Chefs Keep Their Knives Sharp -- But Not For The Reason You'd Think!
You've probably heard that sharp knives are
safer, since you're more likely to slip up and cut yourself with a dull
blade. But you may not know what a time-saver a well-honed knife can be.
Mette Williams, executive chef at
Culina, Modern Italian
at the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, says keeping these
kitchen workhorses in their best shape means you'll be able to chop
faster and more efficiently -- which can shave significant prep time
when you're staring down a bunch of onions and veggies for a stir-fry.
Keep a knife-sharpening steel handy and use it whenever you notice your
knives are slipping on food instead of slicing through. This can be as
often as once a week if you cook a lot. Always sharpen your knife before you start to use it, it's more dangerous to use a blunt knife than a sharp one.
After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on your stainless
steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. It will remove the odor.
Store spices in a cool, dark place, not above your stove. Humidity,
light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor.
Don't want to cry when cutting an onion, DON'T CUT off the root, your eyes won't tear, also try sticking out your tongue, you may look stupid but it works.
To successfully peel the skin off a piece of ginger, soak it in water for a couple of minutes, then use a small teaspoon, its easier than a knife and goes around the edges and corners successfully.
When buying fish there are two simple rules for freshness, the fish should not look dead, the eyes should be clear like a baby's and it should not smell 'fishy'.
When cooking pasta keep about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and use in the sauce it thickens the sauce and makes it creamier, its an old Italian method.
Want to know if the oil in the pan is hot enough, put in a wooden spoon, if bubble pop up around it you're good to go.
When using oil in cooking, it should smell good, if it doesn't it won't taste good and will ruin the dish.
If you're using wine in your cooking always use a good wine, if you can't put it in your mouth you shouldn't put it in your food, simple.
Always clean as you cook, or you'll end up with a pile of dishes, garbage, which will eventually turn you off from your own cooking.
When cooking, apron on, music on, glass of wine (perhaps), focus, enjoy you time in the kitchen its calming and healing.
