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BLANCH –
If you are tired of your vegetables losing color, texture, and flavor before you serve them, then blanching may be the solution. Prolonged exposure to heat deteriorates vegetables. Blanching lightly cooks only the outer layer of their flesh.
To blanch vegetables plunge them into boiling salted water for a short period of time, and then immediately stop the cooking process by placing the vegetables into ice water until they cool.
Green beans and other fibrous vegetables retain their crispiness and color. For other vegetables and fruits, such as tomatoes and peaches, a brief blanching loosens the skin while keeping the flesh firm, making them easier to peel. In all cases the color is set and the flavor is retained.
You must remember not to overload the pot because this will increase the cooking time. Blanch in batches if necessary. The vegetables can be used immediately in salads and other cold dishes, or they can be stored or frozen for later use. A quick sauté or stir fry is all that is needed to finish cooking the vegetables, and if they are being added to a dish such as a soup or stew, adding them during the last few minutes of cooking will insure colorful results.
BRAISE –
Braising is a cooking method where meat or vegetables are
first browned in a little fat, then slowly cooked in a tightly
covered pot with a little liquid over low heat for a long
period of time. Braising can be done on top of your stove
or in the oven. The indirect transfer of heat in an oven will
cook the food more evenly and is less likely to burn it.
More tender foods like fish and shellfish may also be braised,
but must be cooked for a shorter time at a lower temperature
in less liquid. One benefit of braising is that the liquid
absorbs flavors from the foods being braised and makes a terrific
sauce. Braising works great for greens (collards, kale, beet,
mustard, chard, etc).
BROIL –
Broiling is cooking
food directly under a radiant heat source.
Depending on its thickness, fish cooked in a broiler should
be three to five inches from the heat source. The food should
be placed on the broiler pan in a single layer, browned on
one side, then turned with tongs (not a fork) so that no juices
are lost.
DEGLAZE –
Deglazing is the process of removing browned bits of food from the bottom of the
pan. Just heat a small amount of liquid in the pan (usually wine or stock), and stir
to loosen.
After you finish a sauté and remove the excess fat,
you will notice small amounts of flavor rich browned food
particles stuck to the pan. To loosen these bits, just add
a small amount of liquid, (wine, stock, lemon juice for example)
to the pan and start stirring. It is important you remove
the pan from the heat when adding any liquids with alcohol
so you don't end up with singed eyebrows. You can now use
this mixture to create a wonderful sauce to accompany your
meal. You may have seen deglazing if you watched your mom
make turkey gravy using the browned bits from the roasting
pan.
EMULSIFY –
To emulsify means to combine two liquids that normally do not combine easily, such
as oil and vinegar. This
is done by slowly adding one ingredient to another while whisking
rapidly. This will disperse and suspend one liquid throughout
the other.
The two liquids will soon separate unless a third ingredient
is added--this is called a liaison or emulsifier, which stabilizes
the mixture.
Some commonly used emulsifiers are egg white or mustard. To
create an emulsion in a dressing, for instance, add a bit
of mustard to the vinegar and then drizzle in some oil.
Mayonnaise is a mixture of oil and vinegar or lemon juice
that is emulsified by the addition of egg yolk, which contains
the emulsifier lecithin.
FOLD –
To combine one mixture with another through repeated gentle turning-over motions – not beating or stirring.
A rubber spatula is generally used. Commonly used to add beaten
egg whites to a cake mix - folding in the whites keeps them
loaded with air, and adds lightness to the final product.
GRILL –
Grilling is a lot like broiling. Both use
indirect heat, but when grilling the heat source comes from
below and when broiling the heat source is from above. Both
methods are great when cooking meat, chicken, fish and vegetables.
Make sure whatever you are cooking isn't too thick or it will
burn on the exterior by the time the inside is done. Although
grilling is considered a healthy way of cooking because much
of the fat will drip into the fire, be careful to avoid flare-ups
from the fat. Not only will you potentially burn what you
are cooking and give it an acrid flavor; you can create a
nasty fire hazard.
Marinades are great for adding flavor to what you are grilling.
Check your cookbooks for which marinades work best for your
ingredients. The length of time depends on what you're marinating
(shrimp marinates in a matter of minutes, but chicken can
marinate overnight in the fridge). Marinating longer than
30 minutes should be done in the fridge. If you want to use
the marinade for basting, make sure you boil it first to kill
any bacteria that may be present (or make extra and keep separate
from the marinade used on the raw food).
Also be sure to pat dry the meat, chicken, or fish before
grilling so the marinade doesn't cause flare-ups. Barbecue
sauce is used to baste what you are grilling and although
commercial barbecue sauces are a big business, the essential
ingredients are: tomatoes, vinegar, onion, mustard, and brown
sugar. So experiment and create your own special sauce (substitute
sucanat or maple sugar in the basic recipe for a good start!).
MACERATE –
To soak foods in liquid so the liquid's flavor infuses the
food. Macerating usually applies to fruits - you may have
seen recipes with strawberries macerating in liqueur or champagne
(yum!).
MIREPOIX –
A mirepoix is equal parts of diced carrots,
onions and celery (think: Emeril). This is used as a base
for many sautés, sauces and other techniques. If braising
meat or poultry, for instance, placing the meat on a bed of
mirepoix (having sauté-ed it for a few minutes until
soft and fragrant) will help prevent burning.
While this trio is the classic mirepoix, other versions are
good too - carrots, celery and garlic; carrots, ginger and
garlic; shallots in place of the onions... you get the picture!
PARBOIL –
Parboiling is partial cooking of a food in boiling or simmering
liquid. Similar to blanching, but the cooking time is longer.
Useful when cooking roast potatoes or potato wedges to speed
up cooking. Allow approximately 10 minutes for potatoes, more
for meats.
POACH –
Poaching is cooking food gently in hot liquid
that's just below the boiling point. Liquids can vary from
broths, to water, to stocks, wine or syrups. Poaching is used
with fruit or fish.
Poaching is a particularly effective method for cooking fish.
Because it involves partially or completely submerging the
food in a gently simmering liquid, it is nearly impossible
to dry out even the leanest or most delicate fish. To enhance
the flavor of the liquid, herbs, spices or other flavorings,
such as lemon and garlic, can be added. The poaching liquid
can be used as a light sauce: When the fish is opaque, simply
remove it from the liquid and boil the liquid until reduced
and the flavors intensify.
ROAST –
Roasting is basically
cooking food uncovered in a hot oven.
In the beginning, roasting was done on a turning spit over
an open fire and the juices ran over the surface of the meat
basting it continuously. Now most roasting takes place in
the oven and offers a fast method of cooking tender portions
of meat, poultry, fish and vegetables.
If you haven't already checked out Rocket's great "baked
vegetables" recipe, it's simple, easy and delicious.
Clean and cut veggies, toss them on a baking sheet, bake at
400 for about 10 minutes (or to desired done-ness). As they
cool, drizzle with just a bit of olive oil and season with
just a pinch of salt or a spritz of Bragg's. DEEEE- LISH!
Make sure you have a roasting pan that is the correct size
for what you are cooking. Too big... and the food may burn,
too small... and your roast may stick to the sides of the
pan. Too shallow... and your oven will be a mess, too deep...
your food will steam, not roast. And when roasting chicken
or fish, be sure to retain the wonderful, incredible pan juices
by deglazing the roasting pan for gravies and sauces, an extra
dividend to the roasting method.
PAN ROAST –
This
technique starts by searing what you're cooking on top of
the stove to brown and crust, then finishing in a hot oven.
It's a great technique when cooking tender cuts of meat, chicken,
or fish where you want a nice crust on the outside, but want
to keep it moist on the inside.
It's important that you use a heavy bottomed pan that can
be placed in the oven (check any handles - they need to be
ovenproof as well). Also, since you will be getting that pan
real hot, make sure you use an oil with a high smoking point
such as canola or vegetable. Don't crowd your pan with what
you are cooking. And make sure you have a good kitchen mitt
or potholder when removing from the oven. It's HOT!
You start by getting your pan hot on top of a med-high burner,
add a little oil, heat the oil until it's almost smoking,
sear your food, then finish in a hot oven. The timing depends
on what you are cooking.
SAUTE –
In French, saute means "to jump." That describes
this method of cooking in which food is cooked quickly in
a small amount of margarine or oil. The food "jumps"
as it is either rapidly stirred or shaken over heat.
This is one of the most basic techniques, and one that will
give you the freedom to create and devise your own recipes
with whatever ingredients you have around.
This technique is easy and allows you to prepare meals in
a moment's notice. This includes sautéing chicken,
fish, vegetables, or meat.
Sautéing is cooking food quickly in the right amount
of oil and/or margarine over high heat. You can use a skillet
or sauté pan, but make sure it is big enough to comfortably
contain what you are cooking. Preheat it--you need high heat
when sautéing to cook ingredients quickly; otherwise
the internal moisture tends to push to the surface and your
ingredients won't brown.
Earth Balance (EB) or Oil? - EB, like butter, will give your
food a buttery flavor and a wonderful golden crust, but burns
more easily. Olive oil produces a nice crust and will not
burn as quickly, but also doesn't leave as rich a flavor or
color as EB alone. While either is fine to use alone, a good
compromise for flavor and burn prevention is to use a bit
of each.
What you cook and the amount you're cooking will determine
how much of each you use. For example, use about 1 to 1-1/2
tablespoons of each for two or more chicken cutlets and 1/2
to 1 tablespoon of each for two or more fish fillets.
Basic Technique - You will know your pan is hot enough and
it is time to start when the EB stops foaming and begins to
turn a pale brown. Add your ingredients and be careful not
to let it start smoking (it happens and it's a pain to eat
your meal in a roomful of smoke). Cooking time will vary,
depending on what you are cooking. For example, cook chicken
cutlets for approximately 3 minutes on one side and then 3
to 4 minutes on the other. For fish filets, 2 to 3 minutes,
flip and another minute on the other. Never use a fork for
flipping, it pierces the meat and lets the juices escape (use
tongs, or a turner). You should serve immediately but if you
want to make a pan sauce (and you probably will), transfer
components to a plate and keep in a warm oven.
When chopped items are cooked, the pan is left uncovered and
the mixture inside is stirred until brown on all sides. When
larger pieces, like fish steaks, are sautéed, they
are cooked uncovered until brown on both sides. Then the heat
is lowered, the pan is sometimes covered, and the meat is
cooked to the desired doneness. The mixture left behind in
the pan can contribute to a sauce: The entree is removed,
some liquid is added and brought to a boil, and any browned
bits in the pan are stirred up (deglazing!). Then the mixture
is reduced to a sauce consistency.
WATER SAUTE –
Carrots, potatoes, broccoli
and other "meaty" vegetables can be water sautéed
as a quick and flavourful change to boiling and steaming.
Water sautéing first uses steam to soften the vegetable
and then direct heat and oil to brown it.
Place a non-stick sauté pan over a medium flame. Add
a sliced clove of garlic, some red pepper flakes, a few tablespoons
of olive oil, and enough water to submerge the garlic. Let
the mixture boil until it totally evaporates, and the garlic
and pepper begin to sauté in the oil. A mild garlic
and pepper flavour remains in the oil and coating the pan.
Then, add the vegetables, sliced carrots for instance, and
enough water to partially submerge them. Bring the pan back
to a boil, and cover and simmer for a three to five minutes.
The steam will make the carrots tender. Remove the lid and
turn up the heat to let the water evaporate. The tender carrots
will begin to sauté in the oil.
Sauté until slightly caramelized. The mild garlic and
red pepper will enhance the flavor of the beautifully browned
and slightly crisp carrots. Be creative by trying other vegetable
and seasoning combinations.
STIR FRY –
Stir-frying will also
give you some practice with your cutting skills since each
ingredient will be bite size and have different cuts. Once
prepped, you might like to put the ingredients in individual
bowls separated by cooking times. Larger pieces and denser
vegetables (such as carrots) take longer than smaller pieces
and wetter vegetables (such as peppers). Cutting a dense veggie
into smaller pieces helps even out the cooking time (cutting
carrots into a matchstick julienne instead of 1/2 inch dice
will reduce your cooking time). The technique is to quickly
fry the ingredients in a large pan over high heat while constantly
stirring to preserve flavor, color and texture of the food
and keep the vegetables crisp.
Typically one stir-fries in a wok. The heat concentrates at
the bottom of the pan and the curved sides allow you to push
the ingredients to cooler areas. You can use a typical frying
pan, but it won't cook as fast thus keeping your vegetables
as crisp as you would want. Other than a few specialty ingredients,
you can use whatever you have on hand to make a stir-fry.
It's a great way to clean out the vegetable drawer.
Because you'll be cooking at very high heat, you want to use
an oil with a high smoking point like peanut, safflower, corn,
or canola. Some of the specialty ingredients that you should
be able to find at your local supermarket are tamari or soy
sauce, toasted sesame oil, hoisin sauce, and chili sauce.
Short or medium grained brown rice is great for accompanying
your stir-fry.
SWEAT –
When foods, usually vegetables, are cooked over low heat in
a small amount of fat, drawing out juices to remove rawness
and develop flavor. Typically used with onions or mushrooms.
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