Cookthink

A recipe will often call for a "thumb" of fresh ginger, because the root grows in thumb-like chunks that can be snapped off from the root. So how much is a thumb of ginger? While it obviously depends on the size of your thumb, a typical piece of ginger -- one that measures 1 inch long, 1/4-inch wide and 1/4-inch deep -- will give you 2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons of minced ginger. Reference: How to peel ginger (Cookthink) Reference: How to mince ginger (Cookthink)

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.

How to cut a carrot on the bias

When you prep carrots and other vegetables for dishes where their form really stands out -- like salads and stir-fries -- it's nice to cut them on the bias. Cutting this way increases the surface area of each slice, makes a thinner cut easier and just looks better. To cut a carrot on the bias, chop off and discard the the root and stem, then slice the carrot at a sharp angle. Hold it firm against the cutting board for stability with one hand but keep your fingers tucked under and away from the blade. Recipe: Carrot Mint Salad (Cookthink) Recipe: Carrot Salad With Ginger Miso Vinaigrette (Cookthink)

Root Source: Carrot

what you should know The carrot is the Emmylou Harris of vegetables, best known for backing harmonies but really deserving of more attention for the solo work. To wit, look up carrot in the index of most cookbooks and you'll find plenty of dishes that have carrot in them. What you won't find a lot of are carrot recipes -- recipes with "carrot" in the title. Which is a shame: this orange root's sweet, earthy flavor and year-round availability should elevate it well beyond its role as a staple base vegetable. (For what it's worth, the carrot is Britain's third favorite vegetable.) stick with sticks Unless you're into watery, processed nubs, avoid so-called baby carrots. Get fresh and slender carrots when you can, as they tend to be the tastiest. If you buy larger, older carrots, peel them and cut out their musty, woody core. Got a bunch of carrots that have gone soft? Revive them in an ice bath before using them. what's up, doc? Carrots are rich in beta carotene, an orange pigment that gives the carrot its color. The body converts carotene to Vitamin A, a nutrient important for vision and bone growth. On the advice of the family doctor, Chip's father-in-law used to eat one carrot a day. After work. Reading the paper. With a martini. roots Seventy years ago, Dorothea Lange spent time in and around Holtville, California, the "Carrot Capital of the World". Her photos from the area are worth looking at every now and then when you're feeling insufficiently thankful. what you need Do you Y peel or swivel? Do you dump chopped vegetables right from the cutting board into the pan (and, like Chip, end up spilling them all over the stove)? Why not use a pastry scraper to transport them? Or you could use these cool melamine bowls to store the prepped veggies in until you're ready use them. We're in prime carrot-planting season. If you've got a small patch of earth somewhere -- even a bare spot of the flower garden will do -- pick out some seeds and grow your own. If you're new to gardening, consult either Louise Rotte's Carrots Love Tomatoes or Sally Jean Cunningham's Great Gardening Companions. Greatest carrot moment in the history of movies? In Gone with the Wind, when Scarlett rips a carrot from the earth and says, "...As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again!" what you do Glazed carrots shine in contrast alongside a good steak. They shine as bright on their own. Even as dessert. Let's say you've got only 20 minutes to prepare something filling for a vegetarian dropping by for an impromptu dinner: consider this citrus-thyme couscous with peas and carrots. Same situation but it's a carnivore? Try this linguine with andouille, carrot and tarragon. Carrots add sweetness and texture to black bean burritos with cilantro. With so many variations, carrot salad never gets old: a basic carrot-mint salad, a grated carrot and celeriac salad, a Thai carrot-cucumber salad. Could you use a muffin?

What is a papillote?

In French, to cook something en papillote means to cook it in a folded pouch of parchment paper that is tightly sealed before baking. Cooking en papillote is healthy and flavorful, as it seals in the juices of and steam-cooks whatever's inside. We love to cook fish with herbs, aromatics, wine and a smidgen of optional butter or oil. Individual papillotes can be prepared ahead of time and cooked at the last minute. (We recommend doing this if you're making them for more than two people.) Serve them unopened and let each person inhale the heady rush of aroma that escapes when the papillote is sliced open. Papillotes can also be made using aluminum foil; these work beautifully on the grill (or over low coals in the fireplace). Foil pouches can simply be creased shut. The parchment variety can be folded as well, but they also benefit from the extra security of staples or a paper clip. Bananas en papillote made with Grand Marnier and fresh oranges is an easy desert. "Papillote" is also the name of an old-fashioned Lyonnaise bonbon as well as the frilly paper used to dress up the bones on a rack of lamb. Reference: How to fold a papillote (Cookthink)

How to peel ginger

Ginger's brown outer peel looks tough, but it's not. It's so thin and light that you don't need a knife or vegetable peeler to peel it. To start, break or cut off the the amount of ginger you need. Slice off any small protruding limbs to make the main piece easier to peel. Hold the piece of ginger in one hand. With the tip of a spoon, scrape away the ginger's peel. You'll be surprised by how little effort it takes to remove it. Because spoon tip is dull, it easily takes off the soft peel without wasting much of the aromatic flesh. Once you've peeled the ginger, you're ready to prep it further. Reference: How much is a thumb of ginger? (Cookthink) Reference: How to mince ginger (Cookthink)