Tips: Cooking and Food Prep Tips

• When defrosting prawns, don't run them under the tap for ages as they become totally flavourless, instead leave them in the fridge for a few hours or use the microwave. Richard.K -Derby, England (Added: 24-Apr-2005)

• Any time when you have to much soft fruit like strawberries and dont know what to do with them,liquify them with a little sugar and freeze. Use as a sorbet or compote with desserts like chocolate cake. Richard.K -Derby, England ^new (Added: 24-Apr-2005)

• One tip said you should keep your mouth closed whilst chopping onions, however it is the nasal receptors in your nose that cause sinal irratation leading to crying, so breathe through your mouth to reduce crying- not your nose! Derby, England ^new (Added: 24-Apr-2005)

• For strawberries and cream, the best way to present the strawberries is to cut off the top and stalk, then quarter them from top to bottom (customers at my hotel find them most pleasing presented in this way). For the cream and a dash of brandy, some caster sugar and a little cinnamon and whip until stiff. Richard.K -Derby, England ^new (Added: 24-Apr-2005)

• For an impressive dessert idea at a home dinner party, try slicing the top off an orange, hollowing it out then filling it with lemon sorbet and then put the lid back on. Do one per person. Its a clever little idea that will be bound to become a talking point. Richard.K -Derby, England ^new (Added: 24-Apr-2005)

• When cutting lettuce, rip leaves off, dont slice them off as the metal knife reacts with the lettuce causing it to go brown and soggy, similarly when preparing a salad in advance the lettuce can go brown round the edges, to prevent this, buy a plastic lettuce knife and youll never look back! Richard.K -Derby, England ^new (Added: 24-Apr-2005)

• Its very useful to have frozen sauce 'bases' as a means by which to construct certain dishes in minimal time. In your freezer its good to have unseasoned flavourless white sauce (in small portion sizes) that you can defrost and add cocoa for chocolate sauce, cheese for a cheese sauce for lasagne, macaroni etc. Also have tomato sauce base (passata, tomato puree, olive oil, chopped peppers, onion, basil etc) this can too be defrosted in microwave and used to create a soup, coq au vin, bolognese pasta sauce or whatever. Richard.K- Derby, England ^new (Added: 24-Apr-2005)

• When using fat free or low fat cheese in dishes that they need to be melted, spray them lightly with cooking spray. The cheese will melt smoothly. Kitty, Murfreesboro, TN ^new (Added: 24-Feb-2005)

• To tame the heat in hot peppers, remove the seeds (which carry the heat). You can also soak the peppers in sugar water for about an hour to put out even more of the fire (especially helpful when making stuffed peppers). Use 2 cups water to 2 tablespoons sugar. High Flavor, Low Fat Mexican Cooking by Steven Raichlin ^new (Added: 25-Aug-2003)

• Did you get any chocolates for Christmas, Valentine's Day or Easter? Save the plastic inserts from the box and use to make decorative ice cubes for summer drinks. They can be reused many times. FabulousFoods.com ^new (Added: 25-Aug-2003)

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Tips: Cooking and Food Prep Tips

Pages Updated On: 9-Oct-2006 - 14:23:30