Adopting certain methods regularly used by professional chefs to prepare and cook food will enhance the taste of home-cooked food and add refinement to any meal you make. Read this article to learn fifteen basic cooking tricks guaranteed to help anyone cook like a professional chef.
1. Organization and planning is a characteristic of all professional chefs. Be sure to set out all the ingredients you will be using before you start to prepare a meal. Place each item near the cooking area where you will be using it (ingredients to be mixed next to the mixing bowl, items to be chopped near the cutting board etc).
2. Avoid so-called "cooking wine" and instead use a less-expensive but still quality wine for cooking.
3. Instead of an aerosol "cooking spray," try using olive oil from a pump spray bottle instead. You'll avoid chemicals and use less oil.
4. Inasmuch as possible, replace dried seasonings with fresh herbs and spices. This alone will greatly enhance the flavor of any dish you are cooking. Use a tablespoon of fresh spice instead of a teaspoon of the dried version. Try this once, and you'll never go back to using dried spices or herbs.
5. To broil meat in the oven, always pre-heat the broiler to the maximum. The high temperature sears the outside of the meat, but retains meat juices inside the piece of meat. To prevent juices from escaping, never use a fork on meat that is broiling. Use tongs or a spatula instead.
6. The best utensil for mashing potatoes is a ricer. If you don't own one, go out and buy one. This gadget resembles a large garlic press and produces the smoothest, lightest mashed potatoes.
7. Buy a folding steamer insert that works in any pot. With this gadget, there's no excuse for not producing delectable steamed vegetables that are tender but still crisp. Great for vegetables such as broccoli, squash and celery.
8. To give your salads a professional chef look (and taste), use salad greens other than iceberg lettuce, such as red, green or Romaine lettuces to add flavor and zest. If you don't already have one, buy a salad spinner. This is a plastic basket (where you place your washed salad greens), equipped with an outer cover and a crank that is used to spin the basket around to get rid of any excess water. Using a salad spinner ensures your salad will not be soggy.
9. Try spreading roasted garlic on bread instead of butter. Garlic is not only delicious; it also has many proven health benefits. Simply sprinkle some white wine, olive oil, salt and pepper on the garlic bulb, wrap in aluminum foil place in the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour.
10. Rather than a food processor, use a hand-held blender or mixer to puree hot soups, right in the pot.
11. Professional cooks never wash mushrooms under the tap because these vegetables are very porous and will absorb a lot of water.
12. To get hard-to-reach dirt out of leeks, chop them first and then place in a cold water bath. Drain in a colander until you're sure they're clean.
13. When buying cabbage, select compact, heavy heads that have fresh, crisp leaves.
14. This is a trick chefs use to crack peppercorns when a pepper grinder is not available: Put the peppercorns in a plastic bag and close it tight then place the bag on a wood cutting board or other suitable surface and bang with a hammer. Transfer the cracked peppercorns into an elegant condiment bowl. Remember to put out a small spoon.
15. Always clean your grill thoroughly before cooking on it. Once it is clean, spray or brush cooking oil unto it to prevent food from sticking.
The 15 easy steps above will help you make the transition from home cook to professional chef with minimal trouble and almost no expense.
1. Organization and planning is a characteristic of all professional chefs. Be sure to set out all the ingredients you will be using before you start to prepare a meal. Place each item near the cooking area where you will be using it (ingredients to be mixed next to the mixing bowl, items to be chopped near the cutting board etc).
2. Avoid so-called "cooking wine" and instead use a less-expensive but still quality wine for cooking.
3. Instead of an aerosol "cooking spray," try using olive oil from a pump spray bottle instead. You'll avoid chemicals and use less oil.
4. Inasmuch as possible, replace dried seasonings with fresh herbs and spices. This alone will greatly enhance the flavor of any dish you are cooking. Use a tablespoon of fresh spice instead of a teaspoon of the dried version. Try this once, and you'll never go back to using dried spices or herbs.
5. To broil meat in the oven, always pre-heat the broiler to the maximum. The high temperature sears the outside of the meat, but retains meat juices inside the piece of meat. To prevent juices from escaping, never use a fork on meat that is broiling. Use tongs or a spatula instead.
6. The best utensil for mashing potatoes is a ricer. If you don't own one, go out and buy one. This gadget resembles a large garlic press and produces the smoothest, lightest mashed potatoes.
7. Buy a folding steamer insert that works in any pot. With this gadget, there's no excuse for not producing delectable steamed vegetables that are tender but still crisp. Great for vegetables such as broccoli, squash and celery.
8. To give your salads a professional chef look (and taste), use salad greens other than iceberg lettuce, such as red, green or Romaine lettuces to add flavor and zest. If you don't already have one, buy a salad spinner. This is a plastic basket (where you place your washed salad greens), equipped with an outer cover and a crank that is used to spin the basket around to get rid of any excess water. Using a salad spinner ensures your salad will not be soggy.
9. Try spreading roasted garlic on bread instead of butter. Garlic is not only delicious; it also has many proven health benefits. Simply sprinkle some white wine, olive oil, salt and pepper on the garlic bulb, wrap in aluminum foil place in the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour.
10. Rather than a food processor, use a hand-held blender or mixer to puree hot soups, right in the pot.
11. Professional cooks never wash mushrooms under the tap because these vegetables are very porous and will absorb a lot of water.
12. To get hard-to-reach dirt out of leeks, chop them first and then place in a cold water bath. Drain in a colander until you're sure they're clean.
13. When buying cabbage, select compact, heavy heads that have fresh, crisp leaves.
14. This is a trick chefs use to crack peppercorns when a pepper grinder is not available: Put the peppercorns in a plastic bag and close it tight then place the bag on a wood cutting board or other suitable surface and bang with a hammer. Transfer the cracked peppercorns into an elegant condiment bowl. Remember to put out a small spoon.
15. Always clean your grill thoroughly before cooking on it. Once it is clean, spray or brush cooking oil unto it to prevent food from sticking.
The 15 easy steps above will help you make the transition from home cook to professional chef with minimal trouble and almost no expense.
About the Author:
Michelle is definitely an expert contributor whose niche is writing articles about basic, yet yummy, household cooking. Her posts frequently stress the added benefits of crock pot meals such as slow cooker recipes, which is one of her absolute favorites.