15 Quick Cooking Tips

Quick Cooking Tips:

* My grandfather taught me this tip: After you drain pasta, while it’s still hot, grate some fresh Parmesan on top before tossing it with your sauce. This way, the sauce has something to stick to. – Giada De Laurentiis, Giada at Home

* If you find you need more oil in the pan when sautéing, add it in a stream along the edges of the pan so that by the time the oil reaches the ingredient being cooked, it will be heated. – Anita Lo,
Annisa (New York City)

*  When you deep-fry, hold each piece of food with long tongs as you add it to the oil. Hold it just below the oil’s surface for five seconds before releasing it. This will seal the exterior and stop it from sticking to the pot or the other food. – Michael Psilakis,  FishTag and Kefi (New York City)

*  When chopping herbs, toss a little salt onto the cutting board; it will keep the herbs from flying around. – Joanne Chang,  Flour Bakery & Cafe  (Boston)

* For rich, creamy dressings made healthy, substitute half the mayo with Greek-style yogurt. – Ellie Krieger, Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger

* To cut pancetta or bacon into lardons, put in the freezer for 15 minutes. This will firm up the meat and make it easier to cut. – Chris Cosentino, Chefs vs. City

* Always season meat and fish evenly; sprinkle salt and pepper as though it’s “snowing.” This will avoid clumping or ending up with too much seasoning in some areas and none in others. – Mary Dumont,
Harvest (Cambridge, MA)

* Do not use oil in the water when boiling pasta: It will keep the sauce from sticking to the cooked pasta. -Missy Robbins, A Voce (New York City)

* Plunge vegetables in ice water after blanching (boiling) them so they maintain a bright color. – Maria Hines, Tilth  (Seattle)

*  Don’t overcrowd your pan. When roasting or browning anything, the tendency is to cram  as much in the pan as possible—resist!  Do it in smaller batches instead. Crowding the pan leads to steaming and lowers the temperature of the pan so you won’t get the caramelization you’re looking for—and that’s where the flavor is! – Good Housekeeping

*  Fresh basil keeps much better and longer at room temperature with the stems in water. – Elisabeth Prueitt, Tartine Bakery  (San Francisco)

*  If you’re cooking cauliflower, add a bit of milk to the water with salt to keep the cauliflower bright white. Shock it in cold water to stop the cooking and then serve. – Michael White, Marea, Osteria Morini and Ai Fiori (New York City)

*  When making mashed potatoes, after you drain the potatoes, return them to the hot pan, cover tightly and let it steam for 5 minutes. This allows the potatoes to dry out so they’ll mash to a beautiful texture and soak up the butter and cream more easily. – Wolfgang Puck, Spago (Los Angeles)

*  To optimize the juice you get from a lemon or lime, roll it hard under your palm for a minute before juicing. (Or — never say I told you this — microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds.) – Patricia Yeo, Lucky Duck (Boston)

* When baking, only mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Over-mixing causes toughness by developing gluten in the flour. For light and fluffy cupcakes, only mix until the batter’s come together. – Good Housekeeping

Sources:
– FoodNetwork.com
– Good Housekeeping