Every so often, I will be posting various cooking methods and terms. I hope that these help those who maybe are still trying to learn how to be better cooks. These were passed to me by my grandma, so I'm continuing the gesture!
AL DENTE -This is an Italian term meaning literally "to the tooth". This means cooking something, such as pasta, until it is just barely tender, with still a bit firm.
CHOW (STIR-FRY) -A basic cooking method in a Chinese kitchen. In most cases, a wok is used, but a large frying pan can be used. The food is tossed about in a hot pan with very little oil. It's a process somewhat like sautéing.
CORRECT THE SEASONING -When a dish is completed, a cook should always taste before serving. This term simply means to check for salt, pepper, or herbs to make sure the dish has turned out as expected. A little correction at the last minute may sometimes be necessary.
DASH -Generally, it means "to taste". A good starting point is less than 1/16 tsp. You can always add more. Harder to remove.DEGLAZING A PAN -After you've browned meat or vegetables, wine or stock is added to the pan over high heat and the rich coloring that remains in the pan is gently scraped with a wooden spoon and combined with the poured in liquid. If there is an excess of fat in the pan, you may wish to pour it off first and then proceed with deglazing.I hope this post will prove to be helpful for some. Next week, I will continue with the list! In the interim, stay tuned for some more recipes :).
BROWNING MEAT -When preparing stews, sometimes it is better not to flour the meat. This way you brown the natural sugars that are in the meat itself instead of the flour. Use a hot pan, making sure not to crowd the meat or cook too slowly. The meat should be seared or browned very quickly. This gives color to the meat and seals in the meat's natural juices.BLANCHING - Plunging food into boiling water for just a few minutes. The time varies for each recipe that calls for it, but it usually means anywhere from 10 seconds to 2-3 minutes. Food is then placed in cold water to stop the cooking process. The purpose is to loosen the skin of a vegetable or fruit, or to set the color of a vegetable. It is used to cook food partially in preparation for later completion of a dish or in preparing vegetables and some fruits prior to freezing to stop enzyme action.
AL DENTE -This is an Italian term meaning literally "to the tooth". This means cooking something, such as pasta, until it is just barely tender, with still a bit firm.
CHOW (STIR-FRY) -A basic cooking method in a Chinese kitchen. In most cases, a wok is used, but a large frying pan can be used. The food is tossed about in a hot pan with very little oil. It's a process somewhat like sautéing.
CORRECT THE SEASONING -When a dish is completed, a cook should always taste before serving. This term simply means to check for salt, pepper, or herbs to make sure the dish has turned out as expected. A little correction at the last minute may sometimes be necessary.
DASH -Generally, it means "to taste". A good starting point is less than 1/16 tsp. You can always add more. Harder to remove.DEGLAZING A PAN -After you've browned meat or vegetables, wine or stock is added to the pan over high heat and the rich coloring that remains in the pan is gently scraped with a wooden spoon and combined with the poured in liquid. If there is an excess of fat in the pan, you may wish to pour it off first and then proceed with deglazing.I hope this post will prove to be helpful for some. Next week, I will continue with the list! In the interim, stay tuned for some more recipes :).
BROWNING MEAT -When preparing stews, sometimes it is better not to flour the meat. This way you brown the natural sugars that are in the meat itself instead of the flour. Use a hot pan, making sure not to crowd the meat or cook too slowly. The meat should be seared or browned very quickly. This gives color to the meat and seals in the meat's natural juices.BLANCHING - Plunging food into boiling water for just a few minutes. The time varies for each recipe that calls for it, but it usually means anywhere from 10 seconds to 2-3 minutes. Food is then placed in cold water to stop the cooking process. The purpose is to loosen the skin of a vegetable or fruit, or to set the color of a vegetable. It is used to cook food partially in preparation for later completion of a dish or in preparing vegetables and some fruits prior to freezing to stop enzyme action.
No comments:
Post a Comment