Cooktop Cove: Master chef shares 7 cooking secrets
By Marissa Ranello
Ever wonder how the chefs on TV make everything look so easy? Within seconds, it seems, everything is mashed, cut, peeled and ready for placement in a pot or pan. How do they do it?
Get prepared to read some of the best secrets from professional chefs that make food preparation and cooking a breeze. Never question whether an egg is fresh, or dread peeling a clove of garlic again. Make the tastiest chicken with the perfect brine, and learn how to prepare the most flavorful, cheesy mashed potatoes that anyone has ever tasted.
Burrata whipped mashed potatoes
Cheese and potato lovers will certainly enjoy this recipe. Burrata is a cow's-milk cheese with rennet and cream. This soft cheese blends easily and adds an amazing taste to mashed potatoes. Garnish the potatoes with chives before serving.
Full Recipe: Burrata whipped mashed potatoes
Power steaming
Broccolini is a vegetable that resembles and tastes like broccoli. This vegetable differs from broccoli is its smaller florets and longer, thinner stems. Broccolini is very healthy. One popular way to prepare this vegetable is to power steam it. Power steaming refers to cooking the inside of the vegetable while charring the outside.
Full Tutorial: How to power steam
Secrets to a good brine
Brine, when it refers to poultry preparation, is essentially strong salt water. One of the secrets to making a good brine is adding a sweetening agent to the water. Cook chicken or turkey in salty and sweet brine for a juicy and flavorful meal.
Full Tutorial: Secrets to a good brine
How to tell if an egg is fresh
You can test the freshness of an egg with this quick and easy tip. Fill a jar or glass with water. Gently place an egg in the water. If the egg sinks to the bottom of the container, the egg is fresh and ready for consumption. If the egg floats to the top of the container, the egg is old and shouldn't be eaten.
How to remove an avocado from the skin
Cut an avocado in half lengthwise. Slip a spoon under the pit to pry it from the fruit. Insert the spoon between the skin and meat of the avocado. Push the spoon, and rock it back and forth, all the way around the circumference the fruit. The skin will pop off the meat of the avocado.
How to peel garlic
Place unpeeled cloves of garlic in a plastic container. Put a tight-fitting lid on the container. Shake the container vigorously for 30 seconds. Remove the lid to reveal peeled cloves of garlic.
How to properly whisk eggs
Use a whisk or fork to create well beaten eggs. Crack eggs into a bowl. Tilt the mixing bowl slightly as you whisk eggs in a circular motion until the yolk and whites appear light, frothy and even in color.
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