Sometimes it’s the little touches that make the biggest difference when you’re in the kitchen. Here are some simple tips from America’s Test Kitchen for preparation, cooking and seasoning, designed to enhance the flavor of everyday cooking.
- Do not prepare garlic and onions in advance
Chopping garlic and onions releases strong odours and flavours that become overpowering over time, so it is best to chop them at the last minute. So it’s best to chop them at the last minute. Soaking sliced or chopped onions in a solution of baking soda and water (1 tablespoon per cup of water) helps to reduce their pungency for raw applications; just be sure to rinse them thoroughly before using. - Do not seed tomatoes
The seeds and the “jelly” that surrounds them contain most of the flavour. So don’t seed tomatoes unless called for in a recipe where excess moisture will spoil the dish. - Keep the taste of fats fresh
Fats in butter, oils and nuts can go rancid and give your cooking an unpleasant taste. Minimise their exposure to oxygen and light to slow this process. Store butter and nuts in the freezer, nut oils in the refrigerator and vegetable oils in a dark pantry. - Strike only when the pan is hot
The temperature of the cooking surface drops as soon as food is added, so don’t rush the preheating step at the beginning of most stir-fries. Wait for the oil to shimmer when cooking vegetables. When cooking proteins, wait until you see the first wisps of smoke rising from the oil. - Never throw away the bottom
Those golden, caramelized bits that stick to the bottom of the pan after cooking are full of flavor. Deglaze the hot pan with a liquid (wine, broth or juice) and scrape off the bits with a wooden spoon to incorporate the stock into sauces, soups or stews. - Also season with sugar
Golden foods taste better, and the best way to speed up this process is to sprinkle a pinch of sugar on lean proteins (chicken and seafood) or vegetables. - Swell spices and dried herbs in fat
To intensify the flavour of ground spices and dried herbs, cook them for a minute or two in a little butter or oil before adding liquid to the pan. If the recipe calls for sautéing herbs (such as onions), add the spices to the pan fat when the vegetables are almost cooked. - Browning breads, pies and pastries
Browning is synonymous with flavour, so don’t take breads, pies or even cakes out of the oven until the outside is well browned. We bake all pies in a glass baking tray so that we can follow the colour development. When working with puff pastry or other puff pastry on a baking tray, we lift the bottoms of the individual pieces and aim for even browning. - Add a little Umami or flavour
Soy sauce and anchovies contain high levels of glutamates, which give dishes a savoury, meaty taste. Add a teaspoon or two of soy sauce to chilli, or cook some minced anchovies with vegetables in a soup or stew.
These are just simple tips, but even if you’re not an experienced chef or just trying to cook more in your everyday life, you can use these tips to make normal dishes sing.
