Cooking Tips/Tricks

[Melman Giraffe]

I thought it would be an idea for us to share our little tips for those tricky jobs in the kitchen. So my tip is......

Perfect poached egg.

As normal add a splash of viniger to your simmering pan. Before you crack the egg place it in the water for 30 secs in its shell (this firms up the white very slightly). Then crack the egg into a cup and add to water. poach as normal.

Perfect poached egg every time.

Edited by Melman Giraffe on Monday 8th November 15:11

[TonyHetherington]

ooo i like that

[Mr Gearchange]

When prepping green beans take a big knife and shake the beans into one end of the packet - cut through the packet and take all the ends of the beans in one go - then tip the packet the other way and repeat. Takes <10 seconds to prep a whole packet.

Obvious one but crush a garlic clove with the back of a knife before peeling.

[BigJonMcQuimm]

Always descale fish under water... saves those pesky scales going everywhere

[Wadeski]

Roll a lime firmly with the flat of your hand before you cut it and squeeze it. Especially for old limes, it makes them juicier.

[tuglet]

Quick white sauce. Put milk, butter and flour in pan. It will look revolting, but don't worry. Just turn on heat and keep whisking. Effortless, lump-free white sauce every time.

[Shaw Tarse]

Not really cooking tip, but related, remove smell of onions from hands after chopping, by rubbing on stainless steel.

[zcacogp]

Shaw Tarse said:

Not really cooking tip, but related, remove smell of onions from hands after chopping, by rubbing on stainless steel.

You can get 'soaps' which do this - effectively just lumps of stainless steel.

I've never understood how (or why) they work. Can anyone explain it?


Oli.

[Shaw Tarse]

zcacogp said:

Shaw Tarse said:

Not really cooking tip, but related, remove smell of onions from hands after chopping, by rubbing on stainless steel.

You can get 'soaps' which do this - effectively just lumps of stainless steel.

I've never understood how (or why) they work. Can anyone explain it?


Oli.

No I can't', but it does work!
(I bought one of those soaps at a poundshop) But you can just use a spoon!

[escargot]

Mr Gearchange said:

When prepping green beans take a big knife and shake the beans into one end of the packet - cut through the packet and take all the ends of the beans in one go - then tip the packet the other way and repeat. Takes <10 seconds to prep a whole packet.

Genuinely, that's brilliant. And yet, so obvious.

A million x from me.

[Mr Gearchange]

Glad to be of assistance.

[Simpo Two]

When cooking instructions say 'pierce film lid several times wirh a fork' it's much quicker just to prise open a corner slightly. Or a corner for each compartment depending on the complexity of your supper.

[condor]

When making a crumble topping - mix the flour and sugar together, then add melted butter slowly and 'chop' it into the mix.

[Cactussed]

You can somtimes fix a broken hollandaise by beating an egg yolk with some cold water, then slowly adding in the broken sauce bit by bit.

Same for ganache. If it breaks, remove a bit, whisk in some glycerine then slowly add in the rest of the broken stuff.

In both cases, they should come back together (as they're emulsions).

[Roger645]

When making stock float a few button mushrooms on the top and they absorb fat, then discard at the end.

[Percy Flage]

Melman Giraffe said:

I thought it would be an idea for us to share our little tips for those tricky jobs in the kitchen. So my tip is......

Perfect poached egg.

As normal add a splash of viniger to your simmering pan. Before you crack the egg place it in the water for 30 secs in its shell (this firms up the white very slightly). Then crack the egg into a cup and add to water. poach as normal.

Perfect poached egg every time.

Edited by Melman Giraffe on Monday 8th November 15:11

http://www.b3ta.com/features/howtopoachanegg/

Scroll to the bottom for the cling film method. Brilliant, perfect every time.

[mik.ross]

For Garlic, don't take the skin of each clove just grate on a fine cheese grater. The flesh will go through and the skin will be left behind.

[rsole]

Melman Giraffe said:

I thought it would be an idea for us to share our little tips for those tricky jobs in the kitchen. So my tip is......

Perfect poached egg.

As normal add a splash of viniger to your simmering pan. Before you crack the egg place it in the water for 30 secs in its shell (this firms up the white very slightly). Then crack the egg into a cup and add to water. poach as normal.

Perfect poached egg every time.

Edited by Melman Giraffe on Monday 8th November 15:11

Not true - Fresh eggs = good poached eggs

Edited by rsole on Monday 8th November 19:48

Edited by rsole on Monday 8th November 19:49

[Cotty]

mik.ross said:

For Garlic, don't take the skin of each clove just grate on a fine cheese grater. The flesh will go through and the skin will be left behind.

I saw Jamie Oliver use a garlic press without pealing the garlic, just chuck in whole and the skin stays behind. Not tried it yet

[21TonyK]

Cotty said:

mik.ross said:

For Garlic, don't take the skin of each clove just grate on a fine cheese grater. The flesh will go through and the skin will be left behind.

I saw Jamie Oliver use a garlic press without pealing the garlic, just chuck in whole and the skin stays behind. Not tried it yet

Thing is until the latest TV series JO condemned garlic presses as the lowest of the low. Now he has a new series and a garlic press in Sainsburys they're in every shot and he loves them!

All chefs are sponsored but he makes it so bloody obvious its painful to watch.