AMA - with world-renowned chef, Ollie Dabbous. Ask all your cooking questions and get the insider tricks of the trade - only on Mumsnet, 07/12/2021

[SaraMumsnet]

Just in time for the festive season, we have Ollie Dabbous joining us for an “Ask Me Anything” special on Tuesday 7th December at 4pm for one hour.

After honing his craft in the world’s top kitchens, with top chefs including Raymond Blanc, Ollie is now Head Chef at famous restaurant Hide London. Ollie will be here to answer your most pressing cooking questions, impart some Chef secrets and perhaps give us a few clues about how to make the perfect roasts…

If you have a question for Ollie, please post them in this thread and he will be answering them (and more) at 4pm on Tuesday 7th December. If you are looking for a little inspiration this festive period, want to pick up some new recipes or are after a gift for the foodie in your life check out Ollie's book, “Essential” available now in hardback.

[SaraMumsnet]

Here are a few housekeeping rules for the AMA:

1. One question per MNer
2. Keep your question brief.
3. Don’t heckle if your question doesn’t get answered.
4. Do be civil/polite.
5. If one question threatens to overwhelm the AMA, MNHQ will usually ask for people to stop repeating the same question or point.

Thanks!

[GoingBacktoSchool123]

Hi Ollie

I’m a regular at Hide. It’s my favourite restaurant in London and my kids love it too.

We all want to know how you make the crispy potato cakes that go with the ribeye. They are incredible!!

Also any chance if your cinnamon madeleines recipe!

[Imtoooldforallthis]

30 Years ago I did my C&G training before changing career. I remember doing some potatoes that I think were oven fondant potatoes but I can't seem to replicate them. What I remember is they were turned, laid in a tray with stock and had greaseproof over them and possibly basted with butter, would you know what they were and how to make them.

[Eurotrotters]

Hi Ollie. I'm really bored of the usual sides for roast dinners (carrots, roasties, parsnips, etc). Can you give a few suggestions for more exciting sides or how to level up the usual vegetables? Thank you.

[SilverHairedCat]

Hi! Thanks for this!

I love to cook, but I never seem to get a huge depth of flavour into, say, gravy or tomato based sauces. Do you have any tips? I'm happy to spend a few hours on these things!

[picklemewalnuts]

Hi,

Can you explain which creamy dairy product is best for which job?
I always have fat free Greek yogurt in the fridge, but less often Creme fraiche, sour cream etc. I'd love a guide to the qualities of each product- doesn't split when warmed/rich/thickening etc.

Thank you!

[goldshade]

I'd love a simple, fail proof red wine jus recipe...rich and very slightly sweet.
Thanks

[cloudbedcat]

Hiya, could you give any advice on consistently getting crispy roast potatoes? Mine either come out as lumps of char or dripping in oil/fat - I need help!

[walksinnature]

Hi Ollie,

If you don't have a meat thermometer, what tricks do you have so that you know when you're meat is ready to eat and not over cooked? I'm mainly thinking of this in regards to chicken, as I am always scared I'll serve raw chicken! Thanks

[oswaldcat]

What would make your perfect 'off duty' sandwich?

[HollowTalk]

These are great questions! Place marking here for the answers.

[Madcats]

How do I cook decent Yorkshire's in an electric oven? They puff up like a dome and then they are a bit hopeless.

[HollowTalk]

@Madcats Do you poke a hole in them as soon as they come out of the oven so that the steam can come out and they don't get soggy?

[RedSquirrelsAreAwesome]

Hi Ollie,

I like to make batches of things like Cottage Pie to freeze but I find the mashed potato doesn’t freeze well and it goes a beige colour and doesn’t retain its freshness, any tips on stopping this happening?

Also when reheating cottage pie it takes forever to heat through to piping hot in the oven, any way to make this process quicker?

Many thanks and Merry Christmas 🎅🏽

[boatyardblues]

What’s the secret to poaching eggs straight into boiling water? I just end up with water full of stringy whites and waterlogged yolks. I’m a good cook but this one method defeats me every time.

[iklboodolphrednosedpaindear]

Hi Olllie. Our 16 year old son is acing Food Tech at school. What would be your top tips for him after school to carry on in the food trade?

[kittenkipper]

Hi Ollie, I'm curious as to what your favourite convenience / dirty food is? The food you love to eat that you aren't exactly proud if- you know like super noodle sandwiches, turkey dinosaurs , or McNuggets dipped in milkshake etc?

[TellMeItsNotTrue]

What would you suggest for a vegan replacement for the meat part of a Christmas dinner? Preferably without mushrooms due to a family allergy

[Xiaoxiong]

Why does the skin on roasted chicken thighs go crispy, but when I cook chicken drumsticks I can never get the skin as crispy. I have tried drying the skin, salting it, but they just don't crisp up like chicken thighs do. Is it because of the shape? Any ideas?

[Xiaoxiong]

Oh and one more question - do you think there is a culture problem in a lot of top restaurant kitchens, and if so, how do we as restaurant goers make sure we are not supporting a kitchen culture behind the scenes that is poor or even abusive?

[OnPaper]

Hi Ollie,

Should different cuts of pork be treated differently to make the perfect crackling?

Many thanks.

[alwayswrighty]

Hi Ollie, are you difficult to cook for?

[SpindlesWinterWhorl]

What's the best way to make a gluten-free cheese sauce in terms of the type of flour, do you think? I've developed a gluten intolerance on top of another illness, and I don't half miss macaroni cheese! (I've found a nice g-f pasta.)

Thanks.

[SilverHairedCat]

@SpindlesWinterWhorl I can probably answer that! Have you ever used cornflour for thickening a sauce? I understand it to be gluten free.

Heat milk, put a couple of teaspoons of cornflour in a mug, add a dash of cold milk to it and stir until its a liquid mix. Add this to the hot milk and keep stirring. Add cheese etc. When it's at a thickness you like, add the cooked pasta.

I don't use measurements, it's done by eye here, but I've always used this as a quick way to make cheese sauce.

[SpindlesWinterWhorl]

@SilverHairedCat, no, I bought some gluten-free flour and it wasn't a great success! Thanks for the tip.