Hi all,
I was thinking about some of the things I like to do, in small ways that add a special something to my cooking. I was wondering if you all would want to share your favorite tips and short cuts.
Here are a couple of mine:
I use olives (green or kalamata) for both flavor and to replace salt in foods like roasts (chicken, pork), or dips.
I add a 1/4 cup (per 8 ounces of gravy) of fresh brewed strong good quality coffee to my gravy for roasts. You can't taste the coffee, but it adds depth to the flavor.
I would enjoy learning yours :-)
Replies
Re: anchovies - okay I'm going to have to try that. I know Rachel Ray had said that you can't taste the anchovies when you use just a few and let them melt down, but I have been hesitant to try them - I do not care for the direct taste although I love worstershire sauce*. Ever since the time decades ago when someone thought I could enjoy slices from the half of the pizza that did not have anchovies on it - NOT - I have avoided them consciously (you can't have a half anchovy pizza :-)
BTW - a Ming Tsai tip on using some of the 'stinky' Asian fish sauces - he said you can use worstershire sauce in their place. I have that in the back of my cooking mind when I feel like trying some Thai or similar dishes.
Like Leanne said, Anchovies is one of my tricks. I buy them jarred in oil and always have some in the fridge..anytime I am sauteeing veggies or meat I chop a few anchovies and put them in the pan..they melt like butter, they don't taste like fish just a rich nuttiness. Also very high in calcium, selenium, zinc and vitamins A. E and D.
Another favorite pantry item that I always keep on hand is canned coconut milk. I add it to just about anything...replace liquid in baked goods or cooking liquid in rice, meat or pasta sauce. It takes any recipe and makes it what my husband calls, "Ninja Grade."
Another time saving trick, since I have a 7 and 9 year old who eat alot and I have a full time job, and maintain my "mini farm..." timesaving is important...I precook many of my meats and then freeze them. So I buy ground beef in bulk when its on sale, and then I brown it all when I get home and then freeze it in 1 lb portions. Then I can do spaghetti, tacos, sloppy joes or anything else in around 15 minutes because I just toss the already cooked meat in the sauce and thaw it while it cooks! This also works with chicken, pork or ham. I just cook it and then dice or cut it into strips...easy peasy! Another thing I prep and then freeze is chopped onions...I either buy them prepackaged from the frozen foods section when they are on sale, or I chop a whole bag of onions at once and put all the chopped onions in a ziplock in the freezer. That way I only have to do the ugly cry once...on a Saturday when I'm home by myself and I can look a little more like June Cleaver on week nights and be cute for my hubby! :)
We buy bone in chicken breasts, which can be as much as $4 a pound cheaper than boneless, skinless breasts. I cut off the breast meat, then roast the bones and skin with onion, carrots and celery, and then throw them in with a little garlic and herbs to make my own chicken stock. I freeze one cup portions, and use the stock in place of water for cooking rice or quinoa, sauteeing veggies, making a quick and dirty pasta sauce, and of course, making homemade soup, which is fast becoming my quick and easy go to dinner when I'm not in the mood to cook. By roasting the bones and veggies, you can make a surprisingly rich and tasty stock even from that small amount of otherwise wasted chicken bones, and of course you get the benefits of controlling the sodium and "natural flavors" that come along with commercial stock.
Even if you don't like anchovies, try mincing one or two, and mixing in with your onions and garlic when making pasta sauce. You won't taste the anchovies, but they provide a nice richness of flavor to the sauce.
Leanne, I like the idea of roasting the bones and veggies. I just canned my first batch of homemade turkey broth for handy access (has to be pressure canned). I always save veggie trimmings and bones, etc. for making broth, but had not thought of buying the cheaper bone-in cuts. Nice idea.
Great reminder, I have also used seaweed the same way. you can buy it dried, rehydrate it and chop it fine, no one knows! Long shelf life too. I also use many herbs from my garden dry and fresh- dehydrate some and place in glass, keep for your roasted potatoes or sauces- no preservatives added.
Karla, I had great luck drying some of my herbs in the sun this summer, garlic chives worked great and so do some mixes like rosemary, lavender, and thyme for a 'herbes de provence' combo.
hmmm i want to try the coffee option- sounds wonderful. Someone said they add a teaspoon of coffee grounds to their chocolate chip cookies, I may try that as well. as far as salt, i tossed that dreaded table salt, and replaced all of mine with HImalayan Sea Salt from Salt works. You get the flavor and the minerals without the bad stuff.http://www.saltworks.us/ they often have ***free shipping this time of year, also get the "fine" it fits in your shaker and looks pretty when pink (i buy the 25 lb bag when free shipping you cant go wrong and lasts forever) - you will never go back to table salt ( i use white table salt for cleaning/scrubbing only).
great idea to share hints!