One of the Great Cooking Tips: Just Cook

There’s a list on the Food Network of the 100 Greatest Cooking Tips (of all time!). You read that right… OF ALL TIME.

Anyway.

I reviewed the list and am going to give you the ten best because 100 is a lot to read and do you really have that much time? That’s what I thought. Clearly, I do (but that’s because I read so FAST, duh).

1. After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on your stainless steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. It will remove the odor.
2. For best results when you’re baking, leave butter and eggs at room temperature overnight.
3. Instead of placing a chicken on a roasting rack, cut thick slices of onion, put them in an oiled pan, and then place the chicken on top. The onion will absorb the chicken juices. After roasting, let the chicken rest while you make a sauce with the onions by adding a little stock or water to the pan and cooking it for about 3 minutes on high heat.
4. Do not use oil in the water when boiling pasta: it will keep the sauce from sticking to the cooked pasta.
5. Rest, rest, rest! Always let your meat rest – especially off a hot grill!
6. If you’re cooking cauliflower, add a bit of milk to the water with salt to keep the cauliflower bright white. Shock it in cold water to stop the cooking and then serve.
7. When making mashed potatoes, after you drain the potatoes, return them to the hot pan, cover tightly and let steam for 5 minutes. This allows the potatoes to dry out so they’ll mash to a beautiful texture and soak up the butter and cream more easily.
8. Cook more often. Don’t study; just cook.
9. Cook with other people who want to learn or who know how to cook.
10. Always start with a smokin’ hot pan!