There are, in my opinion, basic things every cook should know how to do. I’ve been working on a list of those things based on questions that people ask me. So here’s the beginning of a list. This is part one – there will be more to come.
How to bake a potato. Don’t use aluminum foil! Potatoes have their own wrapping – the skin. And you should eat the skin because it is full of so many vitamins and nutrients. Try this method. Wash and dry the potatoes. Rub some olive oil on the skin and bake them straight on the rack of your oven or a baking sheet. I bake them at 425 for 50-60 minutes. Putting the oil on the skins makes them crisp up as they bake, which is delicious. Also, the inside of the potato will be perfect.
How to brine chicken. Brining chicken will make a world of difference. I promise that if you do this, you will never again have dry chicken. I do this whether I am baking, grilling or frying chicken. You do not need a ton of salt to get the effect. I add lukewarm water (not hot) to a large container with a lid. Then I throw in a handful of kosher salt (probably about 2 Tablespoons) and stir it until the salt dissolves. Now add the chicken breasts to the salt water (make sure it is completely submerged) and let it hang out there for 15-30 minutes. That’s all the time you need. The salt water breaks down the meat that quickly and keeps it from drying out when you cook it. Remove the chicken from the water and dry it off. Then from here, do whatever you would normally do to prepare the chicken whether that is baking, grilling, frying, etc.
How to cook pasta. The first thing to know is that you need to use the right size pot for cooking pasta. It needs to be big enough that the pasta isn’t crowded because that’s what makes it stick together. The next thing is to adequately salt the pasta water. As my cooking class instructor in Italy told me, the pasta water should taste “like the sea”. Never use oil in your pasta water. This is basic science. Oil and water do not mix. So what happens if you use oil is that some of the oil sticks to your pasta. You need the starchy pasta water to help sauce stick to the pasta. Oil will make the sauce slide right off your pasta and you don’t want that. If you use the right size pot and wait until the water is at a full rolling boil, and stir it in the first minute or two of cooking, the pasta will not stick together.
How to roast vegetables. Roasting vegetables is an easy and healthy way prepare and enjoy them. Simply cut your veggies into whatever size you want them to be, toss them in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper. You can absolutely add any other spices you want, but they are so delicious with just olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss them onto a large baking sheet – make sure they are not crowded because then they will steam instead of roast – and bake at 425. Just remember the different cooking times for different vegetables and adjust accordingly. You can roast “friend vegetables” together (meaning that they take the same amount of time), or you can roast on separate sheets. You can also start the ones that take longer and then add the ones that don’t after a few minutes. See my vegetable roasting guide here.
How to perfectly cook a steak. You can absolutely cook a restaurant quality steak at home. It’s really very simple. Make sure you start with a good cut of meat. Also, bring the meat to room temperature (let it sit out of the fridge for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425. Then all you do is rub olive oil onto both sides of the steak, then lots of salt and pepper. This helps them form that outside crisp. Next, heat a cast iron skillet on the stove until it is smoking hot. Add the steak (or steaks, but do not crowd them) to the skillet and cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes. Flip them over and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Finally, stick the skillet into the oven to finish cooking to your desired doneness. This can be anywhere from 5-10 minutes depending on how you like them cooked, with 5 minutes being medium rare to 10 being well done.
How to make a vinaigrette salad dressing. Making a quick and delicious salad dressing is super easy. And, you can get really creative with adding different herbs, honey, lemon juice, whatever you think sounds good. Just remember this: three parts olive oil, one part vinegar. After that, the world is your oyster. You can add honey, lemon juice, any herbs that you’d like, garlic, dijon mustard, etc. You can switch up the kinds of vinegar you use as well. Just make sure you shake or whisk it right before you pour it on your salad. Dip a lettuce leaf into your dressing to see if you like the taste. A basic dressing I use a lot is 3/4 c olive oil, 1/4 c balsamic vinegar, 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t onion powder, 1/4 t basil, a clove of minced garlic, and 1 T sugar or honey. Delicious!
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