Chapter V: Fruits and Vegetables

Chapter V: Fruits and Vegetables
58. Quick and easy corn on the cob. The simplest way to cook
perfect corn on the cob is to toss an ear into the microwave for three
minutes. Then, remove the husks, add some salt and butter and enjoy.
59. Blanching vegetables. Blanching vegetables means to boil them
for five or six minutes prior to using them in a recipe. This is particularly
helpful for harder vegetables such as carrots, broccoli and cauliflower that
take longer to cook. Otherwise you end up with vegetables that are too
crunchy.
60. Plump up limp vegetables. Give limp vegetables a second
chance by soaking them in ice water to make them crisp after prolonged
refrigeration. This is a great technique for lettuce and celery, which seem
to go limp fastest. This trick also works for limp herbs.
61.Stir-frying vegetables. Stir-fried vegetables are a quick and easy side
dish option. Or serve them over noodles or rice for a delicious meal. The
secret to stir-frying is to have the pan or wok very hot and the vegetables
cut into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly. Great choices are peppers,
mushrooms, onions, carrots, snow peas and beans. Avoid starchy
vegetables such as potatoes and yams. Stir-fried vegetables should be
flavored near the end of the cooking time for the best results.
62. Stop white vegetables from yellowing. When cooking white
vegetables, use a light colored pot and add a pinch of sugar to keep the
white color and avoid yellowing.
63. Measure vegetables and fruits properly for recipes. When
using a recipe that asks you to include a specified amount of a fruit or
vegetable, it can be confusing sometimes to know just how much they
mean. The general rule of thumb is that if the recipe states “1 cup of diced
carrots” then you dice them first and then measure out 1 cup. If it calls for
“1 carrot, diced” then it wants you to dice up one carrot. Most recipes are
pretty forgiving though; so don’t stress too much over getting the prefect
amount.
64. Roasting vegetables. There are lots of vegetables that can be
carrots, potatoes, onions, peppers and squashes. For the best results, coat
the vegetables evenly in oil and add seasonings before putting them in a
non-stick roasting pan. A great way to ensure they don’t stick (and to make
cleanup easy) is to line your pan with parchment paper. Ensure that the
vegetables are evenly distributed and not overlapping one another.
65. Ripen tomatoes overnight. Putting green tomatoes in a brown
paper bag with an overripe banana can quickly ripen them. By the morning
your green tomatoes will be red and ready to eat!
66. Perfectly steam vegetables every time. Steaming is an easy
way to cook vegetables and is a great way to retain their water-soluble
vitamins. Almost all vegetables can be steamed except for starchy ones like
potatoes. When steaming, make sure that vegetables are cut into
equal-sized pieces so they cook evenly. To steam them, place them in a
bamboo or metal steams, place the lid on the steamer and put it over a
saucepan of boiling water. Always steam your vegetables with the highest
possible heat to avoid sogginess and get them cooked faster.
67. Make sautéed onions even sweeter. For tastier sautéed
onions, add a few drops of honey to the pan after heating the oil or butter
and before adding the onions. Or if you don’t have any honey, add some
sugar on top of the onions once they start to soften. This is especially tasty
if you’ll be using the onions on a pizza, steak or hamburger.
68. Easily peel peaches and tomatoes. Whenever you have to peel
peaches or tomatoes, the easiest way is to first immerse them in boiling
water for 30 seconds. Then use a sharp paring knife to remove the peel.
69. Make delicious salads. If you’ve only ever used iceberg lettuce to
make salads, now is the time to branch out and try something new. Red
and green leaf lettuces make an excellent – and healthier – alternative. To
make the perfect salad be sure to get yourself an inexpensive salad spinner.
Nothing is more unappetizing than soggy lettuce leaves. And the extra
water will dilute the flavor of your dressing.
70. Steam vegetables without a steamer. Don’t have a steamer?
Make enough small aluminium foil balls to cover the bottom of your pan
and fill with water to half the height of the foil balls. Boil the water, and
once it is boiling, add whatever you are cooking. Expect it to be finished in
about 10-15 minutes.
71. Use pureed vegetables. Pureed vegetables make an excellent thickener
for sauces and stews. Consider pureeing your leftovers and freezing them
in small plastic bags. Just be sure to heat thoroughly before adding to a hot
sauce.
72. Roast red peppers. Wash and place whole red peppers on the
barbecue grill. Grill them on HIGH to char the skin all around. This takes
15-20 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when their skin is black and
lifting away from the flesh in places. Then cool them in a paper bag to
loosen the blackened skin. Simply peel them and remove the seeds.
Roasted red peppers make an excellent topping for pizzas, hamburgers and
quesadillas or are delicious all on their own!