By the time most of us are adults we know how to boil water, toast bread, scramble eggs and assemble a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Sustenance, yes, but hardly real cooking.
If you are ready to move beyond toast or boxed macaroni and cheese to something a bit more sophisticated, it is time to nail down a few more kitchen basics.
Start slowly-even one or two homecooked entrees a week will save you money and help you control nutrition. Try cooking only the entree from scratch at first, then add the cooked vegetables, side dishes and homemade salad dressings as your kitchen speed increases.
Three basic cooking skills that are easy to master are the foundation of most cooking tasks: boiling, roasting and stewing.
Before you start
Television chefs seem to create elaborate meals in minutes, but look closely-all the chopping, mincing and shredding are finished
before the stove is turned on.
The French have a term for this advance preparation-mise en place-literally ”put in place.” If you only change one thing about your cooking habits it should be this-to gather all the ingredients and equipment, heat the oven if using, sharpen the knife and read the recipe through (at least once)
before you begin.
Boiling
Anybody who can boil water can cook a few basic dishes and almost all varieties of vegetables, pasta and shrimp. Boiling also forms the basis for blanching, a useful technique for removing skins from foods, elminating or reducing the saltiness of food, and for partially cooking foods.
– Equipment: Almost any large pot with a lid is suitable for boiling; the weight of the pot does not matter much because there is virtually no chance of the foods scorching due to the volume of liquid used. A pot with a basket insert is an asset for easy removal of the food and quick-draining but certainly not a necessity.
A colander and slotted spoon are useful for draining and checking the foods.
– Method: Heat enough liquid, usually water, to allow the food to be immersed, in a large, heavy pot. Use high heat and cover the pot to speed up the process. Liquid is at the simmering stage when tiny bubbles slowly rise to top and boiling when large bubbles break on the surface. Water boils at 212 degrees at sea level; in Chicago it will boil at about 211 degrees because the altitude is about 800 feet.
When cooking pasta, the amount of water used is important-too little and the pasta will lump together. A good ratio is 4 quarts of water to 1 pound of pasta. Do not cook more than 2 pounds of pasta at once (double the water) or it may cook unevenly.
The amount of water for cooking vegetables is less critical-make sure the food can be fully immersed.
Salt can be added to the water if desired but is usually not necessary. If you chose to do so, add the salt to the boiling water and then wait until the water returns to the boil before adding the food.
While the water is heating, ready the foods: Clean and prepare them as the recipe directs. Place the foods near the cooking surface. Have ready a slotted spoon to check the foods cooking progrees and set a colander in the sink to drain the foods.
– Cooking times:
Corn on the cob: Remove husks and silk. Add corn to large pot of boiling water. When water returns to boil, cook, covered, just until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
Eggs: Eggs should not really be boiled, rather they should be cooked in simmering water to prevent cracking. For hard-cooked eggs, gently put eggs in enough cold water to cover. Heat the water to the simmer; maintain a simmer only (not a full boil) and then start the timing-10 minutes. Drain off water and put eggs under cold running water to cool and stop the cooking.
Grains and legumes: Best cooked at a simmer rather than a full boil. Grains should be cooked until fairly dry, fluffy and tender to the bite. Legumes are done when soft throughout yet still retain their shape and pierce easily with a fork.
Pasta: Boil, uncovered, until al dente (tender but still slightly firm to the bite). Start testing by tasting a piece after about 30 seconds for fresh pasta and 4 minutes for dried. Add more time in small increments as needed.
Potatoes: Select a pot in which the potatoes will fit in an even layer. Cover with cold water. (Starting with cold water allows the heat to penetrate slowly and evenly and helps prevent overcooking.) Heat to boil, covered;
adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until fork pierces through center without resistance. Baking potatoes are best boiled when peeled and quartered first, 15 to 20 minutes. Small, thin-skinned, red or white potatoes can be cooked with their peels; whole, 20 to 30 minutes; sliced, 13 to 15 minutes.
Vegetables: Add vegetables to boiling water; when water returns to the boil, reduce heat to maintain a slow boil. Cook dense green vegetables uncovered to maintain a bright color; other vegetables should be cooked covered. Most vegetables should be cooked until crisp-tender when pierced with a fork. (Test vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and artichokes in the stem end or stalk.) The vegetables can be served at this point or put under cold water to stop the cooking. Then they can be briefly reheated at serving time with seasonings.
Shrimp, lobster: Add seasoning to cooking water such as peppercorns, parsley, bay leaf and lemon slices if desired. Add food to pot when water is at a full boil. Shrimp: Cook just until they float, 2 to 4 minutes depending on size. Lobster: About 6 minutes after water returns to the boil for a 1 1/4- pound lobster.
Roasting
Most food experts agree that roasting is the easiest cooking method. Yet many novice cooks shy away from this simple technique. This could be due to the fact that determining doneness involves making a judgment (is the food the proper temperature, do the juices run clear, does the meat pull away from the bone, etc.) rather than blindly following a prescribed cooking time.
The beauty of roasting lies in its lack of advance preparation. Most meats, and some vegetables-particularly hard vegetables such as roots and winter squash-need only a minimum of seasoning to yield an impressive, satisfying meal. The food to be roasted can simply be put in a pan then into a hot oven and cooked.
Spit-roasting, perhaps the oldest cooking method, has been replaced today by ovens. Oven roasting is essentially the same as baking-cooking by indirect heat circulating in an enclosed place. As the outer layers of the food get heated the food`s juices get heated to help cook the inner layers.
The seasonings are as boundless as the cupboards supply-a roast chicken can be graced with fresh garlic, lemon, orange, parsley or almost any dried herb or spice. Lacking those, a smear of mustard, a splash of Worcestershire or just a drizzle of butter or oil will turn an inexpensive chicken into a lovely dinner. The same holds true for turkey, turkey parts, duck and Cornish hens. Don`t be put off by directions for trussing a whole bird-its really not necessary if you don`t mind the legs looking a bit askew.
Roast beef, pork, lamb and vegetables such as potatoes, onions, turnips and carrots, also benefit from a touch of seasoning but may be cooked plain as well.
If time allows, the roasting pan juices can be turned into an impromptu sauce simply by skimming off the fat and adding a splash of wine or broth.
– Equipment Almost any shallow pan will do for roasting. It should be large enough to hold the food comfortably but not so large that the pan juices that accumulate burn. Roasting pans come in all price ranges; disposable aluminum pans from the supermarket will do in a pinch. A rack, set in the pan, will elevate the food off the pan, to allow air to circulate around it.
All ovens, whether old or new, have slight variances in their accuracy. Investing in a mercury oven thermometer (about $10) will help eliminate timing worries.
An instant-read thermometer is invaluable in determining internal temperatures of poultry and meats. These are used by inserting them into food near the end of the cooking time and taking a reading then they are removed. Meat thermometers that stay in the food throughout the cooking are not recommended because the make a large hole and allow juices to escape.
– Method
Preheat the oven before adding the food; check the oven thermometer several times during the cooking if possible.
Put the food on the rack in the pan; season if desired. Place pan in center of the oven.
Always roast foods uncovered, otherwise they steam.
Most foods can be roasted at 350 degrees.
Always allow meats and pioultry a few minutes to rest before cutting;
this allows the juices to settle so fewer leak out when cut.
– Cooking times
Poultry: Roast until internal temperature at thickest point is about 160 degrees; let stand 10 minutes to come up to final temperature of 170 degrees. Beef, lamb, veal: Roast to about 10 degrees below desired doneness;. Rare, 130 to 140 degrees; medium-rare, 140 to 150 degrees; well-done, 150 to 160 degrees.
Pork: Roast to 150 to 160 degrees; let stand 10 minutes to come up to final temperature .
Vegetables: Roast until they can be pierced easily with a fork. Usually 45 minutes at 350 degrees for peeled, halved baking potatoes, turnips, small carrots and onions.
Stewing
Few foods are as comforting as a hearty stew. And for novice cooks, few foods are as forgiving to prepare: The steps are simple, and it`s easy to determine when it`s done.
Stewing is a moist-heat method of cooking, that is, food is immersed either completely or partially in liquid (water, stock, broth). Stews range from a basic composition of meat, water and seasonings to more elaborate renditions incorporating vegetables, wine, cream and seafood. Stews can be served plain or with noodles, potatoes, rice or dumplings.
– Equipment: A good-quality, lidded saucepan or Dutch oven with a heavy bottom is essential. The heavy bottom will prevent scorching and uneven cooking. Select a pan size appropriate to the amount of food. Ideally it should be filled no more than two-thirds and no less than one-third. The pot`s diameter should be large enough to allow you to do the first browning step in no more than two batches.
A spatula or wooden spoon for stirring and a shallow spoon for removing accumulated fat also are needed.
– Method: Select meats and poultry that have some fat; this will help keep it tender during the long cooking and can be removed before serving.
Select vegetables that will retain their shape after the cooking and stirring (carrots, onions, potatoes, turnips). Add more delicate vegetables
(asparagus, peas, spinach leaves) very near the end of the cooking.
Prepare and cut all the foods as directed in the recipe.
The first cooking step-searing or blanching the main item-is perhaps the most important. The main item, usually meat or poultry, is seared (cooked over high heat in a little fat) or blanched (cooked briefly in simmering liquid) to add flavor and, in the case of searing, color.
When searing foods, it is essential if the food is to brown that the pan is not overcrowded; if the pieces touch each other, it will steam rather than brown. If necessary, sear the foods in batches. Blanching is used when a pale- colored stew, such as a chicken fricassee, is desired.
Seasonings and aromatic vegetables such as onions, garlic and carrots are cooked briefly before mixing them with the main food. Then the liquid is added to the pot.
Heat the mixture to a simmer; cover the pot and simmer, stirring often, until tender to the bite.
If vegetables are to be added, they should go in a few minutes before the main item is finished cooking.
Remove any fat that may have risen to the top by skimming it off with a shallow spoon.
Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving.
– Cooking time: Meat or poultry should be cooked until tender to the bite. Vegetable and vegetable stews can be cooked to tender or with some crispness as desired. Fish and seafood stews need only be cooked until the fish is opaque; overcooking will render the fish dry.
