If you're new to cooking or are used to following a recipe, cooking without written directions might seem like a daunting prospect. However, after you've mastered a few fundamental culinary principles, you'll be able to dump the majority of your recipe books in the trash and start preparing dishes that rival those served at Michelin-starred restaurants. For real, however, cooking does not need perfect measures, durations, or temperatures for the meal to taste lovely, unlike baking. Follow the simple rule of home cooking outlined below and try preparing your next meal using nothing more than your imagination and taste sensibilities.
Essential Rules of Home Cooking
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1. Use a high-quality knife and cutting board
It's crucial to have one or two decent knives on hand. A chef's knife should be included in this list. This is the kitchen's workhorse. It does everything. It is equally crucial to have a good cutting board. A moist paper towel may be placed beneath the cutting board to prevent it from sliding if you do not have one with a non-skid back available. Now comes the essential part: learning how to wield your knives properly. Look at our videos on knife skills: practice, practice, and even more practice to get you started. Your knife abilities will improve (and your reaction time will increase) the more you practice them. Learning how to use a knife effectively can help you complete all of your recipes more quickly.
2. Prepare your workspace as well as your ingredients
Before you begin to prepare anything, clear and tidy your workspace if it has not been done before, the above reminds me of something a chef I once trained under once told me: you clean the kitchen till it shines not for how you will feel when you leave it, but for how you will feel when you go into it first thing in the morning. To perform at your peak as a chef, you must have a clean, uncluttered workspace. Prepare all of your ingredients in advance. Take them out of the cupboard, refrigerator, or freezer and place them on a plate. Depending on your needs, chop or prep as required. Known as mise en place (sometimes spelled put in place), this is the method by which every professional kitchen operates. You will become a better home chef due to your experience with the experts.
3. Prepare a lot of food
You would believe that this fundamental guideline applies just to cooking all of the time - but that is not the case. It is a matter of preparing more food than you will need for each meal. Cook in large quantities - volume. Make a double batch of the soup and freeze two quarts. Preparing extra roasted veggies allows you to use them in salads, omelets, and even as a snack. It takes no more time to cook twice as much as you need, plus you will have leftovers for other dinners or to store in the freezer. Nothing makes me happier than planning my week's worth of meals and learning that I already have a quart of butternut squash soup in the freezer — that means I only have to prepare one dinner.
4. Cook using ingredients rather than following a recipe
This is difficult for novice chefs, but the more you can base your culinary decisions on ingredients rather than recipes, the better off you will be. Recipes are fantastic, and we all use them - please keep them coming. Instead of following a recipe, let the ingredients guide your preparations instead. If you decide to cook a meal that asks for asparagus, you may go to the shop and get substandard asparagus that does not seem to be on sale and does not appear to be in season. You are allowing your recipe to guide your cooking instead of purchasing the Napa cabbage that seems to be fresh and on sale and then determining what to do with it afterward. Try it for at least one fruit or vegetable each week, and you'll find it becomes second nature very quickly.
5. Locate Your source of nourishment
Find 5-10 dishes that you appreciate, that your family enjoys, and that you enjoy preparing. Make them regularly. Making a meal over and again will make it easier to create the next time. Consider the first time you prepared a meal you currently prepare periodically. I assure you that it is now more straightforward and more practical. It is quite OK to have a modest number of meals you regularly prepare. The ability to make anything numerous times also enables you to adjust the recipe depending on the season or the ingredients you have on hand if desired.
