Simple Cooking Tips 101

Posted On : 12 September 2014 | Category : All Hints & Tips, Tips & Hints

Learn some tips from our foodie experts

• To slice meat into thin strips, as for Chinese dishes – partially freeze and it will slice easily.
• A roast with the bone in will cook faster than a boneless roast – 
the bone carries the heat to the inside of the roast quicker.
• To keep cauliflower white while cooking – add a little milk to the water.
• Let raw potatoes stand in cold water for at least half an hour before frying to improve the crispness of french-fried potatoes.
• Buy mushrooms before they “open.” When stems and caps are attached 
snugly, mushrooms are truly fresh.
• Lettuce keeps better if you store in refrigerator without washing 
first so that the leaves are dry. Wash the day you are going to use.
• Do not use metal bowls when mixing salads. 
Use wooden, glass or china.
• It’s important to let a roast — beef, pork, lamb or poultry sit a little while before carving. That allows the juices to 
retreat back into the meat. If you carve a roast too soon, 
much of its goodness and flavour will spill out onto the carving board.
• Microwave a lemon for 15 seconds and double the juice you get before squeezing.
• Microwave garlic cloves for 15 seconds and the skins slip 
right off.
• When slicing a hard boiled egg, try wetting the knife just before 
cutting. If that doesn’t do the trick, try applying a bit of 
cooking spray to the edge.
• The best way to store fresh celery is to wrap it in aluminum 
foil and put it in the refrigerator–it will keep for weeks.
• Store freshly cut basil on your kitchen counter in a glass 
with the water level covering only the stems. Change the 
water occasionally. It will keep for weeks this way, 
even develop roots! Basil hates to be cold, so NEVER put 
it in the refrigerator. Also, regular cutting encourages 
new growth and healthier plants.
•  A dampened paper towel or terry cloth brushed downward on a cob of 
corn will remove every strand of corn silk.
• Fresh eggs’ shells are rough and chalky; old eggs are smooth and shiny.
• No “curly” bacon for breakfast when you dip it into cold water before frying.
• When working with dough, don’t flour your hands; coat them with olive oil to prevent sticking.
• Use a gentle touch when shaping ground beef patties. Overhandling 
will result in a firm, compact texture after cooking. Don’t press 
or flatten with a spatula during cooking.
• Never heat pesto sauce – the basil will turn black and taste bitter.
• Butter pie pastry scraps: sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and 
bake like cookies.