Secrets from the hot plate
Secrets from the hot plate
- Add salt to the water when cooking green vegetables, this will season them and help to retain the vibrant green colour.
- To ripen unripe fruit, store them with a ripe banana.
- When cooking meat casseroles, cook them on a lower temperature for a longer period of time. The meat will be much juicier.
- To get more juice out of citrus fruits, place in the microwave for 10 seconds.
- When preparing a meal, organisation is key. Firstly check that you have all the ingredients and equipment that you will need, then prepare and chop everything, but do not start cooking until everything is ready. This way your focus is only on one stage at a time and you will make less mistakes and work more efficiently.
- While you're cooking a dish keep tasting at every stage, you should taste a recipe that you are cooking at least 3 times at different stages. This way if it needs correcting it's much easier.
- When planning a meal for friends or family, don't just think about the dishes that you want to cook, think about the practicality. It's always easier to have some dishes that you can prepare in advance and one that is finished at the last moment.
- When cooking, timing is essential. Before you start to prepare a meal think about the order in which you want to cook the different components. Always start with what takes the longest.
- When cooking vegetables, blanch them in boiling salted water, then plunge them into iced water to retain their vibrant colour. When it comes to serving place the vegetables in a bowl, add a knob of butter and reheat in the microwave for 1min. This will make your life easier when trying to serve everything hot at the same time.
- Always use fresh herbs, dried herbs do not have the same flavour.
- When cleaning mushrooms, never soak them in water as they will absorb the water and dilute their favour. Wash them quickly and drain on a kitchen cloth.
- For the perfect roast potato, cook in salted water until slightly softened on the outside, drain in a colander and let them steam dry for 20min. Heat a pan with beef dripping until very hot, add the potatoes and place in a hot oven until golden brown. Then season with salt( by seasoning them after they are golden, they will not stick to the pan)
- For the perfect seasoned boiled potato add 15g salt for every litre of water
- To tenderise tough cuts of meat, add chucks of pineapple and leave for 2 hours
- To remove the skin of Dover sole, dip the tip of the rear fin into hot water. The skin will start to come away from the flesh, grab the skin using a cloth and slowly pull and remove from the flesh.
Enjoy cooking!
Jun Tanaka
