Cooking secrets you wished you'd known about sooner.

[Hollis]

Sauteed vegetables.

Only discovered it last month, after getting tired of bags of steamed 'greens'..

Turns out stick them in a frying pan with some oil and a bit of cumin or similar and they turn out nice.

Don't tell everyone..

 

[bellaozzydog]

a slosh of (mixed with boiling water)

MARIGOLD SWISS VEGETABLE BOUILLON POWDER​

To any stir fry or basically anything in a pot adds that gloopie glossie tastiness you get in takeaway food

I’d been using homemade chicken stock but the powder mixed with boiled water is much better

 

[A380]

Bisto instant gravy is vegan, even the non vegan one. And you can stick it in loads of sauces and stuff to add savouriness and thicken stuff up.

 

[The39thStep]

Putting Coriander leaves in the water with carrots

 

[discokermit]

msg.

 

[Aladdin]

Twirling an egg will let you know if its boiled or not. If it spins easily and quickly its boiled. If it doesn't spin well, its raw.

 

[Epona]

Twirling an egg will let you know if its boiled or not. If it spins easily and quickly its boiled. If it doesn't spin well, its raw.

That and the float test to see whether raw eggs are ok to use
(For those who don't know, when submerged in water, if it rests on its side on the bottom it is very fresh, if it stands on one end on the bottom it is less fresh but OK to use (and excellent for meringue), if it floats it is off - I reckon so many eggs that are past their best before get thrown away unnecessarily when it is very easy to check them).

 

[Aladdin]

Marmalade on toast with cheese is remarkably delicious.

Ok..that's more an opinion than a tip. Sorry

 

[Epona]

msg.

There was definitely a thing when I was growing up where it was seen as a harmful additive in food, took me ages to consider using it!

 

[discokermit]

Marmalade on toast with cheese is remarkably delicious.

Ok..that's more an opinion than a tip. Sorry

marmalade then cheese then under the grill?

 

[Bus Honeygun]

Mushrooms will reabsorb the liquid that comes out of them and taste loads better for it.

 

[Aladdin]

marmalade then cheese then under the grill?

I haven't tried that.
Just pieces of cheddar sat on the marmalade...ungrilled.

 

[Epona]

Sauteed vegetables.

Only discovered it last month, after getting tired of bags of steamed 'greens'..

Turns out stick them in a frying pan with some oil and a bit of cumin or similar and they turn out nice.

Don't tell everyone..

My gran always used to do cabbage finely chopped and sautéed with caraway seeds - now caraway is not a very commonly used spice these days, but it does go excellently with cabbage.
(She'd likely have done it in leftover bacon fat or beef dripping back in the day, but butter or plant based oil of your choice would also work for a veggie or vegan method)

 

[discokermit]

super salt. one part msg, nine parts ordinary salt.

 

[Aladdin]

My gran always used to do cabbage finely chopped and sautéed with caraway seeds - now caraway is not a very commonly used spice these days, but it does go excellently with cabbage.
(She'd likely have done it in leftover bacon fat or beef dripping back in the day, but butter or plant based oil of your choice would also work for a veggie or vegan method)

It's really difficult to find carraway seeds. My dad has memories of carraway seed cake. I remember it too from my nana.
I tried to get them in local shops but nobody had them.

 

[Mumbles274]

Marmalade on toast with cheese is remarkably delicious.

Ok..that's more an opinion than a tip. Sorry

Agreed.. Especially on toasted bagels

 

[Mumbles274]

Quorn mince is a million times better than beef mince

 

[DaveCinzano]

Marmalade on toast with cheese is remarkably delicious.

Ok..that's more an opinion than a tip. Sorry

It is also highly correct

 

[A380]

Quorn mince is a million times better than beef mince

Unless it makes you projectile vomit it hugely spectacular arcs. Like it does me and about 3% of the population….apparently it’s not the quorn fungus itself but something they add to the egg growth medium.

 

[Epona]

Unless it makes you projectile vomit it hugely spectacular arcs. Like it does me and about 3% of the population….apparently it’s not the quorn fungus itself but something they add to the egg growth medium.

Yep it really upsets my stomach!
N loves the stuff and doesn't eat meat, so we have it in for him, I can't tolerate it though.

 

[DaveCinzano]

N loves the stuff and doesn't eat meat, so we have it in for him, I can't tolerate it though.

 

[ouirdeaux]

It's really difficult to find carraway seeds

Well, obviously. They're very small. Try not to spill them.

On topic: asparagus and broccoli are great after a few minutes on a George Foreman grill.

 

[krtek a houby]

Cointreau is a nice base for a carrot soup.

Chop up onion (and garlic), heat oil, add turmeric and fry until softened, add capful of Cointreau, reduce heat, add diced carrot, after 10 mins add chopped tomato (one small, or 3 or 4 cherry sized) with basil and black pepper.

Switch off after 10 mins. Let cool, blend it, warm up again and add coriander just before serving.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Marmalade on toast with cheese is remarkably delicious.

Ok..that's more an opinion than a tip. Sorry

Ooh, interesting, that sounds like it would potentially be delicious. What sort of cheese? And do you mean cheese on toast with a splodge of marmalade on top? Or do you mean something like mixing some marmalade with grated cheese and then spreading that sort of paste on then toasting it? Or do you mean marmalade on toast with some slices of cheese on top or grated cheese sprinkled over or something else?

I need details, a recipe/recommendations?

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Quorn mince is a million times better than beef mince

I sometimes substitute brown lentils for beef mince and that works well, especially if you stir in a bit of gravy made with instant Bistro stuff, which is accidentally vegan, plus some of the vegan Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon powder.

You can make a cracking cottage pie or spaghetti Bolognese with it, etc.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Sauteed vegetables.

Only discovered it last month, after getting tired of bags of steamed 'greens'..

Turns out stick them in a frying pan with some oil and a bit of cumin or similar and they turn out nice.

Don't tell everyone..

Top and tail some green beans and lightly boil them in water, drain and set aside - you want them to still have a bit of crunch and not be wilted and soggy.

Get a big frying pan. Melt some butter. Add some sliced garlic. The heat shouldn't be too high, otherwise the garlic will burn and become bitter.

Add some small tomatoes. I usually just add a punnet of cherry tomatoes on the vine. I keep them on the vine. Maybe chop into smaller bunches, depending on how many people you're serving. The tomatoes will start to soften.

Add the green beans to the frying pan with the tomatoes in garlicky butter. Gently stir. You don't want to smush the tomatoes. You just want to make sure the green beans, which had probably cooled a bit, have now been warmed through again and coated in buttery garlicky goodness.

Serve as a side with pretty much anything, roast chicken, fresh fish, lamb shank/chops, quiche, risotto, etc.

 

[Aladdin]

Ooh, interesting, that sounds like it would potentially be delicious. What sort of cheese? And do you mean cheese on toast with a splodge of marmalade on top? Or do you mean something like mixing some marmalade with grated cheese and then spreading that sort of paste on then toasting it? Or do you mean marmalade on toast with some slices of cheese on top or grated cheese sprinkled over or something else?

I need details, a recipe/recommendations?

Just marmalade spread on toast and some extra strong cheddar or vintage cheddar on top of the marmalade..

 

[Yossarian]

Scissors are better than knives for cutting up meat

 

[Humberto]

Bash garlic clove with flat of a knife and skin comes off easy.

 

[Humberto]

Salt it for chopping.