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Re: Broiled Tomatos (attn: tomato_guy)
Thanks spoon! I'll try this recipe as soon...
Grandma's Cooking How-to's
Here are some basic "how-to's" that will help you with holiday recipes - and more!
How to boil pasta - Boil water in a large saucepan. Add salt after the water comes to a rolling boil. Sometimes it is helpful to add some oil to the water (as in the lasagna recipe) to prevent the pasta noodles from adhering to one another. Boil pasta until it is al dente. Drain well in a colander. In most cases, you will want to rinse the pasta with cold water. This washes away the starch. This also helps to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Exceptions to rinsing with cold water are noted in the individual recipes.
How to make bechamel sauce - This sauce is essential for many pasta and vegetable recipes. It is made with the following ratio:
1 cup milk : 2 tbsp butter : 2 tbsp flour
I have substituted olive oil for the butter with good results. Heat the milk and bring it to the verge of a boil. Meanwhile melt butter or heat olive oil in a separate pan and add the flour making a paste. Add the hot milk gradually to the flour mixture. Add salt and black pepper to taste and a pinch of nutmeg. Stir constantly until nicely thickened. It should have the consistency of pudding.
How to deglaze - You usually want to deglaze a pan after you have roasted, sauteed, or braised something in it. The general method is to pour off any excess fat or oil. Pour in 1/4 cup of your deglazing liquid. This can be as simple as water or it can be white wine, chicken broth, a combination, or whatever your imagination dictates. Turn the heat to high and scrape the brown bits that cling to the pan. Add more liquid (about 1 cup in all) as you stir and scrap. Adjust seasoning as required. You can then serve this as an "au jus" sauce or add it to a stew or another sauce. You can also thicken it as described below and serve it as a brown gravy.
How to reduce sauce - In many ways reducing is a cousin to deglazing. If you followed the directions for deglazing and continued to reduce the liquid over high heat until it is a creamy sauce thick enough to coat the spoon, you have reduced your sauce. Typical liquids to reduce are wine, stock, cider, or cream. You do not have to start with a pan with brown crusty bits. For example, you might want to saute some onions and then add wine for reduction. This would make a lovely sauce to serve over meat, fish, fowl, or vegetable.
How to thicken sauce - The simplest way to thicken sauce is to slowly sprinkle Wondra quick-mixing flour in it as you are stirring. This flour is especially made for sauces and gravy so it dissolves more easily avoiding lumps. However, it is possible that lumps will form using this method. Be patient and keep stirring. The lumps will eventually dissolve. Add enough quick-mixing flour to achieve the desired consistency. Alternatively, you can make a paste using regular flour (or cornstarch) and cold water. You will have to play with the ratio of flour (or cornstarch) to water to achieve the desired thickness. Add this paste to the sauce you want to thicken. This method is truly lump free.
How to measure grain to liquid - There are a few useful ratios that always work for long grain rice, Arborio rice (for risotto), and polenta.
- For long grain rice, use 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of liquid.
- For Arborio, use 1 cup of rice to 3 1/2 to 4 cups of liquid.
- For polenta, use 1 cup of polenta to 3 1/2 cups of liquid.
From the kitchen of Blanche Bianco.