Our corporate catering has a vast array of enticing appetizers, amazing entrees, satisfying snacks, and delightful desserts sure to satisfy the most discerning palates. How many times have you dreaded going into the kitchen to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner? You might need a new perspective. Cooking can be enjoyable and relaxing if you try to see it in another way. Here are a few cooking tips that are sure to get your taste buds tingling and entice your inner chef to come out.
There are a few things you need to know if you are considering cooking with skewers. Avoid round metal skewers and stick to square or twisted types.
A cool area is the best place for you to keep your spices for maximum freshness and taste. Common kitchen conditions, such as heat, light, and humidity, will destroy the flavor of herbs and spices. Ground herbs and spices retain their flavor for 12 months under normal circumstances. Spices that are kept whole can keep their flavor for about three, four or five years. If you store them properly, they will stay fresh for a longer period of time.
Partially freezing meat makes it easier to slice it into thin strips. This is the perfect technique when you are making Thai or Chinese food. When the meat is partially frozen, the cuts will be much cleaner as the fibers in the meat are less likely to stretch. A word of caution, allow meat to completely thaw prior to cooking. This will ensure even cooking of your meat.
If you are having guests over for dinner, cook a meal you are confident making. Do not attempt to take on a fancy new recipe, or use ingredients you have not previously worked with. This will take the stress out of your meal preparation.
Have you ever thrown away food that is old and felt bad about it? Have you ever thought to just remove the moldy section by cutting it out? Sadly, there is really no safe method for using fruit that is partially rotten. They need to be thrown out, due to the fact that mold is much deeper than just skin level and could make you or anyone who eats it very ill.
When you are making chicken stock, think in terms of high volume. Make sure that you prepare a large amount of stock so that you will have more than enough to store and use for future kitchen adventures. Having this delicious chicken stock on hand will be useful when you are making soups, casseroles, stews and so much more. Let your stock cool off and pour it inside Ziploc bags.
Using less fats, like extra virgin oil or butter, when you cook will help you to lose weight and keep your heart healthy. These products contain a lot of unnecessary fat. Try cooking with a cooking spray so that you will use less oil but the same effect.
If you wish to eat more protein, try one of the many varieties of beans or tofu available. It is possible to buy both at most supermarkets. Pan fried tofu, lightly sprinkled with your favorite seasonings, is a delicious substitute to meat. Beans can be used in vegetarian chili, added to baked goods, or just boiled with herbs and vegetables.
When you do this, you can enjoy your favorite fresh fruits all year. You also have the benefit of enjoying fruits out of season.
Cooking with garlic, buy for the freshest garlic head possible. Garlic is normally sweeter when it is fresh. You can tell whether garlic is fresh or not by checking for bruising and making sure the skin is still firm and not shriveled.
If you want to cook a roast quicker, leave the bone inside of it. Heat will be distributed to the center of the roasting pan more quickly by the bone. When the cooking is complete, just serve by cutting around the bone.
Keep herbs and spices fresh and tasty by storing them in an area that is dark and cold. When you keep them in cabinets or in warmer areas, they tend to lose flavor.
If you plan on using fresh herbs, like parsley or dill in your food, form them into bunches and cut them with scissors. Chopping herbs often makes herbs wet and wilted. Using scissors gives your herbs a light, fluffy appearance.
To add more flavor to your dishes, try adding some stock that you have prepared. If you cook large quantities, you could store the leftovers in resealable bags inside your freezer. By making the stock in bulk, there will always be some available for your soups and other dishes. Preparing your own stock in advance will reduce your need to use cheap over-salted options instead.
Sprinkle salt liberally into the boiling water that is used to cook pasta. This will allow the pasta to take on the seasoning more efficiently. Salting pasta after cooking is often unsuccessful because the pasta will not absorb the salt then, it will only sit on top of the noodles.
Put a little bit of salt on your cutting board before chopping fresh herbs. It will not only add flavor to the herbs but it will also keep them in place while they are being chopped. Do not add any salt to the dish you are making to prevent over-salting. The salt will stick to the herbs, adding some extra flavor to your dish.
Use these tips when you make your next meal. After giving them a taste, you may find you actually enjoy cooking. You may begin to look forward to it, and eventually you may discover you’re eager to try new recipes and dishes. Use the tips above to get started on cooking.