|
|
|
Of course, you could call me and save yourself a lot of trouble! Sautéing – This is probably the most useful technique to learn. It’s easy and allows you to prepare great meals at a moment’s notice. sautee mushrooms o The basic concept is cooking food quickly, in the right amount of oil and/or butter, over high heat. o Use a skillet or sauté pan big enough to comfortably contain what your cooking o Pre-heat it – you need high heat when sautéing to cook ingredients quickly, otherwise the internal moisture in the ingredients will push to the surface, preventing the food from browning, and will actually "steam" the food! o Butter or oil? Dietary requirements aside, butter will give your food a great taste and a wonderful crust—but it burns more easily. Olive oil will produce a nice crust and will not burn as easily, but doesn’t impart the same rich flavor. Combine both! You don’t need that much butter to impart that great taste. o Basic technique-you know when you pan is hot enough when the butter stops foaming and starts to turn a pale brown. o Add the ingredients, being careful not to let it start smoking. There are many variations as to time depending on the particular ingredients and the recipe. Deglaze – the natural “next step” following sautéing! All those brown bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan after you sauté are a major source of flavor – use it! o Add a liquid such as wine, stock, or lemon juice to the hot pan (careful with alcohol – remove from heat), and use this as a base for a great sauce. Braising – method of cooking where the meat and veggies are first browned in a little fat, then slowly cooked in a tightly covered pot with some liquid, over low heat, for a long time. o Good for tougher cuts of meat o The way it works – muscle consists mainly of water, when you heat them that contract and squeeze out the water causing shrinking and drying out. Connective tissue consists mainly of collagen, and also contract when heated – squeezing out the water, however, when the connective tissue reaches a certain temp, it melts into a rich flavorful gelatin. The dry muscle fibers absorb this, and braising is complete! o Make sure to use a tight fitting lid to prevent liquids from evaporating. o Examples of braised dishes – Osso Buco (which means "bone-hole") Veal shank – very tasty! Grilling – is really upside down broiling! Everyone has there own special techniques, best marinades, best grills, etc. There is ALWAYS at least 2 experts at every outdoor BBQ! o Uses indirect heat source (coals, gas heated rocks) o Charcoal or gas - your own personal preference. o Most important is using a clean grill! Not only will your food taste like whatever was grilled last, but to get really nice grill marks it the grill must be spotless! o Don’t want direct flame! Keep a squirt bottle with water to keep the flare-ups down. Roasting – actually started with a turning spit over an open fire, where the juices ran over the surface of the meat, continually basting it. Now we do it in the oven. o Should start with a preheated oven at a high temp to seal the meat, and caramelize the surface. o After about 10-20 minutes, lower the temp and continue until done o Some meats will require basting to prevent drying out…it depends on their fat content. You could add additional fat (such as wrapping in bacon) if needed for basting and flavor. o Birds (chicken, turkey) should be roasted breast side down to start, then flipped to allow juices and fat to flow into the breast meat. o Be sure to use the correct size roasting pan for what you are cooking. Too big-the food may burn. Too small – the roast may stick to the sides. Too shallow-your oven will be a mess. And too deep-you food will steam, not roast! o Be sure to retain the incredible pan juices for gravies and sauces – an extra benefit of roasting! Pan Roasting – this is a method by which you sear the meat on top of the stove to brown and crust, then finish in the oven. It’s great for cooking tender cuts of meat and fish, where you want a nice crust, but want to keep it moist on the inside. o Be sure to use a heavy bottom, oven safe pan. o Because you will be getting the pan really hot, use a high smoke point oil like canola. o Don’t crowd the pan, and make sure you protect your hand when removing the pan from the oven – IT’S HOT! Stir Fry – probably the technique where Mise En Place (getting ALL your tools and ingredients ready to go!) is most important! Once you get going, you can’t stop!! And prepping all your ingredients will take significantly longer than the actual cooking! o Ideally you use a WOK. But you need a high heat source. If you go into a Chinese restaurant kitchen, you will see the major sources of heat used! Saw a "Good Eats" show where Alton used a turkey fryer burner as the heat source! o You prep the ingredients by cutting into bite-size pieces, and marinate them. Typical marinade ingredients include stocks, soy sauce, hoi sin sauce, chili sauce, corn starch, brown sugar, rice wine or sherry, etc. o Marinate for at least an hour. o Prepare the aromatics – herbs and spices that will add flavor such as garlic, scallions, red pepper flakes, shallots, etc. o Also prepare the veggies by cutting up and sorting by their cooking times. Slower cooking veggies will be added first (green beans, asparagus). o Have fun, experiment with different marinades.
Still need assistance? Contact Chef Ted to schedule an Interactive Dinner Party - everyone learns, and even more important - everyone eats!
|
|
•
BROCHURES! Contact the Chef! 732-239-3014
Click me for some healthy shopping
info!
©2002-2008 TCCT LLC All Rights Reserved Website designed and maintained by DaChef
|
Puzzled
by how to perform various cooking techniques? How do I sauté? How do
I braise? Well, here are some descriptions of some
more common cooking processes. I hope they help you in your quest for the
perfect meal. 
