My Top kitchen and cooking tips
How do you prevent fish from sticking to the BBQ grill? (James)
Thursday, July 15th, 2010
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Aha. I can read so much frustration in your question. Here you are, watching with ravishment your beautifully grilled fish. You then delicately try to take it off the grid and your beauty disintegrates before your very eyes, its head and half its bottom stuck on the grill. So gory, yet so true. Here are a few tips that will make this nightmare a distant memory: 1. Choose the right fish: the thicker and firmer the better. A whole fish or 1 inch thick fillets/slices are ideal, thin fish fillets are best fried or broiled under the oven grill. 2. For a whole fish it is worth investing into a two sided fish grilling basket. Easy to clean and oil, it will allow you to turn the fish around without breaking it apart 3. Ask your fishmonger to keep the scales on the skin of the fish, it will be less prone to sticking when grilling 4. Make sure the grill (or basket) is sparkly clean before grilling, this will make the fish less likely to stick 5. Oil both the fish and the grill well beforehand 6. For fillets on the thin end, only cook them skin side down,slightly removed from the heat 7. You can prepare straight on the grill a bed of herbs, e.g. rosemary sprigs, and grill your oiled fish on top. Not only will it prevent the fish from sticking but it will also give it a wonderful flavour 8. You can also cook your fish wrapped in an aluminum foil papillote with a bit of olive oil and herbs, removing any sticking problem. With this method the fish is steamed rather than grilled, but the barbecue flavour will still permeate its taste. Enjoy! |
Know your bananas from your bananas – buy organic or fairtrade, or both if you find them!
Thursday, July 8th, 2010
| As it turns out eating bananas imported from the other end of the world is not so bad on the carbon foot print calculator. Although they are refrigerated during transportation and this consumes energy, bananas are shipped from one place to the other unlike many other foods that are air freighted, and this is 100 times less polluting than going by air. Bananas are also, however, the second most sprayed crop in the world after cotton. As well as getting regular doses of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides, the bunches are often wrapped in pesticide-coated plastic bags while still on the tree. Five of the chemicals used on bananas are classified as extremely hazardous by the World Health Organisation, and three are not approved for use in the UK. On large plantations, which are mostly run by the four corporations that manage 80 per cent of world banana trade, more money is spent on agrochemicals than on workers’ wages (Times Online, 27 Dec 2007). The health hazards to workers of using these chemicals have been proven (higher cancer rates, infertility, etc.), and the intensive mono-culture of bananas on a large scale deplete large areas of soil from their nutrients in less than two years, requiring plantations to expand continuously and contributing to deforestation. You got it, banana is not the greenest fruit on earth. So as a consumer, what should you do? The answer is to buy fairtrade and/or organic bananas. Organic banana production is chemical free and in most cases done in a sustainable way. Fairtrade bananas are sourced from small producers and ensure living-standard wages are paid to workers. Small plantations are also much more likely to involve sustainable planting and lower pesticide use. Best of course is to buy bananas that are both fairtrade and organic if you can find them, thereby protecting the environment and helping workers make a better living. Banana are a cheap good, making the extra cost of going fairtrade and/or organic rather small. Next time you shop, remember this. |
How to extract more juice from citrus fruits
Thursday, July 8th, 2010
| To extract more juice from a lemon, orange or grapefruit, roll it first backward and forward between a flat surface and the palm of your hand, pressed firmly against the fruit. This will break the fibre inside the flesh and help it release more juice. You can also microwave it (or dip in hot water) for 20 seconds, the heat will soften the fibre and help the juices out. If the fruit is already halved and appears to be on the dry end, or if you are using an old lemon half that stared at you for the past three weeks on a door shelf in your fridge, run the cut side under water (pierce it with a fork first if it has dried out) and microwave the fruit half for 20 seconds. You will be amazed at the results! |
Freshen up your recycling habits on recycling week (21-27 June 2010)!
Thursday, June 24th, 2010
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Recycling week is a great opportunity to freshen up our recycling habits. Below is a short list of the things we can do and that make a difference: - Make space next to your bin for a recycling container – then it’s as simple to recycle as it is to throw it away - If your local council offers a kerbside recycling scheme, take advantage and use it. To find your nearest recycling centre or more information about what your kerbside collection scheme collects, use the very handy postcode locator on the Recycle Now website or contact your council. - Make a visit to a bottle, can or other type of recycling bank part of your routine – most supermarkets have recycling facilities so don’t forget to drop before you shop! - Glass is a 100% recyclable, so recycle it! From jam, marmalade and baby food jars to spice, pasta sauce and coffee jars – just give them a rinse in your left over dish washing water and recycle them with your other glass. Don't worry about removing labels, they will come off in the recycling process. - Don't throw away cans and used aluminum foil, aluminum is 100% recyclable too. Wipe them and place them in your recycling bin. Don't worry about remaining food traces, they will be burnt when the metal is reprocessed. - Lots of items from the bathroom can be recycled too. Shampoo and shower gel bottles are often forgotten, so start multi-tasking and rinse out those empty bottles whilst you're in the shower! Putting a recycling bin in your bathroom to collect all those empty bottles and cardboard tubes from inside the toilet rolls is a great idea.Only buy things you really need. Most of what we throw away could be used again. Think twice before you put something in the bin. Try and cut down on the amount you buy new and then throw away. - Reuse containers - buy food, drinks and toiletries in returnable containers and ask local shops to stock them. Ask your school or workplace to provide reusable cups, plates, cutlery etc. - Give away or sell second hand clothes and old kitchenware to charity and nearly new shops, jumble sales and community schemes. The British Heart Foundation also welcomes donation of electrical items that are still in good working condition, so if you're toaster is no longer up to your standards donate it to your nearest British Heart Foundation shop (find it here) - The best environmental choice is to repair, restore or adapt a product you already have. You may need professional help but it could still be cheaper than something new - half of electrical goods left at dumps work or require only very basic repairs. - The amount of plastic packaging waste from UK households is about one million tonnes. Buying fruit and vegetables loose could cut your waste drastically. Take a shopping bag with you and try not to buy drinks in plastic bottles. - Recycle things yourself, buy recycled products and shop at second hand outlets. This will be good on your purse too! *information taken from http://www.recyclenow.com/ |
How to increase the life of bought fresh herbs such as parsely, mint, basil or coriander
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
| Here is a really simple and incredibly effective tip: place them in a tall glass filled with water like you would with flowers, and cover them with a pierced plastic bag. I place the glass with the bag on in the door of my fridge and it works wonders. For instance, mint preserved that way will easily keep for a full week without wilting, perfect for a non-stop week of Pimm's! |
A quick, healthy and fabulously tasty way to salvage bananas that are going to waste
Friday, June 18th, 2010
| Do you have a bunch of bananas sitting there on the verge of going bad? Just peel them, slice them and freeze the slices on a board. Once they are frozen, store them in a container or freezing bag in your freezer. Then the next time a hot day comes, take a bunch of slices out, toss them into a blender with a bit of honey and a tablespoon of yogurt (or double cream or mascarpone if you feel naughty), and blend the mixture until smooth. You will get a most delicious soft frozen yogurt! If you want a slightly firmer texture, prepare the mix before your dinner, serve it in individual cups and place them back into the freezer. By dessert time, the banana blend will feel ice-cream like. For a fancier version, mix it with frozen berries or stir at the last minute some chocolate sauce into ribbons... So delicious! |
How can you prevent a short crust pastry in a tart from becoming soggy when using a moist or slightly juicy filling?
Friday, June 18th, 2010
| This question was asked this week by Lucie after she tried my strawberry tart recipe. The tart looked and tasted great on the day but the next morning it felt watery (Lucie, how could you have leftovers? You will need to enlighten me on this one!). The soggy crust problem extends to all tarts and quiches with a moist and juicy filling, overtime the moisture penetrates the pastry and makes it soggy. There are two easy ways to prevent this from happening and keep a nicely crispy crust, even after one or two days in the fridge. The first one is to brush the pastry with a bit of beaten egg in the last 5-6 minutes of baking it (even with quiches, you can pre-bake the pastry 6-7 minutes in a medium heat oven to waterproof it before adding the filling). The cooked egg will create a waterproof film that will form a barrier between the moisture of the filling and the pastry. Another way, only suitable for desserts, is to melt chocolate and brush the bottom of your cooked pastry with it. This not only adds a lovely taste (it would do wonders on the strawberry tart!) but it also acts the same way as the egg, forming a film that will protect your pastry from sogginess. Voila, another secret to enjoy your tarts for longer! |
Getting the last drop
Thursday, June 10th, 2010
| When you can’t get the last bit of mayonnaise or salad dressing out of the jar, try dribbling a little of your favorite vinegar into it, put the cap on tightly and shake well. You’ll be amazed at how much you’ve been wasting. |
Why are we supposed to let roasted or grilled meat stand for a while before carving it? (Phil)
Thursday, June 10th, 2010
| Hello Phil, this is the type of question I love as it involves a bit of science, more precisely chemistry and thermophysics. Now that I so cleverly scared you all into not reading my answer (another illustration of my excellent PR skills), here-it- is-quickly-before-you zap-to-your-next-email: Cutting cooked meat at too high a temperature will make it lose its juices, yielding a less flavourful and drier piece - no matter how much love and good karma you put into its cooking. At lower temperatures, the meat has a higher ability to retain its juices when cut. This is why you want to let it cool down a bit before carving it. Now the full explanation (I couldn't hep!). At high temperatures, the meat's tightly woven strands of proteins become fragile and breakable and the collagen proteins, which are responsible for keeping the meat firm, liquidize (this is the reason why cooking meat makes it more tender). As side effect of this transformation is that the proteins lose their juice holding properties, so if you cut your beautiful roast at too high a temperature, most of its juices will run out. If you wait until the temperature drops on the other hand, the protein web will strengthen again and regain its juice holding properties, keeping all the flavour and moisture when cut. How long to rest? The resting time should be long enough to allow the temperature to drop all the way through the centre of the meat, which keeps cooking for a while after being removed from the heat. Some chefs suggest 8 minutes per pound, in practice you'll want to wait 7-8 minutes for something small like a steak and 20 + minutes for a bigger piece of meat such as a roast, keeping it under a loose aluminum tent to prevent the sides from cooling down too much. If you are a hard core number guy, stick your probe thermometer at the centre of the meat and let it cool to 50 degrees C (120°F) at its centre. Then you will have reached the optimal carving point! |
Do you have any suggestions to quickly boost the flavour of instant soups or sauces? (Isabel)
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
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Hi Isabel, To perk up a can of soup, gravy or sauce, add a teaspoon of your favourite specialty vinegar or a few drops of lemon juice. It adds flavour and will make the dish taste fresher. Other flavour boosters include a dash of dry sherry (cooked for several minutes in the sauce), reduced white wine, and of course lots of fresh herbs. There are many in season now, so the possibilities are limitless! Use coriander and mint to add freshness, or chopped oregano or marjoram, thyme and rosemary for a taste of Summer. Unlike dried herbs, which can be added to the cooking pot at any time, remember most fresh herbs are best added towards the end of the cooking process if they are to retain their flavour, or for the most delicate ones such as fresh coriander, off the heat. If any of you has additional suggestions, share these here! |
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