|
|
Cooking For the Holidays
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.
See Also:
Fielder takes meat off his menu as he opts for vegetarian lifestyle
The History of the Fry Pan
Tomatoes Everywhere!
I have often been amazed at the number of tomatoes on one plant, and the number of plants a person will maintain at one time.
It seems that every person who plants tomatoes has to have at least 4 varieties, and to be safe two plants of each variety, at that minimum thats 8 tomato plants in a season!
So, just how many tomatoes come on a plant, all I know is that there are a lot.
One bushel or 45 pounds can make 26 to 34 pints of frozen tomatoes and 20 to 28 pints of frozen juice. Once you freeze tomatoes they become mushy, so they can only be used in soups, stews and spaghetti sauce.
My mom used to make breaded tomatoes that I loved, they were made with canned tomatoes, day old bread and sugar, I can still taste them!
The procedures for freezing different tomato products are:
*Raw tomatoes, after washing dip in boiling water to loosen skins, peel and core, freeze whole or in pieces, when packing containers, leave 1 inch of head room.
*Tomato juice, wash, sort and trim firm, vine-ripened tomatoes, cut in quarters and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Press through sieve, season with 1 tsp salt for each quart of juice, pour into containers leaving 1 ½ inches head space, seal and freeze containers.
*Stewed (for breaded tomatoes), remove stem ends, peel and quarter ripe tomatoes. Cover and cook 10 to 20 minutes until tender. Place pan of tomatoes in cold water and cool, pack into containers leaving 1 inch head space, seal and freeze.
Tomato sauce, puree, catsup and chili sauces can be frozen. Prepare them as directed and cool rapidly, pack in rigid containers leaving head space and freeze.
There are hundreds of foods that can be prepared with fresh or frozen tomatoes, enjoy them year round. |
|
More articles:
Friday Flash Fiction - His Favourite
How to Select Food for a Divorce Party | eHow.com
February 20th Holidays - Using Cooking.com coupons is as easy as ...
Fried Rice, How Nice! « Foodista Blog
Fielder takes meat off his menu as he opts for vegetarian lifestyle
Skillet Cookies
Outdoor Grills
Barbecues have thrilled the American public for years, who doesnt love to taste of food cooked over an open grill?
Choosing a grill is an important part of this process, and there are as many types of grills as there are people cooking out of doors. There are small ones that fold up and can sit anywhere, costing only a few dollars.
There are the old standbys that were round with legs, and eventually they got used so much that the bottom burned out! Then there are the big fancy ones, costing hundreds of dollars, with propane, or charcoal.
Then there are the back yard barbecue enthusiasts who have one built of brick, block or fieldstone the choice is yours. There are grills with hoods, windshields, warming ovens and rotisseries.
These items bring all the advantages of cooking in your kitchen into your backyard. It is important that the grill you purchase meet all of your needs, choose it in the same way you would choose a stove for the kitchen!
Do you want a grill that you can take with you to a friends house; or just one to leave at home? If you are newlyweds just getting started, you may want a small grill just for two, possibly a hibachi, unless you have lots of barbecues or plan to start your family early.
In which case you may choose one of the larger models, for cooking a large amount of food at one time. Another consideration is propane or charcoal briquettes, some people dont like the taste of foods barbecued over propane (it looses that smoked taste).
However, you can buy chips to bring that taste out in your foods. Charcoal briquettes have a definite advantage when it comes to taste, and like I said earlier, who doesnt love the taste of food cooked over an open grill?
I once cooked on a grill so old the bottom was covered with a piece of metal and tin foil, dont try to convince the owner of that grill to buy a new one, his is “just getting broke in good”!
Choose wisely and enjoy your outdoor grill for many years to come!
Related Topics: Vegetarian Lifestyle,
Planning Food for a Party, Cooking For Two
|