Basic Cooking Skills 101

[TMedina]

Generally speaking, most of us probably know how to survive without depending on fast food and/or take-out.

 

My cooking skills, and abilities, tend to fall in the realm of "apply fire, add tobasco, eat.  If burned, add more tobasco."  Ok, I kid - but not by much.

 

With that in mind, the thought occurs that there might be others who are in a similar situation and actually want to improve their skills in the kitchen.  So, post what you've got - websites, blogs, tutorials, whatever.

 

I also wanted an excuse to post this neat website of "knife handling gifs (calm down - for the kitchen)": http://firstwefeast.com/eat/gif-tutorial-essential-knife-skills-with-a-mission-chinese-cook/

 

Found originally on the new Kinja food/cooking blog:  http://skillet.lifehacker.com/introducing-skillet-a-lifehacker-blog-about-cooking-an-1683249301/+whitsongordon

 

Also: I dunno how healthy this is, but it seems an interesting application for ramen: http://lifehacker.com/transform-ramen-into-a-crispy-breading-for-fried-chicke-1683252168

[Papa Raf C]

Following this thread. Might get some info on foods that can be made in less than 5 mins. and with very little preparation. I'm too lazy to cook

[Rookiebeotch]

Cooking 101: replace Tabasco with Sriracha.

[Miw_Sher]

BBC Good Food has a great section on it  â€“ http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/category/cookery

 

A small "secret" of Italian cooking to make dishes tastier is the so-called "soffritto". It is used as a base for sauces, risottos, soups, minestrone, goulash...

 

Basically you take onions, carrots and celery (depending on the meal you are preparing you may use only one or two of the three) and dice them as finely, then you put them in the pan/pot thing with a bit of olive oil at low heat and let them "wither" or sweat them.

Then you add you rice/meat/ingredients for soup. Once you get a hang of it, you can use it for just about anything, really.

A concrete example of where it is used is to make ragù, better known in English as bolognese sauce.

[Eld]

BBC Good Food has a great section on it  â€“ http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/category/cookery

 

A small "secret" of Italian cooking to make dishes tastier is the so-called "soffritto". It is used as a base for sauces, risottos, soups, minestrone, goulash...

 

Basically you take onions, carrots and celery (depending on the meal you are preparing you may use only one or two of the three) and dice them as finely, then you put them in the pan/pot thing with a bit of olive oil at low heat and let them "wither" or sweat them.

Then you add you rice/meat/ingredients for soup. Once you get a hang of it, you can use it for just about anything, really.

A concrete example of where it is used is to make ragù, better known in English as bolognese sauce.

Many cuisines have flavor bases similar to Italian soffritto. French mirepoix is also onions, carrots, and celery, but generally with butter for the fat instead of olive oil, and without the garlic that's often included in the Italian version. Spanish and similar cuisines have a number of variations of sofrito, usually involving onion and garlic in olive oil, often with tomatoes and/or bay leaves, and sometimes one or two other spices or peppers (cumin, cilantro, pimiento, etc) - wikipedia has a list https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofrito. Creole/Cajun cooking uses onion, celery, and bell pepper (called "the holy trinity").

 

Basically, it's a few aromatics heated in some sort of fat. "Aromatics" is a pretty vague category, as far as I know, but the common ones (that I can think of) are anything onion-like (onions, garlic, scallions, shallots, chives, leeks...), carrots, celery, peppers (including bell and other sweet peppers as well as hot peppers), ginger, tomatoes.... In fact, I just found this pretty awesome guide to common aromatics for different cuisines:  http://www.cooksmarts.com/cs-blog/2014/10/add-flavor-aromatics/

[kaelvan]

I think next challenge, I will be forcing myself to cook more meals, even if I can survive on salads, vegetarian chili, and eggplant. I'm way too lazy to actually really cook anything. Which is sad because I'm not that bad as a cook, just super lazy.

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry. It only seem fitting.

[kaelvan]

Cooking 101: replace Tabasco with Sriracha.

 

Sriracha making everything including chocolate and Tabasco sauce much better.

 

[Rurik Harrgath]

 

...Wow. 

 

Now excuse me while I go drench something edible in sriracha sauce, and then dance with the bottle in my hand.

[Miw_Sher]

Many cuisines have flavor bases similar to Italian soffritto. French mirepoix is also onions, carrots, and celery, but generally with butter for the fat instead of olive oil, and without the garlic that's often included in the Italian version. Spanish and similar cuisines have a number of variations of sofrito, usually involving onion and garlic in olive oil, often with tomatoes and/or bay leaves, and sometimes one or two other spices or peppers (cumin, cilantro, pimiento, etc) - wikipedia has a list https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofrito. Creole/Cajun cooking uses onion, celery, and bell pepper (called "the holy trinity").

 

Basically, it's a few aromatics heated in some sort of fat. "Aromatics" is a pretty vague category, as far as I know, but the common ones (that I can think of) are anything onion-like (onions, garlic, scallions, shallots, chives, leeks...), carrots, celery, peppers (including bell and other sweet peppers as well as hot peppers), ginger, tomatoes.... In fact, I just found this pretty awesome guide to common aromatics for different cuisines:  http://www.cooksmarts.com/cs-blog/2014/10/add-flavor-aromatics/

 

Thanks for expanding on that. I assumed it was not an Italian-only thing, but since I am not well-acquainted with the others I preferred talking about only what I know.

In the end, it is really about providing taste with aromatics as opposed to using large amounts of fat, sugar and salt. At least, that is how I learned it. Generally you would use more than a tablespoon of olive oil to make a soffritto, keeping the heat low to avoid it burning.

Also, that guide is now in my bookmarks. Aromatics forever!

[Baetorix]

[...]

 

Also: I dunno how healthy this is, but it seems an interesting application for ramen: http://lifehacker.com/transform-ramen-into-a-crispy-breading-for-fried-chicke-1683252168

 

David Chang, nice!

 

Following.

 

Probably not so much Basics but some of their videos are quite informative:

 

www.chefsteps.com

 

Watch it they have paid courses so don't buy anything which is not for you!

However they also have a lot for free (e.g. this one: http://www.chefsteps.com/activities/tomato-soup - don't worry works well without MSG as well).

[Oramac]

All of my cooking skills come from right here on NF.  I'll occasionally see a food article and think "maybe I can actually do that".  So I try it and sometimes it works.  

 

Keeping in mind I'm the guy who's managed to screw up the simplest dishes.  Chili in a crockpot?  Yea, screwed that up.  Rice-a-roni?  Burned beyond recognition.  

[Robpocalypse]

I like to cook but I loathe doing dishes.

Disposable aluminum pans are my best friend, but I feel guilty about the rate I blow through them, like I am personally stabbing the Earth in it's face by clogging up the landfills.

[Baetorix]

When I moved abroad I was looking for ideas for a kitchen setup and found this article which I found quite helpful:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09mini.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

It is still a bit of a commitment but it served me well.

[Rurik Harrgath]

I like to cook but I loathe doing dishes.

Disposable aluminum pans are my best friend, but I feel guilty about the rate I blow through them, like I am personally stabbing the Earth in it's face by clogging up the landfills.

 

If you're single or live with a spouse or what have you, only own as many dishes as you have members of your household.  Pack the rest away for a rainy day and then you'll have to wash them as you use them.  Eventually you'll get annoyed enough to rinse them after use to have a dish or utensil ready for your next meal.

 

(Mostly) worked for me so far.

[hybrid756]

Many cuisines have flavor bases similar to Italian soffritto. French mirepoix is also onions, carrots, and celery, but generally with butter for the fat instead of olive oil, and without the garlic that's often included in the Italian version. Spanish and similar cuisines have a number of variations of sofrito, usually involving onion and garlic in olive oil, often with tomatoes and/or bay leaves, and sometimes one or two other spices or peppers (cumin, cilantro, pimiento, etc) - wikipedia has a list https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofrito. Creole/Cajun cooking uses onion, celery, and bell pepper (called "the holy trinity").

 

Basically, it's a few aromatics heated in some sort of fat. "Aromatics" is a pretty vague category, as far as I know, but the common ones (that I can think of) are anything onion-like (onions, garlic, scallions, shallots, chives, leeks...), carrots, celery, peppers (including bell and other sweet peppers as well as hot peppers), ginger, tomatoes.... In fact, I just found this pretty awesome guide to common aromatics for different cuisines:  http://www.cooksmarts.com/cs-blog/2014/10/add-flavor-aromatics/

 

Thankyou for that guide! Bookmarked. I've just started cooking properly. That explains pretty simply how to make food taste awesome without having to throw prepackaged sauce all over it like I used to do. So many experiments with roasted chicken fillets I can do now!

[Mike Podesta]

This is a great thread. Personally, as a new dad, I have little time to cook healthy meals. Always on the go, taking care of my 9 month old son. It doesn't lend a lot of time for me to prepare an involved meal. I've found a few sites that are helpful when it comes to quick, simple meals: More Than Kale, Pinch of Yum , and AllRecipes.com

[BaconHunter]

How to chop an onion:

 

 

How to slice a pepper:

 

 

Other neat tricks:

 

 

Gordon Ramsay is the man.

[TMedina]

Sorry I've been absent - the new job and move have been kicking my arse.

 

If you don't follow the Nerd Fitness blogs, they have a couple of interesting posts like this one:

 

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2015/03/31/how-to-spice-up-any-meal-literally/

 

and 

 

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/10/18/a-college-guide-to-eating-healthy/

 

(a college guide to paleo)

[jfreaksho]

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Recipe-Cooks-Illustrated-Magazine/dp/0936184744/

 

This recipe book is amazing.  America's Test Kitchen will make a recipe 20 different ways, then pick the best one.  Meanwhile, they write a little article about all the things that didn't work, so you know what not to do and why.

 

My wife showed me some of the basics, but following that book is where I really learned how to cook.

[Vella]

I learned most of my cooking skills by first learning how to stir-fry and then putting different ingredients in to see how it goes.  Bonus points: Try out new spices and see what works and what doesn't (discovery of the century was that cumin always improves scrambled eggs)

 

Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food cookbook was a great resource for me when I got it, mainly because it doesn't gloss over basics like a lot of cookbooks do - it has an entire section on basic stew bases and then mentions some variations, and encourages you to invent some. It also has some sections on building salads, and goes through how to boil eggs for the desired interior consistency.  All the recipes are really easy to follow, too.  It's basically fulfilling its intended purpose of teaching people how to cook who have never cooked much before.

 

Hmm, what else....? It's really just a matter of finding recipes you think are in your cooking range, and try them out, then vary the recipe and see what happens.

[Robpocalypse]

I have come to realize that the slow cooker is a great companion. I can throw in 8 large chicken beasts with a nice pulled chicken mix and have meals for the week.

The best part is its almost fool proof. You put it on in the morning wait 8 hours and profit.

[RedPandaOne]

So far, I have found "The 'I don't know how to cook' book" very helpful. Link here

 

It is for the very beginners and people like me who know some basics, but are kind of scared of the kitchen. They have tips at the bottom of each recipe. Like for hard boiled eggs at the bottom it has directions on how to boil water, I kid you not. It also has tips in the back on what to look for when buying meat and vegetables. And I believe it also has tips on the different ways to cut things.

[Raincloak]

The Bittman article about outfitting a basic kitchen is pretty great, but I think going to a kitchen supply store and buying a whole outfit at once is probably too much for a lot of people who are new to cooking.  It'd be useful for a journeyman cook who is setting up a new household, or for someone who is really serious about learning to cook and wants to get the whole starter kit at once.

 

When I went to college, I took very little: some mismatched tablewares, a skillet, a saucepan, a stockpot, some spoons, a couple knives, oven mitts, and a cutting board.  At the time, that was all I could use.  And really, you'd be amazed what you can make with just those; everything else is merely convenient.  A knife can be a potato peeler, a fork can be an egg whisk.  A cast iron skillet doubles as a small cookie sheet or shallow casserole dish.  As your skills improve, you can pick up other things.  

 

I think it's better to buy as you go, because then you'll have started cooking and you'll have a better idea of what you need and what you don't.  My rule of thumb for acquiring stuff is: "Is NOT having this thing causing me to curse aloud on a more than weekly basis?"  If the answer is "yes," then I buy it and use it.  If the answer is "no," better think it over.

 

trial by error is really the only way to learn to cook, unless you've got the time and cash for professional lessons.  Now that we have wonderful internets, there's no excuse for anybody not knowing their way around a kitchen, unless they're blind or otherwise can't be trusted near a stove.

 

so yeah.  Cut up food, apply heat until it seems done, eat.  If it burns on outside before inside is cooked, turn heat down.  If it's taking a long time and getting mushy, turn heat up.  If it's too bitter, add a pinch of sugar and lemon juice, or some balsamic vinegar.  If it's too sour, add butter and sugar.  If it's too sweet ... hmm, maybe I should do a flowchart.

[TMedina]

Just discovered:

 

You can use a layer of mayo to coat a fish fillet for a quick fry.  Defrosted a tilapia filet, slapped a layer of mayo on one side, cooked in a skillet on medium-low for two and a half minutes, coated the other side, flipped, and cooked for another two and a half minutes.

 

Tasty, and fast!

 

You can also mix spices and seasoning into the mayo - a friend suggests lime juice and I'm going to experiment with lemon juice.

[Rurik Harrgath]

Just discovered:

 

You can use a layer of mayo to coat a fish fillet for a quick fry.  Defrosted a tilapia filet, slapped a layer of mayo on one side, cooked in a skillet on medium-low for two and a half minutes, coated the other side, flipped, and cooked for another two and a half minutes.

 

Tasty, and fast!

 

You can also mix spices and seasoning into the mayo - a friend suggests lime juice and I'm going to experiment with lemon juice.

 

I like the sound of that.  The girlfriend bakes chicken breasts with mayo, topping it with parmesan cheese.  It makes for a nice cheese crust on top of a succulent morsel of chicken.

 

Mixing your mayo with something spicy like chipotle powder, taco seasoning, or cayenne pepper powder would work nicely too, I suspect.