all the recipes are made for easy measuring. Use a glass 1 cup measure - don't worry about dry cup or wet cup measuring. all the recipes will work with a teaspoon and a tablespoon if you don't have a measuring spoon.
don't pack anything into a measuring cup to measure it except for brown sugar
sifting
a sifter is a handy thing and can make your pancakes and cakes much better. You can also sift the added dry ingredients (baking powder etc) into the mixture better by putting it through the sifter with the flour.
eggs
eggs are a little tempermental. the whites like to be at room temperature before they will beat well. If you beat egg whites do not have any oil on your bowl or beaters or they won't work. beat eggs with a fork before adding them to batters.
butter
recipes that call for butter usually want it at room temperature or soft. not melted - it will soak in too quick. (cornbread and pancakes are exceptions to this)
mixing things
some recipes will tell you to mix the dry ingredients with the wet ones. Usually this is done by making a well in the middle of the dry ingredients in a bowl and pouring in the wet stuff. Then you stir from the center, slowly incorporating more dry ingredient until it is mixed. some recipes ask you to add the dry ingredients in stages to the wet ones.
heating things
lower heat is better unless you are looking for a quick crunchy crust. High heat will cook the outside before the inside is done. cover things if you want them to cook faster and not lose moisture. If you want something to lose moisture - raise the heat and stir until the moisture evaporates.
roasting in an oven
Covered with a lid or foil the meat will retain moisture, but will not develop a good crispy flavor. Higher heat will burn not brown covered things in the oven.
But if you bake uncovered, the food can dry out too much.
One way is to bake covered at low heat, and then uncover, browning or broiling under higher heat. This will give a good color but not the best flavor.
The other way is to sear the meat with high heat first, this will seal the juices in the meat and keep it moist while it bakes uncovered. You can either pan sear the meat in a little oil first - good for roasts, small game etc. Or for fowl you can put the bird (skin on) in a 400 oven and immediately lower heat to 325. This will crisp the skin and keep the meat moist.
If you are not watching your cholesterol, larding and basting are other ways to put crispness and flavor in roast meat.
Larding is adding additional fat on top of lean meat, or under the skin of lean birds as it bakes - strips of lard, bacon or fat is used.
Basting is using some combination of the meat's own fats and juices, or other fats and liquids(BBQ sauce) to apply moisture to the meat as it bakes - it is labor intensive to do properly.
how to tell if it is done
meats are done when the juices run clear, cut into the thickest part of the meat and see if it is still bloody. Or better yet use a meat thermometer and cook to the recommended temperature.
Fish and seafood cook fast, take this into account when timing the doneness of other ingredients and sidedishes. the seafood is usually added last to soups, gumbos and chowders. fish is done when it is no longer transparent and flakes easily with a fork.
Shrimp are done when the shells turn pink and the meat is less transparent, they will release from the shells easily. Fresh shrimp (med) only take 5-7 min at boiling. fresh oysters take less. Rubbery tough shrimp have been cooked too long.
Shrimp taste best cooked in shell, shelled and then added to jambalayas, etc.
baked things will be brown - but check the center of cakes, cobblers and breads with a toothpick - it should come out clean, not gooey. pasta should still be a little firm to the bite. grains will absorb the liquid. rice will split in the middle when it is soft. the skin of beans will curl when you blow on them. test potatos with a fork. cook any left over to boiling for at least min to make sure nothing is growing in it.
substitutions
try to use the ingredients in the recipes. Substitutions are tricky and do not often work out like you want them to. This especially applies to things that are baked. Get a good cookbook like 'The Joy of Cooking' to find out how to substitute things.
find out about kitchen utensils
or return to front page
No comments:
Post a Comment
type here