Random Cooking tips
People always ask me if there are any secret tips in cooking. There are a few things I’ve learnt over the years
– unless you’re baking, always put more butter in than less
– fresh herbs are usually better than dried/ mixing herbs an work really well
– Salt in everything, especially desserts
– BUT only use sea salt flakes, the stuff you get on diner tables is disgusting
– Vanilla should be used in all baking and even in some savoury (potatoes?)
– Truffle oil lifts any dish
– Sometimes your instincts are better than the recipe (people always tend to overcook chicken, fish and brownies)
– Your nose is a useful sensor – follow it
– Some things tend to continue cooking as you take them out (meat, brownies etc)
– BUT it is easy to undercook cakes – always check the centre of the cake
– Water is the enemy of chocolate BUT it can be saved with a little oil if the damage isn’t to heavy
– Always add twice as much garlic, so tasty, so good for you
– When roasting meat and veg, acidity+oil+salt = yummy, like dressing your veg before cooking them
– When cooking potatoes, add flavours to the water, the potatoes will soak up the flavour from the water (sciency bit=osmosis sort of)
– When cooking spinach, use a knob of butter, salt, pepper and a splash of water for a shiny finish
– Make sure your knives are sharp, it will make such a difference…
– And when chopping let the knife do the work, not your arm, move the knife forward as you chop
– Planning is the key for successful dinner parties, you can sometimes make more than you think in advance (e.g I often make potatoes/sauces earlier in the day and reheat)
– Add salt when you sweat onions, it will encourage the onions to release water faster
– If you do over salt, a potato will soak up the excess if you chuck it in
GulliferEats 