There is nothing more rewarding than preparing a tasty meal at home to the delight of family and friends. If your dishes come out successfully, you naturally feel like a master chef and you want to enjoy that experience each time you enter your kitchen to prepare a meal.
You do not have to be a short-order cook to cook quickly at home and especially if you are entertaining. The first rule to culinary mastery is to think like a chef. Culinary wisdom and quick steps will help you to create home-cooked meals that are healthy and tasty.
Relax: You are more efficient if you are composed. Listen to music and sip a cup of tea or a glass of wine.
Organise: Select a reliable recipe ahead of time and read it carefully to know the steps and to ensure that you understand them. Set out ingredients in bowls and pre-prepare ingredients according to the recipe instructions.
Ensure sound nutrition: Check recipe to make sure it is nutritionally sound. Where you can make healthy substitutions go ahead and do it.
Measure accurately: Incorrect measurement of ingredients can easily spoil your plans for a pleasant meal experience.
Substitute carefully: Poor substitutions can ruin a dish and waste your materials and time.
Room-temperature vegetables: Vegetables at room temperature cook faster and more evenly than frozen ones. They also blend more readily with other ingredients.
Work tidily: Avoid spills while working and clean up as you work. Wash cutting boards and bowls while you are waiting on something to cook. Stir batters and coatings in bowls and work over the sink. Work in larger bowls than you think you need. This will avoid making a mess on the counter and it prevents you from having to eventually transfer contents to larger bowls.
Be ready with towels and mitts: These should be dry because wet mitts will conduct heat to your hands.
Watch pot: Contrary to the saying that a watch pot never boils, you should pay attention to the dish as it cooks so that the end product is appealing to sight and smell.
Dress up: Garnish your dishes well. Remember that your guests will 'eat with their eyes'.
Feedback: Check for feedback as to how your family and friends enjoyed the meal. Be open to suggestions to improve your culinary fare the next time around.
Enjoy your meal: Very often, persons who cook do not have the appetite to eat. However, at home take a break from the kitchen and later try to enjoy your meal.
Heather Little-White is a food, nutrition and lifestyle consultant. Email: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223.
