Cookthink

What is the difference between stock and broth?

The two terms are often used interchangeably but retain an aura of cloudiness like the unskimmed foam on a simmering pot of stock or broth. Stock is the strained liquid that you get once you've cooked various meat, poultry, fish or seafood, vegetables, herbs and seasonings in water. Brown stock is made by browning bones and vegetables first in oil before adding water and/or wine to the pot. Stock is the basis for many a soup, stew and features in many sauces, often reduced. White sauce is made from white stock made with chicken, veal or other poultry; brown sauces incorporate brown stock made from veal, beef or poultry meat and bones. A court-bouillon is also a stock. Vegetable stock is made with vegetables which may or may not have been first sautéed in oil or butter. Broth is also the strained liquid that's left after you've cooked meat, poultry, fish or seafood, vegetables, herbs or seasonings in water. Broth is also called bouillon. Nevertheless, cubes of instant stock that is reconstituted with water as a cooking shortcut are called bouillon cubes. The liquid in a pot-au-feu is also called bouillon.

How to slice garlic

To free the cloves from the head, press down on the head with the heel of your palm. Apply firm, even pressure so the cloves don't fly all over the place.To peel an individual clove, cut of the hard stem end where the clove attached to the bulb. Either stop the cut just short of the skin on the other side and peel the skin around to remove it, or make the cut all the way through and squeeze out the clove. The older the clove, the easier the skin releases. When you want a dish to have distinct, toasted garlic flavor, thinly slice the garlic.You can also peel it by setting the side of your knife blade on the clove and pressing down until you feel the skin release. If you crush the clove it's difficult to slice, so resist the temptation to smash here.Put the peeled clove on its flattest, most stable side, and slice away. When you've sliced about halfway through the clove, it's a good idea to roll the clove over to the flat side for more stability, then finish it off.

What exactly is red pepper?

Red pepper is a generic term that usually refers to red-colored Cayenne pepper, which is made from dried, ground hot chile peppers named after the capital of French Guiana where they originate. Red pepper flakes are the dried seeds and flesh of the Cayenne pepper. Used to add heat and excitement to food, Cayenne has also been used for medicinal purposes for centuries, to help treat everything from circulatory problems to sore throats.

Do I need a digital instant-read meat thermometer?

For $10-25, you'll have the most foolproof way to ensure that the meat you cook is done to how you (and the people you're feeding) like it. It's simply the most reliable way to get meat right. Here are the temperatures to aim for. If you're going to let the meat rest before serving it (which is a good idea), take it out 3F (single pieces of meat) to 5F (roasts and whole birds) cooler than the temps listed below: Pork slightly pink: 150F Poultry (chicken, turkey, cornish hen) 160F Beef rare: 125F-130F medium-rare: 130F-135F medium: 135F-150F Lamb rare: 125F medium-rare: 130F medium: 135F Duck Whole duck: 170F in the thigh Breasts: rare: 130F medium-rare: 135F medium: 140F Sausages and ground meat: 170F Note that trichinosis (which used to be danger with under-cooked pork) is killed at 137F. Salmonella is killed at 160F. If you're worried about salmonella, cook everything to 160F.

What does it mean to let the butter's foam subside?

Certain phrases have become part of the recipe vernacular despite giving little in the way of good guidance. Most of us, for example, have seen something like this in recipes that call for cooking with butter: “Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. When the foam subsides, add the vegetables and stir.” Why does the butter's foam need to subside? It’s an indicator of temperature. Adding vegetables or meat to cold fat is a fast way to mess up a good dish. The ingredients soak up the butter rather than cook in it, and the finished dish can turn out excessively buttery and too moist on the surface. Hot fat, on the other hand, prevents sticking and encourages browning. Letting the butter's foam subside before adding ingredients ensures a hot cooking environment and adds a rich flavor to the dish. Of course, butter is hot well before its foam subsides. In some dishes like soups, where you're sweating vegetables, you may not want that extra richness. In these cases, you're looking for the point at which the butter begins to foam. But if a recipe does call for you to let the butter's foam subside, here's a rough guide: Heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Swirl the butter around in the pan. The milk solids will begin to separate out. The butter will sizzle and foam. After another minute or so the foam subsides. The butter looks more like oil now, and it’s hot. At this point you might add eggs for an omelette. For something like a sage butter sauce, let the butter go another 30 seconds or so to let it brown and take on a slightly nutty flavor. Like olive oil, butter has a low smoke point, so watch it closely. You don't want it to burn and smoke. If it does, rinse and dry the pan, then start over. Recipe: Tortellini With Sage, Brown Butter, And Parmesan (Cookthink) Related: Root Source: Unsalted Butter (Cookthink)

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.

Cookthink PSA: Buy tongs!

Tongs are the most useful tool in the kitchen. Having a good pair of tongs is like having a heatproof robotic arm in the kitchen. Consider a partial list of things you can do with a pair of tongs: stir something in a sizzling pan; flip something in a sizzling pan; move something around in a sizzling pan; spear something in a sizzling pan; push something in a sizzling pan to check for doneness; hold something above a sizzling pan to taste it; take something out of a sizzling pan. And that's just around a sizzling pan. Standing around a grill or reaching inside an oven, tongs are critical. You can spend a small fortune on specialty tongs, but you don't have to. OXO's Good Grips stainless steel tongs are inexpensive and probably as special as you’ll ever need. So here's our public service announcement - buy tongs now.

What does it mean to braise?

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.

Flat-leaf parsley vs. curly-leaf parsley

Italian, or flat leaf, parsley has flat leaves as its name suggests, and many cooks prefer it for its more pronounced flavor, as it contains more essential oils than the curly leaf variety. Curly leaf parsley is most often used as a garnish to add color to plates of monochromatic food or to dress up seafood displays. While parsley is generally used for its leaves, parsley stems actually contain more flavor. Finely dice them and add to stocks, sauces, sautés and other preparations for added taste and vitamins. Recipe: Barbara Kafka's Parsley Soup (Cookthink) Recipe: Tortellini With Tarragon, Chives And Parsley (Cookthink)

What is a radish?

Crisp, earthy radishes grow underground before being dug up by their (also edible) leaves. Raw, this root vegetable is pungent and peppery. To temper radishes, simply sauté, steam or braise them. Dainty fairweather radishes like the Cherry Belle or French Breakfast come in shades of pink, red, purple and white. (Some even come inside-out: white-skinned and pink-hearted.) Common is Eastern Europe, the black radish has rough, dark skin, bright, white flesh and a bite almost as sharp as horseradish. Another cool-weather radish, daikon, is carrot-shaped and parsnip-colored, but tastes like a summer radish. Skip the O.J. and load up on radishes -- a great source of vitamin C.

Root Source: Radish

what you should know Crisp, earthy radishes grow underground before being dug up by their (also edible) leaves. Raw, this root vegetable is pungent and peppery. To temper radishes, simply sauté, steam or braise them. spring and summer Dainty fairweather radishes like the Cherry Belle or French Breakfast come in shades of pink, red, purple and white. (Some even come inside-out: white-skinned and pink-hearted.) fall and winter Common is Eastern Europe, the black radish has rough, dark skin, bright, white flesh and a bite almost as sharp as horseradish. Another cool-weather radish, daikon, is carrot-shaped and parsnip-colored, but tastes like a summer radish. morning cup Skip the O.J. and load up on radishes -- a great source of vitamin C. divine Radishes were so prized in ancient Greece that worshipers left tiny gold models of the root as offerings to Apollo. root vs. beer While true radish-lovers may have been lured to this 19th-century radish feast by the roots themselves, we suspect that most people were there for the beer. what you need Jane Grigson will provide you with answers to all your lingering questions about radishes (and any other salad ingredient) in her Vegetable Book. What can a radish teach you about life and living it? Find out in this enlightening book by a Zen monk. Have you noticed a crop of radish earrings? You can thank Harry Potter for that. what you do Give radishes an Italian twist by wrapping them in prosciutto. A pickled radish salad is mighty refreshing alongside a rich, meaty skirt steak. Creamy avocado balances the peppery bite of the radish in this colorful salad. Glazed red pearl onions and pink-and-white radishes make a nice companion for a roasted bird. Juicy beef, crisp romaine, crumbly cheese and crunchy radishes -- it's the perfect taco. Roast veal next to radishes for a hearty dinner of tender meat and juicy vegetables. Featured: The classic French combination of radishes and butter may strike you as odd, but after a bite you'll see why its balance of crunchy, sharp, salty and buttery flavors works so well. Find more radish recipes at Cookthink.com. And if you haven't yet signed up for a free account at Cookthink, do it now!

How to make vegetable broth

The basis for most soups, many sauces and gravies is a good quality stock or broth. Vegetable broth is one of the most versatile components in a cook's repetoire and it's so easy to make at home! Starting with the best ingredients will always make the best product. The freshest celery, carrots and onions will make the best mirepoix, which is the de rigeur starting point for a quality vegetable broth. Sweating the vegetables in a little oil or butter will start the cooking process and allow them to release all of their flavor into the water. Roasting the vegetables in a hot oven is another good way to develop the rich, caramelized notes that are so appealing in soups. You can add in leeks, parsnips or tomato paste to alter the flavor to your taste. Classic additions like whole black peppercorns and bay leaves introduce aromatic layers of flavor. The best advice for making a good vegetable broth is to take your time. Many recipes for stocks and broths claim that 45 minutes to 1 hour is adequate time to cook all the flavor out of the vegetables, but you may want to keep simmering your stock for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Start tasting it about 45 minutes in and continue every 20 minutes until it tastes full-bodied. Here's a basic method: Take equal parts of chopped carrots and celery and sauté them in the stockpot with a double portion of onions. Cut all the vegetables the same size so that the vegetables cook evenly. This is your mirepoix. Sauté the mirepoix in a little butter or vegetable oil until soft. Use medium heat to just sweat the vegetables, not color them. If using tomato paste or chopped tomatoes, add them to the soft vegetables and cook for 5 minutes to eliminate the raw tomato taste. Cover your sweated vegetables with enough cold water to cover the vegetables by a few inches. Add in a bouquet garní made from bay leaves, peppercorns, parsley stems or other herbs. Bring to a slow boil on medium-high heat; this may take 10-15 minutes. Lower the heat so that the broth is simmering and cover it to slow evaporation. Start tasting the broth about 45 minutes in, keeping in mind that it will taste raw and watery until about 15 minutes before it's finished. Cool, strain and use in soups, stews or to poach meat, poultry or fish.

What makes meat taste juicy?

Most of the juiciness in meat is actually water, but the sensation of juiciness happens on two fronts. The first comes from actual moisture held in meat fibers that is released when the fibers are broken during chewing. The secondary perception of juiciness is due to saliva flow that is stimulated by the presence of fat in the mouth. That is why a well-marbled meat will taste juicy even when it has been cooked relatively dry, while a bite of veal (too young to be thickly marbled) may start out moist and tender, but will dry out in the mouth before it’s swallowed.

What is a Dutch oven?

You may have a Dutch oven and not even know it. A Dutch oven is a large pot with an arched lid that offers extra room for cooking something like a pot roast or whole chicken. Dutch ovens are available in a variety of shapes and materials. We like our enamel-coated cast iron Dutch oven from Le Creuset that is dishwasher-safe and can withstand 800F heat (if only our oven went so high). The heavy cast iron allows for browning a roast on the stove top and popping it in the oven for several hours, all the while evenly distributing the heat and allowing room for braising liquid. Do you have to have a Dutch oven? No. A 6-quart tight-lidded pot will do. A good-quality Dutch oven is a luxury to use in the kitchen, though, so you might want to put one on your wish list.

How to chop parsley

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.