Cookthink

A cutlet is a small, thin slice of meat or poultry taken from the leg or ribs. "Cutlet" derives from the French word côtelette. In French, côte means rib. (Some cutlets are "riblets" which are small cuts taken from the tip fo the ribs.) Many classic recipes, like veal parmesan, call for cutlets, because they are particularly tender and easy to pound. Chicken tenders are sometimes labeled cutlets, as well. We like to use cutlets for impromptu stir-fries, as they're thin and easy to slice just before tossing into a hot pan. Recipe: Seared Chicken Cutlets With Mushrooms Recipe: Stir-Fried Chicken And Cabbage With Ginger Recipe: Veal Cutlets Stuffed With Prosciutto And Sage

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 is cumin?

Cumin is the dried seed of an aromatic plant that has a dusty, vaguely bitter taste and a distinctive smell. Cumin seeds can be used whole, fried in oil to release their aroma; or ground into a powder. Most cumin seeds are light brown in color, but they are also available in white (similar to the brown in flavor) and black (which has a more peppery taste). Cumin seeds look a lot like caraway seeds. You can find references to cumin in the Bible, where it was cited as a flavor-enhancer for soup and bread. The Romans used it to preserve meat and broil fish and it was popular in the Middle Ages. Today, cumin seeds are used to spice up Munster cheese, to make Indian and Pakistani curries and to add flavor to Tex-Mex chili. Cumin is also popular in many cuisines of the world, including Middle Eastern, Mexican, Eastern European and Mediterranean. During the Middle Ages, cumin was believed to keep loved ones (and chickens) from straying; likewise, brides and grooms carried cumin seeds during the wedding ceremony as a happy marriage charm.

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 do we mean by shimmering oil?

Shimmering oil is hot oil that is nearing its smoke point. At room temperature, common cooking oils like vegetable and olive oil seem fairly thick. Put them in a pan and heat them though, and they thin out when you swirl the pan. As they get hotter, they tend to "flow" and coat the pan more easily. In the right light, when you look at oil that's at a good temperature for sautéing -- nice and hot, but not yet smoking -- it shimmers. It forms "tines" like those on a wine glass. It looks colorful, iridescent even. Shimmering oil is good for sautéing because it increases the chances that the food won't stick. Hot oil immediately seals the bottom of food, creating a natural barrier between it and the bottom of the pan.

Do I need a spice grinder?

With a spice grinder on hand, you can buy spices whole so they retain their flavor longer, toast them whole if you like then quickly grind them with a couple of pulses of the grinder. Use a mortar and pestle if you've got time and don't mind the elbow grease; otherwise an inexpensive electric coffee grinder is great for the task. When you use a coffee grinder to grind spices, remember not to use it to grind coffee or cloves, since the flavors of both will haunt the grinder and taint the flavor of whatever it is you want to grind. To clean the grinder and remove the flavor of other spices between uses, try grinding up some chunks of white bread or uncooked rice, which will clean out any traces of previously ground spices before your next use. Reference: What is a mortar and pestle? Reference: What is a spice paste good for? Reference: Should I toast whole spices before grinding?

What is a mortar and pestle?

Some version of the mortar and pestle has been in use by many cultures for thousands of years to grind and prepare food. The mortar is a stone or wooden bowl used to hold whatever is being ground (herbs, spices, nuts, beans). The pestle is the heavy hand tool used for grinding. Stone was probably the original material used for a mortar and pestle, and may still be the most popular (basalt, granite and marble are common, as is porcelain). Today, food processors and electric spice grinders often replace the mortar and pestle, but for small amounts of ground spices, pesto and spice pastes, they're hard to beat (and good looking, too). Reference: What is a spice paste good for?

Should I toast whole spices before grinding them?

Toasting whole spices in a medium-hot pan for 2 to 4 minutes before grinding them wakes up their flavors, releases their oils and brings out their fragrance and nutty flavor. Spice-heavy cuisines like those of South Asia often fry ground spices in oil and aromatics like onion and garlic before combining them with other ingredients, making toasting redundant. But in dishes where spices aren't cooked on their own, and in rubs and pastes, toasting spices before grinding them is well worth the extra few minutes. Be sure to shake the pan so spices toast evenly and keep an eye on them so they do not burn.

What are black beans?

Black turtle beans, (usually just called black beans), are a high-protein, high-fiber legume especially popular in South American and Latin cooking. The beans are cultivated all over South and Central America, and an important part of national dishes such as feijoada from Brazil and Moros y Christianos from Cuba. Like many beans and pulses, black beans have a meaty texture that holds up well in soups, rice dishes and as a filling for burritos and quesadillas. The flavor of black beans is reminiscent of mushrooms and adds earthy notes to a dish. Black beans are usually a bit smaller than other types of cultivated legumes, like lima or kidney beans. As they cook, they develop a deep purple color.

Dried beans vs. canned beans

Cooking with dried beans requires a little forethought; before cooking, they must be soaked for at least an hour in boiling water or between four and eight hours in cold water. Then, they take at least an hour to cook. On the other hand, they're inexpensive and can be seasoned in a multitude of ways during cooking. (Think ham hocks, fresh herbs and aromatic vegetables.) Plus, the texture of cooked dried beans is firmer and more substantial than typical canned beans. Still, we keep our pantry stocked so that we always have ready-to-eat canned beans to add protein and texture to weeknight pastas, salads, soups, stews, chilis and burritos. Be sure to select a good brand to ensure that the beans have a firm texture, clean flavor and no added salt. (Inferior canned beans tend to be mushy and loaded with sodium.)

How to cook dried beans

Cooking dried beans is one of the easiest and most rewarding kitchen tasks. Canned beans are convenient but are usually loaded with salt, making home-cooked beans healthier. And while it's true that it takes longer to cook beans than to open a can, cooking beans requires only about 5 minutes of active time. You can soak beans overnight in cold water or soak them for an hour in boiling water if you're pressed for time. Legumes such as lentils and split peas do not need to be soaked at all before cooking, just quickly rinsed to clean off any dust. Otherwise, any bean that would ordinarily need to be soaked overnight can get the quick-soak treatment, including lima beans, chickpeas, black beans, white beans, red beans, pinto beans, cranberry beans, navy beans, kidney beans, fava beans, pigeon peas and mung beans. To cook beans, cover them with water and simmer slowly for about 1 1/2 hours, or until cooked. Adding cured pork or aromatics like bay leaves, peppercorns, parsley stems and vegetables such as carrots and onions to the cooking liquid adds flavor and character to a pot of beans.

How to chop cilantro

Cilantro is the parsley of the East, where it's known as "coriander leaves" or "dhani". (In Mexico, where it's also very popular, it's sometimes called "Mexican parsley".) If you like cilantro (and some people don't at all), the herb is an easy way to add a beautifully fresh, sweet, fruity flavor to 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. (In fact, for salsas, spice pastes, curries and some longer-cooking dishes, the stems add essential, concentrated cilantro flavor.) 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 cilantro, the finer you'll want to chop it. But since cilantro is so tender it's usually okay to keep the the chop coarse. Now that you know how to prep it, try some cilantro recipes at Cookthink.com.

Do I need to rinse canned beans?

Yes, it's always a good idea. Why? Most canned beans are packed in a thick, salty liquid that adds unwanted texture and taste to a dish. Like many other canned foods, beans also contain a popular color preservative called calcium disodium EDTA. No bad side effects of the compound have been identified (though EDTA did have a role in the O.J. Simpson murder trial). To wash canned beans, just pour them in a colander, rinse well with cold running water, and swish the beans around until most of the water drains off. If you don't use the whole can, toss the remaining beans with a splash of vinegar to preserve them longer. Store them in an airtight container (not the can) in the refrigerator for up to a week.