To decrease the bitterness, bring out the sweetness in the carrots by cooking for longer.

The best technique I've found to do this with carrots is frying and steaming them at a low temperature.

Make glazed carrots: per 200g of carrot, peel, cut into ~2cm thick diagonal cuts and add 40g butter, a half teaspoon of sugar and season with salt and black pepper.

In a large lidded pan over a low heat, spread the carrots out in a single layer, add the lid and cook for 25-35 minutes.

Shake the pan occasionally.

Push the cooking time as long as you can without letting the carrots become overly soft.

This should give deliciously sweet fragrant carrot.

Another thing to keep in mind is that salt is better than sugar to reduce bitterness so add as much as you can without oversalting the carrots.

Make cole slaw with them, and some zucchini and parsnips, then dress with mayo, red wine vinegar and apple cidar vinegar.

Gradually add some white sugar to take the edge off of any remaining bitterness.

This palate will balance out the bitter and play it up with the sharpness of the parsnips.

Zucchini, when shredded finely and left in a mayo/vinegar dressing will soften to an almost shredded cheese texture and turn into the median flavor distracting from over bitter carrots.

I had a large bag of zucchini that was on its way out recently, and some carrots that had since passed the point of just being white and were no longer right enough to eat raw anymore.

This extended their (fridge) shelf lives in one swoop.

Some varieties are naturally high in terpenoids, which make the carrots taste bitter.

Because terpenoids develop earlier than sugars, a carrot that is harvested too young might taste bitter.

if you're growing them yourself make sure you wait a little longer before harvesting.

And if you're buying them you'll have to cook them.

I love myself some raw carrots but end up throwing out bags sometimes because they're bitter.

Goodluck.

Whatever you do, you should cook the carrots.

Carrots usually become sweeter when cooked.

And you can alter the flavor slightly by cooking in a broth, sauce, roasting with other ingredients, etc.

I'm thinking stock or compost. :)

Question: I've got a bunch of two week old carrots (kept in the fridge), peeled, and they tasted bitter (raw).  Is it normal that carrots turn bitter?  Is there a way to prevent it from happening?  Will the taste improve after cooking? (I'll cook and taste anyway)  I've looked at  this question , but the peel is said to be bitter, while these are peeled already.

What can be done with bitter carrots?

Some varieties are naturally high in terpenoids, which make the carrots taste bitter. Often cooking them will bring out the sweetness.

Some carrots are more bitter than others. Cooking them should bring out their sweetness.

Cooking the carrots should bring out their sweetness.

Some carrot varieties are more bitter than others.


I've not heard of egg shells being used that way.

I'm not sure what they would add.

The classic way of clarifying a meat stock to make it crystal clear (ie: for a consommé) is to whisk egg white (

and I know at least one chef who adds crushed up egg shell to this mix) and finely ground meat into the cold stock and then gradually heat it.

As the added ingredients cook they rise through the stock trapping all the bits that make it cloudy and the gunky 'raft' can be skimmed off the top.

Adding egg shells to a brown stock is a great way of clarifying the base.

It creates a 'raft' which helps absorbs the impurity's which would otherwise spoil your stock.

All the ends and bits of vegetables, including onion skins, etc., are the most nutritious parts of the vegetable and lend flavor to the stock.

It's great if you can save them and add them in.

As for eggshells, it's some of the most bio-available form of calcium (add a little vinegar when boiling), very similar to our own composition.

I haven't tried it yet, but will be saving my shells from now on.

It always felt a little weird to throw them out, and am excited now that I can stick it in the freezer collection bag.

A classic way to clarify stock is to stir in some beaten eggs and then bring the stock to a simmer.

The egg proteins coagulate, rise to the top, and form a sort of strainer that filters out the bits and pieces that would otherwise make the stock cloudy.

I've seen some recipes that instruct to you to break up the egg shells and mix them into the eggs before adding to the stock.

I always assumed that the shells just add bulk and structure to the egg raft, helping it to hold together and form a better filter.

If you watch the Travel Channel episode on The God of Ramen -- renown ramen soup shop in Japan -- you will see that the chef there uses the egg shells to clarify the broth.

That is all that is said about it.

You will see the egg shells floating atop the soup, which also has lots of ground pork and other ingredients simmering along with them.

When they serve the soup, they ladle it into a strainer first, so that the broth is clear.

I was told by my head chef who hails from italy that putting the shells in your stock with actually make it darker.

He said there is a specific vitamin in the shells that does this. Havent tried it yet though.

Like many other posters, I think egg shells will not change any culinary property of your stock significantly.

However I do have heard about egg shells being used by people who want to increase the nutritional value (egg shells are rich in calcium)

However I never use them since I rather go with more a pure and traditional taste.

Something for example that seems being forgotten (specially at homes) but still enhance the stock are chicken feet.

If I were making chicken stock, I would make sure that above all things, the feet are not missing.

Question: I've been making stock from vegetable scraps I've been keeping in the freezer (mainly carrots, celery, onion, tomato, and parsley). I read elsewhere that one could include egg shells in stock. Is this a good idea? How many should I include?

Should I include egg shells in my stock?

Adding eggshells to brown stock is a great way of clarifying it, but it may also make it darker. Eggshells have a lot of bio-available calcium and can add nutritional value to the stock.

Egg shells are used to clarify stock. They are high in calcium and will also make the stock darker.

Egg shells are high in calcium and add nutritional value to the stock.

The egg shells, mixed in, makes the stock darker.


Timing and precision are key.

First off, you need to boil your eggs for exactly 5 minutes, assuming they're large.

They should be at room temperature before you start, and you should let them cool afterwards.

This should result in a cooked white and a very runny yolk before you fry.

The oil you use to fry

the Scotch eggs needs to be just the right temperature - too hot and the crust will brown before the sausage is cooked, too cool and the yolk will cook solid before the crust is browned.

The oil needs to be 350F/180C; a cube of bread should take 1 minute to completely brown.

If the temperature is right the Scotch egg should take about 5 minutes to brown evenly, and you should have properly-cooked sausage and a yolk that's still runny.

The scotch egg with a runny yolk -- or other cooked eggs with yolks of various textures -- are a hallmark of some of the new molecular gastronomy chefs.

Be warned, though, that it's probably more effort than you want to go to.

Here's a couple of links to online recipes: https://www.vacmasterfresh.com/fresh-bites-blog/how-to-sous-vide-a-scotch-egg/ - cook at 68C for 15 minutes, in boiling water for 1-2, shock in ice water and chill 10-15 minutes, then peel http://benstarr.com/recipes/sous-vide-scotch-eggs/ - cook at 64C for 60 minutes, cool in a cold water bath, freeze solid, then peel http://thewhychef.com/2016/02/liquid-centre-scotch-eggs/ - soft-boil eggs (bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand 6 minutes), shock with cold water, then peel If you can find it,

the first issue of Lucky Peach includes a whole long article on egg cookery which explains the various cooking times and techniques.

Everything you try, will require trial and error.

Basically practice makes perfect, but here is a method I use: Freeze the raw egg in its shell, de-shell the frozen raw egg and wrap the sausage meat around it whilst it is still frozen.

This can be difficult as the egg's albumen defrosts quickly.

Coat in flour, egg and breadcrumb.

Fry till the scotch egg floats and the crumb is a deep golden brown.

It's the only way I know that gives a soft runny yolk every time.

(This is more or less an addition to ElendilTheTall's answer, but it's too long to fit into a comment.)

My experience with eggs is that "let them cool afterwards" won't fully do the trick, since the egg yolk will simply continue to cook from the heat left in the egg.

To prevent that, after boiling for five minutes, you need to cool them down quickly by putting them under running cold water.

This stops the cooking process, and when deep-frying later on, they will just heat through, but the yolk will stay runny and not start to set anymore.

See also here in section "Cooling".

For a recipe, see here for an example.

When this was broadcast (last month I think), there was a lot more emphasis in the programme on how important it was to cool the eggs than the sentence Drain and cool the eggs under cold running water suggests.

The easiest way to create a runny center is not to use a boiled egg, but a poached.

Use cling film and a small bowl, place your egg and wrap it in the cling film and tie it off.

Cook your poached egg for 2 minutes.

let it cool and snip away the cling film.

place the egg in the freezer and allow it to set.

The egg is only half cooked at this stage.

Wrap your egg in sausage meat and breadcrumbs and deep fry for around 4 minutes.

You will have a perfect runny center and a treat!

I make them by the dozen myself.

I gently put the egg into boiling water for 4 minutes then straight to an ice bath for about 10 minutes.

once chilled gently crack the shell all the way around the center and put back into ice water or 5-10 minutes then peel.

Wrap in thinly pressed sausage and directly into breading and refrigerate.

I cook at 300 degrees for 5 and a half minutes.

No complaints so far.

Not really too hard or too time consuming once you get the hang of it.

Question: I ate a scotch egg at  thebreslin.com  in New York City.  The dish was clearly cooked fresh and the yolk of the egg was still runny when I cut into it.  It was pretty amazing.  My question - how can I get the yolk to stay runny? Scotch eggs are pretty easy to make with hard-boiled eggs - but soft-boiled?  Is it just a timing thing?

How can I create a scotch egg with a runny yolk?

Boil the eggs for five minutes before cooling them quickly in an ice bath or under running water. Another option is to freeze the raw egg, de-shell it and then wrap sausage meat around it while it is still frozen.

You can try soft boiling the egg and the immediately submerging in ice water. You can also try freezing the egg and assembling while frozen.

Boil the egg till soft boiled then put in an ice bath to stop cooking.

Freeze the raw egg, peel it and wrap the sausage meat around while the egg while still frozen.


In addition to what Jason says above, which is absolutely correct, nori needs to be toasted to be crispy.

Sometimes you buy it ready-toasted, but sometimes it's not toasted and you need to toast it over an open flame yourself.

How to toast nori instructions and video .

Additionally, I've found that if you live somewhere high-humidity (like San Francisco, where I live), you sometimes need to re-toast nori even if you're buying ready-toasted packets, because it becomes moist.

Don't wait too long to eat it.

I'm assuming you're talking about rolls, or makimono, rather than nigiri-zushi.

Anyway, assuming the nori was reasonably freshly opened and crispy when you started, that's the main risk you have: within minutes of preparing makimono, the moisture of the rice will quickly transfer to the dry laver.

The faster you eat it, the less likely it is to become mushy and chewy.

In the convenience stores in Japan, onigiri, which are, like makimono, also wrapped in nori, are now usually wrapped in a special plastic pouch.

If you follow the directions, you can wrap the onigiri with the nori in one motion while you peel off the plastic.

This lets you enjoy the crispy texture when you're ready to eat, which is the one advantage convenience store onigiri have over bringing mom's with you.

If you make the onigiri at home, you'll usually end up with moist, slightly chewy nori when you're finally ready to eat.

As everyone has said, assuming the nori is dry enough to begin with, the problem is moisture getting into the nori from the rice.

But the problem might not be just moisture transferring because you let it sit too long, but rather that the rice itself is too moist.

The drying step in making sushi rice is critical, and if you under-dry your rice, you'll have problems.

Especially if your rice is pretty sticky, you may want to try drying it further.

From a great Serious Eats article about making the rice: If all goes well, your sumeshi should come out slightly sweet and tart, full of distinct grains, and have a texture that holds together when compressed, but is not overly sticky.

To further the answers already given: Nori starts becoming chewy as soon as rice is applied to it since the rice has moisture thus you want to minimize the time between rice-on-nori to maki-in-mouth.

Besides toasting the nori and consuming the maki roll as soon as possible after producing it, I would recommend one step between those two: Mise-en-place; not only should you have all your materials/tools/ingredients at the ready, you should have each makimono filling pre-assembled BEFORE applying the rice.

For example, if you have a roll with multiple ingredients in the filling gather enough fillings for a single roll in one pile so it can all be added to the roll all at once.

Also make sure that you have a clean and dry area for assembling, cutting, and plating the maki roll.

Again, keep moisture away from the nori as much as possible.

Nori is like anything, the more you pay the better the quality.

The better the quality, means its usually a bit thinner and consumes better.

Cheap seaweed will be a bit thicker and once the moisture gets in it, will be chewy.

Generally, the Japanese seaweed is much better than chinese made seaweed, but as its about 4 times the price, most supermarkets only stock chinese.

They figure people wont know any better....

They may be right.

Also consume within a few minutes of making and the taste experience will be so much better.

I use a propane blowtorch to crisp up my sushi.

If you try this, expect to ruin a few sushi rolls before you get it right.

Question: When we make home-made sushi, we often find that the seaweed wrapping (or nori) is too chewy.  The seaweed we buy is from the local supermarket, and nothing fancy.   Question : How can we ensure that the seaweed is not too chewy?

How does one stop sushi seaweed wrapping being too chewy?

Nori needs to be toasted to be crispy, and will be sold pre-toasted or will need to be toasted over an open flame. The quality of more expensive brands will be better, but in all cases the nori will lose its crispiness soon after coming in contact with the moist rice.

Eat the sushi as the rice soaks into the nori very quickly and makes it chewy.

Eat it quickly after making because the moisture from the rice soaks into the nori. Your rice may be too moist.

Try a propane blowtorch to crisp up the sushi.


Use-by dates are set as the very minimum time that the product in question will be good for, provided that it is stored properly.

In addition, and as a general rule, because Parmesan is a dry, hard cheese, with very low water content, the use-by date is almost always far shorter than the actual time that the cheese will be good for, again, provided proper storage.

By "parmesan sprinkle cheese", I assume you are referring to the ones that come in a parmesan-wheel shaped box, such as this: Their shelf life is far longer than their expiry date, and I would not be worried about using it beyond that date.

However, for those boxes, most manufacturers tend to use the youngest cheese possible (for Parmesan this means 12 months), meaning it has not had as much time to age (some parmesan is aged for as long as 36 months, and some manufacturers age it for even longer than that), meaning that there isn't much flavor in it.

Personally, I stopped using the boxes a few years back, when I realized that I used far more than I would if I simply used a grater and a piece of parmesan, meaning that it I spend less (if memory serves, I calculated the annual savings to something like 300 Norwegian Kroner/50 US Dollar) on parmesan, getting more, and I think better, flavor from it.

It should be noted that my family uses a LOT of parmesan (depending on how often we have guests, we go through anywhere from 1/4 kg to 1 kg per month), so the savings argument may not hold true for you.

It lasts a long while as long as it's stored properly.

I use mine up too fast to have a problem.

You may want to freeze half

so you don't end up wasting it.

It freezes very well.

Hard cheeses naturally contain a lot of salt.

I buy the store brand and it contains no preservatives, just cheese and cellulose as a non-caking agent.

Cans of cheese sprinkles are made to be shelf-stable for a longer time than fresh or block cheese (often, this is because the sprinkles are not made with real cheese -- or, if they are, then they also contain a lot of preservatives).

The sprinkles should be safe to eat at least through their expiration date if stored properly.

That said, any fat in the sprinkles can go rancid and mold can take hold well before the expiration date.

If the contents of the can smell bad or the color of the sprinkle changes, don't take any chances; the cost of replacing the can is far lower than the cost of sickness.

Kraft's website says they pasteurize or heat treat all their cheeses to kill bacteria and they are confident they are safe to eat.

That includes their Kraft Parmesan grated cheese in the shaker container sold in the unrefrigerated aisle.

Some brands I've seen don't say on the bottle "refrigerate after opening."

Kraft does for legal protection, just to be safe from lawsuits because if you live in a very hot and humid climate (like Florida where I am), the opened container will absorb more moisture from the air and will begin to degrade sooner, also because of the heat.

Hard Parmesan cheese was first mentioned in the literature in the fourteenth century, obviousy long before refrigerators were invented.

So, as far as Kraft pre-grated cheese is concerned, any bacteria would have to come from an external source to begin to cause a problem, as the company claims it is sold bacteria free.

The cooler temperature helps keep the flavor fresh.

The rule with hard cheeses is you don't want to eat the moldy bits.

This is easy to avoid when the cheese is in a block because you can just cut the moldy part off.

With already ground cheese, the whole can is suspect the second you see any mold at all.

That said, the agreed upon time is 3 months past the date on the package .

I've used the cheese for longer than that myself

but I can't recommend doing so.

Gee, I just used mine about a month or so back and am using it again today; it's Kraft Parmesan Romano blend, its' expiration was June 2011.

It was refrigerated and had no odor, bad taste or odd coloring going on.

Question: My boyfriend says parmesan sprinkle cheese is bad because it has been in the refrigerator for a long time. But I still use it long past it's date and don't seem to have any problems with it. What do you think?

How long does parmesan sprinkle cheese last in the refrigerator?

Use-by dates are the minimum estimated time that properly stored food will be good, and in the case of hard parmesan, the actual usable time will be much longer. Parmesan has existed far longer than refrigerators, and cheese sprinkles are often treated and preserved to increase their shelf life.

While parmesan is an aged cheese that will last for a long time, 3 months past the use by date is probably the limit.

Parmesan will last for a lot longer than it's use by date.

3 months past it's date is probably the limit.


I have only seen it used in dahl dishes, presumably because of it's claimed digestive properties.

Asafoetida is incredibly pungent; anything more than a pinch seems too much and unpleasant.

I think of it as a flavour-enhancer, a natural, Indian MSG rather than a spice in the normal sense.

It makes your mouth water quite intensely and seems to stimulate the savory tatse buds (umami).

This is lovely when done subtley and kept in the background.

Therefore, I suspect you could add small pinches to all kinds of savoury food.

It goes well in just about any kind of curry-based dish in the styles of the Indian subcontinent, from Sri Lankan mutton rolls to biryani to traditional curries.

I've never seen it in tandoor-based dishes, but I don't get out much.

In the recipes I've seen (and made)

it goes mostly in dahls and other dishes that cook relatively slowly.

I think it usually goes in about the same time you would put fenugreek in: After the vegetables and some water are already in the pot, not directly into the oil like cumin.

For a good flavor, use it in yellow dals.

I used to have a recipe for a Pakistani curry gravy that was heavy on the hing (asfoetida).

This was from a restaurant that used it as their base for many of their curry dishes.

Googling has failed to turn up any hits that look right

but I do get more and better hits by googling on hing than asafoetida.

Asafoetida or Heeng as known in Northern India should be used in lentils or any dish that has beans as its main ingredients.

Its anti flatulent but has strong odour, hence use with beans :-).

We use it mainly in lentils or Dals.

I remember its being part of South Indian pickle recipes as well.

Its must have in kitchen

You can use it in any dish as an alternative to garlic (but in smaller quantities).

To be honest though, I haven't been able to find a dish which indeed tastes better with asafoetida than with garlic. :)

Asafoetida is used by some Indian religious groups as a substitution for onion.

Unless you have a religious aversion to onion I would discourage this practice.

It is exceptionally pungent and has an onion-like aroma.

Recipes will call for as little as 1/8 tsp to flavor an entire pot.

The only application that I have found that I like it is in lemon pickles.

In that case I don't want chunks of onion and I want the flavor subtly and evenly distributed through the jar.

Asafoetida is a digestive aid or specifically anti-flatulence.

So you'd predominantly use it in vegetable, lentil and bean dishes.

It adds little in terms of flavour and like turmeric is used mainly for its digestive qualities.

A Rogon Josh curry recipe I have calls for the meat to be marinated in a mixture of yoghurt and a half teaspoon of asafoetida.

I have tried the recipe both with and without and there is definitely something different, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Question: I have heard about the medical benefits of  Asafoetida .   I used it once in  Brinjals  (which while cooking contained only  Ginger  powder,  Fennel  powder, salt and  red chilli  powder). The addition of  Asafoetida  resulted in the diluted flavor of the remaining spices in  Brinjal  curry.  In which kind of foods does it make sense to use  Asafoetida ?

In which kind of food items can Asafoetida be used?

Asafoetida is a digestive aid, or specifically anti-flatulent. It is mostly used in dahls and other dishes where lentils or beans are the main ingredient.

It is generally used with beans and lentils as it aids digestion.

It has digestive properties and is generally used with beans and lentils.

Use a small pinch in all kinds of savory dishes. It works like a flavor enhancer.

It can be a good substitution for onions.


Yes, you can.

In fact, this is a specific technique known as a " coffee toddy " which is a good way to take liquid coffee camping with you if you don't want to take brewing equipment.

Some people even prefer coffee made this way to other methods of brewing.

Yes.

Coffee gets its flavor from a number of compounds such as oils, which can break down at high temperatures.

But this takes time.

As long as you drink the coffee before it gets stale, heating it should be fine. Also, caffeine is quite stable at hot-coffee temperatures.

Heating didnt work for me.

I tried this today.

Yesterday I soaked a tsp of illy in water for 24 hrs.

It came up quite good.

Not very bitter.

I filtered it and heated it on very low heat, (a setting of 3 out of 6 on my hot plate) until it started to give off a little steam.

Now it felt quite bitter on tasting.

I always make my hot coffee in a moka on this temprature and its doesnt burn, So I dont think I burnt my cold brew

My experience of heating coffee in a microwave is very negative, although I cannot explain the mechanism for it turning out so awful.

It may be the effect of the hot coffee cooling down, rather than the effect of the reheating.

We've all experienced coffee that's been sat on the hotplate for too long; bitter and acrid.

You risk this "burning" effect if you heat cold coffee on a hotplate.

Cold press coffee is generally brewed very strong indeed; about twice as strong as espresso.

Hence you can add boiling water at a ratio of, say, 3:1 and have an acceptably warm cup of coffee - and this is what people usually do.

If you want to microwave for extra heat, just microwave the full-strength cold-brew for 10 seconds or so, before adding water from the kettle.

Cold brewing and storing in the fridge can be done with an Aeropress without loosing flavor.

This thread talks about both cold brewing and keeping it in the fridge: http://coffeegeek.com/forums/coffee/machines/432108

Question: Apparently keeping coffee hot and reheating it both lead to bad flavors:  How can I reheat coffee without imparting bad flavor?  Why does coffee taste awful after reheating it in a microwave oven?  However, can you cold-brew coffee and then heat it (microwave or other) without ruining the flavors?  If so, why?

Can cold-brew coffee be heated? Why?

This technique is called a 'coffee toddy' and is good for camping without coffee making equipment. The coffee and caffeine in it are not harmed by the heating process. Cold press coffee is generally brewed very strong indeed; about twice as strong as espresso, so you can heat it in the microwave for a few seconds before adding hot water.

If you want to heat up cold brew, then microwave it and add boiling water to dilute.

The coffee toddy is a technique for reheating coffee when camping.

Cold press coffee is much stronger than hot coffee. You can microwave then add boiling water to dilute it to the correct strength.


You can put things in the cavity to help flavor the chicken as well.

A bundle of fresh herbs, garlic, an onion, fresh fruit, etc.

Stuffing from a cavity is divine though, don't knock it until you've tried it!

IMO you should only use herbs some onion and fresh fruit as others have stated.

Anything that is bread based must heat to 160 to be safe to eat after the fact which means by that time your chicken will be likely 170 and dry.

If you insist on a proper stuffing then pull your chicken at 160 then remove the stuffing and put it back in the oven till it's 160

The stuffing doesn't add much flavor to the chicken, so no.

If I even bother making stuffing, I like to cook the it in a separate pan.

I usually have better luck getting the stuffing to a safe temperature without overcooking the meat, and it doesn't get as greasy.

It also lets me get plenty of crispy brown bits on the top of the stuffing, which you really don't get if you cook it in a bird.

I often use fat drained off of drippings from a previous roast chicken to cook the veg for the stuffing, and I use homemade, concentrated chicken stock (made from the carcasses of previous roast chickens), which I think gives the stuffing just as much chicken-y flavor as cooking it inside the chicken.

You can put other things into the bird to improve flavor if you're worried about it being bland.

I like to season with salt and pepper inside and out.

That's all you need if you have a really good chicken, but sometimes I'll cram half a lemon, half an onion, a couple cloves of garlic that I've bashed with the side of a knife to crack them open a bit, and some fresh herbs inside to play with the flavors.

This is an odd kind of answer to the question that you're not exactly asking; If you're interested in stuffing the bird, and consuming the stuffing, but not interested in the yuck of unstuffing the thing, you could fill an improvised food-grade net (i.e. cheesecloth, muslin wort/hop bag, grain sock, etc) that would be permeable AND allow for you to remove the stuffing more easily.

In this way, you get all the benefits of the stuffing flavoring the bird, you get a side dish, and both the act of stuffing and unstuffing will leave your hands reasonably clean.

I'd cook the stuffing separately; much easier to get both to the ideal temperature that way.

You do not want to serve overcooked chicken, and you must not serve undercooked chicken or undercooked stuffing exposed to raw chicken.

I'd suggest brining your chicken (in a brine containing herbs, garlic, onion).

Keep in mind that most of the herb flavor will stay in the brine, only a small amount will migrate into the bird; that is, if you taste the brine (before adding the chicken, obviously), it should taste of way too much salt, and also way too much of whichever herbs you used.

If you're going to roast the chicken with high heat, you'll want to have little if any sugar in the brine.

5% or so salt (by weight vs. the water), maybe 1% sugar.

Look up some chicken brine recipes to find some good flavor combinations.

Cool the brine before adding the chicken (easy way:

make it double-strength, and dilute 50% by weight using ice).

Brine for around 12 hours (in the fridge); rinse and dry the chicken as well as you can with paper towels; return to the fridge, uncovered, for an hour or so (to continue drying); then roast.

And, most importantly, do not overcook the chicken .

The brining gives you some leeway here, the goal is 165°F for the breast and 175°F for the legs.

If you make gravy or pan sauce, the drippings from a brined bird will be fairly salty; don't add additional salt without tasting, use unsalted butter in the roux (and have some low-sodium chicken stock on hand should you need to dilute to reduce saltyness).

Note that the stuffing goes into the neck end, filling the flap of skin there, not the body cavity.

If you were to put stuffing into the body cavity, you would end up with a greasy, sloppy mess, and it would indeed be gross.

Stuff

the neck end, and you're likely to find it more appetising than you're expecting.

The stuffing does impart some flavour to the meat, but it doesn't penetrate very far from where the stuffing is.

Stuffing does mean there's more mass to heat up, and impedes the transfer of heat into part of the chicken, so you need to take that into account when deciding how long to cook for.

I don't know what company you'll have, or how much emphasis your culture puts upon Christmas dinner --

but I think it's pretty bold to try anything for the first time on Christmas day.

On that basis, I'd suggest making things as simple as possible, and that means not stuffing the chicken; try that another weekend.

Some form of stuffing is a Christmas dinner essential though.

Use packet mix and cook it in a separate tray.

Question: I'm planning to cook a regular chicken on Sunday and I thought that I should probably try to season it somehow. I've never tried to cook a chicken before (first Christmas dinner as an adult obv!). I thought about stuffing it, but scooping out the stuffing after to eat seems a bit gross to me. Will the stuffing itself impart flavour to the chicken meat?

Is there a point in stuffing a chicken if I'm not planning on eating the stuffing part?

Stuffing is worth trying, although it does not add a lot of flavour to the meat. If you are put off by the thought of removing it, you could put it in a muslin bag or bake it next to the chicken to make it easier for both to reach the right temperature. However, you can also fill the cavity with herbs, lemon, onion, garlic and other things to improve flavour.

You can put lemon and garlic in the cavity and then make stuffing separately.

You can put lemon and garlic in the cavity for flavour instead of stuffing.

Stuffing from the cavity is delicious but doesn't add much flavour to the chicken. If you're worried about getting it wrong, cook the stuffin separately from a packet mix.

Try putting the stuffing in the cavity in an ovenproof bag that you just have to pull out when it's ready.

Try brining the chicken to make it extra juicy.


You cannot make good hummus from canned chickpeas, you should make it from fresh dried beans

The beans need plenty of soaking and rinsing When cooking, add one tsp of baking soda per cup of beans.

Baking soda chemically softens the bean proteins.

Never add salt or other flavourings during the bean cooking stage Traditional hummus is somewhat coarse, but very soft (due to baking soda).

It is made with a minimal amount of olive oil, but drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkle of cooked, and still warm chick peas when served Restaurant hummus is often just over processed junk made in a factory with a commercial grinder (like a peanut butter grinder) Also, see

How should I prepare dried chickpeas?

if your chickpeas never go soft

I make hummus often, too, and I've used an immersion blender, mini food processor, and blender.

The secret to getting a smooth hummus, regardless of the tool, is using plenty of olive oil but adding a small amount of water to make it easy to blend thoroughly.

I use about 1/4 - 1/3 cup of olive oil per batch (with one 16-oz.

can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained), and add a splash of water at a time while blending, until I achieve the desired consistency.

(The other wet ingredients I use are about 3 tablespoons of tahini and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.)

Since you didn't post your recipe, I'm not sure what your ingredients are, but

if adding water makes your hummus too watery, I'd try increasing the amount of oil.

In addition to TFD's answer, I'd like to add that I use an indian food grinder , rather than a food processor or blender, to puree dips like hummus and baba ganouj.

It does a vastly better job than a food processor does.

Sorry, canned garbanzos can work too.

Drain the beans, put in a blender or food processor with a small amount of chicken stock or liquid from a can.

Season with salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, and cumin to taste.

Blend till smooth and serve in a bowl with drizzle of olive oil.

Easy and yum.

The coarse paste texture suggest that the hummus does not have enough moisture.

You can correct that situation either by adding more olive oil or adding more water.

Oil will add more flavor, but water will make for a more healthful result.

I tend to compromise by adding the amount of olive oil called for in the recipe, then drizzling in water a little at a time until I get the consistency I want.

I'd suggest soaking the hummus overnight with a very small amount of bicarb soda (maybe a 1/4 teaspoon), adding the same amount when cooking.

If you can be bothered peel the skin and grind when the chickpeas are still warm.

For a whiter hummus, blend the tahini and lemon juice first before adding the other ingredients.

Reserve some of the cooking fluid and add it in if required to achieve a smooth paste.

You shouldn't need to add any olive oil to the hummus, it's traditionally drizzled on top, not added to the mix.

I feel that machine blending adds much air and 'fluffiness' to hummous and should be kept to a minimum by thorough cooking.

The goal should be whole yet completely tender beans.

Slow cooking in slightly alkaline water, as suggested above with soda, gives best results.

Slowing the soaking by using cold water overnight in fridge often helps prevent splitting and exploding.

Sieving out hard bits after blending is time-consuming but will give that extra smoothness.

If there are still troubles, you're not crazy: different crops and storage time all affect results.

The complicated chemistry of beans keeps food scientists busy!

Try a different batch.

Sorry to all the purists, but the best trick is to mix equal amount chickpeas and a small white bean like navy beans.

The taste is not noticeably different, but much, much smoother.

Question: I make Hummus quite often, and use my food processor to chop the chickpeas. This yields a sort of coarse paste, which is a little better if I peel the chickpeas first. Adding liquid to the mixture doesn't seem to help much, but only leads to watered down Hummus.  I would like to get a much smoother paste, that resembles restaurant Hummus more closely. How can this smoother paste be achieved?

How to get a smooth paste from ground chickpeas?

You need to use fresh dried beans rather than canned chickpeas to make hummus, and you can use about 1/4 teaspoon of baking soada when soaking to soften the proteins. Adding the right amounts of olive oil and water will give you a smooth hummus, and one trick is to mix the chickpeas with navy beans or similar.

Try using olive oil rather than water. You can also add some baking soda when soaking the chickpeas.

You should use dried beans and some baking soda or bicarb.

Try adding navy beans as well as chickpeas.


One technique, but not the only, is velveting.

Here the meat is tenderized in an egg-white/cornstarch mixture for 20+ minutes, then cooked briefly (a minute) in oil or simmering water with a small amount of oil prior to using in stir fries.

I've never velveted in straight oil but water/oil

definitely gives the chicken

that smoothness that Chinese Restaurants obtain and the shorter stir

fry

cooking time makes it much more tender.

Super thin slicing (you'll need to cut the meat semi-frozen to get such thin slices), plus cutting across the grain also lead to tenderness.

Baking soda (Sodium bicarbonate).

If you find the meat has a spongy texture aside from being very tender, then very likely the restaurant put baking soda (Sodium bicarbonate) in the marinade.

The sodium in baking soda chemically reacts with the meat and make the meat very tender and soft.

Below is an except from the cooking section in Sodium bicarbonate (Wikipedia) : Sodium bicarbonate was sometimes used in cooking vegetables, to make them softer, although this has gone out of fashion, as most people now prefer firmer vegetables that contain more nutrients.

However, it is still used in Asian cuisine to tenderise meats.

Baking soda may react with acids in food, including Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid).

It is also used in breadings such as for fried foods to enhance crispness.

Personally I found the meat too soft and would prefer if they can just marinate in oyster sauce or soy sauce with some oil - acids also has a tenderizing effect on meat, although not to the extend of baking soda.

Here is my "a-bit-late" stab at the answer.

Besides velveting the meat prior cooking, the meat in restaurants may be marinated with chemical meat tenderizers.

The active ingredients are usually papain or bromelain , which are enzymes extracted from fruits.

I believe it is their suppliers rather than their techniques which are decisive.

You may not want to know what 'restaurant quality' pre-portioned meat-units look like.

In order to be tender and juicy, a great deal of added water is bound into the product with dubious adulterants -ah, additives.

This is all generally legal and safe.

Some exceptions: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/chicken-injected-with-beef-waste-sold-in-uk-1696407.html

How the animal is raised makes a big difference: here in Beijing hormones are routinely added to pig-feed to fatten up an animal quickly without it over-developing muscles.

So, if you really want to know why their meat is so tender, ask for the names of their suppliers or, better yet, some of the packaging to investigate for yourself.

Marinate the meat with pureed fresh ginger in your marinade.

It will make it fall apart if allowed to sit for a few hours in the fridge.

Corn starch slurries are just so you get that gloss and thickening to the sauce when you are doing the stirfry.

Don't know of anyone that uses baking soda though I wouldn't rule it out.

Water and corn starch slurry.

I talked to some of my Chinese food experts...

i.e. moms.

They actually suggest using a water and corn starch slurry.

They would add this slurry to the meat, whether it is chicken, beef, or pork, and let it sit for a little while before cooking.

(One downside of this potentially is that it may thicken the sauce or liquid that your dish contains as this slurry is also used to thicken sauces and gravies.)

you can put a little vinegar and rub them properly for about 2 minsi always cook meat like that, they are tender and delicious, you can have a try.

Corn starch seals the meat and keeps the beef tender even without tenderizer.

High heat short cooking, of course.

Question: I eat at a lot of Chinese restaurants now and also while growing up. I often wondered how is it that the chicken, pork, and beef in dishes are always so tender. I can never replicate it when I cook.What do the Chinese chefs use to tenderize their meat?

How do Chinese restaurants tenderize their meat?

Slicing semi-frozen meat very thinly and across the grain makes it more tender, while velveting it with corn starch is a common technique. Other options include baking soda, chemical meat tenderisers and marinading with ginger.

Slice the meat very thinly, marinate it with pureed fresh ginger. You can also add baking soda or corn starch.

Add baking soda or corn starch to make the beef tender.

You can velvetize the meat or marinate it with pureed fresh ginger.


Leeks can provide some of the same flavors as onions, but the flavors are lower intensity than onions.

With the exception of dishes with "onion" in their names, more often than not you can omit onion as an ingredient.

My advice would be to first try leaving the onion out entirely, see how the dish is.

If it is missing something, then experiment with: Onion powder

: see how much you can get away with before your audience notices.

Garlic: add more to compensate.

Shallots and other onion-like vegetation

: give it a try to see how that goes over.

It is going to require some experiment and trial & (lots of) error on your part, but you should be able to strike a nice balance in a few attempts.

In India, some Brahmin caste cooks and Jains aren't allowed to use onions or garlic in their cooking, and so they substitute Asafoetida spice instead.

I can't stand onions due to texture issues unless very finely chopped, but I find that shallots have similar effects on the flavor of many foods.

In addition to the other suggestions such as shallots, garlic, or green onions, another avenue to explore would be using a sweet yellow onion instead of a white onion or purple onion.

Their flavor is a bit milder and may be more palatable compared to a white onion, though if texture is the primary problem, grinding the onion up in a food processor until it is finely chopped may be a better choice.

You may cut the stem of some vegetables in thin slice (e.g. reddish, Chinese vegetables with long rod-like stem).

They feel like onion when you chew them but taste like normal green.

Question: I love onions; however, someone that I cook for does not.  Absolutely hates them and can tell whenever they are in the dish.   That said, so many recipes call for onion to be added. What can I use instead that would have a similar but less intense/noticeable effect?

What can I substitute for onions?

Some vegetables like leeks, garlic, shallots or green onions have similar flavours, or you could try using a sweet yellow onion rather than red or white. You could also try omiting the onion entirely, or substituting with Asafoetida spice.

You can use other ingredients like leeks or shallots instead. You can also try Asafoetida spice or leave out the onions altogether.

Leeks, garlic and shallots can be used instead of onions. You can also use a sweeter onion instead or more garlic.


It is possible to use a rice cooker to prepare rice from boxes but it is not optimal.

These box rices typically call for the mixture to be first browned in butter before adding water and flavoring because it is not all rice.

There are bits of pasta in the mixture too.

The rice cooker is able to cook it but the result probably will not be as good.

It is very possible to flavor white rice with seasoning.

I often like to flavor my rice if I plan on making fried rice or if I am lazy and don't feel like making anything but rice.

If you want to imitate a specific flavor, you need to first find out exactly what that flavour is and put that seasoning in the water that cook the rice.

Often though there might be some flavors that can't be added until afterwards.

Such as the cheese flavored rice

you mentioned.

Cheese and rice cookers don't mix.

You would make the rice then later add a cheese sauce that you made.

Please note that one main difference that might occur is slight difference in moisture content.

From the box rice I've made on the stove in the past, I know it is a bit more "wet" than rice made from a rice cooker.

In my answer here , I explained how a rice cooker works.

Essentially it will continue to cook until all the water has boiled away.

I ran across this post while looking to see if it could be done and, truth be told, I couldn't find much.

So, I took a flying leap and tried it myself, with great results!

Here is what I did:

I have a box of store brand beef rice & vermicelli (6.8 oz box)

andI followed the microwave directions at first:

In a round ( for even cooking ) 2-quart microwaveable glass casserole dish ( because some plastic isn't microwave safe and most metal isn't ) combine the rice/vermicelli mix with 2 tablespoons of butter/margarine ( DO NOT USE SOMETHING WITH LESS THAN 56% FAT OR YOUR FOOD

WILL BE GUMMY.

Learned this the hard way. )

and microwave on high for 1 minute.

Stir butter and rice well, then cook for another 1-2 minutes, until the vermicelli is a light brown.

(IN AN 1100 WATT MICROWAVE DO NOT COOK FOR MORE THAN 1 MINUTE OR THE VERMICELLI WILL BURN)

This is where I went "off box": Place in rice cooker, flatten on bottom before -gently- (gently because if you pour fast the rice gets kicked up and you can't see how much water to use)

adding 1 inch of water over the top of it.

(People usually mention the first knuckle on their pointer finger as a guide, but if you're shorter, like me, or taller than average this "measurement" is useless since your knuckle will be less or more than an inch from the tip of your finger.) After adding the water, gently stir in the seasoning packet, then cover and cook as usual.

(My cooker only has one setting, so if yours has multiple, set it for white rice.)

Came out just as good as from the stove top! =D

I used chicken flavor Rice-a-Roni.

I have a small Rival rice cooker.

I browned the rice mix in 2 tablespoons lower fat margarine like the package says.

I scraped the rice mix into the rice cooker, added 2 cups of water (not 2 and a half like the package says) and the contents of the seasoning packet.

Gave it a good stir and turned it to "cook".

That's all.

It was perfectly fluffy, not mushy at all.

It stayed nice and warm until the rest of my dinner was ready to eat.

I would say you can do it, but it wouldn't be advised.

The seasoning from flavored rice out of a box would change how the rice interacted with the water.

You might end up with dry rice, or even soggy rice.

If you are set on doing it, I would suggest a few test runs and seeing what works best

I have read the other answers and thought I would try it for myself with Uncle Ben's Natural Select flavored rice.

It turned out fantastic.

I attempted Knorr Chicken Fried Rice.

Mixed using the recommended microwave instructions and placed in cooker.

Let it run it's cycle

- took just over 30 minutes so significant time addition.

Perhaps the pasta included in this side resulted in a moderate amount of sticking on the bottom of the cooker.

The stuck material wasn't too difficult to remove and had a crunchy not quite burnt texture that I found rather tasty.

Unsure

if I will try this again - microwave is almost as mindless and less than half the time.

Question: Can I use a rice cooker to prepare something like Rice-A-Roni's  Four Cheese rice ?  Or what about the Uncle Ben rice boxes?  If not, is there a way to get something that tastes similar without using the boxes?

Can I use a rice cooker with flavored rice boxes?

These box rices are not pure rice, and often require browning before adding water. Cheese is also not a good ingredient to use in rice cookers, but you may be able to cook box rice with an inferior result.

You can cook the packet mix in the rice cooker but the result won't be as good.

Cheese and rice cookers don't mix. The mix should be browned in butter first.

This is possible in a rice cooker but the result will not be as good.


You can buy really large filters for this purpose.

It's how some restaurants filter their fry oil on the cheap.

We had two conical strainers and put the huge coffee-like filter between the two so it wouldn't slip down as much, also so we could skim out the large bits easier.

If you have a laddle you can sorta force it through faster by agitating in a plunger like motion but be careful the oil isn't too hot because it will splash at you.

Places that do alot of frying have a machine that will filter the oil while still really hot and pump it back into the fryer.

For home use I use coffee filters, the biggest I can find, and have a plastic 4 litre storage tub for holding the oil.

It takes awhile for it to pass but it keeps it cleaner than a cheese cloth I find.

The more particals you filter out the longer the oil will last before you have to toss it in your diesel truck

Try straining it through tights.

That's what my dad used to do when he ran a chip van.

just take a netted cloth with small pores and strain the oil

Put an ankle high white cotton sock in a bowl with water and microwave to a boil to sanitize.

Carefully remove sock and hang to air dry completely.

Stretch the DRY sock over a gallon jar (4"+- mason jar type) and secure with a couple of rubber bands around the rim.

Yep, strains it in no time.

I use an old coffee can for the paper towels, sock etc.

Put on the top and throw away.

Say "yuk" if you want but it works, it's sanitary and most importantly for me, SIMPLE.

I use a cheesecloth and a mesh strainer on top of the funnel, and just pour slowly to avoid messes.

Carbon Range Hood Filter $10-$15.00.I drain my 2 gallon deep fryer into original oil bottles.

Next I rinse and wash the deep fryer with hot water.

Then I place a metal mesh/carbon filter on the fryer and pour the oil through it quickly and easily.

Then wash the grease filter in my dishwasher after rinsing with hot water.

I bought the Chef's Planet Multipurpose Filter Funnel.

It is the best filtering system I have ever used.

Will clean over 1 gal of oil in less than 5 minutes with no mess.

When finished, throw it in dishwasher

and it's done.

Is also great for straining stocks.

I use a fine mesh metal sieve with a paper towel lining it.

I pour into a gallon glass measuring bowl to cool and then into mason jars.

In a pinch, I have also used a clean flour sifter.

Mine almost fits in the mouth of the mason jar, so I have to be careful not to make a mess.

For some reason, Sunflower oil behaves really well when handled this way, and resists going rancid when I am frying vegetable chips and french fries.

It seems to last longer than Soy oil.

Maybe it's just me

I filter oil through a piece of paper kitchen roll.

It's much finer than a strainer and cheaper than a coffee filter (or my wife's tights!).

Place the kitchen roll in a mesh strainer to support it and prevent tearing when you pour on the oil.

I use a nylon cloth meant to go over pool skimmer baskets.

They are called "Filter Savers"

They are strong, reusable, and can be purchased in most swimming pool equipment stores or online.

I know the question is old.

But I don't see this answer there.

I recently bought a deep fryer, and wanted to strain & reuse oil after cooking chicken with flour breading.

To strain it, I used a simple funnel, cheese cloth, and binder clips.

The binder clips secured the cheese cloth to the top of the funnel.

I doubled the cheese cloth.

The outcome?

The strained oil had a used appearance (Not crystal clear) but there was no sediment in the strained oil.

And it was fast.

My first attempt was with paper filtering in the funnel.

Which was not exactly fast.

A high capacity fryer was completed in less than five minutes.

Four yards of cheese cloth cost less than seven dollars.

Question: What is the easiest way to strain fry oil?  I strain fry oil so it can be reused.  I've been using cheesecloth put inside a funnel.    It works but it's a bit messy and a hassle.  Is there a better way?  Can you use a coffee filter or something like that?

Easiest way to strain fry oil?

You can buy large filters or filter funnels for this purpose, but pouring through a cheesecloth or similar fabric or a paper towel placed in a metal sieve can also work.

You can buy large filters for this. You can also try cheesecloth, tights, some nylon cloth or a pair of tights.

You can buy large coffee filters to filter used oil.

Use a piece of kitchen roll as a filter.


Cooking anything really lean for a long time can result in super dry meat.

Chicken breasts have little fat and little connective issue.

The same goes for a lean beef roast.

You can do chicken breasts in a crock pot - just not all day, more like a few hours on low.

Try something with more fat like a thigh (or any dark meat) or a beef chuck

(shoulder) roast

and you should have more luck.

I know I'm weighing in on an old question, but in my experience there are two things meat needs to do really well in the slow cooker on a long cycle (ie all day): the right amount of fat, and plenty of collagen.

We all know about fat keeping meat moist, that's true of other cooking methods, and as others have said, chicken breast does not do well cooked like this as it is too lean.

But the collagen is a lesser known issue.

In my opinion it is even more important.

We hear a lot about how you can cook cheap tough cuts in the slow cooker, but what many don't realise is they are actually better than tender cuts on a long cooking cycle.

The collagen breaks down to gelatin which lengthens the cooking process and gives a moister, juicier result.

IMO, the reason chicken thighs do better than breasts in the slow cooker has more to do with collagen than fat - they'll still do well even with the fat trimmed off.

So you need not just meat

that's a bit more fatty, but a lot tougher.

Use legs instead of breasts, chuck instead of lean tender beef roast, pork or Lamb shoulder instead of leg or loin.

To really see the magic, use cuts that are usually impossibly tough - beef shin or short ribs, Lamb flank, oxtail, Turkey drumsticks.

If you want to cook tender, lean meat in the slow cooker, reckon on a much shorter cooking time, like 2-4 hours.

Exact time depends on the individual slow cooker so be ready to experiment.

I had this problem for a while as well - it turns out my slow cooker was cooking at too high of a temperature (even at low), which would create problems, not only with my chicken, but other things as well (pasta sauces would boil and burn, etc).

Reviews on Amazon revealed that this is a fairly common problem with certain brands of slow cookers (especially those at lower price points).

Once I learned this, I got a nicer slow cooker with a programmable probe thermometer built in, so it will switch to "warm" mode once my food hits the optimal temperature.

This has helped keep my meat moist and my sauces unburnt.

It's hard to ruin anything in a crockpot (slow cooker)

Does your crockpot have a thermostat?

It may be faulty

Yep I found out the hard way that slow cooking boneless chicken usually dries it out.

It is not a "tough meat".

Speaking of roast beef though, I got a roast from my mother-in-law and it sat in the freezer for a couple of months

so I decided it needed to be cooked.

I had never cooked a roast before.

I found a recipe online using a slow cooking method for 4 hours (dutch oven pot @275F).

Because of the type of cut the roast was (rib roast)

it was so tender it melted in your mouth.

I tried the recipe again about a month later but bought "outside round" roast instead of rib roast (or chuck, shank, brisket etc.)

and it ended up slightly dry.

Why?

it doesn't contain as much collagen as the other mentioned cuts.

The collagen is the key to melt in your mouth texture and robust flavor for slow roasting.

For pork, try a pork shoulder or butt not a tenderloin if you are slow cooking.

The results will be amazing!

I would cook it in a cream of vegetable or chicken soup if you want the easy short answer.

Even chicken breasts turn out tender and moist for me this way.

Bottom line.

No chicken breast in crockpot.

The meat must be fatty, tough, to do better in a crockpot.

I will never cook a breast again in a crockpot.

Once I thought cornish hens would do well..

no, it was horrible.

I just purchased a pressure cooker!

I crock a lot.

Even with juice

any meat

you over cook will dry out.

I have switched to thighs and I remove the skin and fat.

Cheaper

and it crocks a lot better for me.

You do end up with the bone to remove.

Question: Just cooked some chicken breasts today. All day in the crockpot and when done the meat was horribly dry.  I put chopped onions, carrots, spices, and coconut milk and 1/2 cup water and 4 chicken breasts.  There was plenty of fluid there when it was done, but the cooked chicken meat was really dry.  This seems to happen with beef roast as well.  Is there some trick to getting meat to be tender when cooking in the crockpot?

Why does meat in the crockpot always end up dry?

Cooking lean meat like chicken breasts for a long time, especially at too hot a temperature, can result in very dry meat. Try using chicken  legs instead of breasts, chuck instead of lean tender beef roast, pork or Lamb shoulder instead of leg or loin.

Check the temperature of your crockpot and avoid cooking lean meat for a long time.

Lean meat does not do well in a slow cooker. You should use fatty, tough meat.

Check the temperature of your slow cooker.


I would crumble it up into a blender, add some vanilla ice cream and some milk.

Blend it all together to make a Brownie Milkshake.

I've made great rum balls from overbaked brownies before.

Crush it in a food processor (or just smash it by hand), toss it all into a big bowl, add just enough rum to make it pliable, roll in some cocoa powder and/or powdered sugar, and refrigerate.

You could also try breaking it into small chunks and soaking it with espresso or a liqueur like cointreau or amaretto.

That should soften it up nicely and would taste great made into an ice cream sundae or trifle.

I'm afraid you can't do a lot about it now.

The only thing that might work, is to put it in the microwave for a couple of seconds, right before you eat some.

Perhaps putting some syrup on top could help too.

But I guess this would be more helpful with the mouthfeel than with actually softening your 'brick'.

As for next time, if you did like the taste and want to use the same recipe, use a smaller baking tin.

Also check for doneness 5 min before it should be done (by inserting a toothpick in the middle).

That way you can have an estimate how much longer it should be in the oven.

Or as Jay suggested, look for a recipe that tells you the size of the baking tin.

Here's a post where somebody crushed up their brownies and made truffles from them! http://runwithforest.tumblr.com/post/12744781116/how-to-save-burnt-brownies-by-turning-them-into

Question: I have a fudge brownie recipe that I followed pretty much to the letter. I think when I baked it, it was too thin; it came out hard, like a brick, and it's pretty much inedible. I'm also afraid someone left it outside / in the fridge exposed, and it dried up more.  Is there anything I can do to soften it and make it edible?

Fixing a Brownie Brick

You can blend or crush the brownies to make a milkshake, rum balls or truffles, soak chunks in espresso or liqueur or just try heating it for a few seconds in the microwave before eating.

You can blend it up with some milk to make a milkshake, make truffles or rum balls.

Blend it up with some milk and make a brownie milkshake.

Microwave for a few seconds before eating.


Try using a bow style bread knife.

It works well because it allows you to put pressure on the opposite side of the loaf.

Also, the bow helps you visually line up the slice.

Try an electric knife if you have one hanging around for carving meat.

The small stroke of the two blades causes far less squashing/skewing of the loaf than the conventional serrated bread knife and leaves only one dimension to focus on, down.

When I really need accuracy, I'll cut the loaf in half lengthwise and with the cut

faces placed against the countertop, cut slices horizontally off from the bottom of each.

A serrated blade, sharpened bevel on one side only.

Use the flat non-beveled edge against the loaf, the beveled side on the slice being cut.

Use a bread board.

Keep the knife for bread only, so that it stays sharp, hand wash & dry.

Take your time starting through the crust, so you don't crush the loaf.

If you start near the loaf center, the two halfs can be slid back together for freshness.

A variety of bread slicers are available - it's just a box that you put the bread in, where the sides have pre-cut slots that guide your knife

so you get the uniformity you desire.

I don't use one of these for two main reasons: You can't adjust the thickness of the slice

- whatever the manufacturer decides is what you are stuck with.

Some breads just don't fit in them.

Most of the bread slicers I've seen are designed for a sandwich-loaf-shaped bread: very rectangular.

If I make a loaf of no-knead bread in my cast iron dutch oven, it ends up as a round loaf with too big a diameter to fit in any bread slicer I've seen.

But if you're making a rectangular sandwich loaf, getting a bread slicer is probably the way to go.

However, I've found that I can get straighter slices by experimenting with the angle at which I am holding and cutting the bread.

It will vary by the size and shape of your loaf, but with the big round loaves I was talking about earlier (which usually are not very tall), I find that I can cut straighter if I turn the loaf on its side so that I have a much narrower piece of bread to deal with.

That reduces the likeliness of my knife getting stuck.

I often encounter this problem when using a serrated one-sided blade.

Having the bevel on one side of the knife seems to make the knife angle toward the opposite edge.

I haven't successfully been able to compensate for this while cutting, so I threw away that (cheap) knife.

Maybe this is part of your problem?

To be honest, I've had no problem whatsoever when using a blade with both sides sharpened (unless cutting a very wide or otherwise difficult loaf).

Question: We make bread for sandwiches a few times a week, but slicing them is always a pain.  The pieces just don't come out uniform. I end up with angled pieces as the knife doesn't end up going  straight  down.  Is there a trick to getting uniform pieces from a loaf?

How to get uniform slices from bread?

Try a bow-style bread knife, an electric knife or a serrated blade, and use a bread board or bread slicer with pre-cut slots that guide your knife.

You can try an electric knife or a bow style knife. You can also buy a bread slicer to help you slice.

Try using a bow style bread knife or an electric knife.

You can buy bread slicers that hold the bread in place and guide your knife.


White pizza sauce isn't nearly as defined as red sauce.

It's largely whatever you want it to be.

It's literally any sauce you top a pizza with that is white.

It is often dairy based (cream or cheese added), but it could also be a thin parsnip puree.

It may contain herbs, it may contain butter, its up to you.

Again, thickness is up to you and whatever works for your dish.

It's often the same white sauce as used for lasagne, a Béchamel sauce.

There are many basic recipes with different flavouring ingredients.

Make a roux of butter and flour add milk and stir to make a smooth sauce add ingredients for flavour, such as white ground pepper, herbs, and/or

cheese

I agree with rfusca though, that any sauce that is white will qualify when put on a pizza :o)

When I make white pizza, I don't use a "sauce".

I brush (garlic infused) olive oil on the pizza dough and then sprinkle that with an Italian herb medley and then cheese on top.

As others have pointed out, white pizza means no tomato sauce; there's no specific sauce for it.

Having said that, I would like to add Alfredo sauce (or just a dusting of Parmigiano or pecorino cheese) to the suggestions of saucy things you can put on it.

Pesto sauce will also work; I used to know of a place that made Roman-style pizza-by-the-inch that made a pizza with pesto and potatoes on it.

One last idea is Connecticut-style white clam -- that will differ depending on which person you ask, but I like shucked soft-shell clams, garlic, olive oil, and some parsley, oregano, and possibly rosemary with cheese on top.

Personally, I like to smear some seasoned & herbed ricotta and olive oil mixture onto the dough.

Throw on some sliced green olives, artichokes, and feta

and you have yourself a party.

Don't forget some garlic butter wash for the crust.

Mmm.

I'm a pizzeria owner from New York, and in my experience and this area, white pizza is traditionally one that is topped with mozzarella with dollops of ricotta.

Question: As far as I know, the only difference between white pizza and red pizza is the sauce.   I know that the white sauce is dairy-based, but what is it exactly? What are the main ingredients, is it thickened somehow? Is there something special to pay attention to when making white sauce? How thick should it be exactly? Should it contain herbs or not? Oil? How does it combine with the cheese, is the cheese supposed to melt "into" it?

How is white pizza sauce made?

White pizza sauce is just any sauce for topping a pizza that is white or doesn't contain tomatoes. It could be a Béchamel sauce as with lasagne, a thin parsnip puree or just a topping of ricotta and mozzarella.

You can use any white sauce you want. It can be a cheese sauce or not.

It's often a bechamel sauce or any other dairy based sauce.

You can use a herbed ricotta or mozzarella or a mixture of the two.


Coriander leaf/cilantro looks VERY similar to flat leaf parsley.

When I have both at the house I sometimes resort to smelling them to know which is which.

Cilantro is very strong smelling, and you'd definitely change the flavor of the dish if you left it out.

Flat leaf parsley is significantly more subtle and has a much milder flavor and scent.

It is not flavorless, and in a recipe that calls for a lot of it, you'd really be missing something by leaving it out.

When you've got a recipe that calls for both parsley and cilantro, you're definitely going to be more able to taste/smell the cilantro more than parsley, but they'll both contribute different notes.

If you have to leave one out, leave out the parsley, but don't try to make up the volume with more cilantro, as you may wind up overpowering your dish.

Just leave the parsley out and proceed as normal.

Do not use curly leave parsley in anything--it is tough and virtually flavorless.

It is ONLY a garnish and not worth wasting your time on.

Cilantro

The leaf on the left is Coriander - it's a slightly lighter green, and has rounder leaves.

Botanical Classification Coriandrum sativum is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae.

Uses All parts:

leaves, roots, stems and seeds are used in cooking either as a garnish, a key ingredient or as a powder.

Regions used/found Native to Southern Europe, North Africa and South western Asia.

Common in Middle Eastern, European and American cooking.

Flavor Seeds when crushed have a warm, nutty, spicy flavor.

The leaves have been described to a have 'soapy' taste.

Parsley Parsley on the right is a darker green and has more pointy, sharper leaves.

Botanical Classification Petroselinum crispum is a biennial herb from the family Apiaceae.

Uses Only the leaves are used, chopped and sprinkled as a garnish.

Also as part of a bouquet garni (bundle of herbs) to flavor soups and stocks.

Regions used/found Use for its leaf in similar way to coriander but has a milder flavor.

Flavor

The leaves when chopped have a mild flavor.

Coriander/Cilantro is also known as "Chinese Parsley"... which hints that they are similar , but not quite the same.

The parsley you likely typically think of has ruffled, curly leaves and is commonly used as a garnish.

Cilantro has flatter leaves and stronger flavor and aroma.

You may be able to omit the curly parsley without a drastic change in flavor, but I would recommend not skipping the Cilantro as that will certainly have an impact.

Apart from being green they're quite different, in flavour terms at least.

Coriander is deep, earthy, and almost soapy - good with hot and oily food.

Parsley - flat not curled which is almost tasteless - is fresh, green and good with fish and cured meats.

You can switch but the flavour of the dish will change - if falafel

I'd ditch the parsley if I had to choose, but They're both important.

In 'older' (pre 1960s before they discovered coriander in the UK) recipes they tended to use the two interchangeably.

The most obvious visual guide would be to look at how the leaves are connected to the main stalk.

Look at each joint where the stem is connected to the little branches (petiole?) to the leaves.

for coriander, one leave per joint.

But for flat parsley, you can see that at each joint, they branch out to a few more leaves, so it's more than one leave per joint.

But if someone tear all the tiny leaves out then I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference!

In the US, coriander refers to ground coriander seeds, not coriander leaf.

Its a brown powder.

The seeds are spherical and slightly larger than peppercorns.

It's the fact that Coriander leaf/cilantro looks VERY similar to flat leaf parsley,I always believe that they are same.

Cilantro has flatter leaves and stronger flavor and aroma while Parsley don't.

Question: A lot of falafel recipe calls for both chopped coriander/cilantro and parsley. Online images look the same to me. Is there a difference between the two? Would omission of one drastically change the flavor?

Difference between parsley and coriander(cilantro)?

While the appearance of coriander/cilantro and its alternative name 'Chinese parsley' suggest that they are very similar to parsley, the flavour and aroma is much stronger and not the same. Parsley can be left out without changing the flavour too much, but without cilantro a meal will taste quite different.

Cilantro and parsley look quite similar but cilantro has a very strong flavor while parsley is more subtle.

Cilantro has a strong smell and taste while parsley is more subtle.


Growing up, my mother always used to bake them.

They do turn out a bit drier than if you deep-fried them, but not overmuch.

They cook for about 15-20 minutes at 400°F (~200 °C), or until golden and crispy on the outside.

Alternately, you can pan-fry them, as other answers have suggested.

Or you can split the difference and oven fry them.

If you're unfamiliar, Google can acquaint you with the process.

Here's a good NPR article to get you started: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130673515

You can pan fry them if you're careful (6-12mm oil).

It helps to coat the balls with rye flour or similar before frying.

Leave them alone to fry until the bottoms are nicely brown, then turn carefully w a metal spoon.

If you have trouble with them breaking during the turning, you can flatten them from perfect ball shape a bit.

However, that's best done as soon as you put them in the oil.

Just fry them in a pan with a few tablespoons of oil like you would meatballs, you won't get the same all round browning but it'll do.

We don't fry, pan-fry, or bake our falafels.

Instead, we put them on a non-stick grill (same grill we use to make pancakes, etc.).

I imagine that a non-stick frying pan would do the same.

We don't use any oil at all.

Depending on your non-stick surface, you may need to spray it with PAM or something similar.

We get a fairly nice browning, but we end up with a shape of a round patty instead of a ball.

We've found that refrigerating the dough for an hour prior to cooking helps a lot in making sure that the batter stays together.

I haven't found them to be any dryer than when I am frying them.

The recipe I used was by the Looneyspoons girls, in their new recipe book.

It worked very well.

Falafel can be baked in the oven for about 20 minutes using few tablespoons of oil around 200°C (392°F).

You should be careful when forming the balls not to make them too large.

It is better to make them a little bit thin to make sure they are well cooked, and help prevent stomach aches.

After baking or frying, you can use a paper towel to soak up the excess oil.

lilghtly coated in rapeseed oil, or oil with high smoke point, and air fried

Question: I see in this  video  how the falafel balls are fully submerged in oil. Are there other ways (e.g. baking) to prepare the falafel balls after the balls are formed? Note: I do not ask for recipes.

Is there a way to make falafel without deep frying?

You can bake or pan fry them, although you won't get the same even browning as with deep fried.

You can bake them in the oven or pan fry them in a little oil.

You can bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes with a little oil.

You can pan fry with a couple of tablespoons of oil.


Number five is a folding spoon.

It is made for folding flour into light foams without overmixing, for example when making Genoise.

The big hole makes the mixing easy, and the shape is good for scraping the bottom of a round bowl.

As Dave Griffith already said, 3 and 4 are for stirring stuff in pans and skillets (making roux, cooking off the liquid in tomato or pepper puree for ajvar-like condiments).

They prevent the contents burning on the bottom, because they remove the very heated layer from the bottom and let cooler liquid flow in.

The slot in spoon 2 make it a poor replacement for a skimming spoon.

Normally, you want a bigger perforated spoon for that, with bigger holes.

Also, I think metal is a better material in these cases, it isn't so good to put wood in boiling water.

Number 1 is useless in cooking.

Historically, these spoons were made for eating.

When they were big enough, housewives just used an eating spoon for stirring, because this is what they had at hand.

Nowadays, people don't eat with wooden spoons, but the tradition persists in that they continue using the traditional shape for stirring.

This is a bad idea.

It has the wrong shape for flat-bottomed pans and curved bowls.

There is no use case for which the other spoons aren't a better fit.

Maybe getting flour out of a package into a bowl, but being much flatter than an eating spoon, it is inferior also for this use.

Great question!

Adding to the others: 4 and 5 appear to me home-made modifications of standard Chinese bamboo spatulas in order to use them for different purposes.

4 is probably intended to be a wooden fork, which would be useful for tossing pasta (together with another wooden fork or spatula).

However, the homemade slotting is too narrow, and the "tines" to wide, to be really useful.

You'd want something more like this: 5 is, as rumtscho mentioned, a folding spoon for dough.

This one seems to be improvised out of a spatula, though; the more common shapes of folding spoons are like either of the below:

I think I might disagree with rumtscho about spoon #1 though.

I use wooden spoons all the time for cooking and mixing, especially in non-stick pans.

If what she's saying, though is that particular wooden spoon is not very well shaped, then I agree with her.

The bowl of the spoon is too shallow, and you'd want a round handle rather than a flat one.

Flat-ended spoons like 3 and 4 are for good for scraping the bottoms of skillets.

Spoons like 5 are excellent for stirring thick sauces, as they let you easily stir the bottom corners of pans.

As for the slots, I've never noticed them making a bit of difference, other than if you wish to taste the solid contents of a soup without making a mess with the liquid.

as you say normal wooden spoon (I have tonnes of these but can't off hand think what I actually use them for) sort of looks like a slotted spoon but the slots are too small imo.

That would be for stirring stews/soups.

is the sort I use for frying onions or aromatics or I use two of this sort together for stir frying.

I'm not sure about this.....

it's not a 3, or a fork, I'd use it with 3 for stir frying as you only have one of 3!

I use for anything that starts with a roux

I use my wood spoon shaped like your #5 when I am cooking and stirring liquids such as for sauces or puddings.

It allows for a good stir without causing spills, and the flat bottom lets me be sure to scrape the bottom and corner of the saucepan as I stir.

Mine now has a crack in it

and so I am on the look out for another.

They're hard to find with a flat end on the spoon "bowl."

Spoon #2 is perfect for snatching a piece of pasta (not spaghetti) from a pot full of boiling water.

It drains the pasta (let's say penne) and leaves the water behind.

Also cools the penne quicker so it can be sampled for done-ness.

Number 5 looks like a Girariso, a Risotto spoon designed for abrading as much starch off the rice grains as possible...

I believe 2 + 4 together might be salad servers.

Question: A while back I got a set of wooden spoons that contained 5 differently shaped wooden spoons. Take a look at the following photo to see the different shapes.   I have mainly been using wooden spoon #1 because that is typically the shape I am most familiar with when I think of a wooden spoon. I have yet to figure out what the other wooden spoons can be used for.   Are there any specific applications that each shape excel at?

What are the different applications for differently shaped wooden spoons?

2 and 4 could be used as salad servers, 5 is for stirring and folding liquids or for cooking risotto, 3 and 4 are good for scraping the bottom of skillets and 2 is good for taking a piece of pasta from a boiling pot.

2 + 4 might be good as salad servers. 3 + 4 would be good for scraping the bottom of a pan. 5 looks like a folding spoon.

Number 5 looks like a folding spoon. It could also be a risotto spoon or for stirring liquids like sauces.

Numbers 3 and 4 are for scraping the bottoms of skillets.

Number 2 is good for taking a piece of pasta out of a pan.

Number 2 + 4 together might be salad servers.


You can let it ripe at room temperature.

If you want to slow down the ripening process, put it in the fridge, although this will affect the mango negatively.

If you want to speed up the process, put it in a bag with a banana.

When the mango is ready to eat, it will be slightly soft if you press it

and you can smell the mango flesh through the peel.

The green colour will not totally disappear.

Fruit ripens due to exposure to a gas called ethylene.

If you want fruit to ripen faster, expose it to more ethylene.

Industrial agriculture companies often pick fruit under-ripe, ship it, then hit it with ethylene gas to ripen near the point of sale.

One common method is to put the fruit in a paper bag, which will trap the ethylene and therefore expose the fruit to it more.

If you're in a hurry, toss an apple in the bag as well.

This works for almost all fruit.

Back home in India we had a big container filled with rice grains.

Placing the mangoes inside the container would hasten the ripening process immensely.

Place the mango in a bowl with raw popcorn seeds.

My boyfriend is from Jalisco, Mexico, and his mother is used to ripen them in this way.

Fruit ripening is largely caused by a plant hormone called ethylene, which is a gas.

Most fruits give off ethylene in ever increasing quantities as they ripen.

Temperature is a key determinant of chemical reaction rates and therefore, produce (fruits and vegetables) metabolic rates.

Ethylene production increases as temperature rises.

Ripening for most fruit is best at or slightly above room temperature, (68 - 70F).

Low temperature can inactivate essential enzymes required for full ripening.

The fruit may not complete the ripening processes, and/or achieve full flavor.

When detached from the growing plant fresh produce continues to transpire and lose water, therefore it is very important to maintain high relative humidity (85% RH) in the storage atmosphere.

Put fruits that emit a high concentration of ethylene such as apples, pears, bananas, avocados and passion fruit in a paper bag with slower ripening fruit, then inside a plastic bag to contain more of the ethylene gas.

Key variables affecting the storage life and eating quality of fruit and vegetables:1.

•time from harvest2.

•temperature3. •relative humidity4.

•atmosphere composition5.

•ethylene6. •pest and disease7.

•pre- and postharvest treatments

Place in dark place, like a cabinet over night- easy.

Question: I've bought a fresh mango for a recipe, I've not used mango fresh before and it's currently pretty green (there didn't seem to be any that were more ripe at the shop) and came with a sticker on informatively saying just " Ripen at home ".  So, what's the best environment to help it ripen? Should it be refrigerated during ripening and/or when ripe? And how do I reliably tell when it's 'ready'?

How do I ripen a Mango?

Mangoes and most other fruit ripen well at or slightly above room temperature somewhere like a dark cabinet, but you can speed this up by putting it in a bag with a banana and/or apple, or a bowl with raw popcorn seeds. To slow down the ripening process with some negative effect on the mango, put it in the fridge.

Keep the fruit at room temperature. To ripen fatser, keep it with an apple or a banana.

Let the fruit ripen at room temperature.

Put the mango in the fridge to slow down the ripening process.

To speed up the ripening, store it with a banana or an apple or with raw popcorn seeds.


The kefir grains are a culture of bacteria and yeast that are active at near-room temperatures.

Their ideal temperature is 71F (22C).

Below this and they will grow too slowly.

Above this temperature, up to 86F, for extensive periods the grains will be damaged.

http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefir-faq.html#temperature Building the grains takes time- there's no way around it.

You can keep the grains at exactly 71F to maximize their growth.

You can also change the milk often and keep the milk to grain ratio high to ensure that the milk doesn't acidify too quickly and the grains stay active.

You may see an improvement using organic milk as it won't have residual antibiotics in it.

I have not read anywhere of a way to modify the milk itself to encourage growth.

You might experiment with adding a small amount of milk powder to make the milk more nutritionally dense but my gut feeling is that this would have a negligible effect if any.

I'm afraid your friends are just going to have to wait patiently.

For good milk kefir grain growth use a shallow wide container to grow your kefir grains.

This will give each of the grains more access to feed on the milk instead of clumping up at the top of a narrow jar and only a few being free in the milk.

You can also stir the culturing kefir a few times during the day dispersing the kefir grains through the milk.

Don't skimp on the quantity of milk used.

Milk kefir grains love Full cream milk.

and yes, raw organic full cream milk grows the best milk kefir grains.

I have got a jar of kefir going that is made with whole milk powder.

The grains seem to grow a lot faster then even with whole milk from the farmer.

Try it, you don't have much to loose.

I made mine grow by adding it to half and half milk and then to cream.

Alternated this and the tiny little grains were swollen like cauliflower pieces.

I started making kefir 2 weeks ago, with 1 large grain.

Not being certain about quantities, I used 2 cups of milk in my first batch.

30 hours later, I had cultured milk.

As those quantities and time frames worked, I have just continued with that, although the time is now down to almost 24 hours of culturing.

In between I made a batch of yummy sour cream, (popped my grain into a cup of whole cream).

Clearly the grain loved the fat in the cream, it multiplied and cultured within 30 hours!!

I have since given the new grain away to a friend, but the one grain I kept (my large and original one),is doing a great job of culturing 2 cups a day.

I would go with a shallow wide container, and since kefir feeds on lactose, you can add powder milk to natural whole milk to increase the lactose in the mix.

It should give your kefir colonies more food to process.

Question: It's about two weeks that I make Kefir at home. I started with three mid-size Kefir grains, and now I have six ones (three of them are really big)  Now my friends get interested in making Kefir too. But I don't have enough Kefir grains to share with them.  Is there any quick method for cloning Kefir grains? For example, keeping them in warmer place, giving them richer milk, or something like that?

Fastest way for cloning Milk Kefir Grains

Keep the grains at exactly 71F to maximize their growth, change the milk often and use enough milk to slow acidification and keep the grains active. Kefir feeds on lactose, so use full cream milk, half and half or cream, or add powdered milk to natural whole milk to increase the lactose.

Keep the grains at 71°F and change the milk often. Use full-fat milk or cream and try adding powdered milk to increase the lactose.

Keep the grains at 71°F to increase growth.

Change the milk often and use full milk cream or even full cream.

Increase the lactose by adding powdered milk.


Silicone bakeware is available which is oven safe up to 500°F/260°C.

Just like other materials it has some advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages: Easy to clean rubbery surface (will need a little cooking spray, but not much)

Flexible, so easier to remove baked goods Often fridge/microwave safe Disadvantages: Not very durable, due to softer material Can be cut by metal utensils Floppy May warp or melt in some cases.

Generally, I've heard very mixed reviews from bakers using silicone (except for Silpats).

Although you can obtain it in the American market, most people prefer metal or Pyrex.

Yes.

As already mentioned, silicone is rated to about 500°

F

Aside from PTFE (teflon), the other commonly available plastic rated for oven temps is CPET, usuually used for disposable bakeware.

Examples of CPET plastic oven-safe bakeware: Gladware 9x12 Ovenready Bakery Tray Ovenready Food Tray Overready Plastic Bakeware at Web Restaurant Store

A few hard plastics are oven safe.

Le Creuset says that the covers of their enamelled Dutch ovens are safe up to 190°C .

Their knobs are made from some kind of phenolic compound.

Bakelite can also be heated a lot and does not melt, although I am not sure if it is food safe.

Still, I have never heard of bowls made from these plastics, nor other plastic bowls made for the oven.

And I don't think there will be any.

The advantages of plastic are that it is lightweight, cheap, can be colored beautifully, and doesn't break easily.

Phenolic plastics don't have any of these - they are difficult to produce, cost a lot, they are dense (so they are heavy for their size), they tend to be hard to color (bakelite is always darkish, and gets darker with time), and they are brittle in comparison to other plastics.

Still, these things have all the disadvantages of plastic.

They can never go to temperatures as high as other materials, and some of them can contain nasty chemicals you don't want anywhere near your food.

No matter what you need this bowl for, there is a better solution than plastic.

Depending on what you want, steel can give you the lightness and unbreakability, and glass or ceramics can give you the thermal insulation properties you could get with plastic.

Certainly there are high temperature plastic cooking utensils, very many in fact.

I'm not clear on what your intended use is, but here is a rundown.

There are two general types, hard high temp plastic and silicone.

The hard plastic is typically rated to withstand oven heat up to 410F (210C), and they are not for stove top or broiler use due to much higher heat.

Silicone plastic utensils withstand up to 500F, but again, no stove top or broiler use.

Both can be used in microwave ovens, their primary use.

I use both kinds for baking, and the hard for roasting.

The hard plastic utensils are fine for baking standard cakes, typically at $350F, and as roasting racks for non-broiler use.

There are simple cake pans, cupcake pans, bundt pans as well as the roasting racks for meats.

The work well, may darken with age.

Nordic Ware, Anchor Hocking and many others make high quality hard high-temp plastic utensils.

Silicone utensils are not rigid but can be stiff enough with ribbing.

One advantage is that they can be easily molded into a vast number of shapes.

They tend to release food easily, another plus.

They are very inexpensive compared to metal utensils.

It is best to buy a known brand, like Wilton, since a vast number of them are cheap imports that are too flimsy or won't stand much heat.

Nordic Ware has plates which are durable and safe in the oven to a temperature of 400F. You can purchase them on Walmart's Website or Amazon .

Yes it exists!

Clean Baking Products is a company, specialized in baking moulds made off the best, innovative composite material.

This material can resist temperatures from - 40°C till 250°C. Advantages: 40°C - 250°C for the oven no oxidation no deformation light-weight less use of butter Check out for more information: www.cleanbakingproducts.com

Question: I am looking for a plastic bowl or dish that can withstand high temperature in the oven? A bowl or dish that won't melt nor emit odour. Is there such a thing?

Is there a plastic bowl/dish that can withstand high temperature in the oven?

Silicone, teflon and CPET are commonly used materials, Clean Baking Products makes baking moulds with composite materials, Nordic Ware sells oven-safe plates and the covers of Le Creuset enamelled Dutch ovens are safe up to 190°C.

Silicone and Teflon are more commonly used for baking at high temperatures.

Silicone, teflon and CPET bakeware can resist in the oven.

Le Creuset has Dutch ovens with plastic lids that will go in the oven.

Nordic Ware and Clean Baking Products both have items like this.


You could put them in a pan of boiling water for 3 or 4 minutes (not so to they're cooked through) before putting them in the oven.

The potato on the outside of the wedges will soften and cook a little bit which will help the outsides crisp up a little.

Make sure you allow them to drain completely before you put them in the oven.

After boiling for a few minutes in water, drain, put the lid on and shake (but gently so the wedges don't break).

This will rough up the surface.

The resulting bumps can heat through more fully and lose more moisture, leading to crisp.

I would also agree with other people's suggestions of par-boiling for 7-10 mins, followed by a shake.

In addition I would get the oil hot before adding the potato.

Either put the tray with the oil in the oven a few minutes before cooking or pre-heat the tray & oil on top of the hob before transferring to the oven (make sure your baking tray can withstand hob temperatures).

I usually par-microwave the whole potatoes, then cut them into wedges and let them steam out for a good few minutes.

You can actually see the potato going whiter and drier near the edges.

Microwaving seems to me highly preferrable to boiling at this stage to minimise water.

Then I shake them in a bag with some olive oil to coat, then sprinkle with Caribbean seasoning.

Then bake.

Baking long and lower works better than too high a heat, too.

I've had them get so crispy before, they are almost like shards of glass, it's awesome!

Cook them hotter.

I cook mine at 425 or 450 F, which is 220 or 230 C.

It makes a difference.

I toss them in oil, sometimes with salt and rosemary, and put them on a silpat baking sheet.

I keep them a little apart, trying not to have any touching, so the steam can get out.

They get browned, even blistered, and crunchy, like roasted potatoes do.

To be clear: I don't parboil, I don't coat them in anything other than oil.

The oven temperature and the rubbery sheet on the baking pan do the trick.

What everyone has said..

par boil them then season when cooled coat in corn flour and a bit of oil and bake at about 200.

If ur wedges are extra big reduce the heat but cook for longer to stop the outside burning

Also try and bake then spread out well on baking paper.

My sweet potato fries come put perfectly like this x

Question: How do I make my wedges go nice and crispy in the oven?  I usually season them with a cajun mix, add a tiny bit of oil, and cook them in the oven on fan-bake at about 200 degrees (celcius). They come out okay, but  not  amazing.  What can I do to make them come out a lot crispier, while still using a normal household oven? Would more oil improve their texture, or do I need to crumb them maybe?

How can I make my homemade potato wedges crispy?

Par-boil or microwave the wedges for a few minutes before shaking them, seasoning and coating in corn flour and a bit of oil, Keep them properly spaced on baking paper and bake at about 200.

You can par-boil them, give them a good shake and then bake in a hot oven with hot oil.

Par-boil them, give them a good shake then bake in a hot oven.

Get the oil hot before adding the potato and make sure they are well spread out.

Microwave them first before baking will save on water.


For sure!

As you might expect, it's really good for desserts, as a light, spring-time flavor for cakes, frostings, paired with berries, etc.

— but I have also seen it used with salmon and other savory dishes.

Check out this for some ideas:

Definitely! Lavender is a traditional component of Herbes de Provence , and works well in breads.

Dried flowers can be put in a grinder with salt crystals for an interesting flavor.

For sweet applications, I steep into a simple syrup (great for cocktails, or pouring over cakes) or place in granulated sugar (for baking - excellent for a pound cake).

The first ice cream I ever made was honey and lavender (using the dried flowers).

It's an unusual taste and not everyone likes it.

The leaves can also be used as you would use rosemary.

I had thought all varieties of lavender were edible and have just used what ever was in the garden

but I was reading a recipe the other day that said to only use culinary lavender (which I'd never heard of).

A bit of research leads me to believe this is just English lavender that hasn't been treated with pesticides, but having never bought it I could be wrong.

This same research seemed to imply not all varieties of lavender taste the same which makes sense.

This page in particular seemed helpful.

All parts of the Lavender bush are good for adding smoke to food in a wood or charcoal fired BBQ When the BBQ heat is not on full, add crunched up bunches of Lavender to make a sweet and interesting smoky favour

I had a wonderful veal chop with a crust that contained lavender in Argentina

so it's definitely used.

That said, due to it's close botanical relationship to rosemary the most common meat I've seen it paired with is lamb.

Question: In almost every kitchen herb garden (at least around here), there is lavender growing. Is there anything that uses lavender for flavoring?

Is lavender used to season food?

Lavendar is good in desserts and ice cream, and can be steeped in a simple syrup or placed in granulated sugar for baking. It is also a traditional component in Herbes de Provence, and can be used with bread, salmon and meats (especially lamb). Lavendar also adds a sweet and interesting smoky favour when added to a charcoal fire for grilling.

Lavender goes well in sweet recipes like ice cream and with meats like lamb and veal.

It can be used in sweet recipes like ice cream, a syrup for cocktails and cakes.

Lavender works well with salmon, veal and lamb.