The main problem with the basics of cooking is that they are not properly taught. You might have watched your mom cook vegetable rice many times during childhood, but it becomes daunting when you try it out yourself.
So if you want to master the basics of cooking, take a deep breath, take time, and conquer all. Whether you want to brush up your skills or have been cooking your entire life, the following are techniques to learn from experts at Marshall’s Landing:
1. Master Your Knife Skills
Mastering your knife skills is a vital cooking skill for every beginner and often involves knowing how to use and hold knives properly. It also involves basic techniques for cutting, such as chopping, slicing, and dicing.
It is vital always to practice safe knife skills when you are cutting without rushing to avoid making costly mistakes and hurting yourself.
2. Keep Food Safe
Keeping your food safe must always be a priority in your kitchen. Besides, you wouldn’t want to get sick, so you can avoid it by following simple guidelines.
Always make sure you thaw & store food safely, keep everything clean, and avoid cross-contamination to keep yourself, family, and friends safe and healthy.
3. Master the Basics of Boiling
Lowering the temperature and boiling water techniques, such as poaching and steaming, opens up a lot of preparing delicious meals. If you learn to leverage the power of boiling, you can easily make basic tasty weeknight pasta, cook fish for dinner, poach eggs for brunch, and prepare basic broths for lunch.
Boiling skills are also important for budget-friendly and soothing pots of beans and soup and meal-prepping basics, such as hard-cooked eggs or even steaming simple vegetables, including sweet potatoes and broccoli.
4. Knowing Seasonings and Spices
A better understanding of seasonings and spices is important for creating flavorful and delicious dishes. Figuring out which spices blend with certain ingredients and how to use them when marinating is an unmatched skill for elevating any dish from simple to extraordinary. All aspiring chefs must understand the seasoning basics, like using pepper and salt.
Moreover, knowing how to blend spices may add depth of flavor and complexity to simple dishes. A well-stocked kitchen with various seasonings, spices, and herbs will surely give you the tools you require to create flavorful meals as professional chefs do.
5. Master the Art of Simmering
Technically, simmering is a type of boiling. However, it will be important to note the difference between the two. Although boiling encompasses cooking your ingredients in the water near its boiling point, simmering is often done at a low temperature.
The main idea behind the art of simmering is that your water won’t reach the boiling point. You can simmer stews, soups, and stocks, to mention a few. Simmering is also vital to master as it lets you cook sauces slowly, reducing liquid without burning your food and releasing more flavor.
Final Say!
Learning the basics of cooking can sound like an intimidating task. However, like learning other new skills, mastering the cooking basics is the key to your success.
