My older brother, who is a neurologist, and I often joke about who gets more calls with questions seeking advice – a doctor or a chef. I am surely guilty of calling him every time I have a strange bump or pain to get a diagnosis. I swear my younger brother, an inquisitive and adventurous amateur cook calls or texts me at least once a week (or five times a day if he’s embarking on an ambitious new project) for recipes and techniques.
I love sharing tips and information with people about food and cooking and do it all the time with friends, family, and coworkers. I think what we chefs almost take for granted as basic best practices are not on the radar of home cooks. As part of a recent project here at Great Harvest we were testing recipes for the consumer using our products at home and I had several testers have Ah Ha! moments when they learned some of these tricks. The following is a list of tips for success in home cooking that can save you time and increase the quality of your end result:
1. Always start with a hot pan. I can’t really think of a single instance when you would want to start with a cold pan. Chefs know that getting that skillet or saucepan on the heat while gathering ingredients makes all the difference. You want to hear that sizzle when you put your meat or vegetables in the pan. This provides better flavor development and browning – and speeds up the cooking process.
2. Strip fresh herbs from their stems backwards. As we head into the heart of summer there is no excuse for using that jar of dried flavorless herbs in your pantry. Fresh herbs are abundant and plentiful and add lots of fat-free and salt-free flavor to food. When stripping the leaves of herbs like thyme, rosemary, tarragon, marjoram, and oregano, start at the top of the stem and go against the grain. The herbs will come right off in half the time. Freeze the stems in a Ziploc bag for the next time you make homemade stock.
3. Smash it! The fastest and easiest way to peel and chop garlic is by smashing the clove lightly with the side of a chef’s knife. The peel will slide right off and you have jumpstarted the chopping process at the same time. I also like to add a touch of kosher or coarse sea salt to the garlic as I chop it. It helps break it down really fast.
4. Rub It! When grilling, sautéing, roasting, or broiling cuts of meat stick with flavorful dry rubs instead of wet marinades. The moisture from wet marinades really inhibits the searing and browning process that gives meat that great crust we crave. Reserve the wet marinades for when you need to really introduce some acid to tenderize a tough cut like round steak. My favorite quick meat rub:
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. allspice berries
2 Tbs. Kosher Salt
Toast whole spices lightly in a dry skillet. Coarsely grind in a spice (coffee) grinder or crush in a mortar and pestle. Add salt and mix well. I keep this in a container on my spice rack so it’s always ready for my steaks, chops, and chicken.
5. Acidify! Adding a touch of acid in a dish can really transform food from ordinary to extraordinary and is almost important as salt to the final product. A squeeze of lemon or lime juice or a few drops of great vinegar brighten flavors and can really balance the richness or sweetness of almost all foods. Great chef’s keep both close at hand.
Hope these tips are helpful -- I'd love to hear back on how they work for you.
Steak photo credit: Another Pint Please... via photo pin cc
Herbs photo credit: suzettesuzette via photo pin cc
