| |
| |
|
Recipes Information |
|
|
|
Cookware: What You Need And What You Don't
Cookware is always a rather contentious subject. I have seen chefs turn up to even the simplest of cooking jobs carrying more than it would take to maintain your average oil tanker (though maybe this is not the best use for your cookware), when all that was really needed was a knife and something to sharpen it with. So what are the real "cookware essentials", the things that you really can't do without? Well surprisingly you actually need only a very small amount of things to get you going. Probably considerably less than you have already. All the cookware you actually need is a good knife, a means of sharpening it, a chopping board and a couple of pans.You may prefer a bit more cookware but you can cook with just that. Don't get me wrong, I'm as partial to a kitchen full of mixers, blenders, electrical appliances and assorted useful, and otherwise, gadgets as the next person. But although good quality cheap cookware ( yes it is possible )like grinders and blenders give you a lot more scope there are plenty of things that you can cook without them, but a good knife, or three, is absolutely essential. The first and most essential piece of cookware you need is a cooks knife, thats as large as you feel comfortable with, an 8 inch knife with a blade that curves slightly to allow a rocking motion is a good start, then a smaller knife, about 4 inches, for cutting small vegetables and a carving knife. If you buy one about 10 inches long it can also double as a bread knife. Although there is no point buying extra knifes just to line the pockets of the large kitchen eequipment manufacturers. A set can actually be quite good value and give you more for a similar amount of money. But check carefully what is in the set first. If you cannot find a set with what you think will be useful to you, don't buy it. Many sets come with extras like a case or wooden knife block but try to see past the free gifts. Its much better to have a few good knives in your drawer than a fancy polished beech wood block with fifteen designer knives, fourteen of which you never use, and one that is not the right shape for your hand and gives you blisters. I have a small, not very expensive set of French Sabatiers that are comfortable but not as posh looking as some of the more fashionable makes like the Japanese globals which I find too light which makes chopping a lot of veg for example much harder work. If you learn how to use them properly then steel or grinding stone is a good way to keep your knives sharp otherwise there are a good choice of proprietary sharpeners that keep the knife at the right angle while you pull it through the sharpener. Pans also need to be good quality, nothing over the top, no need to spend a fortune. Just make sure they are of a good solid construction. This promotes good even heat distribution and helps to prevent things burning. Stainless steel is a good option. A good wok on the other hand should be made of a thin light steel and cost very little, but always check that it has a good well-fixed wooden handle. The best place to buy this most useful of pans is (perhaps unsurprisingly) usually the local Chinese supermarket. A good chopping board is another necessity though two are better than one as this helps to prevent cross contamination if you designate one for uncooked meats/fish etc.and another for things like fruit and salads. No matter how much you think you will always be careful and wash them between uses this is the best single way to prevent contamination between foods. Mixers can be useful if you intend doing a lot of baking. But unless you make bread on a regular basis (always a good idea), then buying a simple, good quality hand held mixer rather than a heavy stand alone version could save you a couple of hundred dollars in as well as a lot of space on your worktop. A blender is always useful for soups and the occasional smoothie, and a grinder will give you a lot more options in your use of nuts etc.and will also provide a constant supply of fresh coffee for the more manic cook. A good way to combine the functions of all three is to buy a food processor. A good quality machine such as a Moulinex or Robot coupe will save space and allow you to buy a much better processor than if you bought there items separately. There is an almost unending list of kitchen equipment that you could buy (if in doubt walk into your local cookery shop and ask the owner what he thinks you need!), but make sure you get the essential good quality cookware right and it will make your cooking easier and more enjoyable. http://nearlyhealthy.com is a new quality easy recipe, cookery tips and information site, for great tasting food that is also easy to cook. Cooking should be a joy not a chore. Using the best ingredients and keeping it simple means your food tastes good with the minimum of fuss. Cookery book reviews, we choose the best in current and classic recipe books and food travel writers. Also product and good food suppliers. Need to know the best food processor we take the time to choose so you don't have to. Need to know where to find the best organic pork? We bring you the best suppliers and information. We have started small but will add more and more content over the coming weeks so do keep checking back. We look forward to seeing you and listening to your comments and feedback.
MORE RESOURCES:
Recipes - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Prime Rib Cooking Times As you look over a couple of prime rib recipes you'll notice a wide range of prime rib cooking times. Some recipes call for a cooking time of one hour and some recipes say that the roast should be cooked for six hours. Weight Loss Recipe: Apricot Chicken Just because you are watching your weight, doesn't mean the whole family can't enjoy your health enhancing meals! The kids will love "Apricot Chicken" and you will love it because it is so low in calories and fat!Long term weight loss isn't about hunger, misery and crash dieting. It's a whole new way of learning to prepare nutritious food that your body needs and enjoys. How to Make Your Own Low Fat Vanilla Ice Cream Sometimes, when you have set yourself in the weight loss journey, you may miss your old friends: snacks.But life does not have to be miserable for you to lose weight. Weight Loss Recipe: Spicy Chicken Cacciatore Just because you are watching your weight, doesn't mean the whole family can't enjoy your health enhancing meals! The kids will love "Spicy Chicken Cacciatore" and you will love it because it is so low in calories and fat!Long term weight loss isn't about hunger, misery and crash dieting. It's a whole new way of learning to prepare nutritious food that your body needs and enjoys. Converting Recipes for Your Crockpot Crockpots vary but the low setting is typically around 100degrees and its high setting is around 300 degrees.Knowing this, it is fairly easy to convert most recipes foruse in your slow cooker. Easy Trail Mixes Before you set off on your next family walk or outing, try making one of these super easy trail mixes to keep your energy up.* Quick Fix Mix2 cups mini pretzels1 cup cheese snack crackers1 cup honey roasted peanuts1 cup raisinsPlace all ingredients into a plastic baggie, seal, and then shake. Rice Noodles with Tomatoes and Tuna -A Savoury Gluten-free Alternative to Pasta Ok. I never thought that the day would come when I would sing the praises of a rice noodle. Use Up Those Leftovers! Managing leftovers is a challenge we all face! Throwing food away is just like throwing money away. With a little time,organization and using a little ingenuity, leftovers can be dealt with efficiently. Try Truffles! Want to serve an elegant, yet easy, dessert? Try truffles. The chocolate kind, that is. Low Carb Recipes Actually Taste Great! Many people are beginning diets that encourage low carb recipes these days. But, what are low carb recipes? What things can and cannot be made into a low carb recipe? Following your diets strict guidelines is important, but using the Internet as a tool will help you. Making Pancake Batter the Night Before (with Recipe) Mornings are hectic. If you make your pancake batter the night before, that will save you precious minutes. Easy No-Roll Pie Crust EASY No-Roll Pie Crust3 cups flour1 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons sugar2/3 cup cooking oil (I like to use Canola oil)1/3 cup water or milkMeasure all ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir with a fork. Pat into pie pan with fingers or use the back of a spoon. Raisin Roll Delight Ingredients: cup cold water plus 2 Tablesps (very important)6 Tablesps butter ( stick) cup vital wheat gluten flour 1/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose wheat (white) flourtrace of salt (two light shakes or to taste)1 ounces of raisins3 eggs *1 egg whitePreheat oven to 425F. Have ready one large, nonstick, heavy-gauge metal cookie sheet. Low Fat French Toast French toast was one of my favorite breakfast foods when I was little. Dieting can be hard, especially when you can not enjoy many of the foods that you love. Noodles Different cultures have their own way of taking some water and mixing it with an all-purpose flour, a rice flour, a wheat flour and adding either barley, buckwheat,soybeans,seaweed or tapioca.After combining whatever ingredients are used with the type of a chosen flour, they work the dough on a floured surface, roll the dough out and let it dry. Holiday Recipe: Filled Cookies From the book: Christmas In Dairyland (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm)When I was a kid growing up on our dairy farm in Wisconsin 40 years ago, cookies with a date filling were my dad's favorite kind. Here is the recipe. My Grandmothers Heritage Recipe The whole thing started when my sister-in-law called to say that she needed a special dessert for her Mother's 75th birthday party. "Don't you have a family recipe that would be meaningful as well as delicious. Oatmeal-Apple-Raisin Muffins These muffins are not only tasty, but they're also a good source of fiber. In recent years, health experts have come to realize that fiber is an important part of a heart-healthy diet. The Taffy Pull (A Story and a Recipe) One year when I was growing up on our Wisconsin dairy farm, the Brownie leaders had announced we were going to make some extra-special candy at our next meeting.So - when school let out one winter afternoon - I lost no time getting to the gym where we always had our meetings. Weird Foods Of The World - Chinese I have eaten some weird and wonderful dishes around the world but some of the more interesting concoctions have been served up to me in China.A particularly interesting delicacy I ate some years ago consisted of Cow's bronchial tubes - the airways between the cow's lungs and windpipe (gruesome!) in a light white wine sauce.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
