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Cooking
Tips and Tricks
Magic
in a Pot!
These
little tricks and tips can save you hours and also they are
very cool. Amaze your friends!
Cooking with Dry Beans
Parchment
Paper
Measuring
Flour
Presentation
Herbs and Spices
Hard Boiled Eggs
Curry Powder
Syllabub
The Leftover
Dilemma
To Sear or Not
to Sear
Clarified
Butter
Saluting
Yogurt's Benefits to Health and Cooking
Wine - Brain
Food?
Light and
Airy Puddings
Going Bananas!
Use the Right
Oil for the Right Job
Pasta Doesn't
Wait for Anyone!
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Better
Beans
When
cooking dry beans always soak them overnight first. The quick
soak method is great but your beans will have better flavour
and texture if you soak them overnight first. Also, to avoid
having tough beans - NEVER add salt to the cooking liquid
when you cook the beans, and once the water has come to a
boil, reduce the heat to a BARE SIMMER. If you follow both
these tips, your beans should be perfectly tender. If they’re
still tough, chances are the beans are old.
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Kitchen
Gadget Ideas
Barrel
Grater
We
all have those stressful days. How to relax - that’s often
the question. Here’s one way - with a warm bath. Try it. As
you’re filling the tub, pour a handful of rolled oats into
the hopper of a hand-held barrel cheese grater. Making sure
you inserted the fine grating barrel, grind the oats directly
into your bath water. The oats make for a soothing bath while
helping alleviate itchy, dry skin. And don’t forget to lock
the door - the kids can do without you for half and hour -
shut off the lights and light some lovely candles instead.
Now, close your eyes and relax.....
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Waxed
Paper Does Not Parchment Equal
Parchment
paper - an essential tool in any kitchen. Once you’ve worked
with it, you won’t be able to do without it! Totally non-stick
and very versatile, it’s great for lining cookie sheets, the
bottom of cake pans, or even making into piping bags. It can
be reused - when it gets too dirty, just throw it out and
tear off a new sheet. It’s also makes for easy clean up. When
I’m making chicken fingers for supper, it’s because I’m in
a big rush, so clean up is also an issue. I can save lots
of time by lining the baking sheets with parchment paper.
When the fingers are cooked, just toss the paper in the garbage
and give the pan a rinse with hot water. Parchment paper can
also be formed into piping cones/bags and filled with icing
or melted chocolate for piping or drizzling onto baked goods.
Beware: waxed paper and aluminum foil are not substitutes
for parchment paper and cannot be used interchangeably.
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Measure
Flour Correctly
When
baking, measuring your flour properly is critical to the success
of your recipe - it could mean the difference between a cake
that rises or falls! To ensure that your flour measurement
is as accurate as possible make sure you follow this 3-step
technique. 1. Always fluff up the flour with a fork before
measuring. This aerates the flour. 2. Then gently spoon the
flour using a large spoon into a metal measuring cup designed
for dry ingredients. Fill the cup to overflowing. (Don’t use
a glass measuring cup as it is specifically designed for measuring
liquids.) 3. Then, without shaking or tapping the cup (this
is very important), sweep the straight edge of a kitchen knife
across the top of the cup to make it level. (P.S. Don’t forget
to use the straight edge of a knife when measuring baking
soda, baking powder and spices. If your baking soda is lumpy,
put it through a sieve before adding it to your flour mixture.)
When a recipe calls for 1 cup sifted flour, sift the flour
first (using a sieve or sifter), then measure it using the
3-step technique outlined above. When a recipe calls for 1
cup flour, sifted, measure the flour first using the 3-step
technique outlined above, then sift it.
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Presentation
is Everything
When
we have guests over for supper, or even if it’s just my family,
I give serious thought to presentation. Food that looks fantastic
and is presented with flair always tastes better. If you’ve
ever taken a picture in to be framed, you’ve probably spent
a lot of time picking out just the "right" frame - a frame
that brings out the best in your picture. Take that same time
when selecting a platter for your carefully prepared meal.
Use it to bring out the best in your food - treat the wide
rim (usually the decorative border) as if it were the "frame"
around the food you’ve so carefully prepared. Never place
food right up to the edge of the plate. Think of your platter
as another form of garnish - use it to enhance the presentation
of your meal!
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Kitchen
Gadget Ideas
Kitchen
Shears
Use
your Kitchen Shears to trim away any excess fat on meat. They're
also perfect for splitting Cornish Hens.
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Eliminate
Black Rings
Have
you ever opened a hard boiled egg and noticed an unpleasant
smell and a green ring around the edge of the yolk? When you
see this, the egg has been overcooked. To make the perfect
hard boiled egg, place eggs in a single layer in the bottom
of a pot and cover completely with cold water. Cover with
lid and bring water just to a boil. (Don't bring to a rolling
boil as eggs may crack.) Turn off the heat while leaving the
pot covered and still on the element. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Pour off water. If you are eating these eggs for breakfast,
serve immediately. If you wish to peel them for another use,
cover cooked eggs with cold water. Let stand several minutes
and peel. This method allows the shell to release from the
egg white and make peeling much easier.
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A
Chicken by Any Other Name
Chicken
Tetrazzini, a rich pasta dish comprised of spaghetti and strips
of chicken smothered in a sherry-parmessan cheese sauce, is
said to have been named after the Italian opera singer Luisa
Tetrazzini (1871-1940). Chicken Marengo, chicken braised in
tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, garlic, white wine, brandy and
seasonings, is said to have been created for Napoleon after
the Battle of Marengo in 1800. Legend has it that Napoleon
so loved the dish that he insisted his chef serve it after
every battle! Source: The New Food Lover's Companion; The
Joy of Cooking; Further Poultry Processors Association of
Canada; the Internet
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Curry
Powder
Widely
used in Indian cooking, authentic Indian curry powder is freshly
ground each day and can vary dramatically depending on the
region and the cook. Curry powder is actually a pulverized
blend of up to 20 spices, herbs, and seeds. Among those most
commonly used are cardamom, chilies, cinnamon, cloves, coriander,
cumin, fennel seeds, fenugreek, mace, nutmeg, red and black
pepper, poppy and sesame seeds, saffron, tamarind, and turmeric
(the latter is what gives curried dishes their characteristic
yellow colour). Commercial curry powder (which bears little
resemblance to the freshly ground blends of southern India)
comes in two basic styles - standard, and the hotter "Madras".
(From: Food Lover's Companion, 3rd ed. ©2001)
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Syllabub
Syllabub
[SIHL-uh-buhb] was a popular dessert in 17th, 18th, and early
19th century England. It was served at celebrations, special
occasions and holidays due to its festive appearance. Many
original recipes survive with various modes of preparation.
Traditionally, it's made by beating milk with wine or ale,
sugar, spices and sometimes beaten egg whites. A richer version
is made with cream and can be used as a topping for cakes,
cookies, or fruit. It's thought that the name of this concoction
originated during Elizabethan times and is a combination of
the words Sille (a French wine that was used in the mixture)
and bub (Old-English slang for "bubbling drink." (Compiled
from: Food Lover's Companion, 3rd ed, ©2001; and www.foodandheritage.com)
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The
Leftover Dilemma
Without
citing the obvious (casseroles and the like), here are some
other ideas to help you through the Christmas season. Turkey
"Canadian" Wraps: warm flour tortillas and fill with thinly
sliced turkey, warm stuffing, leftover cranberry sauce and
shredded lettuce. If you want to get a little fancier, substitute
crépes for the tortillas and drizzle with cheese sauce. Tasty
Turkey Spread: combine cut-up turkey with finely chopped green
onion, grated carrot, finely chopped apple, thick yogurt cheese
and a small amount of mayonnaise. Season with curry powder,
salt and pepper. Serve with pita chips. Cube and freeze in
2 cup amounts. Great for recipes calling for cooked chopped
chicken or turkey. Freeze larger size pieces for an easy and
quick weeknight meal. Also freeze leftover gravy and stuffing
to serve along with the turkey. Turkey Carcass Soup: Add leftover
gravy and stuffing to the water along with the carcass and
vegetables. Don't forget to add the onions with the skin on
as it adds colour to the soup. Strain. Freeze in containers
and use as a broth in recipes or as a base for other soups.
Cranberry Sauce Cran-Apple Crisp or Cran-Apple Pie: reduce
your recipe by 1-2 apples and add about 1-2 cups cranberry
sauce. Decrease sugar accordingly. (I often omit the sugar
entirely as the cranberry sauce adds enough sweetness.) Cranberry
Muffins: add the sauce in place of mashed banana (1 cup equals
about 2 bananas). Adjust sugar amount.
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Saluting
Yogurt's Benefits to Health and Cooking
Yogurt
making is thought to have originated by nomadic Balkan tribes
thousands of years ago, probably first by accident and then
as a means of preserving milk. And what a great discovery
it was because according to some nutritionists, yogurt is
the only animal-derived complete-protein source that is recommended
for frequent use in our diet. The "friendly" bacteria in yogurt
are needed for the digestion of foods and the prevention of
many disorders, including candidiasis, a type of yeast infection.
As well, one pharmacist told me that yogurt is useful to restore
lost bacteria in the gut following a bout of the stomach flu
or diarrhea. But, aside from its nutritional advantages, yogurt
is very useful in cooking and baking. Here are just a few
of the many ways. The bacteria cultures in yogurt give it
tenderizing properties that make it useful as a marinade for
meats and poultry. Yogurt is frequently used by East Indians
to tenderize meat. For example, spicy tandoori chicken is
made by marinating chicken overnight in a mixture of yogurt
and exotic spices. If you want to make your own marinade for
meat or poultry, to 1 cup of yogurt simply add a couple of
tablespoons oil and your favorite spices and herbs. Marinate
overnight in the refrigerator. Yogurt also adds body and flavour
to salad dressings, sauces and soups. For a tender crumb,
use yogurt to make quick breads, muffins and cakes. When adding
yogurt to your baking, be sure to add ½ tsp of baking soda
for each cup of yogurt used. (Source: Prescription for Nutritional
Healing, 2nd ed © 1997; Food Lovers Companion © 2001; Brilliant
Food Tips and Cooking Tricks, © 2001)
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Light
and Airy Puddings
When
using stale bread for puddings, always soak the bread in cold
liquid. Puddings made with bread that has been soaked in cold
milk or water will have a crumbly light texture, whereas ones
made with bread soaked in hot liquid will be heavy and dense.
(From: Five Roses Cookbook - Bread Pastry etc. First published
in 1915; 6th printing 2001)
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Going
Bananas!
Do
you have leftover bananas that are too dark and soft to eat?
Put them in a ziplock bag and freeze them. Remove the required
number from the freezer and defrost in the microwave for 15-30
seconds. Presto - soft banana for muffins and cakes! Great
for babies too.
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Use
the Right Oil for the Right Job
Today
there are so many types of oil on the market, it can be intimidating
trying to determine which oil is best for what use. Here are
few pointers to help you when choosing an oil. Remember to
store the more exotic oils in your refrigerator as they can
go rancid very quickly. Exotic Oils Almond: Has a toasted
almond flavour. It breaks down with heat so save it for salad
dressings and cold desserts. Avocado: Rich and buttery in
flavour but breaks down with heat. Use in salad dressings
and as a finish in sauces. Grapeseed: A mild flavoured oil
with a high smoke point* (445oF). Great for salad dressings,
sautéing and frying. Hazelnut: One of my personal favorites.
A very aromatic oil that is superb in salad dressings. It
has a low smoke point so use it as a finish for sauces. Can
also be used in baking. Olive: Another personal favorite.
There are now many varieties of olive oil available including
a new line from President's Choice which features olive oil
from Tuscany and Catalonia, as well as other regions each
with their own characteristics. Thankfully descriptions are
on the bottle. Olive oil has a fairly low smoke point (410oF)
so it's only useful for light sautéing, not deep fat frying.
Delicious in salad dressings. Pumpkin: It has a green colour
similar to olive oil but has a roasted pumpkin seed flavour.
Use in salad dressings and sauces as it has a low smoke point.
Sesame: Another of my all-time favorite oils that's always
in my frig. The Asian types have a strong nutty flavour that
is wonderful as a finish for stir-fries. Also delicious in
salad dressings. It has a low smoke point and loses its flavour
when exposed to heat, so don't use it for sautéing. Walnut:
Another rich flavoured oil, wonderful in salad dressings and
as a finish for sauces. It has a rich amber colour and a low
smoke point, so don't use it for frying or sautéing. All-Purpose
Household Oils Canola: This is our most common household all-purpose
oil. It's virtually flavourless and has a high smoke point
(435oF), which makes it great for deep fat frying. Use in
salad dressings, baking, sautéing as well. Corn: An oil with
a deeper colour than canola oil, it has a smoke point slightly
lower than canola oil (410oF), so it's not ideal for deep
fat frying, but fine for sautéing. Also good in salad dressings
when a mild flavoured oil is required. Peanut: Another oil
with a high smoke point (450oF) and used by Asians to deep
fat fry and sauté. It has a neutral flavour. Safflower: An
all-purpose oil with a mild flavour and high smoke point (450oF).
Use for sautéing and frying. Soybean: A mild flavoured oil
with a high smoke point (450oF). Use for sautéing and deep
fat frying. Sunflower: A light flavoured oil, but breaks down
with heat. Use for sautéing and light frying. * smoke point
is the temperature at which the oil begins to smoke and burn.
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Pasta
Doesn't Wait for Anyone!
Most
Italian cooks take the whole business of pasta very seriously.
While pasta is a simple mixture of flour and liquid (some
also have egg added), the quality and type of ingredients
are particularly important. When buying pasta, whether fresh
or dried, look for noodles that have been made with durum
wheat, also called semolina. Many of the best brands of pasta
are imported from Italy. Properly cooked pasta is heaven on
earth to eat. It is very simple to cook, and very simple to
overcook - it doesn't wait for anyone. Pasta should be cooked
to al dente - tender but still firm. The only time it should
be cooked until soft is when feeding to a baby. Here are some
tips to keep in mind when preparing fresh and dried pasta.
Allow one pound of pasta to serve 6-8 if serving as an appetizer,
or about 4-6 people if serving as an entrée. Use lots of water
when cooking pasta. Use 4-5 quarts for every 1 pound of pasta
- that's lots! The pasta should be able to move around freely
during cooking. If you have problems with your pasta sticking
together, it is likely because there was not enough water
in the pot. Bring the water to a boil, then add the salt and
pasta. Salt is necessary to bring out the flavour of the noodle.
Add about 1 tsp of salt per quart of water. Do not add oil
as this will make the pasta slippery and your sauce will not
adhere properly when the pasta is cooked. Once the pasta has
been added, cover the pot with a lid and bring the water back
to a boil. Remove the lid and start timing. Stir the pasta
several times throughout the cooking process. Watch your cooking
time. Fresh pasta cooks in a matter of minutes while some
dried pastas can take as along as 15 minutes. Begin testing
for doneness after about 7 minutes. (Very thin pasta will
done earlier.) To test for doneness, don't throw it against
the wall. The starch in the pasta will cause it to stick regardless
of doneness. The best way is simply to taste it. Al dente
is reached when the pasta is tender but still firm to the
bite. It will continue to cook somewhat after it has been
drained and tossed in the hot sauce. Before draining, remove
and reserve a small amount of cooking water, up to ½ cup.
This will be very handy if the sauce needs to be stretched
or loosened a bit. The starch in the water will also give
the sauce body. Once the pasta has been drained, toss it with
the sauce. Never rinse it under water. The water will wash
off the starch and will prevent the sauce from adhering properly
to the noodles. (N.B. You may rinse the pasta if it is used
in a salad.) Pasta should always be tossed together with the
sauce. When it is served "naked" with just the sauce on top,
the noodles stick together and become a tangled mess. Avoid
precooking pasta. Never precook it unless you are making lasagna
or cannelloni. One option however, if you are cooking for
a crowd, is to cook the pasta until it is slightly underdone.
Cool the pasta in a bowl of ice water. When it reaches room
temperature, drain it and toss it with olive oil to prevent
sticking. Refrigerate in a zip-lock bag. The reheat, plunge
the pasta in a large pot of boiling water. Stir until the
noodles separate, about 20 seconds. Drain and toss with sauce.
Resources: Biba's Taste of Italy, Biba Caglianno, copyright
2001; Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks, David Joachim
copyright 2001; The New Food Lover's Companion, Sharon Tyler
Herbst, copyright 1995
Allergic
to Wheat but Still Love Pasta? Try These
Living
without pasta is unthinkable for many of us. Here are a few
tips for people who can't eat wheat. Most of these products
can be purchased at Asian stores, in the international food
section of your supermarket, or at health food stores. Pasta
made with corn or artichoke. Pastas made with any of the following
grains: kamut, whole grain and white spelt, rice, rye, quinoa,
wild rice Bean thread noodles and 100% buckwheat soba noodles
are other safe options. To Sear or Not to Sear Food should
appeal to the eye as much as to the stomach. Grey, dull meat
not only lacks eye-appeal, it lacks flavour. Meat or fish
that has been seared over high heat looks delicious and tastes
flavourful. In the above recipe, the scallops are seared to
give additional flavour and to cook the fish quickly. In other
recipes, searing is used to brown meat before braising or
roasting. It was once thought that searing sealed in the natural
juices of the meat, but food scientists have found just the
opposite - searing draws out the juices. Nonetheless, searing
over high heat induces a chemical reaction between the natural
sugars and the protein in the meat to create a caramelization
effect which results in a richer, more complex flavour to
the meat. To Sear: Make sure that the meat or fish is dry.
Moisture left on the meat will create a steam effect which
will cause the meat to turn grey instead of brown. Heat oil
with a high smoke point in a heavy bottomed skillet on medium-high
or high heat. Working in small batches, add meat in a single
layer and sear the meat on both sides. Remove the meat before
moving on to the next batch. It's important not to overcrowd
the pan. Overcrowding reduces the heat of the pan too dramatically
and prevents the meat from browning properly.
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Clarified
Butter
Understanding
the difference between butter and clarified butter can save
you a lot of heartache when cooking. Butter that has been
clarified does not burn as easily as regular butter since
the milk solids that cause butter to burn have been removed.
As a result, clarified butter has a higher smoke point than
regular butter. This is a bonus for cooks, as meat seared
with clarified butter won't impart an unpleasant burned taste
to the meat. To clarify butter, slowly melt unsalted butter
over low heat. Don't let the butter bubble or boil. Once the
butter has melted, the white milk solids will have settled
to the bottom and a white foam will have appeared on the top
of clear yellow butter. Skim off the foam and discard. Gently
pour off the clear liquid leaving behind the milk solids that
have settled to the bottom. Discard the milk solids. Ghee
is another name for clarified butter.
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The
Most Anticipated Arrival of Spring
No
it's not a baby, but sometimes you'd think someone was in
labour the way people sit in wait for their first feed of
this prized vegetable! Although we now have the luxury of
this delicacy year-round, nothing can compare to the sweet
fresh taste of locally grown asparagus. When I was young,
we were even lucky enough to have it growing along the roadside
near our house. When purchasing asparagus, choose stalks that
are firm and not showing any signs of drying out. Make sure
that the tips are tightly closed and not wet or slimmy - a
sign that they are old. The bottom last inch or so of each
stalk is quite tough and not pleasant for consumption. To
trim, hold the length of the stalk in one hand and snap off
the base with the other. The spear will naturally break at
the point where the tough area ends. Asparagus is very versatile.
It's great steamed, boiled, grilled or broiled and delicious
in stir-frys. White asparagus is simply green asparagus grown
completely without sunlight. It's considered a delicacy in
Europe.
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Undercover
Spy
Did
you know that you've had an imposter in your kitchen all these
years and didn't know it? Yes, every spring you pick rhubarb
and unknowingly dress it up as a pie, muffin or cake! It's
actually a vegetable that looks like celery with a bad sunburn!
It's also one of those vegetables that looks innocent but
actually packs enough power to kill you. The leaves of this
ancient vegetable are highly toxic due to oxalic acid. One
year, we unknowingly killed an entire litter of piglets by
feeding them rhubarb leaves. We thought we were being kind.
But by morning those poor little things were all D-E-A-D.
When picking rhubarb pull up the stalk directly at the base,
don't cut it off. Make sure that the stems are bright red
and not too thick and the leaves are unblemished. Store them
in the refrigerator, leaves attached until ready to use. Then
remove the leaves. Rhubarb can be kept, tightly sealed, for
about 3 days. It is not necessary to peel rhubarb before cooking.
Rhubarb can also be frozen for use in the cold winter months.
Cut into bite size pieces and lay on a cookie sheet. Freeze,
then transfer to a zip-lock bag. If you're looking to reduce
the amount of sugar to sweeten rhubarb, choose the thinnest,
brightest red stalks as these are often the least tart.
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Mint
- One of the World's Most Popular Herbs
OK,
so you've bought a bunch of mint, used one tablespoon, now
what? Here are some ideas to help you use up the rest. Mint
is wonderful when added to carrots, eggplant, peas, tomatoes,
potatoes and other vegetables. It also pairs well with lamb
when used in a marinade, or served as mint jelly, in a sauce
or salsa. Also try it with roast chicken and pork. Mint is
an essential ingredient in Middle Eastern tabbouleh, Greek
tzatiki and is frequently used in Vietnamese and Indian cooking.
Go ahead and add fresh mint to fruit salads. And don't forget
about mint tea to aid digestion. When using mint in cooking,
use the leaves and not the stems. The flowers are lovely as
a garnish and in salads. Store fresh mint upright in a glass
covered with a plastic bag in your refrigerator. Fresh mint
can also be dried. Here are some other useful tidbits about
mint: Spearmint, or garden mint, in the most common cultivated
variety of mint. It has pointed leaves and has tiny lilac
coloured flowers in late summer. When harvesting mint, it
is best to pick it before the flowers bloom as this is when
the essential oils are the strongest. Mint is an invasive
plant so be sure to plant it away from the rest of your garden
or in a planter or pot. Some other varieties of mint are:
Peppermint, Moroccan, Bowle's, Apple, Chocolate, Black, Mountain,
Tashkent, Pineapple, Basil, Field, Corn, English pennyroyal.
Vietnamese mint (rau ram) does not taste like mint and is
more like very strong cilantro with a hot, biting peppery
taste.
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