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| Wine and Food Philososphy |
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Demystifying some of the culinary terminology:
1. Must be boiling (to allow steam to escape).
2. No lid (so condensation doesn't fall back into the pan).
3. Don't stir it much (this keeps the pan cool).
If you over reduce a sauce or stock just add more liquid and reduce again.
Multiple reductions will only add layers of flavor to your sauce, increasing its
complexity. Be careful, however, not to over reduce and burn your pan.
1. Pan must be hot and bits should not be burnt.
2. Must use liquid, such as water, wine or stock.
3. Use a utensil, a wooden spoon works best, to scrape the bottom
of the pan just after adding the liquid.
First, you brown something (such as meat or onions) and then with the pan empty
and hot, pour in the liquid. Before deglazing, drain off any fat that is in your pan
so that your sauce will not be greasy. It should sizzle, steam and bubble.
Carefully, use your utensil to scrape the bottom of the pan while the liquid is
bubbling. The amount of liquid really depends on the size of your pan. You need
enough to cover the suface of the bottom of the pan, but not too much which
would cool the pan too rapidly and prevent deglazing. Generally speaking
anywhere between a 1/2 cup to 2 cups will work.
When using a grille or BBQ, instead of oiling the grids of the grill, spray the items
to be grilled with cooking spray on both sides. This will help prevent the items from
sticking and keep the grille or BBQ cleaner with less flame-ups.
Best way to cook bacon: Preheat the oven to 350˚F or 180˚C. Lay the sliced
bacon on a sheet pan (one with sides) and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until it is the
crispness you desire. You do not need to grease the sheet pan. Rotate sheet
pan in the oven once during the cooking time. You may even overlap the bacon
slices and you do not need to flip the bacon during cooking. It is also a good idea
to line the sheet pan with parchment paper or foil for easier clean-up. When the
bacon is ready, lay it out on paper towels to blot the grease. This method is how
professional chefs cook bacon. It is less messy and allows you to cook many
slices at once. It also comes out very flat and is great for BLTs.
- Reduction - is a process by which you decrease the volume of a liquid
through the evaporation of the water content. This results in a
concentration of flavors, more complex flavor, even layers of flavor and
often the bonus of thickening which is important in saucemaking.
1. Must be boiling (to allow steam to escape).
2. No lid (so condensation doesn't fall back into the pan).
3. Don't stir it much (this keeps the pan cool).
If you over reduce a sauce or stock just add more liquid and reduce again.
Multiple reductions will only add layers of flavor to your sauce, increasing its
complexity. Be careful, however, not to over reduce and burn your pan.
- Deglazing - is a technique by which you can transfer more flavor into a dish
or sauce by releasing the brown carmelized bits from the bottom of the pan,
thus incorporating them into the cooking liquid or sauce. The carmelized
bits are also known as fond or sucs in French. If deglazing is done
correctly, the bottom of your pan should be completely clean with no stuck
on bits of carmelization.
1. Pan must be hot and bits should not be burnt.
2. Must use liquid, such as water, wine or stock.
3. Use a utensil, a wooden spoon works best, to scrape the bottom
of the pan just after adding the liquid.
First, you brown something (such as meat or onions) and then with the pan empty
and hot, pour in the liquid. Before deglazing, drain off any fat that is in your pan
so that your sauce will not be greasy. It should sizzle, steam and bubble.
Carefully, use your utensil to scrape the bottom of the pan while the liquid is
bubbling. The amount of liquid really depends on the size of your pan. You need
enough to cover the suface of the bottom of the pan, but not too much which
would cool the pan too rapidly and prevent deglazing. Generally speaking
anywhere between a 1/2 cup to 2 cups will work.
- Simmer vs Boil - A proper simmer is a crucial point in cooking.
Understanding what a simmer is can make the difference between tough
and tender meat or clear and cloudy stock as well as numerous other
cooking techniques or recipes being sucessful or not.
- So I will use a metaphor to describe a simmer: A full rolling boil is a
fiesta in the pot. There is music, dancing and really great food. It's a big
party. A simmer is just a get-together; there is no music or dancing and if
there is food it is just snacks on the coffee table. It is not a party...it's just a
get-together. There should be some small bubbles or a lazy bubble. If the
pot is still then your get-together has turned into a conversation and you
need to turn up the heat a bit. If too much heat is the problem you can off-
set the pot so it is not completely over the burner. If you are braising, the
best way to simmer it is in the oven at a low temperature; anywhere between
250˚F and 350˚F or 220˚C and 180˚C.
When using a grille or BBQ, instead of oiling the grids of the grill, spray the items
to be grilled with cooking spray on both sides. This will help prevent the items from
sticking and keep the grille or BBQ cleaner with less flame-ups.
Best way to cook bacon: Preheat the oven to 350˚F or 180˚C. Lay the sliced
bacon on a sheet pan (one with sides) and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until it is the
crispness you desire. You do not need to grease the sheet pan. Rotate sheet
pan in the oven once during the cooking time. You may even overlap the bacon
slices and you do not need to flip the bacon during cooking. It is also a good idea
to line the sheet pan with parchment paper or foil for easier clean-up. When the
bacon is ready, lay it out on paper towels to blot the grease. This method is how
professional chefs cook bacon. It is less messy and allows you to cook many
slices at once. It also comes out very flat and is great for BLTs.
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