❧ COOKING COMPANION
Seasonal CHEF’S TIPS
PETER GORTON’S TOP 5 COOK- ING TIPS THAT EVERY HOME COOK NEEDS TO KNOW
Searing or browning meat gives it a rich fl avour. Pat the meat dry with paper kitchen towels before sear-
1
ing. Also avoid overcrowding the pan, which reduces the temperature and creates steam, both of which will prevent the meat from colour- ing properly.
Almost any good chef will tell you that a good quality knife is the single
most important tool in the kitchen. There’s no reason to buy a lot of knives, just be sure to stock up on three top quality ones. A chef’s knife for chopping, slicing and dicing. A paring knife for peeling garlic, shallots and trimming French beans etc. A fl exible fi lleting knife for fi lleting fi sh, carving meat, slicing avocados or tomatoes etc. Wash knives in hot soapy water but never in the dishwasher, which could ruin the blade and the handle, especially if the handle is wooden.
3
To make a delicious sauce, start by sautéing some diced shallots and a clove of garlic or other aromatics for added fl avour in the juices left over from browning meat, then add liquid to the hot pan and bring to a simmer, you can use wine, stock or good quality wine vinegar. Pass through a sieve and set aside until ready to use. To fi nish the sauce you can always whisk in cold butter, cream or passata (tomato juice sieved) then season with salt and pepper.
Folding is used in souffl és, cake batters or any recipe that calls for combining two ingredients of different densities. Usually whipped egg white or whipped cream is incorporated into heavier batter or mousse to lighten the mixture. In the case of egg whites the air that has been incorporated into the whipped whites acts as levering to help cakes or souffl és to rise.
To make a roux, begin by heating the fat in a heavy saucepan. Butter is used most often, but roux can also be made with vegetable oil, lard or duck fat. Once the fat has melted add an equal amount of fl our and stir until smooth, cook the roux over a medium-low heat stirring constantly until it has slightly changed colour. Then add either milk or stock, slightly warmed, this will help to prevent lumps forming. A roux can be used for many dishes, such as cheese sauce or Cajun gumbo. It can also enrich cream based soups and sauces.
5
I hope these tips and techniques will help you in the kitchen. Happy cooking Peter
FOODLOVERMAGAZINE.COM | 53
❧
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68