How can I keep from crying while chopping an onion?
How can I keep from crying while chopping an onion?
Is it possible to avoid crying when you're chopping an onion? Home remedies range from the unattractive (breathe through your mouth and put carrots up your nose) to the suggestive (light a votive and do it underwater). Most remedies aim to keep the sulfuric acid in onion juice from floating up into your eyes and triggering the tear ducts.
Some eyes are more sensitive to the acid than others. Dipping two halves of an onion in white vinegar will remove some of the sulfuric acid, but doing so may compromise the onion’s flavor. Goggles will keep onion acids out of your eyes and keep you from tearing up. However, goggles will also fog up in a steamy kitchen. (Plus, goggles in the kitchen? Really?)
At Cookthink, we believe it’s all right to cry. Crying means you’ve got a fresh, potent onion on your cutting board.
You might try opening a window or turning on an exhaust fan. Cutting the root end last also seems to cut down on the crying. Or just get in the habit of making onions the last ingredient you prep before cooking, so you don’t have to linger too long in the onion-infused space above your cutting board.
Vidalias and other sweet onions are less likely to make you cry, because they contain more water and less sulfuric acid. So mild that you can bite into one like an apple, the Supasweet onion might make crying while chopping a thing of the past.
It's a French term meaning a handful of herbs and/or aromatics bundled with kitchen twine or tied up in cheesecloth sachets, and used to season stocks, soups and stews. Like a bouquet of flowers, the arrangement of a bouquet garni is limited only by assembler's imagination.
A common recipe may include bay leaves, sprigs of parsley and thyme. Whole peppercorns are often slipped in, and pasta sauces or Provençal lamb stew can be perfumed with fresh basil or rosemary-stem bouquet garnis, added at the very end of cooking, and allowed to steep.
The herbs are bound so they do not scatter in the liquid while it simmers and boils, and may be removed easily before serving.
Charcuterie is the French term for prepared pork meat (and offal) products as well as the delis that sell them. The goal of charcuterie is to use up scraps that would otherwise go to waste and to extend the life of pork meat, and the artisanal and industrial methods for doing so have been developed since the 15th century. As the French are fond of saying, "Tout est bon dans le cochon."
Charcuterie includes cured meat, fresh or smoked sausage, pâté, andouille sausage, black pudding, rillettes, hams, headcheese and other ready-to-eat pork products that are made using a variety of methods, from poaching to smoking to salt-curing. In addition to France, countries such as Italy and Germany also have strong pork traditions.
The word "canola" is a derivative of the phrase "Canadian oil, low acid."
Let's break that down a little further. Canola oil was first developed in Canada (in the 1970s), so that takes care of the "cano-" part of the word.
What about the "-la" or "low acid" part? Canola oil is made from varieties of rapeseed that contain very little amounts of something called erucic acid. Rapeseed naturally contains high levels of erucic acid, which has been suspected of being toxic to some animals in high levels.
People have been cooking with rapeseed oil for centuries. However, given the suspicions about its cumulative negative health effects, breeders began developing rapeseed that contained only small traces of erucic acid. And that's how "cano-" got its "-la".
What does "high on the hog" mean?
What does "high on the hog" mean?
To eat high on the hog originally meant to eat the cuts taken from the loin and leg—ham, chops and loin—that were generally considered to be the best cuts of pork.
The phrase has come to denote eating well in a more general sense. One can be said to be living high on the hog during prosperous good times, but the phrase is also used to describe someone living extravagantly or beyond one's means.
Recipe: Pan-Roasted Pork Chops With Mustard-Caper Sauce (Cookthink)
Recipe: Pan-Seared Pork Medallions (Cookthink)
Reference: What is Boston butt? (Cookthink)
Reference: How to tie a pork tenderloin (Cookthink)
(Image courtesy of Wessels Living History Farm.)
what you should know
What we call the pork chop is a general name for five distinct cuts from the pig's loin, which runs along the back from the shoulder to the hip.
tip and tail At the grocery store, you won't often see the two outermost cuts: the blade chop (a mass of bone, fat, and really flavorful meat from the shoulder) and the sirloin chop (a leaner cut from near the hip).
right down the middle More common are the three "center cut" chops: the rib chop (a cut from close to the shoulder with a rib bone attached), the loin chop (a mix of loin and tenderloin meat separated by bone), and the top loin chop (the loin chop minus the tenderloin). The top loin chop is usually what you get when you order a boneless pork chop.
the other white steak To help us remember how to use each cut, we like to compare them to their beef counterparts. The rib chop = a rib-eye steak. The loin chop = T-bone. The top loin = New York Strip. They're not exactly parallel, but close enough.
dry cure To overcook a pork chop is to insult the pig from which it came. As we noted in last year's root source on pork tenderloin, 160F is the official internal temperature recommended by the National Pork Producers Council. We prefer to take a chop off the heat somewhere between 142F and 147F, and then let it rest for 5-10 minutes. During that time, the meat will continue to cook. Anything over 150F is too dry for us.
methods We love to sear and roast pork chops (why sear it?), but cooking them in a liquid--either braised, or brined--also keep them tender and juicy.
what you need
For a general guide to cooking meat, plus some fantastic pork chop tips, turn to Chris Schlensinger and John Willoughby's aptly named How to Cook Meat.
When cooked well, pork chops are pretty tender. But a good knife makes them a pleasure to eat. Try a set of steak knives - like these from J.A. Henckels - to carve that perfect bite.
People often ask us: "Do I really need a digital, instant-read meat thermometer?" Here's what we tell them. If you want to get fancy, check out this mega double-pronged wireless version. Otherwise, this simple digital thermometer from Taylor works perfectly well and costs just $15.
what you do
A basic pan-roasted pork chop can't be beat for simplicity. We dress ours up for this Pan-Roasted Pork Chops With Mustard-Caper Sauce.
Balsamic vinegar and cherries draped elegantly across a well-cooked chop create a gorgeous balance of sweet and vinegar, and looks beautiful on a plate.
A pork chop stuffed with ham and swiss cheese is a richer spin on a traditional chicken cordon bleu.
featured recipe A jab of Szechuan peppercorns in a panko-encrusted pork chop set apart this entry to the Root Source Challenge. Congratulations to Nicole from For The Love Of Food.
Root Source: Flat-Leaf Parsley
Root Source: Flat-Leaf Parsley
what you should know
Can we just skip the part where we talk about how parsley is more than a garnish? Okay good.
We love the bright, grassy flavor of parsley in everything from soups to sauces to salads. And because it has more essential oils than curly-leaf parsley, we normally use the more flavorful flat-leaf, or Italian, parsley.
get fresh Jeanne Kelley, whose book Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes we're giving away in this week's Root Source Challenge, notes how hearty parsley is: "I make a habit to buy it weekly at the farmer's market, and often return home to find the previous week's parsley in the fridge looking as perky as ever."
it's a keeper It is okay to have too much parsley. Before tossing into the fridge, wash and dry the bunch, then wrap it in a paper towel and cover it with a plastic bag. Parsley also freezes well, but don't bother with the ho-hum dried stuff.
knives down The best way to prep parsley is to hold the bouquet at an angle over a cutting board and run your knife across the top. If you get some tender stems, that's good. Stems have a lot of flavor.
what you need
Though you can manage your herb prep with any old pair of scissors, we like the multi-blade action of this pair of herb scissors from SNIP.
Nancy Verde Barr's Make It Italian is a clean, straightforward and intuitively designed cookbook that overflows with good uses for parsley.
We had no idea there was an Herb Society of America until we found (and immediately dug) its Essential Guide to Growing and Cooking with Herbs, edited by Katherine Schlosser.
what you do
There are hundred of variations and thousands of uses for this traditional Italian green sauce. Try spooning it over roasted potatoes or on top of pan-roasted fish
Speaking of green sauce and potatoes, try this chimichurri potato salad. Added while the potatoes are still hot, the flavor of "Argentina's ketchup" really soaks in.
Barbara Kafka's invigorating parsley soup will put to rest any doubts you have about parsley's ability to carry a dish.
With just a handful of ingredients, Greek lemon-egg soup is a simple, fast way to renew your spirits.
The parsley is what cuts through the rich layers of this ravioli with sweet potatoes and mascarpone
Featured recipe: We can't wait to make Helen Graves' celeriac soup with parsley oil and Lancashire cheese toasts. The recipe comes from Helen's blog Food Stories and is the winning recipe of this week's Root Source Challenge.
Back when cooking was done around the glow of a warm fireplace, braising meant sticking whatever it was you were going to eat in the embers of the fire and leaving it there until it was done. These days, to braise means to cook in a little liquid, usually over a relatively long period of time.
To braise, you need a pot with a well fitting lid -- think Dutch oven or tightly covered sauté pan, something that can work both on the stovetop and in the oven. A heavy pan (like enameled cast-iron or stainless steel) is good, too, since it evenly distributes the heat through the food and is less likely to scorch on the bottom.
Braised meats are often seared first in oil or butter. Then, aromatics, spices, vegetables and some cooking liquid -- wine, broth, water -- are often added. The pot can either stay on the stovetop or go into the oven. Leaner meats like pork chops and chicken breasts usually braise for less time on the stovetop. Fattier, more flavorful cuts go into the oven and cook longer.
Braised vegetables are usually started off with a quick sauté in butter or olive oil. The liquid is added, then the pot is usually covered and the vegetable cooked on the stovetop for however long. Any vegetable can be braised, but greens are an usually good choice.
Sauerkraut is easy to make at home; it mostly requires cabbage, salt and time.
First, clean and core the cabbage.
Next, finely shred the cabbage to about the thickness of a nickel.
The key to good sauerkraut is controlled fermentation; this is acheived by cool temperatures and lactic acid-loving bacteria. Your hands and the container need to be immaculately clean so that the cabbage does not pick up bacteria that may rot it instead of fermenting.
A large, enameled stockpot is a good place to make sauerkraut should you lack a wooden barrel or a piece of glazed crockery. The heavy metal will help to keep the temperature steady and the enamel will prevent the salt and lactic-acid brine from reacting with the metal. Under no circumstances should you use a bare metal pot to make sauerkraut, as the acidic brine would leach metals out into the cabbage.
After thoroughly coating the shredded cabbage with salt and layering it into the crock of your choice, make sure that there is enough brine covering the cabbage. (This may take an hour or so for the liquid to leach out of the leaves and cover the future sauerkraut.) A little extra brine may be made from boiling water and salt, cooled and then added to the shredded cabbage before covering the whole assembly with plastic wrap and a heavy plate. The plate will serve to keep the mixture submerged so that fermentation is undisturbed.
After a few weeks of fermenting at 50F, the finished sauerkraut is a pale, creamy color and full of rich, briny flavor. It is recommended that sauerkraut is rinsed and drained before use to control the salt levels in the dish.
Sauerkraut is a classic fermented dish popular in Germany, France and all over northern and central Europe that was invented as a way to preserve cabbage over the winter.
Fresh sauerkraut is high in vitamin C and was frequently taken on long sea voyages by European explorers to help prevent scurvy.
The version that is most popular in the U.S. involves very thinly shredded cabbage. It is salted to draw out its juices and then sits in the resulting brine for 4 to 6 weeks as it cures and ferments. The bacteria that ferment the cabbage help to turn the sugars in the leaves to lactic acid, which imparts the distinctive taste.
There are many variations on the sauerkraut theme, including using red cabbage for a bright pink result and adding various spices to the brew. Caraway seeds and juniper berries are traditional additions; black peppercorns and slices of apple are also found in many recipes.
Reference: How to make sauerkraut
What kind of cabbage can I use to make sauerkraut?
What kind of cabbage can I use to make sauerkraut?
You can use any kind of cabbage to make sauerkraut: green, red, savoy, Napa or any other variety and in any combination.
Since different varieties of cabbage have different colors, flavors and textures, the resulting sauerkraut will reflect that. For example, Savoy cabbage is firm, so a sauerkraut made with it will hold together more than a sauerkraut made with Napa cabbage, which is softer. A combination of red and green cabbage will lend your sauerkraut a pink hue.
If you like, you can even toss in vegetables like carrots and Brussels sprouts, and aromatics like onions and garlic for different flavor combinations. The possiblities are endless.
Fermentation is a process where certain so-called "good" or "preferable" microbes living on the surface of plants flourish and feed on those plants, supressing the growth of "bad" bacteria. These microbes also produce substances like lactic acid and alcohol, preserving food's texture and nutrients and enhancing its taste and flavor.
Commonly fermented foods and drinks include wine and bread, where yeast is encouraged to consume sugar. To make olives, preserved lemons, sauerkraut and pickles, vegetables are submerged in brine to create the proper oxygen-free atmosphere for good bacteria to flourish, extending their shelf-life.
Juniper berries are not really berries, but the seed cone of an evergreen tree that is found all over the world.
Used as a spice in many cultures, juniper berries are traditionally used to flavor sauerkraut dishes such as choucroute garnie from Germany and the Alsace region of France. The "berries" are usually crushed before use since the flavoring resins are inside the berry and not in the exterior skin.
Mentioned in literature as far back as Roman times, juniper berries were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun.
Parsley used to be a gross-looking garnish on the side of your plate. Now, we think of it as one of the best go-to herbs to work into your cooking. It adds a bright but relatively neutral herbal flavor to almost any dish.To prep it, first rinse and shake dry the leaves. Hold the bouquet at an angle with the leaves against the cutting board. Run your knife down the side of the bouquet to slice away the leaves. It's fine to remove some of the tender stems along with the leaves.Now just run your knife back and forth across the pile of leaves, chopping them as coarsely or as finely as you need to. The closer to the end of the cooking you plan to add the parsley, the finer you'll want to chop it. But since parsley's so tender it's usually okay to keep the the chop coarse.
Chopping is probably the most common way to prep an onion. Chopped onions show up in anything that needs the basic, earthy pungent flavor that onions give. Chop them larger for longer-cooking dishes like stews and rustic soups, and smaller (call it a dice if you like) for anything from salsas to sauces to ragouts.
To start, cut the onion in half through the root. The root itself will help keep the onion together for chopping
Rotate the onion 90 degrees and cut off the papery end (not the root end). This will make the skin easy to peel away and discard.
Peel back the onion's papery skin. It's often easiest to peel away the first layer of the onion along with the skin.
Make a series of diagonal cuts (roughly 45 degrees) into the side of the onion. Keep more space between the slices for a large chop. Make the cuts closer together for a small chop or a dice.
Now make a series of horizontal cuts to finish shaping the chop or dice.
Finally, rotate the onion again and slice crosswise against the checkerboard pattern you made in the onion. The chopped pieces will fall away from the onion.
Deglazing is a fancy term for using the flavor-packed brown bits stuck to the bottom of a pan to make a pan sauce or gravy.
To deglaze, just skim excess fat from the pan you've just used to cook meat or poultry. Then add a small amount of liquid -- such as wine, stock or water -- to the cooking juices and boil quickly over high heat, stirring constantly to dislodge the brown bits and evaporate any added alcohol.
From here, you can reduce the liquid to a desired consistency, then maybe finish it off with a touch of cream, a knob of butter or a squeeze of citrus juice. After you take the pan off the heat, you can sprinkle in some chopped herbs and last-minute seasonings. Or if you want to be very French about it, you can finish by straining the imperfections from your sauce.
Vegetables can also be used to lightly "deglaze" a pan to which you have just browned a bit of meat. Water from the vegetables (especially onions) will have the same dislodging effect. And deglazing to make a flourless gravy for poultry can be as simple as removing a chicken from a roasting pan, straining excess fat, adding water and stirring vigorously until the liquid is uniform and slightly reduced.
Reference: What is a pan sauce? (Cookthink)
Recipe: Pan-Roasted Pork Chops With Mustard-Caper Sauce (Cookthink)
What does it mean for bacon to render its fat?
What does it mean for bacon to render its fat?
Bacon renders -- or gives up -- its fat when cooked over low to medium heat. Cooking the bacon melts the fat, which separates from the connective tissue and meat, and becomes what is otherwise known as bacon fat.
Rendering is also used to describe what happens when butter is clarified -- meaning heated until its milk solids separate and can be removed -- as well as the process of turning suet into tallow and pork fat into lard.
Recipe: Braised Mustard Greens With Bacon And Shallots (Cookthink)
Reference: Do I need to blanch bacon before using it in a recipe? (Cookthink)
