Leeks may look (and taste) lovely, but all it takes is one bite of tragically sandy potato leek soup to realize that there's a surprising amount of gritty soil lurking between their many layers. Over the years we've tried a few methods to deal with this unglamorous task — some more successful than others — and have since then settled on a quick and dirty method that'll help you speed through meal prep. Keep reading for our step-by-step tutorial.
Despite its intricate hills and valleys, a crimped bakery-style pie crust only looks tricky to re-create at home. If you have two hands and a few minutes to spare, you're well on your way to accomplishing this impressive feat. If you're not yet convinced, click through for the detailed step-by-step guide.
PS While you're at it, skip the store-bought crusts and make and roll out a flaky all-butter pie crust at home.
Can we make a suggestion? The next time you have a spare hour and are looking for a simple kitchen project, brown up a big batch of caramelized onions. While this is a relatively simple task, it does take time — typically 45 minutes to an hour — and requires frequent attention. So catch up on a favorite food podcast, or do the dishes during the downtime, and know that your efforts will be rewarded with a pile of glossy, robustly flavored onions that are sure to add spunk to meals throughout the week.
I've always praised butternut squash for its mild sweetness and versatility — but I was surprised when so many of you said you'd never prepared one before, or find it hard to work with. Since it'd be a bummer to miss out on this Fall vegetable at home (unless you're willing to pony up $400 for an automated butternut squash peeler!), I thought I'd help you out with instructions on how to prep it yourself. Here's a step-by-step lesson.
Photo: Nicole Perry
Brown butter is my go-to trick for adding nutty flavor and depth to everything from carrot cupcakes to moist and flaky fillets of fish, but my first go-around with this classic technique was, admittedly, a bit intimidating. Since then, I've realized that as long as you follow a few simple steps, it's rather simple, and entirely worth the effort. Keep reading to learn the tricks of the trade.
Season to taste: three simple words that can, and often do, mean the difference between a bland and a boisterous dish, but what does it mean exactly? It may seem like a cop-out directive added by lazy recipe writers, but truly, even if a recipe does not explicitly call this step out, it's best practice to include it in your cooking process.
In an ideal world, a recipe would turn out the same regardless of who's at the stove, the ingredients and tools they used, and their interpretation of instructions, but that's simply not the case. While most foods should not taste explicitly salty, tart, hot, or oily, the inclusion of small amounts of ingredients with these qualities can take a dish from bland to exceptional in a flash.
Try this general plan of action the next time a dish falls flat.
We've all been there: excited over the prospect of a home-baked cake, you hastily assemble all of the necessary ingredients, read through the instructions, and realize one crucial step was overlooked: how to prep the cake pans. Now you could certainly purchase parchment rounds
For many years I avoided buying whole pomegranates for fear of juice splatter reminiscent of a crime scene, instead turning to overpriced, often bland and mushy prepackaged seeds. Since then I've rectified my ways, and realized that a few simple steps are all that separate me from the delicate juicy arils within, hold the mess. Keep reading to learn the tricks to this task.
Consider yourself a fan of deep-fried food? Before you try deep-frying at home, check out these tips for a safe, efficient cooking process. No matter what you're frying, it's smart to refresh yourself on all the basics. We've outlined everything from which pan to use to which oils are best to how you can avoid any accidents. If you're planning to fry up some foods this Fall, follow these simple steps for a tasty, perfectly cooked dish:
Do you have any deep-frying tips? Share them in the comments below!
Looking to preserve Summer's bounty of tomatoes for chilly seasons to come? Chances are, you've been advised to peel your tomatoes. While most fruits and vegetables are prepped with a few swipes of a vegetable peeler
