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Why powdered eggs?
Powdered egg is emblematic of all that was was ghastly and difficult about cooking during WWII. At least in Britain, but perhaps also in other countries during that period.
Supposedly it was pretty vile stuff.
Since actual eggs are fairly easy and economical to produce, and store well, I'm wondering... | From the Wikipedia article on Powdered eggs:
Powdered eggs are fully dehydrated eggs. They are made in a spray dryer in the same way that powdered milk is made. The major advantages of powdered eggs over fresh eggs are the price, reduced weight per volume of whole egg equivalent, and the shelf life (which, when prop... |
Should asparagus be peeled before cooking?
I have it from two sources that asparagus should be peeled before being cooked in simmering water (Julia Child) or fried in butter (Heston Blumenthal). I tried Julia's method once and I've been discouraged from peeling them again ever since.
I probably overcooked on that atte... | As a rule of thumb that would pretty much coincide with what JustRightMenus said: green asparagus is generally not peeled, but white asparagus should definitely be peeled. I think it's the same plant, just cultivated in a different way. (And interestingly, in Germany and the Netherlands, the green stuff is much less co... |
What is wok hai and how do I get it in my food?
There is something special about food cooked in a wok called wok hai? What is it and how do I get my food to have it? | Wok Hei is the "essense" imparted by the wok when stir-frying over very high heat. The characteristic flavor is due to the the Maillard reactions and the charring of the ingredients.
Practically speaking, most home stoves do not have sufficient BTU output to achieve Wok Hei. If you have a gas stove with sufficient out... |
Correct way to join two halves of sponge cake?
When you join two halves of sponge cake (as in this photo) which way round are you supposed to do it? The instructions I've used seem to assume what comes out of your two cake tins are two fairly even, level cakes.
In my case I always get quite domed results.
Am I suppose... | I've actually done some cake decorating (non-professional, but I did take a few classes), and I'll go with an option you didn't give:
Only bake one cake and split it in half (reduce the temperature of the oven, longer time, and if necessary, use cooling strips).You'll likely need taller pans for this -- you'll want li... |
Light vs Dark Brown Sugar
Is there a practical difference between light and dark brown sugar? I ask because I've seen many recipes specify one or the other. Do they really behave differently in some way? | They have a different ratio of white sugar to molasses.
Therefore, dark brown sugar is more hygroscopic, and will have a deeper molasses flavor (and color, obviously) They're pretty similar, and you can usually get away with replacing one with the other, but if you want subtle flavors coming through, dark brown sugar ... |
Blender Buying - Square vs. Round Container
After looking at this blender question, I had a follow-up question.
I've seen both square and round containers/lids for blenders. Is either better?
I tend to see square blenders at smoothie shops - leading me to assume square ones are better. By better I mean, you don't hav... | I can think of two reasons to prefer square containers :
They store in less space for the same volume, when you're dealing with dozens of them (as the smoothie shops likely are)
The key to a good blending is that the inside is not round -- you need baffles and such to keep the blender from forming a single, smooth vor... |
Looking for non-standard (i.e. no dill) fermented pickle suggestions
I'm looking for some outside the box ideas for fermented (sour) pickles. Fermented pickles only use a salt water brine, spices and some time.
Here's a short list of what I'm NOT looking for:
Anything using dill
Sauerkraut
Kimchee
An example of wha... | I'm including links to specific recipes here, but not all of these recipes give fermenting instructions. I'm sure you could do these fermented though - as opposed to using whatever other pickling method is given.
Pickled watermelon rinds are fun - spiced w/ clove, ginger, lemon, and cinnamon.
Blueberries can be pickl... |
I was going to try a recipe for Ceviche - are there any fish varieties not recommended?
Ceviche is basically using just lemon juice to "cook" the fish, so I was wondering if there are any fish varieties that wouldn't be recommended using this method? | In general, you want to avoid "oily" fish, because it will tend to go rancid rather than curing properly. By oily fish I'm referring to sardines, mackerel, bluefish, and similar "fishy" fish. Farmed salmon is also generally a bad idea because it's so fatty; in general, you would only make salmon ceviche if you had a ... |
Replacement for pumpkin
I have a recipe that requires pumpkin, but I would like not to use it.
Are there other vegetables, or combination of vegetables I could use? I would like to get the same consistency; if then the taste is similar, that is a bonus.
I report the list of ingredients used for the recipe:
Tofu (250 ... | The closest in terms of taste an texture would be another winter squash such as butternut, acorn, hubbard, etc. (As has already been mentioned.)
However, anything with a similar texture would work. If you don't care so much about the taste, you could substitute a tuber such as potato, turnip, rutabaga, carrot, parsnip,... |
What is 'Cooking Chorizo'?
I have a recipe that calls for "Cooking Chorizo" (in the UK). What is this? Would normal cured chorizo be an acceptable substitute? | Spanish Chorizo comes in two forms both of which to the best of my knowledge are fully cured (cooked): one which is more for eating on its own (like salami) and the other which tends to have a higher ratio of fat in it and is used primarily for cooking. The latter one being what the recipe is referring to as "cooking... |
Where can I find ancient ages/middle ages recipes and preparation techniques?
I always had an interest for recipes from ancient ages (ancient Greece, Roman empire) and middle ages (i.e. after the fall of the Roman empire until the Renaissance). It's nice to experience what people who lived hundreds of years ago ate da... | If you're looking for books, you could try "Roman Cookery" by Mark Grant or "The Classical Cookbook" by Andrew Dalby and Sally Grainger for ancient Roman food, or "The Philosopher's Kitchen" by Francine Segan, which combines ancient Greek and Roman cuisine. Many of these recipes are derived from the works of Apicius, ... |
Boil an egg in the microwave
Is it possible to boil an egg in the microwave?
Ideally without having to pierce the shell first | It's possible to blow open the door of your microwave if you try it on high for too long.
For best results, watch it from about a foot away. |
What considerations should be taken into account when adding any fruit to any cake?
I have a pineapple-orange cake recipe that is very good, but is from a relative - I didn't develop it. I am curious how to adjust a typical cake recipe or even a box cake mix so that I can add fruit (pineapple, peaches, cherries, appl... | Adding fruit will change the ratio of dry to liquid, so it may require more flour. It would also add some sweetness, so you may want to reduce the sugar a tad. But citrus fruits in particular are acidic, which might affect the leavening. I suspect it would depend on the type of fruit and how it's prepared. |
Can I boil milk unattended (and still keep the pan clean)?
Many recipes call for first bringing milk up to boil.
I normally boil 1 quart (1 litre) of milk in a 3-quart stainless steel heavy bottomed pan:
use low heat
keep scraping the bottom of the pan every 1-2 minute
Milk comes to a boil in about 40-45 minutes
In... | Boiling the milk in the microwave is the only way to do this "unattended", and that requires a lot of trial and error to get the time just right. It also won't work with many recipes that involve stirring anything into the milk while cooking.
Out of the microwave, I use a non-stick pan, but even that requires scraping... |
If Soy Milk gets congealed at the bottom, is this a sign that it's going bad?
It happens a lot with vanilla flavored soy milk - the congealed portions sit at the bottom of the container and looks like whip cream - does this mean that it's going bad? | That sounds like the settling of the soy solids at the bottom of the carton |
How can I keep my reheated Oats from sticking together?
I usually make steel cut oats in a rice cooker (1:3 ratio of oats and water) and generally have a couple of servings left over. When I try to reheat in the microwave it comes out all congealed together in small little chunks. Even if I put a little milk before mi... | You have to really beat the milk into it. Start with all of the oatmeal in a bowl, and add just a little milk and mush it in with a fork. Keep adding milk a little at a time until you reach the texture you like, then reheat it. |
How long will live lobsters last in the fridge?
My parents just got back from Boston. Since we were looking after their dog, they bought us 2 live lobsters as a "thank you". We've named them Pinchy and James. They were bought Saturday afternoon and flew home in styrofoam with ice and wet newspaper over them. The guy t... | They should be fine until Monday. Do just as he said...keep them in the fridge covered with damp newspaper. Cook them tomorrow or Monday.
If you can't/don't for some reason have time to cook them then just stick them in the freezer alive. They'll freeze and you can then cook them another time in the future. |
Culinary uses for bolted lettuce?
Does anyone have a culinary use for a lettuce which has bolted? Or do I throw it away?
Bolting being what gardeners call that moment when your lovely full bodied lettuce suddenly shoots skywards, in order to produce seed. Once salad crops have bolted the leaves still have a good colou... | While it might be too tough and bitter to eat as a raw salad, you might try it as a warm wilted lettuce salad with a sweet and sour dressing (bacon, bacon grease, onions, cider vinegar, sugar) to help mask bitterness.
Alternatively you might also try a Lettuce and Pea Soup:
Sweat onions in butter, season with salt and ... |
Can whole chilli peppers be frozen?
I have some Dorset Naga chilli peppers bought from the local supermarket.
Aren't they lovely? :)
Well, unfortunately, my local supermarket (I think the only one in the UK that stocks them) doesn't always have them in stock, so when they do appear on the shelves, I quickly stock-up... | Yes, they can be, but you'll want to prick each one with a sharp knife once or twice to prevent them from bursting. Once that is done, put them into a small freezer-safe storage bag, remove as much air as possible from the bag, and seal it. They keep reasonably well for about six months without tasting "burnt," but the... |
What is the shelf-life of store-bought commercially-produced jam?
My question is similar to this one, but about store-bought jam.
What is the shelf-life of store-bought jam – i.e. commercially prepared major brands – if not opened?
Are the processes or ingredients for preservation of mass-produced jam superior to at-h... | Jam and jelly have VERY long shelf lives both in the cupboard, unopened as well as in the refrigerator. The acidic environment and concentration of sugar make it an inhospitable environment for bacterial growth.
Typically the only changes you'll see are darkening of color (unopened in the cupboard) and possible "sugari... |
how often is cleaning done in a professional kitchen?
Today I saw Gordon Ramsay Kitchen Nightmares. Regardless of the alleged nature of "reality", he said that fridges at his London restaurant are cleaned twice a day. Is that excessive or in line with standard hygiene guidelines ? What about the kitchen and storage ro... | I have worked in two professsional kitchens. The main kitchen itself (all the work tables, stoves, floors, refrigerator fronts and so on) is cleaned after each service, and very thoroughly each night with hot soapy water and sometime sterilizing solution. The insides of refrigerators and other storage areas don't need ... |
wishy-washy caffè frappè
I'm trying to do the Greek drink "Caffè Frappè". I'm using 2 tea spoon of spray dried coffee and 2 tea spoons of sugar. I've added a little of iced water and blended with an hand mixer until it's whipped. After that I add water until the glass is full, but the water/coffee is too much diluted.... | I would also recommend that you find dried coffee by Nescafe - specifically the Greek brand if you can find it. Depending on where you live it can be hard to find but is totally worth it and for some reason foams better than regular Nescafe. If you search the internetz you will find that there is a Nescafe with a lab... |
Savoury equivalent of choco-cornflake cakes
I'm currently trying to work out a savoury equivalent to chocolate to allow the creation of a non-sweet version of chocolate cornflake cakes.
Currently the best equivalent of chocolate (in terms of melting point and water content) that I can think of is cheese. Another alter... | Similar to a macaroon, whip egg whites with cream of tartar and season with whatever savory spices and herbs you might like before folding with the corn flakes, corn chips, or crushed tortilla chips, and then bake at a low temperature until crisp and dry but not browned. |
What is the formal definition of savory?
What is the formal definition of "savory" when used in cooking? I hear a lot about things coming in either sweet or savory forms — e.g. crepes — but in context it doesn't seem that savory is the term for all things that are not sweet. Does it have to do with preparation metho... | In cooking, "Savory" does generally refer to a flavor profile that is anything other than sweet.
"Sweet" doesn't have to necessarily be sugary sweet...basil, tarragon, fennel, carrots, beets, etc. have sweet flavors that are not excessively sugary sweet.
The term "neutral" is typically used for things like crepes and c... |
What to do about beetle infestation of wheat products? How do we prevent reinfestation?
Today my wife went to make some bread. She noticed some very small insects in the whole wheat and regular flour. Upon further inspection, many of our wheat based products were infested with these critters. The worst infestation was... | Ugh, I feel for you! Just based on the description, it's probably some type of flour beetle (normally either red flour beetle or confused flour beetle -- but check on wikipedia for pictures). I'm no exterminator, but I've dealt with infestations of both in my pantry.
The only thing that I've found that works is to go... |
How do I make sprouted bread myself?
There are a few companies out there that offer sprouted bread (e.g. Food for Life).
I am interesting in making bread myself. I have purchased some sprouting containers. Once sprouted the grain obviously is soft and holds a lot of moisture.
Do I have to dry the sprouts and mill them... | You can do either, but personally I have experience with drying and milling. To dry the sprouts, make sure that you keep them at a low temperature. You could do this using a dehydrator or in the oven at the lowest possible temperature. The claim from sprouted grain companies and proponents is that this keeps benefic... |
does white sugar have a shelf life?
i have had a sealed container of white sugar for about 5 years now, we have been using it slowly, but is it safe/healthy to continue using it because of its age? or should i replace it? | Various references, including this one from Lantic sugar note the shelf-life of granulated white sugar as indefinite or effectively forever.
Presuming, likely, that it is stored as you note in a sealed container. |
How much gluten will set off somebody's celiac disease?
I have a house guest incoming that has celiacs and I know that it means they can't eat gluten. But does that mean that I need to yank everything that has wheat out of my kitchen for the duration? I need to know if this something that gets set off just by looking ... | I am celiac. Ideally you should clean your entire kitchen, clean out your silverware and utensil drawers and wash all utensils in the dishwasher. Wipe all surfaces and sinks with bleach wipes. Scrub all pots and pans, to remove gluten films then wash in dishwasher.
give all dishes to be used a run through the dishwash... |
What is the purpose of sifting dry ingredients?
What is the purpose of sifting dry ingredients (esp. with flour)?
I heard in one place that it was because this is the best way to mix them well. I heard somewhere else that this is a carry-over from when flour used to still contain some chaff. What's the real reason? Wh... | Fix Compacted Flour. Flour will compact over time (and during shipment). You could sift the flour to fluff it back up. Or, you could just stir it before measuring and be sure to spoon the flour into your measuring cup in order to get a correct volume measurement.
Remove Unwanted Material. Yes, sifting would also remov... |
Uses for stale bread?
Community wiki question. I'd like to compile an index of uses for stale bread. Here's a couple off the top of my head. Feel free to just go ahead and edit this list:
As an ingredient
Breadcrumbs, fresh or dried
Breadcrumbs as coating or panade for Schnitzels, etc.
Breadcrumbs as a filler in Ris... | Stuffing. Pretty much any stale bread product can be made into stuffing: I once made an old batch of cinnamon rolls into stuffing for pork chops. I made enough chops for 2 days of leftovers, and my guests wolfed the entire batch in one meal. No leftovers for me, AND I get asked about it to this very day. |
Reasons for Discarding the Core of the Onion When Chopping?
A cook I know always discards the core of the onion when chopping it. Is there any reason for this? In professional demonstrations and cooking classes, I've never seen it done. From observation, it does seem to make chopping or mincing the way I've always ... | There is one reason I might do this. If the core is green, that is starting to form a sprout. I cut that out as it can be bitter. Otherwise I don't know why one would do that. |
How can I make the best use of chocolate peppers?
One grower at the farmer's market in the alley near my work recently started selling a crop of chocolate peppers. I've had some moderate success using them as an ingredient, but am looking for tips on additional uses for them; particularly in how to make them more expr... | In general, you can roast peppers to develop a richer flavor. Then skin the pepper and you can use it for salsas, sauces, or just slice/dice it up for a sandwich. |
How do you source meat that will be minimally cooked?
I was recently asked where one could find meat that could be prepared "blue to blue-rare". What kinds of meat (other than fish) can be prepared this way and how would one go about finding a reliable source?
I imagine chicken and pork are out due to salmonella and t... | The thing to remember, vis a vis bacterial contamination, is that it's almost always the OUTSIDE of the meat that's contaminated, not the inside. With pork and chicken you're worried about an internal parasite/bacteria, which is why they're not cooked rare.
With beef, if it's grade A, it's good to go, and most everythi... |
How do you cook grass-fed beef so it is not tough?
I recently went to a farmers market and bought some grass-fed beef. I went with what we normally buy, and got a couple of bone-in thick cut ribeye. I typically prepare this by liberally applying salt and pepper, letting it come to room temp, grilling (gas) over high... | This is total nonsense: grass fed ribeye should absolutely not be tough. Toughness is, however, affected by the cow's breed, it's age, by how stressed it was when it was slaughtered, by ageing of the meat, and I'm sure a bunch of other variables too. Something made the meat tough, but it wasn't grass feeding - the comb... |
What do you look for to make sure that Conch is fresh?
I recently saw a stew recipe for Conch and wanted to try it - I've never purchased it before from an actual fish market (only in cans). What should I look for and any tips on cleaning would be great!! | Conch should have a nice light pink color. If it's gray or browned, steer clear. Like most seafood, the best indicator is smell. If it smells salty like a walk near the beach, it's fine. If it smells like a stagnant wharf or a warm dumpster, steer clear. To clean, run it under cold water. Cut off any membrane, and... |
How to create a muffin recipe
I would like to experiment more with muffin recipes, but I don't want to stray too far and end up with inedible product. Are there basic parameters I should follow in creating my own muffin recipe?
What makes a muffin a muffin, as opposed to a cupcake?
What proportion of wet to dry ingr... | Michael Ruhlman's Ratio defines a muffin as a form of a quick bread. The basic quick bread ratio is:
2 parts flour
2 parts liquid
1 part egg
1 part fat
So you can make a muffin with those basic ingredients in about that ratio. Remove any of those ingredients, and you no longer have a muffin. Substantially change t... |
Is it possible to turn old tomatoes into flour?
I saw a recipe that employed Tomato Flour - how do you turn tomatoes into flour? | The recipe was most likely referring to Tomato Powder which is available from the Spice House in Milwaukee, WI.
I don't think you'd be able to produce the same result at home. Even if the tomatoes could be dehydrated to the point where they are crisp enough to be ground, I don't think you could pulverize them fine eno... |
Is there a way to make compressed watermelon without a vacuum machine?
I've got in mind to make a dish with compressed watermelon, but I don't have access to a vacuum machine. I've tried once using weight, but it just cracks because the pressure is all from one side. Thoughts? If not, can it be done with a home vacuum... | Haven't tried it but here:
http://newmountaincookery.typepad.com/a_new_mountain_cookery/2008/06/compressed-wate.html
The link suggests the following technique:
Vacuum seal pieces of watermelon (if
you don't have one, just put it in a
ziploc bag and take out as much as
the air as possible)
Freeze it overnight
Take it o... |
Will steel cut oats work for oatmeal cookies?
I usually use rolled oats or quick cooking (but not instant) oats for oatmeal cookies. Can they be made with steel cut oats? | Steel cut oats take a lot longer to cook than rolled or quick oats. It's unlikely they will completely cook before the cookie is done. You could try it, but I'd recommend presoaking them in hot water for an hour, or maybe even parboiling them for a few minutes. You'd need to adjust your wet ingredients accordingly as w... |
How can I cook more flavorful Chicken through and through?
When I cook chicken, the flavor seems to be concentrated in the skin. But when I get a rotisserie chicken from Costco, it seems to be very flavorful through and through, beyond just the skin.
I've experimented with various seasonings, including salt/pepper, s... | One option to consider to add flavour to a chicken is brining. I've personally never brined a chicken, but everytime I come across mention of it in a foodie blog, forum or elsewhere, it always seems to be considered a good way to impart additional flavour into the meat.
Since writing this answer I've followed Nigella L... |
Potato in the microwave
My brother in law was telling me the other day that he just sticks whole potatos into the microwave wrapped in wax paper for a quick snack. Is this ok/safe? If you do this, do you have other suggestions to make it tastier? I haven't tried it yet, but am tempted! | Before microwaving (or baking, for that matter) a potato, I always poke it deeply with a fork several times to let steam escape. I prefer the taste of a baked potato to a microwave potato, but will often speed up baking a potato by microwaving it for a few minutes first. You can definitely microwave until done.
Aft... |
Does microwaving destroy nutrients in food?
After answering this article, I did some research on microwaving killing vitamins and nutrients in food.
I very quickly learned that this is a touchy subject, even among nutritionists, and nobody (at least, nobody I saw) seems to have a "this is the science behind it and her... | Anything that breaks down due to heat is going to break down no matter HOW you cook it. Boiling only "destroys" nutrients by leaching them away into the water, which is the same reason that other people say that steaming/microwaving is better.
Thiamine, for example, is highly water soluble, so boiling is out. But it al... |
Naturally occuring mono- and diglycerides?
If you read ingredients on processed foods, you will see mono- and diglycerides listed frequently. Fats are triglycerides - there are three chains of fatty acids trailing off the glycerol head of the molecule. Mono- and diglycerides act as emulsifiers because they can bond to... | Lecithin is a mixture of stuff, which also involves mono and diglycerids.
As far as I recall, there is no product naturally produced in nature which is pure mono or diglycerid. Fats in nature follow a lot of synthetic paths, not only for energy storage, but also for structural needs (the cell membrane, for example). F... |
Why the overlap in peanut and tree nut allergies?
My wife is severely allergic to both tree nuts and peanuts (as in full on anaphylaxis, hello epipen and ER). We both find this curious, since peanuts are legumes and not nuts at all. Informally we've heard there is about a 10% overlap in these allergies. Does anyone kn... | So from this - http://content.karger.com/produktedb/produkte.asp?typ=pdf&file=IAA2003131004234 - it sounds like they both share IgE-reactive (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunoglobulin_E) epitopes.
Both native and recombinant nut allergens have been identified and characterized and, for some, the IgE-reactive epitope... |
What type of sausage for bangers and mash?
On a recent trip, I ate at an authentic Irish pub that served the best bangers and mash I've ever had. As there's nowhere around town that regularly serves the dish, I've decided to try my hand at making it at home. While I think I can manage the potatoes just fine, I'm at a ... | The good thing about Cumberland sausages is that the meat is supposed to be coarsely chopped and in of itself has a very high meat content. However, all good sausages have this quality also!
So in essence look for a sausage with a high meat content (80%+) and you can't go too far wrong. |
Blanching time for different vegetables
Well my rule of thumb is to boil the following vegetables for that time before putting them in the ice bath:
1 minute for broccoli
3 minutes for carrots
2 minutes for beans
1 minute for flat beans
4 minutes for cauliflower
Is there a master list out there for the amount of boi... | I don't think it is really possible to name exact times. It depends on the age and toughness of the particular batch of vegetables, how thick they are and how you've cut them. The way I do this is to make my initial judgement based on color change, and then start poking at them with a cake tester every 30 seconds or so... |
A recipe calls for Brown Ale, I didn't want to use beer, are there any substitutions?
Here is the recipe - I didn't want to use Beer, any help?
3 lb chuck steak, cut into 2-inch chunks
***1-1/4 pints Liefmans Goudenband***
2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 oz butter
1 oz brown sugar
1 Tbsp freshly grated nutmeg
salt
pepper
... | No beer!? Hmmm.
Well, I can't think of anything that would give you the same flavor, and as a component of the dish it looms quite large...3 day marinade in beer? No way to replace that, and brown ale is distinctive and nutty.
Beer and wine are natural tenderizers, which is what the marinade is for...They're some of t... |
What makes steel-cut oats different?
I've seen several people insist that steel-cut oats are better than regular oats. What makes them different? | They're coarser, so they have a better texture when cooked. Rolled oats are mushy and bland, even if you get the non-instant variety. Groats are a pain in the butt to cook: like millet, they take forever.
Steel cut oats are a nice compromise (technically steel cut groats). Get some yummy groaty flavor, but the prep tim... |
What is special about pierogi dough?
I wanted to make home-made pierogis. Is there a special dough that needs to be used? I wanted the pierogis to be fairly thick - what type of dough would work best? | Some pierogi recipes include sour cream in the dough |
How can I make sifting easier?
I'm at the point where I will completely avoid certain recipes simply because they require sifting and I find it incredibly tedious. Is there a better method? A better tool? A magic sifter? | Use a food processor to aerate the flour and mix other dry ingredients in.
As a bonus for me, the food processor bowl can go in the dishwasher. I have to hand-wash my sifter. |
Do chillis impregnate a wooden chopping board?
After chopping away at a chilli earlier today (well, 10 minutes ago) I then went through my normal ritual of scrubbing my hands to remove what traces the chiles leave on my fingers.
And it made me wonder - is whatever is difficult to get off my finger having any long-term... | Pretty much everything I've read (for example, this page) says not to use wood, because the oils from the peppers will penetrate the board and transfer, and hold there indefinitely, even after thorough washings.
This thread is full of people with personal experience transferring the heat to later meals.
That said, as w... |
Adding Meat to Pasta Caprese
I absolutely love pasta caprese. I have a great recipe for it that provides perfectly creamy mozarella and tasty tomatoes and uses up the leaves on my basil plant. It's a great dish.
I also don't consider a meal without some form of protein that isn't cheese to be a meal, and vegetarian ... | The problem you will find in using meat-based proteins for such a dish is that the whole point of Insalata Caprese (from which I presume this pasta is derived) is the light, fresh, bright flavours of tomatoes and basil and mozz. Meats will muddy that up.
You may wish to look into alternate protein sources. Serve the pa... |
What is the purpose of seasoning a skillet?
I've seen a couple questions on how to season a skillet, and this may be a dumb question, but why do you season a skillet?
Does it impart flavor onto the food?
For how long? (which I guess is one way of asking, "How often do I need to do it?"
Do I still "need" to apply b... | Purpose of Seasoning
protect bare cast iron from rust
make the pan surface non-stick
How often to season the pan?
You'll need to season it more when it's new.
Use it frequently and you'll need to season it less often.
Don't cook beans or tomatoes in it at first; if you do so later, you may want to re-season it.
... |
Culinary uses for hops
Hop flowers are primarily used to preserve and flavor beer. Now that hops are starting to ripen in the northern hemisphere, I'm wondering: are there any other uses for them in the kitchen? | You can use them to flavor other foods. I've seen cakes and other sweets made with hop flowers. You will probably want a low alpha-acid variety(alpha acid makes the bitter flavor), but both could be interesting.
To use, you could dry the flowers and mill to a fine powder. This can then be incorporated directly into foo... |
Browning reheated food with only a microwave
I recently was given a Corningware Microwave Browner as a gift, which looks very cool and promising, but I have not tried it yet. It seems to me a special apparatus such as this would be necessary for browning in a microwave, because the default conditions inside one are q... | The CorningWare browner works on a simple principle. It is lined with a material that can absorb microwave radiation (just like water does) and therefore become hot. Then when you add your food, the hot surface of the pan browns it. Seems like an effective solution in the situation you describe, where you really want t... |
What is Zwieback toast and where can I find it?
I am baking a black forest cake and it calls for zwieback toast. I cannot find this anywhere. Does anyone know what this is or where I can find it? | Zwieback toast is a twice-baked sweetened toast fed to teething children. It is also known as teething toast, and can be found in the baby aisle of most grocery stores. |
How to properly store mushrooms
I recently bought some mushrooms from the farmers market and have kept them in a brown paper bag on top of the fridge. 4 days later, they have started to have a slight odor between a mixture of dirt and dogs droppings. I suspect I have stored the mushrooms improperly, so it begs the q... | Mushrooms should be stored in the refrigerator in a breathable container. A paper bag works great. Mushrooms stored in this manner should last at least 4-5 days.
For the record, the top of the fridge is one of the worst places to store foods. Depending on the model it can actually be a few degrees higher than ambient... |
How to know when to stop churning ice cream?
I've got a simple Cuisinart home churn, the kind that uses a frozen bowl rather than a compressor. On a couple of occasions, I'm pretty sure I've overchurned the mix, because it seems to leave a buttery coating on the palate and lips. On the other hand, I don't want to unde... | If the ice cream mix is setting up but tending to leave a buttery coating in your mouth the best thing would be to try cutting back on the cream and replacing it with whole milk or half & half.
If it's a recipe that you've used in another machine with great success but it doesn't seem to in this one, it's probably a ca... |
What's the purpose of a parchment lid?
I'm making some saffron rice. After sautéing some onions and saffron and then toasting the rice, it calls for simmering with broth for 8 minutes with a parchment lid. What is the difference between a parchment lid and a top? Is it just the vent for steam? If so, can I just partia... | http://remcooks.com/2012/10/19/how-to-make-a-parchment-paper-lid-parchment-cartouche/
A parchment paper lid is another one of those French techniques that has been around a while. In France, it is referred to as a cartouche. Its purpose is to control the rate of evaporation, which in turn slows the reduction of moistur... |
Do I need a bread maker?
I'd like to try my hand at baking my own bread. Do I need a bread maker to get decent bread? Are there any advantages to using a bread maker vs. my normal oven? | You absolutely don't need a bread maker for good bread. They have been making bread for at least 22,000 years and I promise, in the vast majority of those, having a bread maker would have gotten you stoned as a witch (if you had electricty to run it). However, a good bread maker will vastly cut down on the time you h... |
Why isn't my vinaigrette emulsifying properly?
I made a vinaigrette tonight. Normally, to make one, I put vinegar and oil in a mason jar and shake to mix. This usually seems to emulsify the mixture properly and it holds for a while. Tonight, I made one with 20% red wine vinegar, 20% champagne vinegar, 10% dry sherry, ... | As Michael mentioned, a shaken vinaigrette is only going to stay together primarily while you're shaking it. If it's been staying together long consider yourself lucky all the other times...this time was what should be "normal".
The more particulate such as herbs, mustard, spices, etc. that you have in a vinaigrette t... |
Can I add uncooked noodles directly to soup?
Most noodle soup recipes that I see call for boiling and draining the noodles separately, then adding them to the broth already cooked. Is there any reason that I can't just add the dry noodles 10 minutes before the soup is done, and add a little extra water or broth to com... | similar to what julio said, the main reason is that typical wheat-based noodles release a lot of starch into the water, which changes the consistency of the soup. the starches can add a dirty colour to the water, but more than that, they can also thicken the soup undesirably (think of making a roux). Finally, if there ... |
Why does my homemade pasta stick to itself whilst cooking?
I make a fair amount of homemade pasta (Mostly Tagliatelle or Linguine), and I tend to cook it fresh, rather than drying it and cooking from dry; however, it tends to clump and stick together in the pan when cooking. What can I do to minimise this, and make my... | I have that problem when I am impatient and don't let the pasta dry out long enough before putting it on to boil.
It is important to let the pasta dry even just in loose little heaps once sliced into noodles. It doesn't have to get totally dry just dry enough that you can't squish the noodles back together into dough.... |
What can I do with 2 lbs. of pecans?
I just bought 2 pounds of pecans from a friend who received them from a fresh source. I know of all kinds of regular things to do with pecans, but short of making more or bigger dishes that happen to have some pecans in them, what are good things to do with 2 lbs of pecans?
I shoul... | I'm not sure why the rush. Pecans are not a cheap ingredient where I am, and I actually have to slow myself down from using too many.
A perhaps unusual preparation is to grind your pecans and coat whatever your main is with them as if the pecans were bread crumbs. This could be done with egg plant, for example.
As an... |
What's the black thing at the bottom of navel oranges?
Sometimes I'll cut into a navel orange and notice something black inside which originates at the bottom of the orange, where the navel is. What is it?
I have seen it get pretty far into the fruit too. Like almost half way in... is it safe to eat an orange like thi... | I'm not as familiar with citrus, but tomatoes and peppers can develop something called blossom-end rot. This is caused by the plant not receiving enough nutrients (specifically calcium), whether b/c the plant isn't getting enough water and thus can't get the nutrients out of the soil or b/c the soil is deficient.
Rega... |
Excessive water when cooking scallops
This is partly a continuation of this question, since that one was already closed, but my question is about a specific problem encountered the last time I cooked scallops.
I got the pan up to a reasonable temperature and put the scallops in, and as they were cooking, TONS of water... | I've had this issue with crappy supermarket scallops before. Alton Brown covered this. From http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Season9/scallops/scallop_trans.htm (section 5):
dry scallops are usually ivory, or
slightly pink, or even orange in
color, not white. Of course, they
don't actually look dry. The term
refe... |
How to buy a molcajete and/or paellera
Is there a way to get a quality molcajete and/or paellera in the U.S., specifically the eastern seaboard? I'd prefer not to fly to Texas, Mexico, or Spain to get them.
I've seen a few horror stories of people buying "genuine" molcajetes, only to find out that they're made of som... | You can buy very reputable paella pans from The Spanish Table. I got mine there in person and have been very happy with both the pan and the advice I received in buying it. |
Bean selection for a chili recipe
I am planning on making a new chili using grilled venison, Great Lakes Black Out Stout, and roasted corn (I'm in Ohio and sweet corn is getting good right now). My least favorite part of making and eating chili is the beans; I hate selecting them and pick around them in my bowl. (I wi... | We make vegetarian chili every few months, and use a combination of many kinds of beans. You can use kidney, cannelini (white kidney beans), pinto, small red, small white, roman, etc. We like Goya's beans. If the meat is tough, you may want mushier beans to add textural difference, so you might want to avoid black bean... |
Are MSG and Accent (Seasoning) the same thing?
Can the seasoning Accent be substituted for MSG, for example in General Tso's Chicken? | MSG is the primary ingredient in Accent. The full ingredient list for Accent "original flavor" is as follows:
Monosodium Glutamate, Salt, Chili Pepper, Tricalcium Phosphate (As Anticaking Agent), Spice (Cumin, Oregano), Paprika Extractives(color), Garlic Extractives, Onion Extractives, Yellow No.6 Lake, Yellow No.5 La... |
How do you form Marshmallow Ropes?
I have made marshmallows before and formed them into a pan, and then cut them into squares. That works fine and they taste great.
I'd like to achieve the effect of the long marshmallow ropes that I have seen in France.
I tried using a piping bag with a big tip and piping them onto ... | Have you tried using a marshmallow recipe that is only made from gelatin and cooked sugar syrup (sugar, water, and light corn syrup to soft ball stage, 240 degrees F)?
I have made various piped marshmallows that will hold swirly shapes using this type of marshmallow recipe. It is a bit more stable than the egg based r... |
What Kinds of Recipes Should I Sift/Aerate The Flour?
We've talked about methods for sifting flour (How can I make sifting easier?), and the purposes of sifting (What is the purpose of sifting dry ingredients?).
How can I tell whether a recipe specifies sifting for aeration? How can I tell when to bust out the food p... | Generally sifting is really only necessary when you are dealing with an ingredient that clumps a lot (cocoa powder, cake flour, and baking soda come to mind). For the average cookie or quick bread recipe, whisking these ingredients in a bowl before adding the wet ingredients will usually do the trick.
Any recipe that ... |
How to thaw a bottle of beer that got frozen accidentally without exploding the bottle
Recently I had occasion to put @Kevin Selker 's answer to the test in terms of rapidly chilling beer. However, we uncovered a problem the next morning where people had taken beer and thrown it in the freezer only to forget about it.... | I've had the same experience as you, with beer and other liquids frozen in glass bottles. Whenever I try to rapidly thaw them, it seems the structure of the glass is compromised in some way and it either explodes or cracks - this even has happened to me when trying to slow thaw, like you did.
Beer bottles, and espec... |
How can I make my Chocolate Mousse fluffier?
I regularly make Chocolate Mousse with an egg yolk, sugar and dark chocolate base folded into whipped egg white or whipped cream (or both). It's tastes pretty good and has a nice mouth-feel. Now I want it to look good. What I have looks something like this:
Instead I want ... | The dessert pictured above definitely, definitely has gelatin in it. That will change the mouth feel on the mousse slightly, but it might be what you are going for and will provide some of the stability that you are looking for. To have it hold a form like this you will need a recipe that requires gelatin; I would re... |
How to use pie weights?
Should something be placed between pie weights (whether using rice, beans, or metal/ceramic beads) and the pie dough?
Should the dough still be pricked with a fork?
How do you remove the weights?
I looked up various advice elsewhere, used beans as pie weights with nothing between them and the... | Yes. You can either use aluminum foil that has been lightly sprayed with some Pam or rubbed with butter OR a piece of parchment paper cut into a larger circle than the pie. It will create an overhang that you can use to pull out the weights or beans.
If you try to bake it with the beans on the surface it will cook di... |
What does "shocking" food do?
I've seen different recipes and some shows on TV that show a method of "shocking" the food; boiling it and then when ready, placing it in ice water.
What does this do for the food? | "Shocking" the food stops the cooking process, preventing the food from losing its color and texture. |
How do you keep a Turkey Meatloaf from getting too "dry"?
I just made a Turkey meatloaf, using a standard recipe that usually turns out good with ground beef, but it was too dry - any help would be appreciated. | My mom's meatloaf recipe included a couple slices of bread that had been soaked in milk and then blenderized with the egg before mixing in to the meat. The milk obviously provides moisture, and the bread a nice carbohydrate matrix to hold onto that moisture. Give that a shot, I bet it will hydrate your turkey. (Do you ... |
Do Bouillon Cubes/Powder go bad?
I just found an old jar of Beef Bouillon cubes and although there is no expiration date, I'm a bit skeptical about using them - do they go bad? | IF...
the jar was tightly sealed and stored in a cool, dry area
the bouillon cubes don't smell spoiled in any way
the cubes aren't off-color
are most likely under 2 years old
then they should be safe. Bouillon can keep for up to 2 years according to stilltasty.com. So, if you think they've been hiding out in the cupb... |
How would I measure Bouillon Cubes compared to the actual powder
Is there a standard measurement that can be used? | The bouillon cubes I am familiar with are equal to 1 teaspoon of powder. |
How can I make a Taco Shell?
I've never seen a mold that would shape them - any tips? | No mold required!
Simply heat about an inch of oil in a frying pan (less oil if you're making less shells - this is enough for about a dozen), then cook small, flat corn tortillas one at a time.
Cook for about 15 seconds on each side. Once you see bubbles on the tortilla, you're all done if you like soft shells.
If ... |
Is there an easy way to trim the ends off green beans quickly?
A staple in our house is green beans. It's not uncommon that I'll buy 5-10 lbs and blanch or cook them all in one session, to reheat or eat cold in lunches all week. I also buy fresh beans in bulk when in season, and trim/blanch before freezing.
For a ... | I have found that scissors is the answer to this particular problem. Simply grab a few bean, snip the ends and then turn the hand over and snip again. This doesn't wield beans that are uniform in length though, so if you need that, you will still have to do some cutting. I would say that you could blow through a batch... |
What can I do with a lot of sage?
We have this sage plant and it's grown into gigantic monster which is consuming my herb patch.
I'm going to attack it with gusto and will have lots of sage to do something with. Last year we made a sage jelly but this year i want to do something else.
What are my options? | One of the most popular things I've seen sage used for is tea. You just dry the leaves, steep as you would regular tea leaves (personally I like it with ginger root if I have some handy), and then maybe a little honey or lemon. Sage is anti-bacterial, which is a nice bonus.
Meat-wise, I like to use sage with pork cho... |
Bagels: Alternative to cornmeal on the baking sheet?
I'm making bagels for the first time ever and I assumed I had cornmeal... I don't. I have corn muffin mix but no cornmeal.
The instructions say to sprinkle cornmeal on the baking sheets. Is there another common kitchen ingredient that would work as well? Or, should... | I wouldn't use corn muffin mix, as that has baking soda in it, might not be tasty! Use some flour. This works fine for pizza, so it should be good for bagels as well. |
Is it easy to make my own Vanilla Sugar?
Some background: We had some visitors from Austria recently and they wanted to make a cake.
The cake called for a couple of ingredients not terribly easily obtainable locally and which I am not too familiar with. Quark and vanilla sugar. We understand from our friends these ar... | The best advice I can give is to use Alton Brown's recipe to get your timeline.
Vanilla sugar is very easy to make, and I hesitate to answer with a link, but my advice would be the same thing as he wrote, because this is what I was taught.
Basically, you want to cut the pod in half, and scrape the beans from the se... |
"Keeping warm" tips
How to keep food hot when cooking?
Example scenario:
I'm preparing a meat dish with some sort of creamy sauce. I cook the meat, then I remove the meat and I use the same pan to prepare the sauce. After about 2 minutes of sauce preparation I'm ready to serve but the meat is already cold. How to keep... | Cover your meat with aluminum foil. This will help it keep up to temperature. Put the meat back in to the pan with the sauce to bring it back up to temperature (but not cook further) just before serving.
You could also set the oven at a very low temperature (mine will do 170F) and place the item in there. This usually... |
Is free-range chicken more flavourful?
Free range chicken is generally a lot more expensive than battery farm chicken, but it's often claimed it is better tasting.
I'm curious if restaurants stick to this mantra and use free-range chicken, or if it's just psychological, and if there any benefits besides ethical ones. | Flavor in most meats is generally determined by a few things.
How the animal was raised and if it is of a particular heritage breed.
How it was treated over its lifetime (i.e. diet and environment).
When and how it is slaughtered.
How it is handled from the slaughterhouse to the butcher, was it properly stored, etc.... |
What is the correct way to cook thin rice noodles for Vietnamese dishes?
I like to make Vietnamese bun (rice noodle bowl) at home, but my noodles never seem to have quite the same texture as at my favorite restaurants. I boil water, turn it off, and then add the noodles and soak them for about ten minutes, then rinse ... | I never boil rice noodles. Just soak them in cold water for about an hour. |
How to Peel Potatoes
Whenever I have to peel potatoes, I spend much of the time fighting the slippery, just-washed potatoes and keeping them from shooting out of my hands...what's a good way to peel potatoes more efficiently/easily? | I noticed the term "just washed" in the question.
My suggestion is -- don't wash them before peeling. Wash them after peeling.
Water is what makes them slippery -- if anything, dirt adds traction as you're peeling.
(and I tend to do one end, then the length of it, slowly rotating, then the other end ... no idea if tha... |
How can I grow my own yeast (sourdough starter)?
I would like to always have my own culture of yeast (sourdough starter) in my fridge at home. Does anyone know how to grow yeast and keep it alive? | Most bakers refer to this as a starter and it is extremely easy to keep up. You will need a plastic bag or a jar to keep it in, a cup of warm water, and some flour. You can either grow some wild yeast or add a particular strain to the growth solution depending what you are trying to do with the yeast. Once you do th... |
Is there a good technique for cooking chestnuts?
I would like to make my own puree and would like to know of any ways that might be recommended for cooking them first. I tried the oven once and they started exploding: Ideas? | If you are going to cook chestnuts, you need to score them first. Most commonly, they're scored in an X pattern -- try to do it on the side away from the flattest side. Make sure you cut all the way through the shell. Then as they cook, the shell will actually peel back slightly as they cook. Here's a link with picture... |
Is it possible to freeze wine for future use?
I wanted to freeze some leftover wine (about half a bottle) to use for cooking at a later date.
Will it keep at all?
Are there any special ways to freeze it?
Would freezing it in the bottle be safe?
Should it be defrosted first before using, or can I use it straigh... | I tried freezing leftover wine many years ago, and it does work. You can just freeze it in the original bottle.
The flavors are somewhat muted compared to the same wine unfrozen. Not recommended for drinking the wine, but it is acceptable for cooking purposes. |
Is there a way to bring a loaf of bread that's gone dry, back to life?
It seems that some of the whole grain loafs seem to dry out very quickly, even stored in a plastic bag - if it hasn't started to turn green, is there a way to restore some of the life back into them? | Yes. Throw it in the oven on about 200 F for 20 minutes or so. The staling process is called retrogradation, and reheating can reverse it to some degree. |
Why do bananas turn black in the refrigerator?
I've noticed that a banana in the refrigerator will turn pitch black in just a few hours. Why is this? | Your fridge speeds production of polyphenols, which speeds the blackening process. Unrefrigerated bananas ripen by ethylene gas which will also eventually turn them black, but the cold short circuits that process. |
Keeping a sugar solution in the fridge
Based on a the coffee questions I've seen, it seems that hot beverage questions are in scope, so here goes mine:
We like keeping iced coffee in the fridge, particularly in the summer. It's easiest to add sugar to the entire batch, but we both like differing amounts of sugar to c... | I do exactly that.
I use a clear plastic squeeze bottles. I fill a mug 2/3 full with sugar, and top up with boiling water, stir, cool, funnel into the squeeze bottle, and keep in the fridge door. The squeeze bottle makes it easier to get the right amount of sugar into your beverage.
I don't even worry about keeping it... |
Flavor notes of olive oil varietals?
I prefer extra-virgin olive oils with fruit and grassy notes, rather than the peppery back-of-the-throat flavors that some folks enjoy. Are there particular olive varietals that are more likely to be fruity and/or grassy? Obviously when possible I taste before buying, but in the ev... | When food researchers want to compare the flavors of a food item, they assemble a group of expert tasters and train them on a controlled vocabulary to describe the many different compounds that can be detected in the food item. Over time some of these vocabularies get standardized. A limited vocabulary has been adopt... |
What uses are there for basil flowers?
I have tons of basil in my herb spiral.
However, this stuff is precious, and I always feel bad when I throw away the basil flowers when I make pesto sauce.
Is there a way to use the basil flowers when cooking? | If you pinch off the basil flowers as they start to grow, the plant will produce more leaves. (Yes, this is a horticultural answer, but it will help you make more yummy dishes with the leaves.) |
Is sushi so difficult?
I've read somewere in the net that sushi is an extremely difficult food to prepare. It will take at least one year just to learn to cook the rice, and ten year to complete the experience.
It's so difficult? To do a comparison, one could prepare a decent home sushi like one can prepare a decent h... | Like many crafts which originated in Japan, their sushi training more or less creates sushi artisans. If you just want to make a snack, you'll have plenty of ability given a basic review of techniques. You should focus your learning on understanding food-safety, getting the rice right, and making the roll not fall ap... |
When is homemade wine-based vinegar simply bad wine?
If I am making homemade wine-based vinegar, is there a way to tell if it's just plain soured wine? One recipe described the process as leaving the wine mixture open for a few weeks - is there a turning point: Vinegar versus bad wine? | There is not really a turning point. The way that wine goes bad is the process of making vinegar. From wikipedi |
How can I make very small quantities of balsamic reduction?
Last night, a dish called for a drizzle of balsamic reduction. I thought that, in order to get a good reduction and not burn anything, I'd need way more balsamic than the recipe called for.
Is there a way to make very small yields of balsamic reduction? | I've sometimes made small reductions in the microwave. Just put the liquid in a much deeper container than it fits in so it doesn't make a mess, and run it on 50% power, check every 30 seconds or so until it is reduced to the degree you need. |
How long will a balsamic reduction keep?
Related to making small quantities of balsamic reduction, if I make a large quantity of balsamic reduction, how long will it keep? What's the best way to store it?
I know vinegar will keep for a long time, but the reduction tastes so sweet and so not vinegary that I have no fai... | It should last years. If the reduction contains just vinegar, reduced until thick. This yields a very acidic solution very high in sugar (partly caramelized, depending on how long it was cooked). Other than sugar and acetic acid, there are some polyphenols and other gunk, some aromatics, and a bit of water.
There are t... |
Why did my coppa get spicier after being microwaved?
I wanted to put some spicy, crispy, crumbled coppa over a pasta dish. I put it in the microwave and it crisped up very well. It was however much spicier after cooking than before.
Why did it get spicier? | The microwave caused heat which released oils from the coppa's spice blend, including capsaicin. |
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