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Planning Food for a Party
Stir Frying
Stir frying came to be for economic reasons; the shortage of fuel. Food that is cut into small pieces and cooked over extremely high heat takes less cooking time and less energy.
There are four important parts to stir-frying:
*Small pieces of food in very little oil
*Extremely high intense heat
*Constant movement and stirring with utensils
*A very short cooking time
The sound of sizzling you hear when stir-frying tells you that the heat is very intense.
With practice and concentration you can master the art of stir-fry, set up a steady rhythm, so every few seconds, the food is moved around the wok by the spatula.
Be certain that you push the spatula through the center of the wok, turning all food to keep it from sticking to the bottom. Stir-frying is possible in a Dutch oven or skillet, but it is quite a bit easier in a wok.
How to stir-fry:
*Place the wok over intense heat for 10 to 30 seconds
*Add oil in a circular motion with a tablespoon, beginning at the top and working around, this coats the entire wok, both sides and bottom.
*Never lift the wok from the heat for any reason until the cooking is completed
*If necessary, use the spatula to distribute the oil around the sides.
*Add any one ingredient all at once, no more than 3 inches from the inside, this minimizes splattering
*Begin stir-frying immediately adding the ingredients as they are listed in the recipe
After the food has been removed, wash the wok immediately with hot water and a vegetable brush, do not use soap.
Dry over a high flame and season with a teaspoon of oil for the first few months of use to prevent rust and protect the surface.
Use the highest flame possible for cooking unless the recipe says to turn it down.
When stir-frying vegetables be careful not to scorch them, if this begins, turn the heat down immediately.
If stock (broth) is called for, bring it to a boil in a separate pan, and add it to the sides of the wok, all liquids should be added in the manner.
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Efficiency will save you lots of time in the kitchen, to accomplish this, learn to do more than one thing at a time. Increased preparation time before cooking is another way to become a faster cook.
Read your recipe before starting, this will save you many headaches, like getting a dish ready and finding out you need bat wings and you dont have any! Just kidding, I dont stock bat wings in my kitchen either, but you get the idea.
Get everything you will need together, follow the order they are used in the recipe, this allows you to be sure that you have everything you will need. Once you are sure you have everything, measure out the ingredients according to the recipe.
Organize all of your ingredients on one side of the work area, as you use something, move it to the other side, lessens confusion as to whether you used it or not.
Use the cutting board for all of your non-meat items first, this avoids cross contamination. If you have to prepare the meat first, wash the cutting board thoroughly before using it for any other food items.
Keeping a sink of hot soapy water will help cleanup later on, just drop used utensils in the water and allow them to soak.
Sometimes it is better to use your hands to mix something than it is to use a utensil; it also saves time washing up later. I for one loved making mud pies when I was a child, the only difference is the mud is now hamburger and the crushed leaves are now herbs.
Salads are always mixed more evenly if they are tossed with your hands. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly, inexpensive plastic gloves will help if you didnt like playing in the mud!
Coat measuring cups, spoons and molds with non-stick spray before putting anything sticky in them, the ingredients will slide right out. To prevent having to clean a burned on, sticky mess from your boiler pan, line the pan with foil and spray the rack with non-stick spray.
Re-sealable plastic is great for marinating and coating foods with flour or cornmeal.
Planning in advance can save you a lot of time in the kitchen opening up your evenings to spend more time with your family. |
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Preparing a Start up Set of Pots and Pans
Every womans kitchen is different, depending on how much time she spends in it, how much she likes to cook, how many people she cooks for and what she likes to cook.
A woman who cooks a lot of soups and stews for a large family will need large pots. A woman who cooks for only one or two people can get away with much smaller cookware.
Most women receive a few hand me downs from family and friends when they finally move away from home. It is amazing, as a matter of fact, how many items mom has two of in the dark recesses of her kitchen cupboards.
However, this will not cover all of your needs. As your experience grows, along with the types of recipes you prepare, your cookware will expand to cover those needs.
Skillets are a requirement if you plan to fry anything, which sooner or later you will, having coated skillets and cookware is a plus if you dont like food cooked in a lot of fat or oil.
A basic set of pots usually 2, 3 and 5 quarts and a stock pot, will cover most of your stovetops needs. If you plan to bake you will need a couple of pie pans, whether metal or glass is up to you.
A cookie sheet, not only for cookies, but for heating pizza, can also be placed under foods that may boil over, leaving a mess in your oven.
A casserole dish which can double as a cake pan can also be used for making lasagna. You will also need a colander for draining pasta; it can also be used while washing beans or lettuce in the sink.
You will find yourself coming up with unique ways to adapt recipes so you can use the pans that you have, and eventually you will purchase every thing you need to have the perfect kitchen for you.
Related Topics: The History of the Fry Pan,
Reducing Ingredients-or Pared Down Cooking, Microwaving Meats
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