolish starter? I asked a question about what I could add to homemade bread to stop it going off so fast and someone suggested trying "a poolish starter". I've never heard of this before, so what is it? <Q> Poolish is a type of sponge . <S> You prepare it before mixing your dough. <S> As in 16 hours before. <S> Then, you mix it with the rest of the ingredients. <S> What I usually do is mix 150g of flour and 150g of water with a pinch of yeast (less than 1g) and no salt at all the night before the day I'm going to use it. <S> The idea is to use the same amount, in weight, of flour and water, and the least amount possible of yeast and let it work as slow as possible. <S> This will depend on many factors. <S> I'm giving you my quantities, but it changes from winter to summer, you will have to experiment. <S> That's half of the fun. <S> For the mixing I use a fork and a 1 litter/quarter container and 30 seconds of work, it shouldn't take you more. <S> The poolish usually gets almost to the top in 14-18 hours. <S> Once I put 5g of yeast and got to the top in 1 hour. <S> This is not bad but defies the purpose of the poolish taking a lot of time. <S> Some people even put in the refrigerator to make it take longer. <S> Why would you want it to take time? <S> This is what I was told and makes sense to me: when you mix water, flour and yeast two things happen: the yeast transform the sugars and some good bacteria <S> starts creating acids that will determine flavour. <S> The yeast work depends on the temperature and amount of yeast (among other things, like water, salt, fat, etc). <S> The bacteria doesn't. <S> Also, the bacteria and the acids help preserve the bread. <S> Once it has reached the top you have 1 hour approx to use it. <S> If not, it will collapse and you better start with a new one. <S> If you think you are not going to use it in 1 hour, use a fork to degass it before it collapses and let it rise again. <S> It will rise faster this time, but that will buy you some time. <S> You can see what it looks like. <S> If you have a recipe you like, try replacing 150g flour and 150g water with the poolish and see what happens. <S> You may replace between 10% and 50% of the final dough. <S> You'll see changes in color and flavor. <A> I'm not sure what you mean by "stop it from going off so fast." <S> If you are familiar with a biga or sponge, it is a close relative. <A> You can learn more about starters in general from The Bread Baker's Apprentice , one of the best books for learning about the science behind bread out there. <S> He covers pre-ferments, bigas, and poolish as well as sourdough starters. <S> Poolish is a more wet starter than many of the other kinds. <S> A poolish is somewhat similar to a sourdough starter that isn't strong enough to provide the yeast all on its own.
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A poolish is a pre-ferment that is made of equal parts flour and water.
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How to obtain rennet? I want to make some homemade mozzeralla and I know that I need rennet but I am at a loss at how to obtain it. I also don't know which type I need out of the artifical or natural. Is there a way to make it for myself? My searches are turning up conflicting information and I am a little lost in the woods here. <Q> The easiest way where I live to get rennet is to buy Junket tablets at the grocery store. <S> If they have it it's near the ice cream toppings. <S> You can buy it online from the company. <S> It's very cheap and although not 100% pure rennet <S> it works just fine for the variety of cheeses I have made. <S> The box of tablets comes with reliable recipes for a variety of cheeses and ice cream. <S> This may make sense for you- especially if you are buying from them anyway for specialized bacteria or mold to make a particular cheese like swiss, etc. <S> I can't recommend one in particular but they are easy to find. <S> You can make your own. <S> I wouldn't recommend it. <S> Rennet is an enzyme used by calves to digest their mother's milk. <S> Historically, when a calf was slaughtered the correct stomach (I believe the first) would be chopped up and soaked for some time in water. <S> The stomach was then removed and the water with dissolved rennet would be used to make cheese. <S> If you have access to a calf and have a tougher constitution than I you could certainly try this. <S> For those opposed to our genetically-modified-bacteria-friends non-recombinant rennet can be found. <S> Vegetarian rennet derived from vegetables or mold with similar properties is also available. <S> Recombinant is, of course, much less expensive. <A> Homebrewing beer is becoming more and more popular. <S> Many cities have homebrew stores and many of those stores also carry cheesemaking ingredients (along with winemaking). <S> So, if you have a local homebrew/winemaking store, you might check to see if they also carry cheesemaking supplies. <S> As an example, my local Austin Homebrew Supply , and a similar Seattle homebrew store, Sound Homebrew Supply . <S> Both of these companies allow online purchase, too... <S> so you could source it from them if you don't have a local cheesemaking supplier. <A> I've gotten Junket rennet tablets from a popular mail-order supplier with free shipping if you order totals over $25 dollars. <S> Probably not cheaper than local, but I've had no luck shopping locally. <A> If you have a WHOLE FOODS store they sell them there! <S> I just bought some this weekend, they are in the baking aisle, if you can't find them ask a sales associate!
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Online cheese making suppliers can sell you "higher quality" rennet that is much more expensive. Nowadays rennet is mostly recombinantly produced.
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What's a good nondairy substitute for parmesan/grana padano as a salad-topper? I'm making a salad that's quite bitter (endives, radicchio, arugula, with a lemon vinaigrette dressing). Normally this salad has peeled grana padano on top of it, which cuts the bitterness, but my co-diner can't have dairy (or gluten, sadly). Any ideas for what I could add to a salad like this that would cut the bitterness similarly? Thanks! <Q> The main things that Parmesan cheese can add to a salad are fattiness and salt. <S> The first thing that comes to mind for me is bacon. <S> You could probably also make a yummy main dish salad (or hearty first course) by adding duck or a cured meat such as salami. <S> If you're not interested in adding meat, how about olives? <S> Those would serve similar purposes. <S> Other options might be marinated artichoke hearts or mushrooms. <S> Just make sure you choose ones that aren't too tart, as they might add to the effect of the lemon vinaigrette. <A> I agree with Martha with the fat a salt being the required balancing element in a bitter salad but think with your delicate flavours bacon might over power. <S> I think I'd add an air died ham like Serrano or Parma ham. <A> My sister's dairy-free out of necessity (milk allergy, not lactose intolerance) and she swears by a mixture of baker's yeast, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, and salt for Parmesan replacement, though obviously it's more akin to grated cheese than sliced cheese and thus might not be the texture you want. <A> <A> Second, I will often cut the bitterness with a high-quality olive oil (California Olive Ranch is sweeter), with a nice large-grain salt, and/or with balsamic vinegar which can add sweetness as well. <S> Depending on the dish, mirin can also add sweetness. <S> If you substitute with olives, try Graber olives or Castelveltrano (my favorite!). <S> Or try avocado or a ripe heirloom tomato. <S> Or both. <S> Have fun and good luck! <A> Try shredded coconut. <S> If the bitterness is still palpable, try salted coconut shreds (or salt them yourself by soaking in saline water).
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On endive salad, I like to cut bitterness with sumak , a spice commonly used in Turkey as a replacement for lemon juice. As someone who is also dairy and gluten free, first off you can make gluten-free bread crumbs now, with some decent gluten free breads on the market (I've also found gf crumbs in high-end grocery stores).
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Where can I obtain cream without additives? Until a few years ago, with only a little effort, I could find whipping cream and heavy cream without carrageenan and other undesirable ingredients in grocery stores. Now my source has dried up. How can I obtain cream that consists of nothing but cream? I typically only need small amounts and not all that frequently. I don't imagine I can just drive up to a dairy, knock the secret knock and whisper "psssst...where do you keep the good stuff?" <Q> Looking for a farmers market is a good way to find fresh possibly additive-free dairy, or to find recommendations on where to get fresh additive-free dairy. <S> Just talk to the vendors. <S> Most know more about the bad side of additives and hormones than us and look very diligently to avoid them. <A> You might check with localharvest.org and find a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm in your area. <S> That is if you live in the U.S. <S> Not sure if this type of thing is available in other countries, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is in some form. <S> The local harvest website has a search form where you can type in your zip code to look for CSA farms in your area. <S> So you might check on those options in your area. <A> Organic Valley Heavy Whipping Cream <S> (NOT the Ultra). <S> I had to get my local health food store to special order me some, but they were very nice about it. <S> I used one right away, then froze the rest. <S> I've read frozen cream <S> doesn't whip good, but I'm using it mostly for sauce anyway. <S> BTW, I found Organic Valley by doing a label search for heavy creams. <S> Organic Valley was the ONLY one I could find without carrageenan. <A> Skim the cream off the top from the fresh raw milk you buy from a local farmer. <S> I know it isn't as convenient as going to the store, but getting to know some real farmers can lead to other sources of good fresh products, like eggs, and grass fed chickens/ beef. <S> If you buy in bulk, it can be cheaper, too. <S> You kinda have to network a bit. <S> I am sorry it isn't easier, but the food chain in our 'modern' western world is seriously compromised.
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Also, in my area I can get cream at natural foods groceries and at food co-ops.
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What can I substitute for Kaffir Lime Leaves? Kaffir Lime Leaves seem to be a common ingredient in Thai food, particularly coconut based dishes. I have never seen them in Atlanta, and I've looked (farmers market, whole foods, normal grocery, but not an Asian grocery store). What is the flavor profile of these leaves? Is there a good substitute? <Q> I wouldn't attempt to substitute. <S> I've read somewhere that you can use regular lime leaves, but I've never seen those anywhere. <S> Even Googling for lime leaf turns up kaffir lime leaves. <S> They can be found easily enough online: ImportFood.com . <S> They freeze well for months in just a zip-lock bag. <S> The flavor profile is best described as a bright floral aromatic. <S> It's similar in function, not taste, to a bay leaf. <S> Thai cuisine uses kaffir lime leaves much as we do bay leaves. <S> If you decide buying online isn't worth the hassle, <S> then Kitchen Savvy suggests the following substitute: 1/2 a small bay leaf 1/4 tsp of lime zest <S> 1/8 tsp of fresh lemon thyme <A> I agree that there is no true substitute, but if I were going to try, I'd use the zest of 1 lime for every 2 kaffir lime leaves. <S> I wouldn't do the bay leaf or lemon thyme suggested above. <A> They used to sell them all the time at the Buford Hwy Farmer's Market (Buford Hwy & I-285), but have gone home empty <S> handed that last few times I've looked. <S> Last time I bought them was sometime this spring. <S> The Atlanta Farmer's Market used to have them, but they've closed. <S> 99 Ranch Market is closed. <S> Java did not have them. <S> Rumor has it that Your Debalb Farmer's Market might have them. <A> It is truly wonderful. <S> Here's the one I use: <S> http://thaifoodessentials.com/buy/ <S> It's quite cheap and lasts for a long time (you only need a few drops per dish). <S> The website also has some instructions on how to use it, but generally, you want to add it towards the end of cooking, close to serving. <A> Just an FYI, I have been to Asian stores that used to carry Kaffir lime leafs. <S> They no longer stock them due to FDA (USA) import rules or so the owner told me. <S> He suggested calamansi limes. <A> Dunno what that is really about. <S> In the end, they are no longer available there. <S> However, if you live in a tropical, sub-tropical latitude, you can grow your own. <A> I bought mine from Amazon.com. <S> I'd found that there are different types of Asian grocery stores, and not all cater to all types of cooking. <S> For instance, Philipino stores don't necessarily carry what a Thai recipe may require. <S> So, even if you were to venture out, (Doug must not have driven in Atlanta <S> ) you couldn't assume they'd have what you're looking for. <S> Go mail order. <A> I found them in Wegmans, and I've seen them in a couple of supermarkets - but just in a jar in oil. <S> Similar to a small jar of thai curry paste. <S> Same size, labeling, etc. <S> Not how I expected to find them, so be on the look-out.
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There's the option of using Kaffir Lime essential oil - it is the best substitute I know of, much better than the dried Kaffir Lime leaves we can get around here (Israel). I used to buy curry and kaffir lime leaves at the DeKalb farmer's mkt (Atlanta), but have been told recently that the USDA has banned import in attempt to preempt certain microbes, bacteria, diseases.
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What spice rub would be typically Thai? I'm trying to recreate a dish I had at Alinea a while ago. Their forum actually had a good start for this dish : The garnishes on the surface are Hawaiian volcanic salt, cucumber, garlic chips, fresh banana, young coconut, red onion, lime segments with zest, toasted cashews, and red chili pudding. The glass circle contains a basil seed-lime vinaigrette. We press the herbs in between two pieces of rice paper to form the centerpiece. Once the frame is assembled the server drapes the flag over the frame. We cure the pork belly with salt, sugar and aromatics. It is cooked sous vide until tender, seared and shredded. We make a curry sauce from coconut, ginger, mint, lemongrass, thai chilis, kaffir lime, cardamom, coriander, and lime juice. We mix the curry with the shredded pork belly to make the ragu spooned over tableside by the service staff. My question is, what would be a typical set of Thai aromatics for the pork prior to putting it in the sous vide? <Q> <A> You actually have a good "list" already in your question... <S> the spices in the "curry sauce" minus the coconut and lime juice would make a nice Thai dry spice rub. <S> You could add a little salt and a couple whole green peppercorns or cracked black peppercorn as well. <S> ginger, mint, lemongrass, thai chilis, kaffir lime, cardamom, coriander <A> The basic set of definitevely Thai flavours goes more or less like this: Lemongrass <S> Galangal Kaffir lime leaves (use like bay leaves) <S> Fish sauce Hot pepper Garlic Coriander seed (ground) Cardamom and Cinnamon as finishings <S> The above is basically my recipe for Thai curry paste, which I use for making noodles with or without coconut milk. <S> You can generally use ginger as a substitute for Galangal and soy sauce as a substitute for fish sauce, but that loses the Thai distinction and beocmes generally southeast-asian.
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I think of the typical Thai flavor profile as garlic, ginger, lemongrass, some kind of spicy pepper, and Thai basil.
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Advantages of using vinegar as a salt substitute for enhancing flavor? I read a short blurb in Cooking for Geeks that said vinegar can be used as a substitute for salt, as a flavor enhancer, to make food less bland. I plan on experimenting, but I don't know where to start. From Cooking for Geeks: We were reading Thomas Keller, and he talked about how salt is a flavor enhancer, and he mentioned that vinegar does a similar thing. It doesn't add a new taste, but it often alters the taste that's there. What are the distinct advantages of using vinegar over salt as a flavor enhancer? <Q> The advantage would be cutting some sodium out of your diet. <S> If you are like many in the western part of the world, you probably get more than your daily allotment of sodium regularly. <S> By making sure to cut sodium where you can, you gain the health benefits of a well-balanced diet. <S> Since salt is a flavor enhancer, a low-sodium diet can often seem bland. <S> Many look for alternatives. <S> Vinegar brings out flavors in a different way and adds a significant flavor of its own. <S> I'd start small, using just a bit of vinegar. <A> Vinegar has a definite taste. <S> It does also function as a flavour enhancer (like say, lemon juice), but it also has its own flavour. <S> They are not simple substitutes. <A> It's not about salt "over" vinegar. <S> Acid, fat, salt, sweetness all help to balance the flavor of something. <S> If something is to rich, cut it with a little vinegar and see what happens. <S> Like with a red sauce. <S> People often add a little sugar because it is too sour. <S> Please don't try to replace salt. <S> Salt is amazing. <A> Keller wasn't implying that vinegar (and acids) is a substitute, just that it can be used to make things taste better- or more complex. <S> Sweetness and bitterness can also be used in this way. <S> We have taste buds for different kinds of things. <S> When we taste these things we salivate more, this gives us enzymes that immediately react with the food ( to digest it), breaking down sugars and such. <S> The added moisture also makes us think the food is more moist ( think the squirt of saliva you get from eating a juicy salty cut of steak). <S> The moisture also dissolves more water soluble flavours, making us taste more of the food. <S> Hence the food is tastier- a flavor enhancer. <A> Well, the obvious one is that vinegar gives a sour taste, as opposed to a salty one. <A> I have used small amounts of vinegar successfully as a replacement for salt. <S> The key is small amounts. <S> There is a different taste between the two, so to avoid the distinctive taste of vinegar you must use it sparingly (unless of course you like the vinegar flavor). <S> But used sparingly, in many dishes, it can successfully replace salt with hardly any vinegar taste.
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Salt and vinegar both enhance flavors.
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How to deconstruct a pumpkin In a fit of pumpkin-bread-craving I bought a pumpkin (labelled "for cooking" instead of "show"), only to realize I have no idea what to do with it. I already plan on scraping the seeds out and roasting them, but how can I convert the vegetable in front of me into something like canned pumpkin for use in bread, pancakes, etc? Edit: Thanks, everyone! Your suggestions worked wonderfully. I removed the seeds/stringy stuff, roasted it at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 1hr, then dropped it down to 300 for the last 15 minutes. I then let it cool, peeled the skin, and blended the daylights out of it (I added a little water to help the process, as I like having a working blender). The result was a smooth, flavorful pumpkin mash that I plan on nomming on for awhile :) <Q> You have to get the skin off and the flesh cooked. <S> The easiest way is to cut the gourd into chunks and steam it. <S> When cooled the peel can be easily removed. <S> Roasting takes longer but results in a far more flavorful product. <S> The pumpkin is more concentrated and if it browns it has more depth of flavor as well. <S> I have sometimes peeled the pumpkin with a peeler before cooking because I didn't want to wait for it to cool (and I'm not a huge fan of handling slimy cooked pumpkin more than I have to.) <S> After cooking the flesh can be mashed. <S> Avoid boiling. <S> The flesh will be waterlogged and in order to make it useful for baking it would have to be reduced/settled+drained, etc. <S> Not good eats. <S> Hmmm. <S> I'm afraid one of my kids' jack-o-lanterns is going to find itself in a pumpkin curry soon. <S> * <S> * Edit <S> ** <S> I should also note that I have never produced cooked pumpkin that was overly similar to canned pumpkin. <S> I haven't tried. <S> The homemade pumpkin is still recognizable as having natural origins. <S> Canned pumpkin has its place, I prefer it in pie for example, but I wouldn't consider canned pumpkin to be the goal. <S> * <S> * <S> Edit part deux <S> ** <S> Derobert has written a beautiful blog post on this subject that puts this answer to shame: comestible-orange-goo-making-puree-from-fresh-pumpkins <A> I would suggest cutting the pumpkin into two halves, scooping out the seeds, and putting them (cut face down) into a roasting pan with a cup or so of water. <S> You do not need to get the pumpkin out of its skin at this stage - it's a major hassle. <S> Just cook in the oven at 350F for 90 min. <S> Then remove from the pan. <S> It's now super-easy to scoop the flesh out of the pumpkins, which you can further process in a food processor. <A> I'll second the suggestion for peeling and roasting - generally what I do is quarter the pumpkin, scoop out the interior (and scrape it a fair bit with a big spoon - the stringy texture of the interior is generally the worst part of homemade pumpkin, IMHO, and you <S> want to get as much of it out as possible), peel the outside, and then dice it into ~1 inch cubes for roasting. <S> It's not especially sensitive to temperature - I usually go about 400 degrees until it's 'done' (soft, dry to the touch, etc.) <S> , then let it cool and puree it in the food processor. <S> Unlike Sobachatina, I have to say that I do love fresh pumpkin in pumpkin pie; the taste is distinct (and won't necessarily be what people are used to), but it's so much richer that to my tongue it more than makes up for it. <A> Cook in the microwave, 5 to 10 minutes per pound (depending on your microwave's intrinsic power). <S> The pumpkin is done when the skin is easy to depress from the outside. <S> Let cool enough to handle easily, then simply scrape the meat from the shell which is tender now. <S> Don't worry if you get some skin: it is edible and probably has good vitamins and mineral. <S> Good thing you washed it before cooking. <S> Use a wand mixer if you have it, otherwise any tool you have to puree the meat. <S> You may need to add a tablespoon of water, maybe even two, but thicker consistency is better for pies. <S> Store the puree briefly in he refrigerator or put two cups each into quart sized freezer bags, suck most of the air out, and lay flat on a cookie tray in the freezer. <S> I like to leave the top inch of the bag as clean as possible and fold it under the 'pillow' of mashed pumpkin while it freezes which makes using it somewhat easier. <S> We are happy to use these for pie, pudding, soup or bread for as long as a year after freezing.
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I would suggest washing the outside, cutting the pumpkin into two halves, scooping out the seeds and putting the halves one at a time, cut side down on a plate or platter.
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Good techniques for stirring dough Is there any particular technique for stirring dough (particularly cake dough) that is to be recommended? When I stir dough, I find that I develop too much gluten (i.e. it gets too chewy) and don't get all of the flour mixed in. Any suggestions? edit: Reference to cake. <Q> You generally don't stir cake batter at all. <S> That means using a flat surface - a silicone spatula works great <S> but you could even use your hand in a pinch - sliding it down the edge of the bowl, and using a turning motion (i.e. folding) to incorporate the flour, repeating several times until there are no longer any large clumps of dry ingredients. <S> When you fold, it's very difficult to over-mix. <S> And particularly with cakes and quick breads, under-mixing a little is actually OK, because the batter tends to be quite moist and eventually the moisture will seep through to any unincorporated flour - and if it doesn't, you'll get a nice spongy texture. <S> Commercial mixers actually have paddle attachments for folding large amounts of batter. <S> You don't need a special mixer, though; you just need to be gentle and conservative with your mixing. <S> Not every cake is the same, and some recipes may specifically call for you to whisk the batter (for which you should use a balloon whisk, not a spoon or spatula) instead of folding, but if it just says to "mix" the batter then I would using the folding technique. <A> Well, I can answer now that I know it's a cake -- <S> Most cakes <S> don't need to be fully mixed. <S> So long as you don't have large lumps of flour (which you won't if you sift it, but you can also take a wisk to the dry goods if you're lazy like I am), it'll be fine after it's baked. <S> If you overmix most types of cakes, you'll get 'tunneling' where the gluten traps larger air bubbles, which end up looking like a worm's been tunneling through the cake. <S> (it seems to happen the most w/ the muffin method). <S> Personally, I use a mixer for cakes (hand mixer normally, but I'll break out the stand mixer if I'm making really large cakes) <S> If you don't have one, stick with a wooden spoon or a spatula. <S> You can even fold in the flour, if you think you might've been mixing it too much. <A> Here are a couple suggestions: Sift the flour <S> Use a low gluten flour (cake flour) separate the yolks and whites, beat whites and fold into your batter (dough) as last step in the mixing process (makes it lighter) <S> Use a spatula instead of a whisk to do the mixing, or the paddle attachment on your mixer. <A> Cake batter is usually mixed using the creaming method. <S> Start with room-temperature butter and the sugar. <S> Beat until light and fluffy. <S> Then you can add your eggs slowly, and add your dry ingredients once all the wet ones are mixed. <S> Like Aaronut said, not all cakes are created equal. <S> Different cakes may call for a different method, but the creaming method is usually best for light, fluffy cakes.
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Where I learned to bake, we were taught that if you want a light and fluffy cake, as is generally the case, then you should fold in the dry ingredients (including flour).
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Non-cow's milk replacement for Parmesan cheese in Genovese pesto My family loves Genovese pesto and we'd started making our own (with varied success). One of our number has been diagnosed as intolerant to cow's milk. This rules out pretty much all shop-bought varieties, so we now have to take the homemade route seriously. To help us out, please can you suggest non-cow's milk cheeses that we could use instead of Parmesan? <Q> Finding a non-cow subsitute for parmesan is a difficult task - Grana, the closest, is made from cow milk as well <S> so it's no good. <S> You can try using Pecorino which is made from sheep milk, and has a slightly stronger flavour. <S> I've never tried it personally, but it's not rare in some regions of Italy to make pesto with pecorino, so it's definitely worth a try! <A> I've been making my pesto with Pecorino Romano (may just be labeled 'Romano'; also, look for the brand name Locatelli) for years, even before I figure out I had issues with cow's milk. <S> (note, there are a few different versions of Pecorino, as it basically means 'from sheep'; Pecorino Romano is specifically a hard grating cheese). <S> Some people don't like the Pecorino Romano; I remember discussing food with my former boss who had grown up in Italy (and even ran for Italian Parliment a few years back), and he thought Pecorino Romano was too salty and strongly flavored to use in risotto. <S> (of course, I make my own stock, so I still needed to add salt from other means). <S> I would've recommended Cheese Net's World Cheese Index, but it looks like the site's gone ... <S> you may have luck through Archive.org's Wayback Machine <A> The original recipe (in Italian, here a version in English also, at page 7 - warnings, it's a pdf) for <S> pesto alla genovese <S> (Genovese pesto), by Consorzio del pesto alla <S> genovese <S> (Genovese Pesto Consortium), requires both <S> Parmigiano Reggiano - or Grana Padano - (cow's milk cheese) and pecorino (sheep's milk cheese) <S> but in a 3:1 ratio (3 parts of parigiano and 1 part of pecorino ). <S> Therefore pecorino (I prefer pecorino romano in this recipe) is required , it cannot be a substitute for a true pesto alla genovese . <S> I suggest to make a little portion apart with pecorino only for the person with intolerance <S> ( pesto alla genovese is quite easy to prepare). <S> But beware : as Joe wrote, pecorino is more salty and strongly flavored than parmigiano . <A> I agree that using Pecorino Romano is a good and simple solution to this problem. <S> I have also tried goat "Parmesan" which I found tasted really good, and not very goaty. <S> Our local farmers market has a goat farm that sells a wide variety of goatsmilk cheese in types that would normally be made with cows milk, so I am rather lucky. <A> The other question linked by sarge_smith in the comments covers the common substitutes I can think of (including cow's milk substitutes, despite the question title). <S> They do all tend to be nearly as expensive as parmigiano reggiano, though - in the $10-20/lb range at my grocery store. <S> It's an Argentinian cheese, originally made by immigrant Italians who missed their native cheese. <S> It's not aged as long as parmigiano reggiano, but it's still a nice hard cheese for grating on pasta, or the sorts of recipes you probably have in mind. <S> Wikipedia says it's often sold in the US as parmesan; I can't really speak to that except to say that I don't think I've ever seen "made in Argentina" on a wedge of "parmesan". <S> My grocery store carries it, though, and it's significantly cheaper than even the cheap US parmesan, let alone the good imported stuff. <A> Grana Padano or Trentin Grana are both original Italian cheese with similar flavour as long as they are very different for an experienced "user" ... <S> I'm against other "imitations", specifically born to be exported, being fruited by a less skilled environment and making it think they can be quite the same ... as I said in other similar isuue question, I'm not going to do a religious war, but I can assure "parmesan", "reggianito" and other surrogates <S> are what they are ... surrogates! <S> BTW, "parmesan" is not "Parmigiano Reggiano" ... <S> the latter is the top quality italian DOP cheese, being different (much flavored) <S> that its sons, Trentin Gana and Grana Padano. <S> Each of these tree products are great original italian cheese, with different characteristics ... <S> everything else is "the same" only in the measure the user don't have the ability to distinguish. <S> My 2 cents <A> In my opinion you can generally substitute pecorino romano or grana padano in place of parmesan (parmigiano reggiano) . <S> If price is your concern you'll find both those cheeses slightly cheaper than parmesan. <S> The thenibble.com website has a cheese comparison chart for the Italian hard cheeses. <A> There is a vendor at my farmer's market with an aged, hard goat cheese that is very similar to parmesan, but that probably won't do you much good. <S> (Unless you're in San Francisco.) <S> If you aren't being too heavy-handed with the cheese, straight pecorino-romano may work, but the flavor is pretty intense. <S> The stuff I buy tends to be salty, so you'll want to back off on the salt. <S> You might also try aged manchego (manchego viejo), something at least a year old should grate well. <S> Or a combination of manchego and pecorino (in a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio). <S> If you have a good cheese shop near you, just ask. <S> They're usually run by people with a keen interest in cheese and a lot of domain knowledge.
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The only other non-cows milk cheese that I can think of that might work, that's might be easily found would be Manchego Viejo; it's an older varient of Manchego that grates well. So, just in case price is your concern, reggianito is a decent and much cheaper substitute.
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What's the best way to store lettuce in the refrigerator? What is the best way to store lettuce in the fridge? Should I store it in an airtight container, or an open bag? Should I wash and cut it first? Should it be stored wet, or patted dry? <Q> For whole heads of lettuce (iceburg, butter, red leaf, etc), I just wrap the whole thing in dry paper towels, then shove it back into the bag from the grocery store or farmer's market. <S> I then pull off leaves as I need it, and re-wrap it. <S> It stores for well over a week this way. <S> For mescalin mixes, arugula, or other individual leaves, I'll wash them, dry them, then unroll enough paper towels to spread the leaves on, then roll up the whole thing, and bag the roll (again, not sealed), and keep it in my crisper. <S> I can probably get a week out of it this way. <S> (all times assume you're not buying from a store where it's been sitting on the shelf too long before you buy it; I get my lettuce when I can from the local farmer's market) <S> So, to answer the specific questions: keep the bag open; you don't want moisture to condense inside the bag, as it'll make the lettuce rot faster. <S> I get better storage time with heads of letuce keeping them whole. <S> If you're going to be eating it all within 2-3 days, it probably doesn't matter, and for loose lettuce, I find it more convenient to wash it as I re-pack it anyway. <S> You never want to store lettuce wet ... <S> you might be able to store it completely submerged, but damp will lead to it rotting faster. <A> I have just found the transcript of a Good Eats episode about lettuce storage. <S> It's close to Joe's answer <S> but they say the lettuce should be kept in an air tight bag with air sucked out . <S> In short they say: washed <S> heads kept intact for delicate lettuce, cut is ok if hearty heads spinned <S> dry <S> wrapped in paper towel stored in air tight bag with the air <S> sucked out <S> See senes 9-10-11 of http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Season1/Salad/SaladTranscript.htm <A> With lettuce, parsley, or green leaves in general, I care for three things: <S> Avoid mechanical damage <S> Even tiny fractures rot much faster, if the cell fabric is intact, it does a good job of preserving the lettuce. <S> Specifically, this means: very careful handling when cleaning and taking apart the lettuce head use a box instead of a bag don't put too many leaves in one container, I typically use 3 boxes for a head of lettuce Store clean rinse with cold water if stored longer, rinse again and use a fresh box after 4-5 days if stored longer, inspect the leaves and prune those that show brown spots (they can normally still be used for a salad right away) <S> the best material for storage containers for almost any food is glass, it's the easiest to keep thoroughly clean. <S> Store <S> neither too dry, nor too wet <S> get rid of excess water after rinsing use an airtight container <S> , so the leaves don't dry out (i. e. get limp) <S> there should never be pools of water (not even tiny ones) in the container. <S> If the lettuce is too wet, water will gather where the leaves touch the walls of the box. <S> I usually buy fresh heads of lettuce from local suppliers and prepare them for storage right after coming home. <S> I can easily keep the leaves for a week and longer. <S> In the winter, when the lettuce comes from Spain or France (I'm in Germany), the results are not as good, because the lettuce already had quite a journey. <S> I then prefer field salad and the like, they are available locally way past December, and also store very well. <A> For a head of lettuce, I have a special Tupperware that is specifically designed for storing lettuce. <S> It keeps the lettuce fresher longer! <S> Definitely worth the money!
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It depends on what type of lettuce it is -- part of the issue is that if the lettuce is touching plastic, it will rot quicker, so I wrap it in paper towels, then bag it (but not sealed), and keep it in my crisper.
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Why should I boil pretzels in baking soda water before baking? This weekend I made pretzels from Alton Brown's recipe . This recipe, and others I've seen, call for dipping the pretzels one by one in boiling water with baking soda for 30 to 60 seconds. I assume the boiling water will help the pretzels come up to temperature more quickly so they cook thoroughly, is this correct? What benefit does the baking soda bring - is it important in forming a crust? If so, why? <Q> The pretzel originates in Germany, where it is called Laugenbrezel. <S> It was originally prepared in a alkali solution, which is where the "Laugen" part of the word comes from; typically, lye was used, but baking soda gets you most of the way there without a trip to the pharmacy (a Mexican or Asian market may do the trick if you want culinary lye). <S> The alkali solution is what causes the crust to brown so deeply, and it's most of the difference between a pretzel and a bagel. <S> A bagel would typically be boiled in a malted sugar solution instead. <S> The flavor is also affected, but I don't know how to describe the difference; there's a very pronounced aroma difference if you skip this step. <S> To me, you end up with nothing more than a pretty breadstick unless the dough gets that alkali bath. <S> If you do use culinary lye, use gloves and don't rush anything. <S> Traditional Laugen aren't boiled, so you just need a cool 3% lye solution; no boiling step. <S> In Germany, the pretzel shape isn't the only option for Laugen. <S> Little rolls calls Laugenbrötchen and longer, roughly baguette-width sticks called Laugenstangen are also popular. <S> On my most recent trip last year, the Laugenstangen were frequently sold in the form of sandwiches, though I don't remember seeing many of those when I was first living there in the mid-90s. <S> ETA: Having done this a few more times since originally posting, I'd also add that the utensils you use in lye-based pretzels need to be wood, glass or plastic. <S> Eye protection is important too. <S> Metal will likely corrode or oxidize when it contacts food put in contact with lye, even if it's after the wash. <S> I'd recommend setting the washed pretzels on a wooden surface after dipping if you want to minimize damage/discoloration on your baking sheet. <A> It's there to increase the pH (make it more basic), which gelatinizes the crust. <S> This in turn leads to a brown one, desirable in pretzels. <S> If you hunt up the transcript for the episode ("Pretzel Logic", which can be found here: link , Scene 8) <S> Alton goes into some detail about why this is, and why commercial makers get a browner crust than home bakers generally get. <S> In short, they use more hazardous ingredients in the water. <A> when using baking soda for pretzel making it is optional to boil (hot method) the dough shortly in the solution or simply dip the dough in a non-boiling, warm (cold method) solution. <S> hot vs cold depends on the texture you want in the finished bread... <S> - HOT METHOD : <S> when you boil the dough it creates/cooks a deeper outside layer <S> w the solution which leads to a more dense and heavy "bagel like" consistency. <S> it creates more chewiness throughout the bread. <S> COLD METHOD : when dipping cold the pretzel taste/effect is still achieved but leads to a lighter, less chewy, texture throughout the bread. <S> the inside of the dough isn't penetrated as much and leads to a more "white bread like" consistency. <S> *****baking soda used for this is less reactive than using lye. <S> lye creates a very chewy outside w a soft fluffy interior. <S> the hot method creates a chewiness all through the bread. <S> the cold method isn't as chewy but creates a more fluffy texture all through the bread. <A> In addition to the browning, there is a distinctive taste to pretzels that are treated in an alkaline solution prior to baking. <S> If you can't get (or don't want to work with) food grade lye, there is another option.
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If you place baking soda in a low oven, you can convert sodium bicarbonate into sodium carbonate, thus increasing alkalinity .Then, use that baked, baking soda in place of regular baking soda or lye to achieve good results.
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Should maple syrup be stored in the refrigerator? Is there any reason to store maple syrup in the refrigerator? It tastes better when it's a little warmer. <Q> I'll assume that you're talking about pure maple syrup in a glass container; if it's that adulterated pancake syrup then it's probably riddled with preservatives, so any advice here doesn't apply. <S> Pure maple syrup can and will grow mold on the surface if left in a cupboard. <S> There are several reports of this happening, and although several of those people say that it's OK to simply strain the mold and re-boil the maple syrup, (a) <S> I wouldn't chance it, and (b) that process is hardly any more convenient than simply taking it out of the refrigerator a half-hour earlier and letting it come up to room temperature. <S> Maple syrup should be stored in the refrigerator. <S> It doesn't have to be, and it will probably take at least a year for it to grow any mold if left in the pantry. <S> But it will last longer in the refrigerator; I've seen refrigerated jars 3+ years old without any mold. <A> https://web.archive.org/web/20160312080144/http://www.vermontpuremaple.com/maple_syrup_faq.htm <S> Above link states that the FREEZER is best for long term storage of pure maple syrup. <S> It is not supposed to be able to freeze solid since it is only 33-35% water. <A> Items like maple syrup, honey and jam have a very high level of sugar in them. <S> This causes a high osmotic potential which is what preserves them. <S> The problem when you refrigerate these types of foods is that water can condense on the surface. <S> This will dissolve some of the sugar underneath it and lower the concentration, and therefore the osmotic potential, around it. <S> This can be enough to allow microorganisms to grow.
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As long as you are using the maple syrup up within a sensible amount of time it will not require refrigeration.
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How to make a sauce based on tea I have some pu-erh tea, and I love the smokiness of it. I was thinking about trying to incorporate it into a dish somehow. Specifically, I was thinking about using something like pacific cod. Then I could potentially create a sauce or a rub for it. Any suggestions for how to incorporate the tea into a dish without losing it's smoky flavor? <Q> Interesting question. <S> My first thought would be to try just poaching the fish in the tea. <S> That should transfer more of the flavour than, say, steaming it. <S> Google finds this recipe where they use an unnamed green tea. <A> You could brew a very strong batch of the tea, and reduce that to the desired level. <S> You can use that as a base for a sauce to accompany the fish. <A> Tea leaves are excellent for smoking. <S> I have had green tea smoked duck, gorgeous. <S> Earl Grey works beautifully in desserts. <A> A pu-erh and chocolate custard would likely work fairly nicely, or something along the lines of Marbled tea eggs would probably also work well; this involves simmering pu-erh tea, soy sauce, sugar, and water together, often with star anise; cracking gently hard-boiled eggs all over, without breaking the shells off. <S> Soak overnight in the solution <S> and you should get a pretty nice aromatic and pre-seasoned boiled egg. <S> I suspect that pu-erh brewed with orange peels, then integrated into minced shallots cooked with butter, would work nicely together, though I'm not sure what the best candidate for the sauce would be; perhaps roasted pork or maybe some boiled udon.
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Good pu-erh tea is now often paired with chocolate, so a ganache might work nicely; simmer some cream with the tea leaves, strain into bittersweet chocolate while the cream is still near boiling, stir aggressively until smooth.
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How can I make Chinese chicken fingers like in the northeast USA? Does anyone know how to duplicate the chicken fingers found at Chinese restaurants in the Boston area? The batter on them is very puffy, and doesn't really conform to the shape of the chicken. Google has been no help in finding a recipe (though it did find this picture): http://farm1.static.flickr.com/179/385182683_6af6fbf451.jpg?v=0 I couldn't find them at any of the restaurants I checked in California, so they may be a Northeast-only thing. Someone must have discovered the secret though! Anyone with a recipe? <Q> I tried this out the other night. <S> It's extremely close. <S> As michelle suggested, self-rising flour seems to be the key. <S> The recipe I used was: 1/4 cup self-rising flour 1/4 cup cornstarch <S> 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp sugar 1/2 cup water (or a little less) Sift dry ingredients into a small bowl. <S> In another bowl, slowly mix dry ingredients and water, being careful to avoid adding too much water. <S> It's meant to be really thick. <S> As in, if you lay a small strip of chicken on top of the batter, the chicken should not sink. <S> Heat up oil for deep frying (360F to 375F). <S> Check one or two to make sure the chicken is cooked through. <S> Serve with duck sauce, if you can find it (ask a local Chinese restaurant if you can buy a pint). <S> Nom nom. <A> I have not been to a Chinese restaurant in the Boston area, but it sounds like your chicken strips may be dipped in Tempura . <S> When I prepare chicken in this way, I use very thin, tenderized breast pieces. <S> After dipping and frying, they are about double the size of the chicken inside. <A> Use self rising flour. <S> I moved from Mass. to Arizona, and no one ever knows what I'm talking about when I say chicken fingers at a Chinese restaurant. <S> I have found a pretty close recipe for 'em, now if I could just get the sweet 'n' sour sauce they give ya. <A> The duck sauce is from the east coast (I lived in Boston 35 years and knew a woman who ran a Chinese restaurant.) <S> Applesauce, apple cider vinegar, sugar and soy sauce. <S> I don't have the exact measurements written down; you can experiment with the ingredients. <S> It must sit in fridge over night. <S> I just made a batch having found the recipe for east coast chicken fingers. <S> Now I just need to find out how to get the fried rice dark like east coast. <A> <A> From personal experience: 1 cup flour 1.5 tsp baking powder 1.5 tsp salt 1/3 tsp pepper 2 small eggs 1/2 cup milk 1.3 tbsp Virgin oil (Preferably) 2 level tsp of sugar for taste and color <S> Blend <S> well, then take a small strip of chicken and place it on top of batter. <S> If it just sinks in a little bit and no more, then it's ready. <S> If not, add more flour a little bit at a time to get this result. <S> Oil should be about 300°F to start. <S> If you want them double fried like the Chinese do, then get them very light brown and remove them for about 1/2 hour or longer, then up the oil to 360°F and finish them to a nice golden brown. <A> I know what he is talking about; being from Boston and Living in Phoenix myself for the last 10 years. <S> West coast people just don't get what your trying to ask for, because its a different type of chinese food out here. <S> They are similiar to the Sweet and sour pieces as someone suggested, but yet different and larger. <S> This recipe is the closest i could find. <S> Good luck 1 1/2 c. flour 2 tsp. <S> baking powder 2 tsp. <S> salt 1/4 tsp. <S> pepper 2 eggs 3/4 c. milk 1 1/2 tbsp. <S> salad oil Steps: <S> Slice chicken in long thin strips. <S> Dip in batter. <S> Deep fry in vegetable oil. <A> It took me forever to find the recipe, I finally did years ago. <S> Self rising flour, cornstarch, salt, water and a little sugar. <S> Dip in batter and fry for a few seconds then re dip in the batter. <S> It's not so much the batter but the technique - <S> that is how they become so puffy. <A> Kenyon's clam fritter is the batter you need. <S> I buy it online now because I can't find it anywhere else. <S> Its just like the ones in Massachusetts. <S> My mom makes chicken finger <S> every Xmas with 1 pint of duck sauce bought from a Chinese food restaurant. <S> Now I live out of state and need to make my own duck sauce:-( <A> For chicken fingers as found in either sweet & sour or pupu platters, make sure the chicken is room temperature and dry (pat with paper towels). <S> Then toss the dry chicken in sifted flour and shake off all the extra. <S> Then and only then, dip in batter and shake off excess batter; otherwise its gets too chewy. <S> Use half self-rising flour and half corn starch in batter recipes. <S> Fry at 350F for 4-5 min and place on a heated rack. <S> How do I know this you ask? <S> I asked my favorite local Southie Chinese restaurant to show me how. <S> I've made them <S> and they were spot on, except for the times I hurried and used cold chicken, and <S> didn't pat dry - then it was awful and gooey. <A> According to Zaings, the secret is the special self-raising flour used, Green Dragon. <S> As you can see from the video, it does puff up really well in comparison to regular SRF. <S> https://youtu.be/5azRj_8iogg
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You can use pancake batter with good results. Slice chicken into thin strips, batter them, and deep fry until golden.
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how to curb the smell of fish? More specifically while cooking it indoors. My girlfriend hates seafood and hates the smell, is there anything I can do to get this smell to go away faster or reduce its potent aroma when cooking with it ? <Q> Probably not the kind of answer you are hopping for, but in my case what my dad <S> (he loves fish, mom and sisters dont) ended up doing was buying a second electric toaster-oven and just use an extension and cook it in the backyard... : <S> S <S> I guess you could use an electric or gas camping stove too. <S> If there is no backyard... maybe rooftop? <S> Other than that its just fish fest whenever my mom is away <S> got a trip or something :/ <A> i have found that a lampe berger works well to eliminate strong scents after cooking (http://www.lampeberger.us/) -- after all, they were originally invented to help reduce the odors in hospitals and mortuaries! <S> (you can read about their history at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragrance_lamp ). <S> i use mine after a night of deep frying food to get that smell out. <S> i'm pretty certain it would work on fish just as well. <A> Lemon juice neutralizes smells very well. <S> Apply to hands in order to remove fishy smell, and to remove smell from enclosed space such as kitchen, squeeze lemon into spray bottle with some water and spray around room. <A> Many fish really only smell "fishy" when they're not longer fresh <S> (there are some that just always smell potent, though). <S> Most fish at your local supermarket isn't really at its peak. <S> For saltwater fish, the freshest fish will be the ones that were frozen on the boat and remain that way until you take it home to defrost properly. <S> I also prefer my shrimp to be individually quick frozen (IQF). <A> This approach will limit your preparation methods, but broiling <S> the fish seems to confine the smelling-up to basically the time between removing the fish from the oven and finishing eating it. <S> It doesn't need to be a full broil; you can just put the oven up to broil with the fish removed and you'll still only need to cook it for 5 minutes or so. <S> Just make a little bowl of foil to fit the fish, spray hit some kind of non-stick spray, add the fish, add some sauce/fixings, pop it in the oven. <S> It will be done before it has much chance to smell.
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Unless she's extremely sensitive to the smell of all seafood, switching to different or fresher fish may leave your kitchen smelling better afterwords.
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Dissolving cocoa powder in milk I wanted to make a Stevia-sweetened chocolate milk so I tried mixing some unsweetened cocoa powder with the milk and stevia, but I found that the cocoa powder doesn't mix with the milk at all. It tends to float on top, and even with a lot of stirring and mixing back and forth between two glasses it was a lumpy mess. Any techniques or natural additives I can use to help the powder dissolve more like Nestle Quick and the like? <Q> Aw, you youngsters, spoiled with your Nestle Quick... :) To mix cocoa powder with a liquid (or really, to mix any powder with a liquid - salt and granulated sugar aren't powders), you need to make a slurry by mixing a small part of the liquid into all of the powder. <S> Then you can dilute the slurry with the rest of the liquid. <S> However, since stevia is so much sweeter than sugar, you use too little of it to make any difference to the dissolving process. <S> Thus, you can go ahead and add it afterward, so you can adjust the sweetness better. <A> You could do it the same way that you make chocolate syrup: <S> Heat some water to boiling, dissovle the cocoa and sweetener and reduce down till it reaches the consistancy that you desire. <S> This will result in a syrup that will mix in to cold or hot drinks with no problem and can also be used to top ice cream and or other desserts. <A> Did you try mixing the cocoa and stevia together then adding the milk? <S> That should help. <S> Also, you could make a paste with the cocoa and a little bit of milk, then adding a bit more milk to make a concentrated chocolate milk base. <S> At this point, you will be able to stir in the rest of the milk with ease. <S> Cocoa powder also mixes better in warm liquids. <S> Try making some hot cocoa... <S> Way better than the prepackaged powder stuff they sell at the market. <A> If you are a regular cocoa drinker another solution is to make a large quantity of cocoa mix in advance, using the method described above by Marti, then store in the fridge to use as required. <S> Blend the cocoa powder/sweetener with water rather than milk as it will stay fresh in the fridge much longer. <S> A further suggestion is to pour the cocoa mix into ice-cube trays and freeze to store indefinitely. <S> Just put the number of required cubes in a cup and pour hot milk over, or use cold milk and reheat in a microwave. <S> Very quick, and no mess to clean up afterwards. <A> The method I use for my own home-made milk-powder-free cocoa powder involves this process: <S> Pour about 1/3rd of a mug of milk. <S> Microwave for 1 minute. <S> Stir in powder. <S> With a round whisk that fits inside the mug, I roll it between my hands to get good mixing action. <S> Microwave another 10-20 seconds. <S> This is what really gets the chocolate melting. <S> Repeat step 4 Fill mug to desired level Microwave another minute. <S> Repeat step 4. <S> Looks like a lot of work, but it really gets the job done. <S> No lumps, thanks to sufficient heat and a lot of manual labor. <S> Also? <S> It can be done in one mug. <A> I mix cocoa and Stevia in a small amount of hot water to form a paste. <S> Then I pour that into unsweetened almond milk (Almond Breeze) which I shake in a bottle 500ml. <A> Use a blender, as someone already mentioned. <S> A different trick is crushing the lumps on the side of the glass or cup then stirring, then setting it aside to kinda like mix by itself. <S> After about 1/2 hour try stirring it again. <S> Then you'll see that it does dissolve more readily. <S> For even more smoother consistency repeat the "crushing the lumps" steps. <S> How do I know it works? <S> At this very moment I am enjoying a large plastic glass (probably 10 ounces) of unsweetened Hershey's cocoa (the kind they use for cooking). <S> I sweetened it with corn syrup, and is it ever delicious! <S> BTW, I use soy milk. <A> i tried dropping the powder in first and no way. <S> it takes way too much milk to dissolve the powder on the bottom. <S> try milk first <S> then the powder mixture you made. <S> one point, the blender makes a nice frothy top for the drink. <S> I used whole milk, homemade nestle quick mix from hershey cocoa. <A> Valrhona Cocoa powder is quite expensive, but it has a much nicer flavor than Hershey and Nestle (much less acrid after-taste <S> so you can go darker without as much acridness) and it will dissipate nicely into even a cup of cold milk with simple stirring. <S> One is just trying to dissipate it without clumping as cocoa powder doesn't ever actually dissolve in water, which is why pretty much no matter what you do, cocoa powder will eventually settle to the bottom. <A> I add cocoa powder and sweetener to a mug, then add skim milk. <S> Microwave for a minute or until almost boiling, and it should be completely dissolved. <S> Since you're trying to make chocolate milk not hot cocoa, just chill it afterwards.
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Note that if you're using sugar for sweetening, it helps to add it to the cocoa powder before you add any liquid, because the sugar helps the dissolving. You won't believe this but quite simply use a blender to blend them together.
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Why shallots over onions? It seems that in more advanced cookbooks and when watching professional chefs that shallots are used extensively. They seem to be used in the places where onions are in cookbooks which are aimed at home cooks. I am familiar with the genetic similarities between onions and shallots. I have not personally cooked with shallots because they cost an order of magnitude more than onions. If it is not just my misperception that shallots are preferred- what qualities do shallots have that make them more popular than onions? Should I expect shallots to be much more expensive than onions or am I shopping at the wrong places? In short- are they worth paying more for? <Q> Shallots certainly aren't more popular than onions, otherwise they'd be far more abundant and less expensive. <S> I prefer to use them simply when I do not want the strong taste of onions. <S> In fact, many of us are so accustomed to the harsh taste of onions that it's actually quite a surprise to find out how much better a certain dish might taste by substituting shallots. <S> They're especially common in Asian cooking, I find. <S> Very often you're providing a lot of spice or heat from other ingredients - chilies, five spice, curry powder, etc. <S> - and don't want the overwhelming pungency of onions mixed in. <S> Shallots give just a little bit of "sharpness" without much of the sulfur taste. <S> Would I substitute them everywhere? <S> Absolutely not. <S> Some recipes really do call for the pungency of onions, for example almost anything involving ground beef. <S> But try it at least once - get yourself a bag of shallots and try substituting them for onions in a few recipes. <S> You may be pleasantly surprised. <S> I would say that ideal recipes to try this on, if you're unfamiliar with shallots, are stovetop recipes calling for a relatively small amount of chopped or sliced (not minced) onion; stir fries are ideal, which perhaps is why they seem to be so common in Asian cuisine. <S> Also, as far as pricing is concerned: Locally, where a 2 lb bag of onions might cost $1.99, a 1 lb bag of shallots would cost $1.49, which makes them roughly 50% more expensive, very far from an "order of magnitude." <S> If you meant that literally and are finding them close to 10x more expensive than onions, then you are either shopping at the wrong stores or living in an area where they are hard to find. <S> Try an Asian grocery store if you have one; they can usually be found for dirt cheap in those. <A> The Simple answer: try them. <S> If you like a milder taste which is vaguely like a spoiled onion, you might enjoy them. <S> They don't taste like garlic. <S> They have a taste which is similar to onion, but there is a slight sour note to them. <S> I have heard them referred to as onions for people who don't like onions (though I have no idea what that would mean). <S> However, if you just want a very mild sweet onion, use a Peruvian, Vidalia, or perhaps a Maui onion. <S> I would prefer any of these to a shallot. <A> I personally cook 90% of my meals with shallots. <S> Most people keep onions at home on a consistent basis, i keep shallots. <S> If you don't like onions, this is the perfect substitute in cooked meals. <S> They are very mild but have a distinct flavor that everyone likes. <S> However, in certain meat dishes and some stocks, clearly you would need onions for a stronger flavor and presence. <S> I have even used shallots as substitutes for onions in salads. <S> When doing this I use VERY little (1/4 bulb) as they are very strong when uncooked. <S> Also, because of the distinct hint of garlic- like flavor, I only pair with certain other vegetables in my mix. <S> In supermarkets, the price of shallots is pretty high. <S> I live in NJ and have seen two bulbs for almost $2-3. <S> I go to produce stores that sell bulk and get a 1-2lb. <S> bag for $2. <A> I CANNOT eat onions in any form. <S> I must read labels on everything and be especially cautious in restaurants. <S> I was delighted to discover shallots after years of no onions (I ate onions with no problem until I was 22 years old and loved them -- then developed an intolerance). <S> I have no difficulty with leeks, garlic or shallots. <S> An onion contains some component not common to the other three and leeks and shallots can often be substituted. <A> Some thoughts. <S> Shallots are easy to grow so that is not a reason not to use them. <S> They require more work per pound of delivered vegetable <S> but if you plunge them into water that has just boiled, for a minute or two, it is much easier to peel them (this also applies to pickling onions). <S> Proper chefs of course have a KP to do the dirty work. <S> Some food is better for the conformation of them. <S> For example, coq au vin should have identifiable cooked shallots in it (imho, ymmv). <S> Incidentally, CAV is also well made using pheasants. <S> You do have pheasants, don't you? <A> I had a cook book about Burma cusine. <S> There I came to know about shallots. <S> It mention that frying shallots slices in oil will give two out puts. <S> Crispy shallot chips and residual oil after straining to use for salad dressing or soup. <S> It was first time I heard about shallots and never tasted fried chips of shallots and using flavoured oil instead a fresh one in salads or soup or dishes. <S> Some sects in India have clear disfavours to onions. <S> Shallots are milder and can be used if onions are banned. <A> A few very trivial but valid reasons: They are easier to dice very finely, they cook much quicker (especially when finely diced :) ), and they are small so you don't have to concern yourself with how to store or dispose of 3/4 of a cut onion if all you need is 1/4 onion. <S> The very small asian-type shallots are also much denser when it comes to flavor content vs water content - which is very helpful if one is making traditional thai/indonesian/... <S> spice pastes in a mortar (extra water and extra plant matter bulk makes it more difficult, and also increases spoilage risk).
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I do cook with shallots from time to time and would describe them as most people describe them - as somewhere between the flavour of garlic and onion, but also a good deal milder/sweeter.
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What is the best way to reheat leftover grilled fish? I have rarely (if ever) looked forward to eating leftover grilled fish. What is the best technique to reheat the fish so that it has the best flavor and texture? I understand that some of the quality is going to be simply lost. If you have a certain technique for a specific type of fish, let me in on that as well. Is it a lost cause? <Q> If what you want is a piece of fish with the same texture and juiciness as fresh-off-the-grill, yes it is a lost cause. <S> My preferred method for reheating leftover fish is to break it up and use it in another application. <S> Bouilliabaisse is excellent for leftover bits, any fish stew really. <S> Also fish tacos. <S> Simply break up the fish and add to the stew in the last few minutes (to prevent overcooking), or toss briefly in a pan. <A> It really depends on type of the fish you have there.. <S> Option 1. <S> best with Salmon <S> It's easy for salmon. <S> Cook it with some ginger and shallots. <S> Add a mixture of soy sauce, salt, sugar and oyster sauce. <S> It's a pretty dish with rice. <S> Option 2. <S> Put them in the oven for 15 mins and it retains the texture pretty well.. <S> Option 3. <S> Cook left over with cream, lemon juice & dill. <S> Mix them with pasta <A> Place on non-stick sprayed foil; broil for ~4 minutes in oven with some source of moisture or a glaze over top (ie, you might take salmon and add a soy/mustard glaze) to protect hydration levels. <A> I'm thinking on a plate, cover with tin foil and place over a saucepan of simmering water. <A> If you have a steamer, i would go that route. <S> Not long though just enough to warm it up.
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With Salmon, the asian way is to put the left over on a hot pan and lightly pan fire it.
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