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Original poster

Your best cooking tips

58 replies

Lebou · 14/08/2019 12:18

I’ve just discovered that if you roast a chicken upside down you get loads more crispy skin than breast side up

Also for perfect fried eggs with fully cooked white but runny yolk, cook on a low heat with a lid on

What are yours?

OP posts:
MustardScreams · 14/08/2019 21:00

Season your food!

Adding bicarb to water when you cook spaghetti will alkalise the water and you’ll have bouncy noodles perfect for ramen.

Chill your cookie dough for 24 hours before use, makes the best chewy cookies ever.

Layer flavours to make food taste amazing. Onions, garlic, then wine/spices/dried herbs/ then meat/veg/lentils etc then stock or water or milk. Cook and at the end add bright flavours to lift food - lemon juice, vinegar, fresh herbs, creme fraiche, sugar, olive oil. Cook everything for the right amount of time.

Hard boil eggs in a steamer if you’re doing more than 3/4.

Save and freeze Parmesan rinds and add to stews/sauces for a lovely umami hit.

The best tomato sauce is: 1 onion peeled, a can of god quality chopped tomatoes and 2/3 tablespoons of butter. Simmer all together for 45/60 mins, fish out onion, season, done.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 15/08/2019 10:55

@MustardScreams I make that tomato sauce too, to die for!!

Camomila · 15/08/2019 11:15

A perfect adult portion of pasta with no weighing is 2 handfuls (if you have tiny hands like me)

A portion of rice is 1 flat ramekins worth.

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General food
BlueChampagne · 15/08/2019 12:29

Balsamic glaze is a cheap alternative to balsamic vinegar for seasoning dishes, especially vegetarian ones. And I got that tip was from an Italian!

Deathraystare · 15/08/2019 15:56

Also for perfect fried eggs with fully cooked white but runny yolk, cook on a low heat with a lid on

That made me think of my dad. After decades of avoidance (woman's work), he once managed to fry an egg and was so pleased with himself. Mum used to get him to mash the spuds as he was stronger so I used to kid him about his reciped book!!! He did not know about putting a lid on the fried egg thing. Nor did I!.

writersbeenblocked · 15/08/2019 16:08

Caramelised onion can go in pretty much anything savoury - I always thought it was strictly for cheese!

If you have strawberries that are past their best but not mouldy, blitz them up into a coulis and freeze - I'm putting some in ice cream soon.

Talking of ice cream, add a squirt of honey/golden syrup to stop ice crystals forming in it. And I've heard about putting ice cream in a ziplock bag to make it easier to scoop, but never actually tried that.

When cutting brownies, clean your knife every time you cut, it makes the squares neater (yes I know, I'm a perfectionist...)

lisbonholiday · 15/08/2019 16:16

Roast broccoli and cauliflower with oil, salt and garlic.

Boiled veg is horrible!

FelicisWolf · 15/08/2019 16:42

Knorr stock pots are the stuff of gods. Add one to pretty much anything with a sauce and it will make it taste amazing! I add one chicken and one veg stock pot to my bolognese and never looked back! DH now sulks that he can't make bolognese without them as it's just not as good Grin

BlingLoving · 15/08/2019 16:50

When making a white sauce, I disagree with the hot liquid thing. Too much faff. The secret is to a) make sure the butter/flour mixture has cooked - ie with small bubbles while you stir enthusiastically for at least 2- 3 minutes. b) take the butter/flour mixture off the heat and allow to cool slightly (30 seconds, not 5 minutes) before adding milk c) Add a small amount of milk to start and d) use a whisk to get it mixed up, adding more milk as you go. Then put back on heat to thicken and boil.

Almost everything is improved with a squeeze of lemon juice - as a seasoning it has as similar effect to salt in that it enhances and brings out flavour. particularly useful for stews and soups. Also pasta dishes.

Destinysdaughter · 15/08/2019 16:59

This is a delicious salsa which you can modify with other ingredients to make a lovely salad

Chop cherry tomatoes and red onions
Add lemon juice, chopped fresh mint and chopped sweet piquante peppers ( from a jar ) . Add salt and pepper. Yummy!

Kalim8 · 15/08/2019 17:00

Add a bit of mustard to cheese sauce to bring out the flavour.

I add oil to pasta but don't remember why - to stop it sticking maybe.

BlingLoving · 15/08/2019 17:02

@kalim8 - yes, I always do that. But I actually thought everyone did!? haha.

I thought of another one - ready made pastes (eg curries) can always be enhanced by adding some fresh versions of the ingredients. So, in my case, I am well known for doing a great Rogan Josh. I use a paste but always add additional cardomom pods and cinnamon sticks and, if making for adults, an additional chopped chilli. Completely livens up a pre-made sauce/paste.

AnneLovesGilbert · 15/08/2019 17:11

Peanut butter in homemade hummus instead of tahini.

Mustard powder in anything with cheddar cheese. Amazing stuff.

AnneLovesGilbert · 15/08/2019 17:11

Pinch of salt in chocolate brownies

writersbeenblocked · 15/08/2019 17:12

Sorry to derail, but can I ask an ice-cream related question? My standard recipe is cream, milk and sugar (plus flavourings etc). Would this work - making a ganache, using that as the cream, adding milk and everything else and sticking it in the machine? Or would it split?

Carry on!

Original poster
Lebou · 15/08/2019 18:16

Bumping for the ice cream question (I don’t know, sorry!)

All of these are brilliant and I will definitely be trying some

OP posts:
writersbeenblocked · 15/08/2019 20:52

Think I killed the thread Grin I found a proper recipe so panic over!

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 15/08/2019 20:59

Use a metal potato ricer to squeeze the water out of cooked spinach.

If you leave a wooden spoon in the saucepan with pasta, it won't boil over.

FreeButtonBee · 15/08/2019 21:17

Best time for batch cooking: Saturday mornings. Sounds mad but if your children wake early and you alternate lie ins with your DH then crack on with batchbcooking at 8am. By 9.30 you’ll be 80% done and smug as. And your Sunday morning lie in will feel sooo much better

Stravapalava · 15/08/2019 21:48

@Lebou I’ve just discovered that if you roast a chicken upside down you get loads more crispy skin than breast side up what? How did I not know this? I loooove the chicken skin. Totally trying this next time!

lisbonholiday · 15/08/2019 22:13

Don't waste olive oil by adding it to the water when you cook pasta! It just sits on the top. Pasta doesn't stick together when it's boiling (if you stir it properly once it's added)

LemonPrism · 15/08/2019 22:48

Put more salt than you think when boiling vegetables. You need to make the particles in the water put weight the particles in the veg or else the vitamins leech out of the veg to balance it.

LemonPrism · 15/08/2019 22:49

Out weigh*

LemonPrism · 15/08/2019 22:50

Oh and add a ladle of the pasta cooking. Water to the pasta sauce, it makes it glossy and coats the pasta more evenly

BrunettesDoItBetter · 16/08/2019 08:32

For extra tasty mash add a veg stock pot or cube into the boiling water