trucs- tricks and tips of the trade

[cookM]

I'm wondering what everyone's fave "truc" is. You know, someone showed me how to easily get at an avocado seed when I first started cooking. Whack at the seed (carefully, and you don't have to use much force) with your chef's knife and it pops out (of course, if the avo isn't ripe, that's a different story).
Also, once we had a bunch of roasted hazelnuts that had to be de-skinned. We put them into a one-handled blanching *basket* with holes of a good size, but not big enough to let the hazelnuts fall out. Then we jeld the basket over a garbage can, and started rubbing the nuts with a clean towel. A lot of the skins fell out. Of course, it's pretty tough to get all the skin off, but this was sufficient for our needs. Anyone else?

prep- I like using a microwave steamer to prepare potatoes for pancakes.

Storage, marinating. Seal you foods for storage, freezing and marinating by taking a zip lock bag and sealing all but the final inch or two. Inhale the remaining air to form a vacuum and zip all the way.

[Jim]

Good topic... there are a lot of good ones out there!
>Blanch pearl onions to easily remove their skins
>Splash a bit of lemon juice on carrots to keep them from drying out
>Spray your spatulas with 'pan release' prior to scraping/stirring tomato sauce to prevent stainning of the rubber
>Make a little well in the middle of hamburges prior to grilling to maintain their shape, instead of allowing them to bulge

[cookM]

MO and Jim, I've never heard of any of those. Thanks. See? Share with me everyone. I like it.

[This message has been edited by cookM (edited September 24, 2000).]

[shroomgirl]

I poach chicken in stock for salads or enchiladas....then use the stock as a soup.
I char peppers on the gas stove burners
I mix soda,baking powder, salt etc into the liquid/butter mixture for baked goods before adding the flour...it mixes in easier and more thoroughly and you don't worry about tough cookies from over mixing flour.
ziploc freezer bags as pastry bags, just clip the end

[Nick.Shu]

Favourite tricks,,,hmm -

Blanching and Refreshing green leaf vegetables - the clarity of colour increases

Making paper piping bags


Once a chef showed how to make oeufs ala neige in a microwave - amazing and no difference in texture.

Learning the real way to stir fry - amazing process and always fun

[Nicko]

Great topic.

A good friend of mine who worked on Jean Banchet as his Saucier for five years told me that at Le Francais he would take a whole gallon of red wine and reduce it all the way down till it was a thick heavy syrup. He would then keep this in a ketchup bottle on his station. I use this now and it truly is a great tool to have to adjust your sauces during service.

For cleaning a large amount of garlic we would break the cloves from the bulbs and then put hot water over them from the coffee maker. Let them sit for a few minutes and the skin would come right off.

Also use to use a coffee grinder for grinding whole pepper and other hard spices.

------------------
Thanks,

Nicko
nicko@cheftalk.com

[This message has been edited by Nicko (edited September 26, 2000).]

When roasting garlic I cut off the root end of the bulb. Then place them cutside down in roasting pan (or saute pan) with oil and a couple tablespoons of water. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and heat it on the stove till I hear it bubble...them into the oven.
When the garlic is done it falls right out of the skin...beautiful whole roasted cloves...no squeezing.

[augiewren]

love many,
trust few,
and always paddle your own canoe.