ZestyCook » Cooking Tips

Top 7 Ways to Use Tomatoes

ZestyCook — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:40:06 +0000

Ever feel that you are running out of meal ideas with certain foods? That happens to me sometimes so I try to step back and think about different ways to use that certain ingredient. The last thing you want to have happen is that you get bored with a great food. The food of choice today is “Tomato“. I never used to like tomatoes but as I grew older I have found a new love for them.

I am not a huge fan of the tomato on just any given deli sandwich however but I do love tomatoes roasted, in sauces and on certain sandwiches with cheese. I just compiled a simple list that I came up with on ways I like to use tomatoes.

Hopefully they will spark your interest to try them.

7 Ways to Use Tomatoes

No-Cook Pasta Sauce – In a large bowl combine several chopped tomatoes, a clove or two of minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Add olive oil to coat tomatoes. Add hot pasta and toss to coat pasta. Bits of fresh mozzarella can be added – they will get a bit melted when tossed with the hot pasta. At the very end you can add red chili flakes, basil, and freshly shredded Parmesan are all tasty additions as well.
Grilled Tomatoes – Slice the tomatoes nice and thick, coat with a little olive oil – season with salt and pepper and grill for 4 mins on each side. Yum!
Toasted Tomato and Pesto Sandwich – Spread two slices of your favorite sandwich bread with your favorite pesto (need a favorite? try this pesto), top one pesto-ed slice with several meaty slices of tomato, sprinkle with salt, sandwich, and enjoy!
Simple Salsa – Make your own fresh salsa by tossed chopped tomato with your choice of the following: minced red onion, minced garlic, finely chopped jalapeño or serrano chiles. Add salt to taste. A splash of red vinegar can be tasty, too. Another addition can be some fresh avocado as well.

A Kicked Up BLT – This is a classic with a twist. This takes a little bit of effort but is so worth it. I like to take two slices of a thick homemade bread, toast it, top with a little butter and a nice piece of cheddar cheese. After that I add the fresh romaine lettuce, juicy red tomatoes and crisp bacon. I top it with freshly ground pepper and enjoy!

In a Salad – Any salad of your choice – tomatoes are a great addition. Keep it simple and dress it just before serving.
Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice - This one is a great fun recipe on a cool day. Scoop out the insides of the tomato. To prepare the filling use cooked rice, oregano and ground beef ( or you can omit) Top with fresh basil and mozzarella cheese and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

So there you have it! My top 7 ways to kick up the regular tomato. Let me know if you have any other great ways to kick up the tomato in the comments section. I will be back tomorrow - Have a great Wednesday.

Take care

zesty

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Top 7 Ways to Use Tomatoes

Waste Not… Want Not

ZestyCook — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:47 +0000

Happy Wednesday! I apologize in advance for somewhat of a quick post but I don’t have much time to write tonight. I had somewhat of a rough day at the house build with some scheduling conflicts and the dreaded “windows“. The service rep was on site today and determined that the windows are leaking! Hooray, but we knew that 10 days ago. With that being said we are performing a temporary solution of caulking which does not really tickle my fancy but we have no other choice.

I didn’t have anytime to eat or cook today but I have had this post in the back of my head for a while so I decided to put it on paper and get your thoughts and ideas.

I was reading a magazine a while back and it had an article related to being more resourceful with products and supplies we would normally throw out. I thought about some of these and I also talked to Mother Zesty as well and this is the list we came up with.

Top 7 Things Not To Throw Out

1. Stale Bread – When your bread goes stale before you have time to eat it, freeze it and use it for dressing/stuffing the next time you have a chicken or a turkey.

2. Bones – Never throw away bones! These are essential in making delicious homemade stocks. Great for freezing and adding flavor to many dishes.

3. Coffee Grinds – These are great to place in certain areas as a natural deodorizer. Place them in an airated container in the firdge or freezer to absorb smells.

4. Butter Wrappers – Save these in the fridge and next time you have to grease a baking dish for your baking – grab it from the fridge and lube up your pan.

5. Rotten Bananas – These guys work great in the freezer for smoothies and of course the ultimate zesty bread…. Banana Bread.

6. Onion Peel – These are great for adding flavors to sauces and soups without the onion texture. Just chuck them in your dish and remove before serving.

7. Don’t Forget the Freezer – Utilize your freezer. Certain foods can be frozen and not lose any of their flavor or impact. Instead of throwing out freeze.

I thought this was a fun, but practical, list to come up with. I am sure you have more great ideas so I welcome you to add them in the comments to share with the rest of us. Have yourself a great Wednesday and I will talk to you tomorrow.

Take care

zesty

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Waste Not… Want Not

6 Ways To Organize Your Pantry

ZestyCook — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:00:36 +0000

Happy Friday to you! I am writing this post in advance as I’m not taking my laptop to my mini vacation in Toronto for the U2 concert. I will fill you in on Monday with an update on how it went.

I was asked by a reader about posting some ideas on how to organize a pantry! I thought it was a timely idea as I have been thinking about pantry design for the new house.

Now of course you will likely have more ideas, so let me know what you consider to be the most crucial tips that you cannot live without when it comes to organizing your pantry.

1. Shelf Assignments

Plan pantry use by categorizing into prime and non-prime storage. If possible, prime storage at eye level should be for the most often-used items. Further categorize storage by item. For example, use one shelf for baking items, another for tomato canned goods and another for pasta and rice.

2. See the Label. Watch Expiry

This is self explanatory, however keep a rotation of oldest to newest to ensure you are eating the oldest food first. Do make a note if you remove the packaging by labeling the best before date for the product.

3. Reduce Dead Space

Be sure these shelves don’t have too much “dead space”. Dead space is unused space. This space can be found even above what you are storing. Adjust the shelf up or down a few inches to create the ability to stack the like cans. This will make a tremendous difference – and get all canned foods on one shelf rather than scattered throughout the pantry.

4. See Through Containers

This is one of my favorites. Find canisters or other holders for noodles, flour, sugar, rice, popcorn, or other foods that come in flimsy plastic or paper bags. I used to store the bag of rice right in the open bag, which always lead to spills, not to mention the possibility of insect infestation! Now I use canisters, empty coffee cans, glass jars and other containers to hold these items.

5. Use Lower Shelves

Whether you want to create a “kid friendly” shelf or just use it to store heavier items such as soda bottles or water bottles – this is a great way to maximize your use of space.

6. Clean Regularly

This is common sense but often forgotten. Be sure to wipe the shelves down regularly and keep the dirt and grime to a minimum. The time you spend cleaning your pantry will help you find stuff you didn’t know you had and hopefully reduce costs on your grocery bill as you are more in tune with the products you have.

Well there you have it, a fun post to hopefully help you keep the pantry presentable. I will be sure to show off my pantry once it gets built! Have an awesome Friday and a great weekend. See ya on Monday.

Take care

zesty

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6 Ways To Organize Your Pantry

Top 5 Tips for Grilling Fish

ZestyCook — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:00:34 +0000

Hello to you! I wanted to piggy back on yesterday’s grilled fish post and share with you some really simple tips to follow when grilling fish. I have received a lot of emails regarding fish and the problems people are having with grilling it which is what inspired this post.

Fish is one of the easiest food items to grill in addition to being one of the healthiest. A good fish on the grill is dependent on how fresh the fish is, the type of fish, the bone structure and the fat content. However, grilling is one of the best ways to cook fish which usually results in a very flavorful, juicy fish. Grill and fish go hand in hand. They are like two Kleenex in a box. It is like fish is made for grilling or the grill is made for the fish. Nothing can be more compatible than these two.

Hopefully with these tips today your mind will be put at ease and you will be grilling tonight.

1. Get it Hot

Whether using gas, charcoal, electric or grill pans, there’s a secret to grilling fish: Get your grill as hot as you can make it. You want to sear the fish as soon as it hits the grate. This seals in the juices and immediately firms the flesh; it’s less likely to stick to the grate and it’s easier to flip.

2. Buy the right fish

When it comes to selecting fish, fresh fish should smell fresh, have firm flesh and a moist appearance. If the fish smells too fishy ask for something else. To keep fish fresh, make sure it is tightly wrapped and kept cold. Do not plan on keeping fresh fish more than a couple of days. If possible try to purchase fresh fish the same day you plan to cook it. If you can’t cook the fish within about 2 days, freeze it. Frozen fish should be frozen solid and also, tightly wrapped.

Generally you buy fish either whole, in fillets or steaks. Fillets will give you the most trouble because they tend to fall apart a little easier. Steaks and whole fish hold together better but take longer to grill. If you are grilling whole fish, stuff it with something like lemon slices. This not only adds to the flavor but creates a space between the sides to let the heat get in.

3. How long?

The basic rule is to cook fish 8 minutes per inch of thickness, or 10 minutes per inch if it’s a whole fish. Check it two minutes before you think it should be done, keeping in mind that everything keeps cooking for a few minutes after it leaves the grill. Fish is best when it just starts to flake off with a fork.

4. Brush the grill with oil right before adding the fish.

Pick up a wad of paper towel with tongs, dip it in oil, and brush the preheated grill right before adding the fish. Forget cooking sprays. Oil works even better since it can be applied directly to the grill and not only to the fish.

5. Glaze only after a brief sear on both sides.

If you want to cover your fish with a glaze or a sauce, first grill it plain on very high heat for 2 minutes per side. Then turn down the heat to the lowest setting, brush with glaze and continue cooking on both sides until done.

So there you have some really quick and common sense tips to get you through the next time you grill some fish. Now I have a job for you! In the comments tell me your favorite fish and your favorite way to eat it (If of course you like it). I am up in the air heading for Washington ready for a full week of meetings. Have a great Tuesday and I will see you tomorrow.

Take care

zesty

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Top 5 Tips for Grilling Fish

5 Everyday Kitchen Tips You Must Know

ZestyCook — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:00:51 +0000

Happy Canada Day!! A day off and I am so excited. The weather has been somewhat damp over the last few days and honestly I think I could curl up in the bed for about 40 hours and be very happy. But as they say, no time for rest – keep that body going!

I was sitting talking with my mother-in-law about what to post as I was late getting home from work. I really just slapped together some dinner and got back to work on the computer. We came up with some kitchen tips that are super handy to know.

Over the last few weeks she has shared some really great kitchen tips that I never knew about. So I thought, well I better share these with you and see what you think.

5 Everyday Kitchen Tips

1. Use Bread with Hard Brown Sugar - Ever have a bag of brown sugar that gets very hard and compact in your cupboard. No need to throw it out ever again. Open the bag and place a piece of bread in the top of the bag and seal it up. Leave it for two days and then check your sugar. It will be soft and brand new. Once you are satisfied with the results – throw away the slice of bread.

2. Clean your pots with Baking Soda and Vinegar - Leave your sauce pot boil dry by accident as you were in the dining room enjoying your dinner? Not to worry. This clean up is a piece of cake with the combination of vinegar and baking soda. In the burnt pot, add some baking soda and vinegar in the bottom of the pot and let it sit for 10 minutes. The reaction will start to remove the burnt texture on the pot. You can then add some hot water and give it a light scrub and you will be very pleased.

3. How to use Sour Milk - How often do you catch yourself throwing sour milk down the sink. There is no need to do that! Use it for baking. It will make a great batch of biscuits. So the next time you smell some funny milk – set it aside and whip out your zesty apron and get baking.

4. Egg peeling off – Make a small hole in the egg by piercing with a pin before boiling it. You will be able to remove the shell very easily.

5. Revive your Lemon/Lime - If a lemon or lime is hard, put it in warm water for 5-10 minutes to make it easier to squeeze and revitalize the juice.

Happy Canada Day for all that are celebrating and I hope you have a great Wednesday. Before you go, check out some more zesty posts make sure you enter in my latest giveaway and try and win some POM Wonderful Juice.

Take care

zesty

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5 Everyday Kitchen Tips You Must Know

Herb vs. Spice

ZestyCook — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:00:43 +0000

We made it! Friday is upon us and ummm.. lets just say it has been somewhat of a crazy week. So crazy that I have something to confess to you. This week has thrown some curve balls that I was not ready for. As a result, the breakfast for 50 had to be outsourced to my favorite bakery. I know I am somewhat disappointed but some things are out of my control. The selection from the bakery was a combination of all homemade baked goods both sweet and savory. I also used a lot of your suggestions when choosing the platters.

What I thought would be fun today is to go over the difference between a herb and a spice and some storage tips. Let me know what you think.

What is a herb and what is a spice?

Anything with a leaf and a mild flavor that’s grown in a temperate climate is an herb. Everything else (including seeds, bark, berries and underground roots and shoots) that has a stronger flavor and grows in tropical climates is considered a spice.

HERBS

Storing Herbs
Store dried herbs in small glass jars with airtight seals or screw tops in a cool, dark cupboard away from the heat of the stove.

Store fresh herbs in the refrigerator. Don’t wash them until you’re ready to use them because they quickly go bad. If herbs are wet, shake off excess moisture, then wrap in paper towels or keep at room temperature until the leaves dry.

To dry fresh herbs for longer storage, several methods can be used: (I never do this as I just buy them already dried or fresh but I have seen this done and seems to work effectively)

Air – Remove all soil and roots, then wash and gently dry. Hang in bunches upside down in a paper bag with air holes in a well-ventilated area.

Microwave – This is the best way to preserve an herb’s colour. Spread between layers of paper towel and heat on high (100%) for about 2 minutes, checking every 30 seconds and removing herbs as they dry. Leave on counter to cool and dry completely before storing.

Oven – Spread herbs in a thin layer on baking sheet with sides. Bake at lowest heat in oven, without stirring, until leaves are dry and crispy. Do not over dry.

Freezing Fresh Herbs
For this I like to just wash and chop the herbs and place into plastic ice cube trays. Fill trays with water and freeze. Remove cubes and store in freezer bags for up to 6 months. Drop a cube, as needed, into your latest culinary concoction.

SPICES

Storing Spices
Keep freshly ground spices chilled rather than storing them at room temperature. To keep them fresh longer, grind and make them into a paste by adding just a bit of olive oil. Store in small sealed containers or freeze for up to 6 months.

Keep ground spices in small glass jars with airtight seals in a cool, dark cupboard.

I think the biggest thing with spices as we take for granted that they do expire and lose their pungency and flavor. A rule of thumb for me is rotate your spices at least every six months to ensure quality and freshness. I apply the same rule usually for dried herbs as well.

That was kind of fun…

I hope you have a great weekend – I am somewhat excited as it is supposed to be sunny and somewhat warm here this weekend. Outside and fresh air here I come! Talk to you on Monday.

Take care

zesty

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Herb vs. Spice

8 Time Saving Kitchen Tips

ZestyCook — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:00:47 +0000

To switch things up from the regular recipe post, I thought I would do a list of time saving kitchen tips. Now most of these ideas are not rocket science or particularly complicated. They are simply tips I have tried in the past and have adapted over time. What I would like to see is people add to the tips in the comments and then I will create an even bigger list in the future.

So without further adieu…

Zesty’s Top 8 Time Saving Kitchen Tips

1. Keep a clean Kitchen

The more stuff that piles up around you, the harder it is to concentrate on what happens next. This results in making it harder to find anything you need, costing you more time and mental frustration than it would take to stay clean.

2. Be-friend the Ice Cream Scoop

When using small pastry shells or individual graham cracker shells to make tarts, I use an ice cream scoop to fill them quickly. A heaping scoopful of pie filling is just the right amount I need for each one.

3. Advanced Table Setting

Set the table for breakfast and prepare breakfast foods the night before. For pancakes, mix dry ingredients the previous night. In the morning, add wet ingredients and cook.

4. Stock on Hand

Pressed for time? Fill an ice cube tray with chicken, beef or vegetable stock. You can even try tomato sauce and/or cream soups. Dump the frozen cubes into a freezer bag. Then grab a couple of cubes to add to your stir fry, pasta, veggies, or to whip up a quick sauce.

5. Keep a running grocery list

This holds true to be very effective when it is grocery time both at home as well as in the grocery store. This will eliminate not having crucial ingredients on hand for your next great recipe.

6. Cook Once, Cook Big

Make large batches of granola and store in an airtight container; Cut up extra ingredients for another meal when using onions, green peppers, etc; Cook double batches of rice or pasta to be reheated later in the week.

7. Beat the stick

Set your dirty pots on the stove with some vinegar and water or dish soap and water. Let them boil while you eat. By the time you finish dinner and get started on the dishes, the hot water solution will have loosened stuck-on food.

8. Sort your dishes

Put like utensils in the same section of the silverware tray in the dishwasher (knives with knives, small forks with small forks, etc.) so that you can pull them out by group and put them away fast. You can also do the same for like sized plates and bowls.

So there you have it, some not so traditional time saving tips. Before I leave you for another day, I really want everyone to make a effort to post a time saving tip in the comments. I think it will be fun!

Have a great day and I will see you tomorrow.

Take care

zesty

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8 Time Saving Kitchen Tips

Top Ten Tips For Cooking Pasta

ZestyCook — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:00:19 +0000

I thought I would take some time and share with you some tips that I have learned in the past about cooking one of my favorite foods – pasta.

I hear time and time again from people that have problems cooking pasta. Whether it be over-cooked, under-cooked, tasteless or all stuck together, a lot of people struggle with cooking pasta.

First of all, 90% of cooking pasta is simply being there. That is, letting the telephone ring through to voice-mail; perhaps leaving guests in the living room talking amongst themselves and simply keeping your focus on the task at hand. By tending to the pasta, you’ll be able to do the only test available to judge its doneness: to taste.

These tips today will hopefully help you in the future when you are craving the starch that I love so much.

Follow along and by all means add your tips in the comments below as I may have missed some other great techniques.

Ten Tips for Cooking Pasta

All pasta is not created equal. Choose a brand with a solid reputation in the marketplace. Depending on your location the brands may vary.
Use a pot that’s large enough to accommodate the pasta without crowding. For one pound of pasta, an eight-liter pot is good; a ten-liter pot is better. Pasta needs room to move freely as it cooks. At a minimum, use nothing smaller than a six-liter pot.
Use plenty of water. For one pound of pasta, you should use at least six liters of water.
Add salt to the water. About 1 Tbsp per liter of water. Salt adds flavor to the pasta that helps to create a well-seasoned dish.
Bring the water to a full, rolling boil before adding the pasta. One of the prime causes for pasta sticking together is that the water had not yet come to a full boil. When you add pasta to water that has not yet reached the boiling point, it releases natural starches, which act like glue. Since the pasta is simply sitting in the water at the time, the strands stick together.
Keep the heat up and get it back to a boil quickly. In the case of pasta strands, like spaghetti or linguine, stir the pasta until it has become submerged in the cooking water, then cover the pot until the water returns to the boil. When the water reaches boil again, uncover the pot and finish cooking uncovered.
Stir the pasta two or three times throughout the cooking process. Pasta cooks in eight to ten minutes.
Never add olive oil to the pasta cooking water. The olive oil coats the pasta, and prevents sauce from adhering to it when you’ve put the entire dish together.
Cook the pasta to the ‘al dente’ state. The only way to judge this is by tasting. Note there will be a small amount of carryover cooking between the time you remove the pasta from the stove, drain in the sink, and combine with the sauce.
Never rinse pasta. When you rinse pasta, you’re washing away most of the starches and nutrients that you were seeking to enjoy in the first place.

So be there. Be attentive. Taste, and learn when pasta has cooked to the consistency that you like. Follow these ten little steps, and you’ll develop a reputation as a pasta guru.

Zesty Tip: When cooking pasta, regardless of the sauce you are using, I always like to add a little bit of the pasta water to the sauce to add great flavor. Try it next time and tell me what you think.

I hope you have a great Wednesday and I look forward to hearing your tips as well.

Take Care

zesty

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Top Ten Tips For Cooking Pasta

5 Simple Steps to Fantastic Fruit Pies

ZestyCook — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:00:43 +0000

Growing up with a mother and grandmomther who loved to bake – it was evident I was going to have the same passion when it comes to pastries and a sweet tooth.

Below I put together some simple tips to take to your kitchen the next time you decide to throw some flour on the counter top to ensure a delicious fruit pie.

Keep in mind I just added a few of my favorite flavorings – so feel free to switch it up and try your own twists.

Pie Chart for Double-Crust Fruit Pies

Type Of Pie	Prepared Fruit	Granulated Sugar	All Purpose Flour	Flavorings
Blueberry	4 Cups ( 1 L)	2/3 Cup (150 ml)	3 tbsp (45 ml)	1 tsp (5 ml) grated lemon rind
Peach	5 cups ( 1.25 L) peeled and sliced	3/4 cup ( 175 ml)	4 tbsp (60 ml)	2 tbsp ( 25ml) chopped candied ginger
Plum	5 Cups (1.25L) quartered if large halved if small	1 Cup (250 ml)	4 tbsp (60 ml)	1/2 tsp (2 ml) cinnamon
Raspberry	4 Cups (1 L)	1 Cup (250 ml)	3 tbsp (45 ml)	None Needed
Cherry	4 Cups (1 L) Pitted	1 Cup (250 ml)	3 tbsp (45 ml)	1/2 tsp (2 ml) almond extract

5 Steps to Perfect Pies

1. Line 9 inch (23 cm) pie plate with pastry.

2. In a large bowl, combine prepared fruit, sugar, flour, 1 tbsp lemon juice and flavoring

3. Fill pastry shell with fruit mixture; dot filling with 1tbsp of butter

4. Moisten edges of bottomw crust. Cover with top crust. Trim and flute edges. Cut steam vents. Brush top with milk or cream; sprinkle lighty with granulated sugar.

5. Bake in 425 degree (220 C) oven for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45-60 minutes longer or until fruit is tender, filling in thickened nd crust golden.

You can also freeze well-wrapped unbaked pies or up to 4 months, with the following changes: increase the amount of flour in each pie by 1 tbsp and don’t cut steam vents until just before baking. Bake still-frozen pies in 450 degree oven for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 375 degrees for up to 60 minutes longer or until filling in thickened and crust in golden brown.

If you don’t have time to bake pies now, you can freeze fruit without sugar in the quantities needed for pies (see pie chart), then thaw just enough to separate; make pies following the 5 steps to Perfect Fruit Pies, increasing flour by 1 tbsp, then baking for up to 60 minutes. If fruit has been frozen with sugar, subtract the amount of sugar in the fruit from the amount of sugar you add to the pie.

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5 Simple Steps to Fantastic Fruit Pies

Zesty Barbecue Ribs – Tips you must know!

ZestyCook — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:00:06 +0000

How to make great BBQ ribs. Easy tips and tricks for great ribs.

The following tips and techniques are things I have learned in the past from trial and error as well as reading alot of great cookbooks and watching alot of chefs on TV. This is not new information but i hope I can summaraize alot of the major tips to making your next batch of ribs simply sensational.

It’s not hard to make great BBQ, and I hope to help you understand the how’s and why’s of BBQ, so your next batch of BBQ ribs will be unbeatable.

5 Tips for great BBQ ribs

1. No boiling of your ribs! Although it works I find the ribs much blander and more one dimensional when cooked this way. What you really want to do is sort of roast the meat. BBQ is a low heat method of roasting, and by dry roasting will concentrate the great flavors of the meat.

2. Low and slow! The secret to tender BBQ ribs is a long cooking time over a low temperature. You want to keep the heat between 250 and 300. Lower than 250 and you risk drying the meat, and higher than 300 is getting too hot for tenderizing cooking.

3. Take off the silver skin. The silver skin is a membrane that is attached to the underside of the bones. You can’t chew it and marinades, rubs and sauces can’t penetrate it. It’s got to go. Take a knife to slice it then grab it with your fingers and peel the rest. Season the ribs the night before you plan on cooking them. Rub whatever spice rub you’re using on the meat the night before, to give it enough time to penetrate and flavor the meat. One of my favorite rubs as I have mentioned earlier can be found here.

4. Cook them over indirect smoky heat. I don’t have anything very fancy so I just put some wood chips in a homemade tin foil pouch adding 2 parts dry and 1 part wet to start the smoking process and then sealing the pouch and placing it directly on the fire. The real key is indirect heat at the right tempreature. There are often times when I don’t have smoke – they are just not quite as flavorful but don’t get me wrong – they are still yummy!

5. Don’t sauce until the ribs are done. When they are done, heat the grill up to medium and grill the sauced ribs for a few minutes. If you do it any earlier the sugar from the sauce is just going to cause the ribs to burn – and we don’t do that!

Follow these steps and let me know if you have better tasting ribs or if you have other ideas that I may have missed – i would love to know about them. Send me email or add a comment. Or send me some ribs in the mail.

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Zesty Barbecue Ribs – Tips you must know!

How to make a great Omelet

ZestyCook — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:00:13 +0000

They’re easy to cook, right? We’ll see.

The first thing to remember is that you need the right size of frying pan. This is more important than you may think. Too large, and the omelet will dry out; too small, and it will not cook through.

As a basic guide, you need a 15 centimeter pan for a two-egg omelet and a 25 centimeter pan for a four to six egg omelet. That is, 6 in. and 10 in. respectively. Which, handily enough, is pretty much the size of pans you should have in your kitchen anyway.
The second most important thing is not to beat the eggs. I’ll repeat that for all of those chefs out there who think they can cook omelets: do NOT beat the eggs.

Instead, abandon the habits of a lifetime and stir the yolks into the whites using a knife blade. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Warm your empty pan through on a moderate heat, add a good knob of butter, turn up the heat and swirl it round to coat the bottom and sides of the pan. When the butter is foaming pour some into the egg mixture, stir it in and then immediately pour the eggs into the pan.

Shake the pan to spread the mixture evenly. Now, using a fork or thin spatula, draw the cooked egg away from the edge of the pan and let the uncooked liquid run into the space created.

When the omelet is almost cooked, but the surface is still soft and liquid, flip one edge of the omelet towards the center of the pan so that it folds over. Then slide the unfolded edge onto a warmed plate, rolling the folded edge over the top of it as you do so. An omelet cooked in this way requires no filling, except perhaps some fresh, chopped, herbs added to the egg mixture about 15 minutes before cooking.

So just to recap, by all means you can add extra ingredients to your omelet, whether it be cheese, vegetables or meat. It will not really change the cooking time just be careful not too add to much extra “stuff” as it will dry out the mixture.

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How to make a great Omelet