Cooking easy
Please cooking easy in with your username or email to continue. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. How is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Co-authored by Alex Hong and Christopher M.
Alex Hong is the Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Sorrel, a New American restaurant in San Francisco. He has been working in restaurants for over ten years. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 1,258,767 times. Anyone can cook, but there is more to cooking than simply throwing ingredients together and hoping for the best. You have to understand basic cooking terms and techniques.
Knowing how to prepare different components of a meal, and in what order, can help you get the timing just right, and prevent things from cooling too quickly. Use fresh ingredients whenever possible, and don’t forget to wash the vegetables beforehand. When shopping for fresh produce or meats, be certain to take the time to ensure that the texture, colors, and quality of the food you buy is the best in the batch. You should also try to stick to cooking with foods that are currently in season, as that is when they taste their best. If you’re just starting to cook, don’t substitute ingredients. Organize your tools and ingredients before cooking. The practice of getting all of your tools and ingredients together, prepared, and measured is called “mise en place” by professional chefs, and is considered essential to efficient cooking.
Your “mise en place” should be ready and close at hand before the stove is turned on. Unless otherwise noted in your recipe, cut the food into uniform slices or pieces so that they cook evenly. Include contrasting textures in your meals. Some of the most enjoyable dishes include a combination of different yet complementary textures. These textures work together in your mouth to make eating a more enjoyable experience.
Similarly, adding some chopped scallions or celery to mashed potatoes can add a pleasant burst of texture and flavor. Season your food with salt and pepper. Adding the right amount of salt and pepper is the easiest thing you can do to improve the taste of your food. A dash of salt and pepper can really make the flavors of a dish come alive, bringing out the best in each individual ingredient.
If you’re uncertain about quantities, or afraid of adding too much salt, the best thing you can do is taste! Sprinkle salt onto joints of meat or a whole chicken before roasting, add a little to stews and sauces while cooking, and remember to generously salt the water when boiling pasta, rice and potatoes. Alex is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and has worked in the kitchens of Jean-Georges and Quince, both Michelin-starred restaurants. Alex Hong, a chef who’s worked in Michelin-starred restaurants, says: “The two most important flavors in cooking are salt and acid. For instance, if you’re making a salad dressing, it’s going to be flat if there’s not enough acid, so you might add vinegar or lemon juice. And it’s not going to taste like anything if there’s no salt to bring out all the flavors.
Butter adds a delicious, creamy, slightly nutty flavor to food and should be featured heavily in many types of cooking and baking. Use butter anytime a recipe calls for it, and even sometimes when it doesn’t! Butter can be used as a cooking medium, like in sautéing, where it both complements and enhances the natural flavors. It can be used as the base for sauces, where it adds a wonderfully smooth, creamy texture. Build a repertoire of go-to sauces. A good sauce can transform a dull, flavorless dish into something much more exciting and delicious. By learning a few basic sauce recipes, you can kick your cooking credentials up a few notches, with very little effort.
