Kitchen Essential

Omelette

The secrets of a successful omelette were recently revealed by a friend of ours who showed us a somewhat unconventional but foolproof technique.

Use three large eggs per omelette (never mind the cholesterol problem), a tablespoonful of milk and a small pinch of baking powder. Whisk until fluffy adding any seasoning just before cooking. Heat some butter in a pan and pour in the egg mixture. A moderate heat setting and a little patience will give you a good start. Cover the pan and leave the omelette to set. It normally takes 3-5 minutes depending on your stove, but keep checking it. Once most of the egg has set, place the omelette under a hot grill for about 30 seconds without removing it from the pan. This will set any runny egg at the top as well as brown the omelette. Then add cheese or any other topping of your choice before placing the omelette under the grill again. When sufficiently browned, fold it over and serve. Continue Reading »

Isn’t it interesting how the truly basic basics of cooking, like how to boil an egg that’s just right or cooking a perfect pot of rice, are ironically the last things we master? What we know (as with everything else), we’ve learnt the hard way. Allow us to make yours a smoother ride. If you start by getting the basics into the kitchen, mastering the cooking basics will just be so much easier.

Cooking (without waves)

If you know how to cook eggs, a pot of rice, pasta and veggies, you will survive. If you can do a decent braai, you may even thrive. So read on and see if you can master the basics. Continue Reading »

The pots and pans in your kitchen can make or break all future cooking experiments and experiences. If you’re still using your Mom’s or Gran’s discarded pots and pans, you’re going to have to replace them some or other time. On your first outing to buy a pot, you will find that there is such a wide variety that it is quite hard to choose. Here are some guidelines to help you with this treasure hunt. Continue Reading »

Waste disposal units

Critics of waste disposal units say they are noisy; that cutlery can be mangled; and that extra food particles in sewers could lead to an increase in the number of rats breeding. If they are badly fitted or supplied with a weak motor they can be more trouble than they are worth. Unclogging blocked drains and untangling string caught around the blades is a major chore. But they are ideal to get rid of scraps of food and smelly waste bins both hygienically and quickly, necessary in many households, especially in flats.

There are two types of disposers. With batch feed disposers, a batch of rubbish is put into the chamber and the plug and cold tap switched on. The grinding chamber is totally enclosed during the grinding operation. Continuous feed disposers allow waste to be processed continuously with cold, flowing water, without switching it off to reload. To ensure the food is safely pushed down into the grinding chamber, a wooden spoon may be used. The grinders and impellers at the base of the chamber pulverise the food waste into a fine slurry which is then washed away into the drainage system. Continue Reading »

Copperware

Copper preserving pans and bowls for beating eggs are unlined. All other copper pans for cooking are usually lined with tin, nickel or silver, and should be relined when necessary.

Use wood or plastic for stirring in lined copper pans.

Tarnished copper can be cleaned with half a lemon dipped into a tablespoon of salt and vinegar. Rub hard. Then wash in hot soapy water and dry thoroughly.

Non- stick

Non-stick coatings vary in quality and the way they are applied. It is important therefore to follow the manufacturer’s own care instructions.

The following notes on the care of Tefal, where the metal is etched before the non-stick polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) is poured on to the surface, are good guide lines for all non-stick pans : Continue Reading »

OMELETTE AND FRYING PANS

These have slightly flared sides. Nonstick versions are great for omelettes.

ROASTING PANS

Used to cook foods by surrounding them with hot air in an oven. Some have low sides but some cooks much prefer high, covered roasting pans.

SAUCEPANS

Non-stick saucepans are a big advantage when cooking foods that are inclined to stick. Saucepans with rounded inner edges Continue Reading »