Most recipes I create include tips and tricks. These are tidbits of information meant to save you time, provide you with ingredient options, and keep you safer in the kitchen. In my classes, before we begin cooking, we discuss key phrases along with these useful tips, which I emphasize often throughout my three-hour class.
This week I am sharing these tips with you!
chef jordan’s kitchen tips and tricks
Cutting Board: A few months back, my friend Deb attended one of my ‘kids cooking classes’ with her daughter Myla. Deb was blown away by this one little trick; place a damp paper towel under your cutting board. After washing your hands but before you slice and dice, this one trick will prevent the board from moving during food preparation, ensuring your safety.
Beans: If you have only enjoyed beans out of a can, you are really missing out! Beans have been a staple in my kitchen for some time and I love to control their texture. If you open a can of beans your choice of texture is soft or softer, but if you soak beans from a dried state, you are in full control of how hard or soft they become.
Cooking beans is quite simple but does require some advance preparation. The following instructions can be adjusted to suit the quantity of beans (or chickpeas) you wish to cook. A good rule of thumb is that 1 cup (250 mL) of dried beans makes about 2 cups (500 mL) of cooked beans.
LONG SOAK: combine 1 cup (250 mL) dried beans with 3 cups (750 mL) water and set aside for at least six hours or overnight. Drain and rinse well with water. Beans are now ready to cook to your desired level of tenderness.
QUICK SOAK: In a pot, combine beans and water and bring to a boil for about three minutes. Remove from heat and cool for one hour. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Beans are now ready to cook to your desired level of tenderness.
fresh herbs
Fresh Thyme can be added to any fish, meat or vegetable dish and can be introduced at the beginning or the end of the cooking process.
Rosemary, will permeate any foodstuff it is cooked with, so I suggest using it sparingly, one sprig at a time. It complements lamb, beef or chicken and like thyme, can be introduced at the beginning of the cooking process.
Basil and cilantro can compliment most meals and add an incredible amount of fresh flavour and color to your dishes. These herbs should be used at the end of the cooking process, because if used at the beginning, all of their gorgeous flavour will be lost.
spices
Spices both ground and whole, can transform typical fare into incredibly tasty, memorable meals.
I often make spice mixtures and have them in my spice drawer to be used and enjoyed at my convenience, whereas whole spices are mixed and stored in pepper grinders for easy use.
Here are two of my favorite spice mixtures:
All Purpose Middle Eastern, Asian and Indian has equal parts whole cumin, coriander, mustard seed and chili flake.
All Purpose South West has chipotle powder, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, and ancho chili powder.
time & temperature
The length of time and the temperature of proteins should always be a consideration when preparing meals. The temperature ‘Danger Zone’ is between 40 F – 140 F because it’s the perfect breeding ground for bacteria growth in your kitchen. Raw meats and fish that sit at this temperature for a total of four hours should be discarded.
In a perfect world, thawing meat, fish and chicken should be done on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator, on a large plate (to catch juices). But inevitably, you and I are like every restaurant in the world and we forget! We arrive home from a long day of work only to realize we’ve forgotten to thaw anything for dinner. Don’t worry! In a pinch, place the tightly wrapped foodstuff in a bowl and place under cold running water, maintaining a consistent temperature, thawing the food stuff relatively quickly.
searing
Searing any protein, vegetable or fruit in a pan should be done when the pan is hot. You want to hear and see food cook, which applies to grilling as well. When searing, small bits of food stick to the bottom of the pan, creating my favorite four letter ‘F’ word, FOND!
The addition of liquid to the pan releases the fond and creates pan sauces. This is also known as deglazing.
deglazing
When cooking proteins, vegetables or even fruit in a pan, they all leave behind beautiful bits of food called FOND. Fond should never be discarded. Instead, use water, stock, vinegar, lemon juice, pesto sauce or virtually any other liquid to lift those little bits of food and deglaze the pan. This helps to create deep flavoured pan sauces to accompany your meals.
resting
I explain resting in the following way. Imagine swimming in a very cold lake. You jump in and your body instantly tenses and all your blood rushes to surround your vital organs. To be clear, I don’t even play a doctor on television, so my analogy should be loosely interpreted! But similarly, when a steak is seared and cooked, the juices flow to the inside of the meat. Once cooked, the juices are still sitting in the middle of the meat, ‘protecting the vital organs’. In order for that meat to be juicy, it should rest for at least 30% of its cooking time.
Resting allows the meat to relax and the juices to find their way back, throughout the meat. By cutting into it too early, all of the juice which belongs inside the protein will be on the bottom of the plate.
Recipes are easier to follow when you apply simple kitchen tips and tricks. Be safe. Be creative. Do not be afraid to experiment using the ingredients you love!
I hope my techniques make those ingredients taste just a little bit better.
– Chef JW
