Chef Foundation

Archive for the ‘Tips for Cooking’ Category

One of the reasons low carb dieting is so popular is that it allows you to eat a wide variety of tasty meals, snacks and desserts. There’s no need to feel deprived. You can continue to eat many of your everyday favorites simply by substituting low carb ingredients for high carb ones. Here are some tips for making delicious foods with less carbohydrates.

You don’t need to give up baked goods such as cakes, cookies and muffins. Just use ground almonds (almond flour) when baking instead of wheat flour. Almonds are about 20 percent carbohydrate, whereas wheat flour is over 75 percent carbohydrate. Almonds have long been used in traditional home baking and produce a dense, moist sponge. They can be substituted for flour in most baked recipes that incorporate eggs.

Sugar is definitely forbidden on a low carbohydrate diet. Luckily, there are many sugar substitute products to choose from. Artificial sweetener in tablet form is great for tea or coffee, but can also be used to sweeten cold drinks or desserts. Just dissolve in a tiny amount of hot water. Granulated sweeteners are available which can directly replace sugar in any recipe.

Crepes make an appetizing substitute for sandwiches. They can be filled with ham, cheese, tuna or practically anything you would serve on bread. Four large eggs and 100 grams of cream cheese will make four very low carb crepes. Put the cheese in a bowl and beat until soft with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and beat to create a smooth batter. Cook in a little olive oil over medium heat.

Sauces, gravies and soups can be thickened without flour or corn starch by adding heavy cream or thick yogurt. It’s easy to make a low carb cheese sauce for vegetables, fish or eggs. Put about two tablespoons of cream into a sauce pan. Warm over low heat and gradually stir in grated cheese until the sauce is thick and smooth.

Mashed potatoes are off limits to low carb dieters, but cauliflower puree makes a surprisingly good substitute. Cut a head of cauliflower into florets and boil until tender. Transfer to a small-holed colander. Press the cauliflower with the back of a spoon to drain it and mash it simultaneously. Mix with butter and seasoning.

Camping in the outdoors isn’t that much different than cooking at home once you have some of the basic camping gear. Successful cooking in camp is really about preparation before the camping trip begins. Before leaving the house put a list together of the meals you plan to cook and then try to do some of the preparation at home.

Basic cooking items for camping include a camping stove, outdoor cook ware such as a cast iron pan, and some simple utensils such as spatula and large spoons. A camping stove whether liquid gas or propane is much easier to use than cooking over a camp fire. Successful cooking in camp is really about preparation before the camping trip begins. A deeper chicken frying cast iron pan can be used for general frying purposes such as pancakes and bacon for breakfast along with deep fat frying. A metal spatula can be used for flipping pancakes or removing food from hot oil when done. Try to bring along items that are versatile and then not so many items will need to be packed and unpacked. Don’t forget how easy it’s to cook some foods right over the open fire if the equipment is used such as longer forks for bratwurst and hot dogs.

Cut potatoes and vegetables can easily be cooked when camping while placing them all in heavy duty aluminum foil. Don’t forget to smear butter on the inside of the foil pack. Vegetables include carrots, green beans, and corn. The key is to prepare this ahead of time at home instead at camp. Once prepared simply place the pack inside of your cooler and it will make life cooking at camp much easier. With just this simple example you’re probably thinking of more ideas already.

Ziploc bags and containers are all perfect for prepackaging foods or even cereal at home in one serving size portions. By doing this food doesn’t get wasted or a whole container spilled or spoiled.

Keeping a small tote set aside for just the basics of camp cooking is another time saving idea that will also help you from forgetting things at home. Items for this tote would be simple spices such as salt and pepper, spatula, paper towels, trash bags, heavy duty aluminum foil, disposable plates and utensils, and trash bags. Of course there will be few others but I am sure you see where this is heading.

With some simple planning at home your next cooking task will be a lot simpler and everybody enjoying your food will think you worked all afternoon.

Cooking a whole chicken is a great way to keep it moist and to have a crispy skin. It is really simple to do once you know a few tips.

Take a whole chicken and remove the inside packets that usually have a neck, liver and some giblets. Then remove the guts and the excess fat from the cavity. Rinse it out and then dry the chicken completely with paper towels.

The secret to a crisp skin is to separate it from the meat. Take your hands and reach underneath the skin and carefully get the skin to come away from the meat. You can also just pull on the skin from the outside to get it to separate. 

You can leave the skin as is or you can stuff things like fresh herbs and garlic or butter under the skin. Thyme, rosemary, parsley, and sage are good choices. A lemon inside the cavity will give it a nice fragrance. 

Some people like to put a rub on their chicken. Simple rubs would include, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, etc. Lightly brush some oil on your chicken first and then sprinkle the rub all over the chicken.

Place the chicken on a roasting rack in the oven or on an outdoor grill set up for indirect cooking. Indirect cooking on a charcoal grill would put the charcoal on opposite ends of the grill with the chicken in the center away from the coals and  a drip pan underneath. On a gas grill turn the burners on both ends but not the one that will be underneath the chicken in the center.

I like a crispy skin so I cook my chickens on a high heat from 450 deg and higher.

I cook the chicken for a half hour with the breast side up for 30 minutes and then turn it over on the other side to finish. By finishing the chicken with the breast side down it lets the juices drain down to the breast.

After 45 minutes place a thermometer in the breast of the chicken and check to see if it is done.

I take the chicken out when the breast reads 150 degrees in the thermometer. I then let it rest for 10 minutes more or less. When this happens the temperature will go up to 160 in the breast and it will be done perfectly. 

If you over cook your chicken it will become too dry which is all too common with many cooks. Remember you can always fix an undercooked item but if you can’t if it is overdone.

Use these simple tips for cooking a whole chicken and you will love the succulent and moist meat and crispy skin.

Did you know the average Filipino spends more time commuting to and from work than eating? With our busy work schedules and fast-paced lifestyles, it can be really hard to find time to sit down for dinner, let alone shop and cook for it. Add to that the diversity of Filipino cuisine and the complexity of most Filipino cooking recipes. But before you resign yourself to a life of fast food and instant noodles, here’s a secret: you can make an entire meal-not just a dish hastily tossed together-in less than an hour.

The key to faster cooking is maximizing your time. With a bit of skill and strategy, you can squeeze what’s normally two hours of work into one hour or less without sacrificing flavor or quality. Here are some time-saving tips for preparing healthy Filipino food on a tight schedule.

Use leftovers

Leftovers from previous meals have already been cooked and flavored, so half the work has actually been done for you. Most Filipino food recipes can be done with leftover meats, vegetables, and even sauces. And since you’ll only be adding a few extra ingredients, you’ll be saving money as well.

Plan your meals in advance so you can schedule leftover days. You can make leftover meals on days when you don’t have much time. Make a little extra on the previous day’s meal so you’ll have something ready-made for busy days. Take note of dishes that yield usable leftovers, such as roast beef and chicken, soups and stews, and heavy salads.

Get pre-cut goods

Use a little help where you can. See if you can get your vegetables washed and cut at the store or your meats chopped to serving sizes. Having your ingredients prepared in advance can save you a good 10 minutes of chopping time. You can find pre-cut produce at most groceries, but they tend to be overpriced and of low quality. If you have time, get your produce whole and cut them all in one sitting over the weekend.

Stock up on the most commonly used ingredients such as garlic and onions. You can peel and chop up to two weeks’ worth of these spices (they’ll start to brown if you keep them longer) and store them in your fridge. Keep the garlic in a clear jar and mix with vegetable oil. When a recipe calls for it, you can simply scoop out the amount you need instead of preparing a fresh new batch.

Use kitchen shortcuts

You’ll be surprised at how little changes can add up and cut your cooking time in half. Save steps when you can. Work next to the stove so you don’t have to walk over every time you finish chopping something. Heat your pots and pans before you start chopping, so they’ll be ready by the time you’re done. If you’re a slow slicer, try freezing your vegetables for 10 minutes to firm them up and give you more control.

If you can, rearrange your kitchen to make the work flow more efficient. Keep the three key areas-the fridge, sink and stove-close enough so you can move from one to another in a single step. If rearranging is not an option, you can simply work closer to the areas you use the most.

Maximize your flavors

A lot of Filipino recipes have that all-day taste that takes, well, all day to create. But most of them can be replaced with ready-made sauces and canned broths. Instead of making spaghetti sauce from scratch, get a ready-made spaghetti sauce and just tweak the flavors to suit your taste. If the recipe calls for hours of marinating, just use stronger spices and slash a good two hours off the waiting time.

This tip is especially useful for soups and salads. Most soups have to be boiled or simmered for at least an hour for the flavor to come out. But if you use canned broth, you can skip that step and go straight to adding your spices. For salads, use pre-mixed dressings or make a whole batch in advance.

Multitask

Yes, you can do two things at once in the kitchen. While waiting for one dish to cook, you can prepare another dish or start cleaning up. Think of quick dishes you can do within these little ‘time pockets.’ Most Filipino desserts recipes can be done in 15 minutes-about the same time it takes for a pot of rice to finish simmering. Start with the dishes that take the longest to cook, so that everything will finish at approximately the same time.

Slow cookers have come into their own in recent years and developing a knack for how to use them only comes, for most, with trial, error and time. I’ve had my slow cooker for upwards of two years now and as a family that regularly feeds six (plus friends and relatives) it has been a blessing and a learning curve rolled into one. To help you with your learning curve, I hope you enjoy the read as I share with you my top tips to help you use your slow cooker.

Preparing to Slow Cook

For quick and easy clean up, use a cooking spray or a little oil to the inside of the walls and the base of the pot before adding your ingredients. Just like any recipe, be sure to read all the instructions before preparing food for the slow cooker. Believe me, I have had my share of oopsie’s!
Converting Recipes

For every hour of cooking time in a traditional oven you will need to allow either 4-6 hours on ‘high’ or 8-10 hours on ‘low’ in the slow cooker. Cheaper and tougher cuts of meat come out better when on ‘low’ and giving them time to become tender. Factor in extra time for those meat cuts that may need it. Slow cookers retain moisture by the collection and return of condensation collected on the lid. You may need to reduce the amount of liquid for recipes where rice or pasta are not being used. Recipes with rice and pasta are also the only ones that can truly ‘burn dry’ by absorbing all the liquid in the recipe.
Use of Your Slow Cooker

A slow cooker can take up to 20 minutes to come back up to temperature after having the lid removed. Unless your recipe calls for stirring then keep a lid on it! Also, never use the slow cooker without the lid in place. Refer to the manufacturer’s information to find out where the heating element is located. Using slow cookers with elements in the side means that your recipe should not need stirring. If the element is at the bottom then stirring every couple of hours is an idea ensuring that you add fifteen to twenty minutes each time you remove the lid. Most slow cookers have two temperature settings: ‘low’ is just below boiling point and ‘high’ above that allowing your recipe to simmer. Slow cookers work best when filled from sixty to seventy-five percent capacity. Be sure to adapt your recipe so that it fills at least that amount of your pot. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for information on the minimum fill capacity.
Preparing Ingredients

Dry beans take longer to cook if they are not prepared first. Soaking the beans overnight can reduce their cooking time by up to 75 per cent. Do not add meats that are still frozen to your slow cooker as they may not cook thoroughly. This is not a problem with vegetables though! Dense vegetables such as potato and carrots take longer to cook than meat. Layer these under any meat to ensure they are cooked to perfection also.
Retaining Colour and Flavour

If you have a dish that is being cooked over several hours be sure to check on the flavours created by herbs and spices. Using such cooking long cooking times means that herbs and spices may need to be ‘topped up’ as they compete the flavoursome main ingredients. Alternatively, you may wish to add fresh herbs within the last hour of cooking so they are fresh and full flavoured. Slow cooked vegetables will change in appearance as time passes. To maintain the attractiveness of a dish dress it up with beautiful garnishes of fresh salad vegetables, herbs, or sour cream sprinkled with some bright spices.
Tips for Perfection

Soups and stews need to ability to simmer on ‘high’ without spilling over the edge of the dish. To achieve this be sure to leave approximately five centimetres (or two inches) space from the top of the cooker. Thickening the liquid in the slow cooker can be easily achieved by mixing a tablespoon of corn flour with two tablespoons of water. When adding it to the slow cooker be sure to stir it through well to prevent lumps forming and within an hour it should start to thicken to a gravy-style consistency. A long cooking time can cause dairy products to curdle so it is an idea to consider adding your milk, cream, sour cream or cheese near the end of the cooking time.
Left with Left Overs?

Once your slow cooked dish is cooked be sure to pack away left overs promptly to avoid the build up of bacteria. Store remaining food in shallow dishes or zip lock bags that can be laid flat for quick chilling and refrigerate or freeze as desired. Do not heat your left over food in your slow cooker.

Discover many interesting “Tips in Cooking” and “Natural Remedies” for our Households. Making life easier is the key. Easy living, combined with natural substitutes for a healthy life are part of our world today.

Dusting Cake Tins

Don’t forget to dust a cake tin with cocoa instead of flour when making a chocolate cake.

Melting Ice cream!

Press a marshmallow into the bottom of an ice cream cone to prevent cone from going soggy and ice cream dripping.

Stop Egg Shells from cracking

Add a pinch of salt to water before hard-boiling eggs to prevent egg shells from cracking.

Cleaning Milky Glasses

Use cold water to rinse as hot water makes milk “stick” to the glass.

Removing Oil Stains

To remove oil stains, rub the area with a piece of lime dipped in salt.

Make Ripe Tomatoes firm

Make ripe tomatoes firm – Dip tomatoes in cold water – add salt and leave overnight.

Extracting Lemon Juice

To extract lemon juice easily, soak lemons in hot water for 10-15 minutes.

Removing Fat

Float a lettuce leaf on the surface of fresh homemade soup and this will remove the fat.

Fry Crispy Onions

Before frying onions, soak in milk for 1 hour beforehand and they will turn out crispier.

Brown Onions Faster

Add 1/2 tsp of salt to onions when frying and they will brown faster.

Get rid of Fish Odour

To get rid of fish odour from pots/pans after cooking, brew tea in pots/pans for 10-15 mins.

Make your own Oil Spray

Get some good olive oil and a hand-pumped sprayer.

Homemade Breadcrumbs

Cut stale bread into pieces and place in oven to roast. Crumb in blender. Store in airtight container.

Wooden Skewers & BBQ’s

Before using wooden skewers on hot grill or bbq, soak in water for at least 20 mins to prevent wood from burning.

Grilling

When grilling your favourite meat, use tongs as piecing meat with a fork causes precious juices to escape.

Lumpy Salt Prevention

To prevent salt from becoming lumpy in humid weather, add a few grains of rice to salt shaker.

Pasta Rinsing

Never rinse pasta, as this will wash away most of the starches and nutrients.

Pasta & Olive Oil mixed

Never add olive oil to pasta cooking water, as the olive oil coats the pasta and prevents sauce from adhering to it.

Pasta Water

Try adding a little bit of pasta water to the sauce to add flavour.

Keep those Ants Away!

Place 2-3 cloves in the sugar bowl to keep those ants away!

Mushroom Slicing

Try using an egg slicer to slice fresh mushrooms!

Avoid sticky Pasta

To avoid sticky pasta, cook in lots of water.

Are Eggs fresh?

Old eggs are smooth and shiny. Fresh eggs have a rough and chalky shell.

Lemon Squeeze

Lemons last longer if you puncture it and squeeze out what you want. Place back in refrigerator.

Purple Cabbage

To prevent red cabbage from turning purple, add a tbsp of lemon juice when cooking.

Cabbage Odour

To prevent cabbage odour when cooking, add a slice of lemon.

Salt Stains on Shoes

To remove salt stains from shoes and boots, use vinegar and water.

Perfect Meringue

Always use fresh eggs; eggs separate best when cold; eggs need to be at room temp for greater volume when whipped.

Butter & Cakes

Real butter is better when cooking cakes!

Cake Cooling

For better results, before loosening edge and turning cake out onto wired rack, leave cake to cool in cake tin for 10-15 minutes.

The Perfect Cake

A Cake will not rise evenly if oven temperature is too high and/or flour is not blended sufficiently into mixture.

Deodorize Microwave

Place 1/2 lemon, 1 cup water and a few cloves into a bowl and boil for 5 mins.

Batter Tips

A batter will curdle and separate if butter and sugar were not creamed well enough before adding eggs.

Cakes that Crack!

If the top of a cake cracks, the temp was too hot and/or the cake was not on centre rack.