info - cooking tips

fruit & vegetables

• if you put the avocado stone in the bowl, guacamole won't turn brown

  False

  The reason the surface of guacamole goes brown is because it is reacting with oxygen in the air, a process called oxidation that also turns the cut surface of apples and other fruits brown. To prevent it going brown place some plastic wrap on the surface, a little lemon juice helps also, but not too much or the flavour will be ruined.

• never put bananas in the refrigerator

  Yes and no.

  Over pronged periods of time this will cause the skin to blacken quicker than if at room temperature, but the flesh stays no different than if held at room temperature. So not chilling them is merely for aesthetic reasons.

• a raw potato added to an overly salty soup or stew will soak up the extra salt and save the meal

  Not really. While it may be true it will absorb some salt, if the meal is overly salty a potato will not make that much of a difference as it can only absorb so much salt.

  To rectify saltiness, it is best to try and counteract it by adding a little sugar or acid, like vinegar or citrus juice. But of course only as much as to neutralise the salt and not flavour the food.

• never rinse mushrooms, they should be brushed off with a towel

  Never wash them, but a quick rinse is fine. Shower them but do not bath them!

  Whether they need it at all will depend on how they were grown and whether they are covered in dirt to begin with. Long gone are the days that all mushrooms were grown in the likes of cow manure. Most mushrooms these days are grown in sanitary and hygienic modern ways and are usually dirt free

• onions - biting a piece of bread stops you crying

  False

  There are many myths for stopping yourself from crying when preparing onions, from biting on a piece of bread to putting a piece of onion in your sock, all unfortunately will not work. Some say wearing contact lenses helps, others say they exacerbate the problem, whatever the myth it may work for some but not others!

  The reason for crying is that the onion once cut releases a chemical that then gets into the air, synthesises, gets into the eyes and hey presto . . . tears. The actual process goes like this:

  • Lachrymatory-factor synthase is released into the air when we cut an onion.
  • The synthase enzyme converts the sulfoxides (amino acids) of the onion into sulfenic acid.
  • The unstable sulfenic acid rearranges itself into syn-ropanethial-S-oxide.
  • Syn-propanethial-S-oxide gets into the air and comes in contact with our eyes. The lachrymal glands become irritated and produces the tears!

• perfect mashed potatoes

  The secret to ensuring you don't end up with a paste like glue when making mashed potatoes is seven fold:

  • Use a variety of potato that is suitable for mashing, some make good boilers, some good roasters and some good mashers. For mashing you need a floury potato, one without too much natural sugars. The sugar will have converted to starch, making it 'floury'. Which is which? Most supermarkets these days have posters telling you or it is on the bags. Each country grows different types so it is impossible to name them here.
  • It is best to cook them via baking not boiling if possible and peel them after they are cooked.
  • If boiling do not cut them too small or too big (approximately 5cm pieces).
  • Place them in cold, salted water and ensure they remain covered in water throughout.
  • As soon as they are cooked drain them in a colander, thereby allowing steam to escape, allow them to dry this way for few minutes.
  • Use a hand masher or a press (also called a potato ricer), do not use a food processor! The idea here is, is to breakdown the cells walls not destroy them. A food processor destroys the cells walls and will make the purée more like glue. Mash the potatoes only just enough to break them down and make them smooth.
  • Season to taste and add cream and butter to taste (sour cream, mascarpone, etc can be used if preferred) but NOT milk, it is too high in water content

  Many professional chefs, now serve 'smashed' potatoes, which only partially breaks the potatoes down, kind of part mashed and part boiled. Sometimes these potatoes will have the skin left on for flavour or roasted instead of boiled or baked

  To this basic method of course all manner of ingredients can be added, from roasted garlic, to tapenade to chopped sundried tomatoes to pesto.

• eggplant needs to be salted prior to cooking

  Yes and no.

  The reason for salting is to remove any bitterness contained in the brown seeds inside, the salt draws out moisture and with it the bitterness. If when cut the seeds are not visible or are not brown then salting is not required. Most of these fruits are picked these days before the seeds develop so the salting is an old process that most of the time is no longer required.

  Eggplants are also known as aubergines, and are in fact a fruit not a vegetable.

• tomatoes are a fruit

  True

  The simplified explanation of this is that if it contains seeds (that propagate the plant) then it is a fruit. So the following 'vegetables' are also really fruits : aubergine, courgette, pumpkin, chilli and capsicums.

email chef@tallyrand.info