everything you always wanted to know about cooking but were afraid to ask

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everything you always wanted to know about cooking but were afraid to ask (Page 6)

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Author	Topic: everything you always wanted to know about cooking but were afraid to ask
ebayerdg Housemate	posted 05-29-2003 09:48 AM how do you make an egg poached? IP: Logged
Annabella Subletter	posted 05-31-2003 07:43 AM There are a couple of ways to poach an egg. the poached eggs that most of us are familiar with ( the perfect little half dome) are acctually molded eggs. to make those all you need is a poached egg insert and a pan that will fit it. the eggs are broken into the cups (lightly greased if they're not non-stick ) and held over simmering water. if you don't have one of these contraptions and don't share my compulsion to run out and buy every kitchen gadget under the sun, you can use cleaned out tuna cans but make sure the water level isn't higher than the level of the egg in the can, if it is your little egg boats will capsize and make quite a mess. I really love this method beacuse i don't have to stand over the pot constantly and it yeilds consistently attractive eggs. To make a true poached egg is a bit trickier. if at all possible you want to use the freshest AA eggs you can get. fresher eggs hold their shape bettter. if you are not using really fresh eggs add 1 tsp salt and 2 tsp vinegar per quart of poaching liquid. the vinegar helps to coagulate the egg white so it doesn't spread . You shouldn't really need more than a quart of water unless you're doing a big batch at once. bring the water to a simmer. if the water is boiling the eggs will get tough and possibly break from the agitation. break eggs one at a time into a bowl and slide into the water, they will hold their shape better if they slide in against the edge of the pan. simmer 3-5 min. until the whites are coagulated and the yolks are still soft. remove the eggs with a slotted spoon or skimmer, drain well. you can trim off the ragged edges for a better appearence. i hope this is helpful. oh and don't forget the salt and pepper when you eat them. it's sooo tasty. [This message has been edited by Annabella (edited 05-31-2003).] IP: Logged
ebayerdg Housemate	posted 06-03-2003 07:08 AM Thanks Anabella! That sounds really hard, but I'll try. IP: Logged
geckogurl Housesitter	posted 06-19-2003 10:13 AM is there a rule of thumb for swapping shortening for butter? i'm thinking for some reason that it's not an even switch (i.e. the recipe calls for 1 cup of shortening...do i use slightly less butter than 1 cup? slightly more?), but i'm not sure. help! the fate of my cupcakes is hanging in the balance! [This message has been edited by geckogurl (edited 06-19-2003).] IP: Logged
briezee Housemate	posted 06-19-2003 10:36 AM geckogurl, try here . IP: Logged
geckogurl Housesitter	posted 06-19-2003 11:24 AM thanks, briezee...i guess the opposite would require subtracting 2 tablespoons of water from the butter (obviously not very do-able), so i'm guessing i can just use equal amounts...ah well, we'll see how they come out! IP: Logged
amie Housemate	posted 07-19-2003 06:32 PM umm - what are scallions? are they leeks? or spring onions? i'm confused IP: Logged
jazzberry Housemate	posted 07-19-2003 07:42 PM scallions = spring onions = green onions three names, all the same thing. oh yeah, but chives are quite different. [This message has been edited by jazzberry (edited 07-19-2003).] IP: Logged
Annabella Subletter	posted 07-19-2003 11:42 PM Scallions and green onions are similar but not quite the same. green onions are onions that are harvested while they are still immature. scallions are a member of the allium family but they don't really have a bulb just a slightly swollen base. i imagine green onions and spring onions are the same as immature onions would be harvested in the spring. that said the flavor is very similar and they are often misslabeled as each other ,i can't see any problem with substituting one for the other. one more bit of useless scallion trivia, they originated in southwestern siberia and have been used in china for more than 2000 years but they weren't introduced in europe until the 16th century. IP: Logged
amie Housemate	posted 07-20-2003 04:51 PM annabella you're a gem thanks for that - and for your input too jazzberry. appreciated! IP: Logged
jazzberry Housemate	posted 07-20-2003 09:02 PM quote: Originally posted by Annabella: scallions are a member of the allium family but they don't really have a bulb just a slightly swollen base. oooh...it's funny, because I never really thought anything of the swollen bulby part, since they taste exactly the same. Interesting... IP: Logged
Annabella Subletter	posted 07-21-2003 12:09 AM finally my food dorkiness pays off : ) always glad to be of help IP: Logged
ragazzina Housemate	posted 07-21-2003 08:39 AM I'm so impressed, Annabella! (here, spring onions and scallions are definitely the same thing, I don't know what we ever get green onions) I love variations in terminology, etc. It's good to hear the scientific definition! I think I'm a wannabe-food-dork! IP: Logged
Nieci Housemate	posted 07-22-2003 08:02 AM quote: Originally posted by ebayerdg: how do you make an egg poached? Another way of poaching an egg if you don't have an egg poacher (which I bought specifically for making eggs benedict and now cannot find. Hmph.) is to use a ladle. Boil a quart of water and crack the egg into the ladle. Hold ladle in water without letting water go into the ladle, and wait for egg to cook. Cha ching. IP: Logged
nisswatson Subletter	posted 07-23-2003 01:53 AM May be a silly question, but do you grease the ladel first? Sounds like a very "no fuss" method, my favourite kind. IP: Logged
Nieci Housemate	posted 07-23-2003 05:28 AM nope, but your arm might get a little tired holding it in the water. You can also use a small ramekin or bowl in an inch or so of water (just up close to the rim of the ramekin) and that way you don't have to hold it. IP: Logged
ralphyr Housemate	posted 07-23-2003 05:11 PM What is a Cantaloupe? I thought it was a honeydew melon or something like that. IP: Logged
jstrizzy Housemate	posted 07-23-2003 05:22 PM It's a different melon, about the same size as a honeydew, but with orange flesh inside, and a bumpy outside that looks kind of like ropy netting. I can't stand honeydew, but I love cantaloupe. IP: Logged
amie Housemate	posted 07-23-2003 11:40 PM cantelope = rockmelon IP: Logged
ralphyr Housemate	posted 07-23-2003 11:50 PM Ah rockmelon, now I know, thanks Amie. [This message has been edited by ralphyr (edited 07-23-2003).] IP: Logged
Sabriel Housemate	posted 08-24-2003 04:56 AM Anyone know how to boil eggs w/o cracking them? Sometimes they crack, sometimes they don't. I'm confused! IP: Logged
chance00 Housemate	posted 08-24-2003 05:49 AM Poke a tiny hole with a pin at the fat end of the egg - when the air sack in the egg expands too quickly, it cracks the shell...the hole allows the air from the sack to escape instead. IP: Logged
ericameredith Housemate	posted 08-24-2003 11:28 AM my mom's method of doing hard boiled eggs seems to work pretty darn well: put eggs in pan, cover with cold water bring water to a boil cover and remove from heat let stand 15 minutes (no peaking or lifting lid!) drain warm water and cover with cold water to help speed cooling if i stick to this, i don't have cracked eggs or green around the edge of the yolk - just really tasty eggs! IP: Logged
Merimoo Housemate	posted 08-24-2003 10:28 PM Do you put the eggs in when you put the pot on the stove or when the water's boiling? I crack more with the latter method. I usually set a timer for 15 minutes from when I turn on the burner (to medium-high). IP: Logged
jazzberry Housemate	posted 08-25-2003 05:05 AM I put 'em in when the water's cold, and as ericameredith also suggested, remove the pot from the heat once the water has boiled. I like my yolks bright yellow (but cooked through) so I only let it stand for 10 minutes. IP: Logged
Sabriel Housemate	posted 08-25-2003 05:18 AM Oh interesting. I didn't realize the eggs would be thoroughly cooked if you left them like that after the water's boiled. I will try that. Thanks guys for your suggestions. I just hate hate breaking my eggs lol. Once the water gets inside it doesn't seem to taste as good. IP: Logged
heather Housemate	posted 08-25-2003 07:14 AM quote: Originally posted by ericameredith: my mom's method of doing hard boiled eggs seems to work pretty darn well: put eggs in pan, cover with cold water bring water to a boil cover and remove from heat let stand 15 minutes (no peaking or lifting lid!) drain warm water and cover with cold water to help speed cooling if i stick to this, i don't have cracked eggs or green around the edge of the yolk - just really tasty eggs! I use the same method, except that I don't remove the pot from the heat after the water starts boiling. I let the eggs boil for 10 minutes, remove the pot from the heat, drain, then cover with cold water. IP: Logged
lacia Housemate	posted 08-25-2003 05:49 PM My dumb food question: What is the best way to chop a head of broccoli? Seems like it would be more desirable/attractive to have small spears (e.g. in a stir-fry dish) but then what happens to the stalky sections? Cut on the diagonal? IP: Logged
jazzberry Housemate	posted 08-25-2003 06:20 PM that's usually what I do, lacia. I cut them into about 3/8" thick slices on the diagonal. I toss them in just before the florets because they take a little longer to cook. Some people throw away the stalks, which drives me nuts. It's the best part! IP: Logged
jazzberry Housemate	posted 08-25-2003 06:22 PM can you freeze a wedge of parmesan cheese? IP: Logged
Nieci Housemate	posted 08-26-2003 05:25 AM Jazz, I've always heard freezing parmesan destroys the consistency and flavor. My grandmother freezes sliced provolone and swears by it but I've never tried it. Re: broccoli, I love the stalks too. When I have leftover, I chop and add to chicken or tuna salad. yumyum. I love sneaking that extra little boost of nutrition in when my daughter's not looking IP: Logged
Princessjeanne Housemate	posted 08-26-2003 08:26 AM I thought you could freeze cheese without changing it for the worse, but I'm not 100% sure. How do you cook calamari without giving it the texture of a garden hose? IP: Logged
PrincessPushPin Housemate	posted 08-26-2003 09:49 AM I just read that many cheeses change texture in the freezer with most hard cheeses turning crumbly (which makes them okay for grating, but not for slicing). And the optimal length you can freeze cheese is 4 months. IP: Logged
lacia Housemate	posted 08-27-2003 04:08 PM Thanks for the replies, jazzberry and Nieci. I just never know what to do with the florets that end up being real big (the ones that get cut off first). I suppose just leave them whole and then people can cut them smaller if they want to. IP: Logged
jstrizzy Housemate	posted 08-27-2003 04:14 PM unless you're stir-frying, in which it's really helpful to have everything cut to about the same size. in that case I usually cut the bigger florets the long way--they end up with one flat side instead of being all nice and round, but it gets the job done. IP: Logged
jazzberry Housemate	posted 08-27-2003 08:22 PM yeah, me too. If the florets come off the stalk too large, I cut them in half or in thirds. I'm really anal about having everything cut exactly the same, though...hehehe. IP: Logged
Epicurus Housemate	posted 08-28-2003 07:19 PM quote: Originally posted by Princessjeanne: How do you cook calamari without giving it the texture of a garden hose? By not over-cooking it. Remember that food keeps cooking even after you take it off the heat, so if it's "done" in the pan it will be "well done" by the time it is served. Calamari should be removed from the heat when it is just opaque. IP: Logged
casion Housemate	posted 09-12-2003 07:57 AM ok, so I want to make steak for my boy tonight, and I'd like to also make a little sauce to go with it. I'm thinking something creamy & garlicky, like what they serve at the keg (steakhouse in canada, not sure if it's in the US as well). any ideas of what it's made of? it has a buttery colour, garlicky & almost cheesy taste...is this a common sauce for steak? help! [This message has been edited by casion (edited 09-12-2003).] IP: Logged
PrincessPushPin Housemate	posted 09-12-2003 08:47 AM Could it be blue cheese? That's yummy on a steak. You could try sauteeing some garlic in butter and then add some blue cheese. Stir together until the cheese melts and add seasonings to taste. Or you could try goat cheese. Or even cream cheese. IP: Logged
hermia Housemate	posted 09-12-2003 09:15 AM Bearnaise sauce, maybe? IP: Logged

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