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This Thanksgiving, Brine and Dine
Last week, I asked how many of you were planning to brine your turkeys this year. Although more than half of you responded yes, at least 20 percent of you weren't sure what a brine was!
For those of you who didn't know, brining is a cooking technique often used to maximize juiciness in cooked poultry and meat, and it's particularly popular with Thanksgiving turkeys.
Knifeless Chopping
When a recipe tells me to finely chop 2 large onions, four carrots, three potatoes, and several cloves of garlic I rest my sharp knife on the cutting board and take out my handy dandy food processor. Have you ever used your food processor to chop food? It's a great time saver that can reduce prep tremendously.
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Top Chef Quiz: Culinary Olympics
Things took a serious turn on the most recent episode of Top Chef. The cheftestants had to cook serious food for some serious chefs. Thomas Keller appeared, the Voltaggio brothers struggled, and Kevin experimented with the culinary technique known as sous vide.
Simple Tip: Smash Olives to Remove the Pit
Last Sunday I was making dinner with my friend Sonia. While she deveined shrimp, I prepared the salad. "What are you doing?"
Simple Tip: Microplane Garlic
While watching Nancy Silverton make pesto in Aspen, I had one of those "why didn't I think of that" moments. To quickly season the celery leaf pesto, Silverton grated in garlic. However, instead of using her regular one-sided grater, she microplaned it: "I like to microplane my garlic.
How to Chiffonade Vegetables
Now that you've become acquainted with the culinary term chiffonade, learn how to employ the kitchen cutting technique in your cooking. It's easy — we've got step-by-step instructions to show you how. This method applies to herbs used for garnish, like basil and sage, or vegetables that have firm leaves, such as cabbage, spinach, collard greens, or chard.
The Basics: Mashed Potatoes
My mother can hardly be described as a home cook, but there are a few dishes she makes and excels at. Basic mashed potatoes are one of her specialties. When it comes to mashed potatoes, she prefers them as pure and simple as possible.
Yummy Links: From Cherry Cupcakes to Sushi Etiquette
- Cherry baby cupcakes are adorably scrumptious. — Hostess With the Mostess
- Since Valentine's Day is on a Saturday, skip the expensive dinner and opt for a romantic breakfast in bed. — Chow
- Eight cooking techniques that build flavor.
Simple Tip: Freeze Bacon Before Chopping
These days bacon is such a hot ingredient, it's everywhere! Within the past couple of months, the fatty, salty pork has become a staple in my pantry. If you use bacon as much as I do, consider placing the bacon in the freezer 15 to 20 minutes before slicing any time a recipe calls for uncooked, chopped bacon.
All the News That's Fit to Eat — Nov. 26, 2008
- Put together the perfect cheese platter this Thanksgiving. — Los Angeles Times
- Turkey hotline operators reveal the biggest trends in turkey over the past 20 years. — Washington Post
- This holiday season, try these gluten-free desserts on for size.
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