Cooking RecipesSimple and Easy Cooking Recipes

Know Your Greens: That’s the beginning of a good salad. Not just lettuce, but leaves of crisp spinach,  bright accents  like dandelion, beet or mustard tops, watercress. The dark with the light, the crisp with the tender. Always buy crisp, fresh greens.

Handle Greens with Care: Just pull off the out leaves of head lettuce. (And not too many if they’re undamaged). Wash greens only as you need them. Drain throughly and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Preparing to Serve: When ready to serve, select only the choice part of greens, discarding stems and cores. Tear greens; do not cut except when shredding or wedges are called for. Belgian endive may be stripped off as whole leaves or cut in slices which will come apart onion-fashion.

Make sure your greens are cold and dry. Vary your dressings. You can find more salad recipes here. Pour dressing over the salad at the last minutes; use just enough to coat the leaves lightly. Toss gently but well.

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For Prepaing Ingredients

Crush : Press to extract juice with garlic press, mallet or side of knife (garlic).

Mince : Cut into very small pieces (garlic, onion).

Snip : Cut into very small piece with a scissors (parsley, chives).

Chop : Cut into pieces with a knife or other sharp tool (hold end of knife tip on the board with one hand; move the blade up and down with the order).

Dice : Cut into small cubes (less than 1/2 inch).

Cube : Cut into cubes 1/2 inch or larger.

Sliver : Cut into long thin pieces (almonds).

Julienne : Cut into matchlike sticks (cooked meat, cheese).

Grate : Cut into tiny particles using small holes of grater (lemon peel).

Shred : Cut into thin pieces using large holes on grater or shredder (cheese).

Pare : Cut off outer covering with a knife or other sharp tool (potatoes, apples).

Peel : Strip off outer covering (oranges).

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There are some foods which do not take kindly to storage in the freezer, ans so when preparing a programme of preparation and freezing, it is wise to remember the following points.

GARLIC tends to develop an ‘off flavor’  in casseroles and stews, so add the juice of garlic when reheating these dishes.

ONIONS in large quantities change flavor when used in prepared dishes which are stored in the freezer for a long time. Short term storage for one month does not seem to alter the flavor, however.

STRONG SPICES in large quantities are not adviseable. Allow for extra cooking time on thawing and add them then.

SALT in excessive amounts inhibits the freezing of foods. Do not store ham or bacom in the freezer for a long time.

CLOVES develop a strong flavor, so add them on thawing.

PEAS and POTATOES should not be added to savoury dishes before freezing. Add when reheating.

TOPPING WITH CRUMBS AND CHEESE should be added after thawing.

COOKED FISH is not recommended unless it is incorporated in fish cakes, fish pie, etc.

STUFFING should not be frozen in poultry, but can be packaged separately and frozen.

HARD-BOILED EGGS become tough and rubbery.

MAYONNAISE separates out but mixed with other ingredients in small quantities it is satisafactory.

SALAD VEGETABLES such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, endive, whole onions, celery and radishes lose their crispness and cannot be served in salad. However, tomatoes and celery can be served as cooked vegetables and chopped onions are handy for casseroles.

AVOCADOS do not freeze well, but can be mashed with lemon juice for use in dips.

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1. First cut off the feet, and if necessary draw the sinews from the legs.

2. Hold the bird by the legs and singe if desired.

3. Cut off the head, leaving about 3-inches of neck.

4. Insert a small pointed knife at the end of the spince and split up the skin of the neck. Pull away loose skin, then cut off the neck close to the shoulder. Keep the neck.

5. Remove the crop and windpipe.

6. Cut round the vent. Put in fingers and loosen the inside. Do this carefully so that the gall bladder (attached to the liver) is not broken.

7. Firmly draw out all the inside.

8. Cut gall bladder from the liver.

9. Put the neck, liver, gizzard, heart and kidneys into bowl of cold water. Wash  throughly, then simmer these gently to make stock for gravy.

10. Wipe inside of bird with a clean damp cloth.

 The lean should be a clear bright red, and the fat firm and pale cream in colour. The very best joints MUST have a certain mount of fat on them.

a) Roasting

Cut to choose : Sirloin, Ribs, Fillet, Aitch-bone  (good quality), Topside, Rump.

Cooking time : 15 minutes per lb plus 15 minutes over. Well done, 20 minutes per lb. plus 20 minutes over, or 40 minutes per lb. in very slow oven.

Accompaniments : Mustard, Horseradish sauce, Yorkshire pudding, Roast potatoes, Thin gravy.

b) Grilling or Frying

Cut to choose : Rump, Fillet, Sirloin, Entrecote.

Cooking Time : 5-15 minutes depending on thickness and personal preference.

Accompaniments : Chipped or mashed potatoes, Salad, Tomatoes, Mushrooms.

c) Stewing or Braising

Cut to choose : Skirt or Chuck, Bladebone, ‘Leg of Mutton’ cut, Brisket, Flank.

Cooking Time : 1.5-3 hours.

Accompaniments : Mixed vegetables, Dumplings, Thickened gravy.

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Poultry when young and tender should not be over-cooked,  as over-cooked poultry is not only spoiled in flavour, but extremely difficult to carve. Poultry for casserole dishes should be cooked very slowly, unless in a pressure cooker, so that it becomes tender without being hardened in any way.

To Cook Poultry

a) Chicken

How to Cook : Young fowls should be roasted in moderate oven, allow 15 minutes for each lb. and 15 minutes over.

Accompaniments : Veal stuffing, bread sauce, sausages and bacon rolls, green salad.

b) Duck

How to cook : Roasted, 15 minutes per lb. and 15 minutes over. Start in a hot oven then reduce to moderate.

Accompaniments : Sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce, thick brown gravy or orange and port wine sauce, orange salad.

c) Goose

How to cook : As duck.

Accompaniments : As duck.

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The lean part of meat must look pale pink, and the fat white and dry. Pork must never be served under-done. Try to avoid serving pork in very hot weather.

a) Roasting

Cut to choose : Loin, Leg, Bladebone, Spare Rib.

Cooking Time : 25 minutes per lb. plus 25 minutes over.

Accompaniments : Sage and onion, Mustard, Apple Sauce, Orange Salad.

b) Frying or Grilling

Cut to choose : Chops from loin, Spare rib chops.

Cooking Time : 15-20 minutes.

Accompaniments : Apple Sauce, Apple Rings, Sage and onion stuffing, Tomatoes, Mushrooms.

c) Boiling

Cut to choose : Head, Hand and spring, Belly, Cuts given for roasting.

Cooking Time : 2.5 hours.

Accompaniments : Salad, Mixed Vegetables.                

You can learn how to prepare pork recipes. The details of pork recipes can be obtained here.

Root vegetables can be kept outside the fridge in a dark airy place. Potatoes should be kept in a paper bag to stop them going green-green potatoes are toxic. Unripe fruit can be left out to ripen, or wrapped in paper and left in a dark place like a drawer.  Read the rest of this entry »

Though tinned food will normally have been sterilized by heat and should last for a long time, it won’t last for ever. Kept in a cool and dry place. Always check that the tin is undamaged before you use it, especially along the seal, since contents of damages tins can cause botulism. It’s also a good idea to wipe the tops of tins before opening them.