OK, my first cooking blog other than my first, first cooking blog telling you why I should be writing a cooking blog.
Anyway, these are my top eleven tips for the kitchen. Find your own as you will, but this might be some place to start.
1. Season every layer of whatever you are cooking. I know chefs say this and it is easy to rush by but it will make the difference between a good meal and a great one.
2. Boil and Simmer are two different things. I have screwed up so many recipes by not learning the difference between the two. Boil is bubbles breaking the surface. Simmer is bubbles NOT breaking the surface. It makes all the difference in things like...
3. Chicken Stock. Make your own. Trust me...I know it is a laborious process and I will post how I do mine here. But just do it. Make a whole big batch and freeze it in inexpensive Tupperware containers or leftover Chinese takeout plastic containers. There is a world of difference between boxed/canned and homemade. Make a bunch on a cold day and it'll be with you for months. (If you absolutely cannot find the time to do this...always go with Swanson...they have the best chicken broth/stock).
4. When you make a sandwich, put salt and pepper on it (inside). My mom does this and I thought she was nuts until I tasted the difference between her sandwiches and others. Just a crank of S&P will do wonders to even the most basic sandwich.
5. Get a good knife. I know, elemental, right? But I have been in so many kitchens where I have seen cooks fighting with their knives and it makes me so sad. I was lucky...when I graduated from college my dear friend (who is now a five star chef) got me a Henkels knife which she probably shelled out $100 for at the time. But, dammit, I love that knife as much as I love my dog. Seriously. I get it sharpened once a year and the thing can cut through anything. Cooking is a pleasure...spend your money on getting the right tools and start with a good knife. Most chefs will tell you that you only need one. I agree.
6. Speaking of the right tools...get a good cutting board. I have no real recommendations on specific types of wood (and yes, it should always be wood, NEVER PLASTIC...forget the crazy American obsession with germs...get yourself some decent hot water and forgo the plastic...always...it HURTS food, I promise) but my mom handed me one a few years ago that is bamboo and teak and I love it. Your knife, your cutting board, and your pan are your lovers in the kitchen. Pick the best ones.
7. You can revive pizza to its former glory by frying it in a saute pan. Really. Take a piece or two, crank the heat to low, put it in a non-stick or regular sautee pan, and cover it. Five to ten minutes...perfectly done piece of pizza. Crisp on the bottom, melting on the top. I learned this one only a few years ago and I have never messed with a microwave or oven since...
8. Even in the most dire of pinches, Italian dressing will be your friend. I try never, ever to be in a cooking emergency but sometimes it does happen. Friends show up unannounced, etc. Always have a bunch of chicken parts in your freezer and a bottle of Zesty Italian dressing in your pantry. For whatever reason, this combo works and people think you're awesome even though you just pulled defrosted chicken and Italian dressing together. Never be without these two.
9. Always have an easy appetizer up your sleeve, My mother always has a bag of shrimp in the freezer and a few blocks of cheese and some crackers at the ready. She also buys nuts when they go on sale and trolls the Dollar Store for small plates and napkins which she hides away until these moments. My trick, in the winter, is always to have some chili in the fridge which I serve with some crackers and cheese. I also buy tons of water chestnuts (in the Asian section of your store), terriyaki sauce and bacon. Wrap the water chestnuts in the bacon (whole chestnuts, wrap in raw sliced bacon, insert toothpicks, drench in terriyaki) and then broil the whole mess until it is browned and caramelized. You will be a God or a Goddess...trust me.
10. Learn to love your freezer. This is an important one. I try to eat fresh, local, non-chemically enhanced food because it just makes me feel better. But I live in a part of the country where this is not always possible. So I stake out the best farmer's markets to find the best stuff and then I freeze it. This means I have delicious blueberry pancakes in January or perfect sun-ripened tomatoes in March. It IS worth the effort. Stock up.
11. For God's sake...don't stress. Food is meant to be wonderful and a pleasure. Just get a few things down and you'll be fine. It is not a contest...life really never is.
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