Sometimes you don’t need a recipe – sometimes all you need is a simple technique, or a simple list of ingredients in proper proportion. But it’s still better (at least for me) to write these methods down rather than trying to remember what has worked before. Methods and pantry items are the backbone(s) of our kitchens.
Air Fryer Times| (See Air Fryer page.)
Apples| we only buy organic apples, as factory-farmed apples are rife with pesticides.
Baked Potatoes| Prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Rub the potatoes with oil, then generously season with salt and pepper. Bake in the air fryer for 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Let rest for 5 minutes. Slice across the top and pinch open. Serve immediately with optional toppings.
Blackened Seasoning| Combine 1 t paprika, 1 t smoked paprika, 1 t cumin, 1 t brown sugar, 1/2 t kosher salt, 1/2 t dried oregano, 1/2 t garlic powder, 1/2 t onion powder, 1/2 chili powder, 1/4 t cayenne pepper.
Butter-Poached Veg| In a small saucepan with a lid, combine the veg, 1 T butter, enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, and 1/4 t salt. Cover, and cook on high to steam the veg, until soft and glossy.
Buttermilk Substitute| Add 1 T white vinegar to 1 cup of whole milk.
Cilantro Lime Butter| Melt 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then add 1 clove of minced garlic, 1/2 minced shallot, 2 T freshly chopped cilantro, zest and juice of one small lime, 1 t honey, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Cocktail Sauce| Mix 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 T horseradish, 1/2 t Worcestershire sauce, 1 t lemon juice, and Tabasco sauce to taste.
Cocktails| (see Cocktails page).
Cream Cheese Frosting| In a stand mixer, blend together 8 ounces softened, unsalted butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 T milk. If needed, to achieve the desired consistency, add a bit more milk and blend again.
Flour (AP) | I use King Arthur AP Flour for sourdough bread, sometimes mixing in some whole wheat or rye flour. I use King Arthur Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour otherwise.
Ginger| I buy fresh ginger in bulk at BJ’s. I break it into thumb-sized pieces and freeze them in a large zip-lock bag, so that I can just pull out a knob whenever I need it. It thaws enough to grate or mince in under ten minutes.
Herbs| We love fresh herbs, with one notable exception – I much prefer dried oregano to fresh, so any mention of oregano in this collection refers to dried oregano (from our garden, of course!). At the risk of contradicting myself, if I have fresh herbs on hand and don’t end up using them, I’ll dry them in the microwave and incorporate them into future dishes. Dried herbs are better than no herbs at all!
Instant Pot| (See Instant Pot Methods page.)
Lime Crema| Add 8 ounces of sour cream, the juice of 1 lime, one clove of garlic (minced), and 1/4 t of salt to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until creamy and smooth.
Maple Tahini Sauce| Blend ⅓ cup tahini, 2 T maple syrup, 2 T lemon juice, 1 T olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 2-4 T water, adjusting the amount of water to achieve the consistency that you’re looking for.
Marinade for Steak or Portobellos| Mix 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 T apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 2 t minced garlic, 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t cracked black pepper, and 2 T olive oil. Marinate steak and/or mushrooms for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Mayo| It’s got to be Hellmann’s. No discussion.
Oven Temp| All of my specified cooking times and temps are for a convection oven. To adjust to times and temps for conventional ovens, either increase the temperature by about 25 degrees, or increase the cooking time by 25 percent.
Pesto (small batch) | Cream garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle, then add your herbs in little by little (any herb – even dried), pounding and grinding to combine after each addition, taking your time to be thorough. Then continue by adding grated cheese (parmesan, ideally, but whatever hard cheese you have will do) and pestle until combined. Finally, add olive oil 1 T at a time until you have the desired consistency. I don’t add nuts of any kind because, alas, Ron can’t eat nuts. I must admit that the jarred pesto from Costco is quite good, in a pinch.
Polenta| Add 1 cup of cornmeal to 4 cups of boiling, generously salted water, then simmer to the desired thickness.
Preserved Lemons| I sub preserved lemons for fresh in many recipes, and the results are delightfully pungent and lemony.
Rice| (see Instant Pot Methods).
Crispy Shallots| Cut the shallots in half, end to end, and remove the skin. Slice thinly across. Cook the sliced shallots in a generous amount of olive oil over medium high heat, stirring often, until deep golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain. Season with flaky sea salt and let cool until crisp.
Simple Syrup| For a generous cup of simple syrup, combine 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan, and heat until the sugar dissolves completely.
Sourdough Croutons or Breadcrumbs| I stash cubes of leftover sourdough in a Ziplock bag in the freezer for making croutons. I pull the cubes out of the freezer, and thaw them in the microwave. To finish the croutons, I toss them with oil, salt and pepper, and grated garlic, and bake them in a 400 degree oven until crisp. Watch them closely to ensure they don’t burn! For breadcrumbs, I just remove the crust from fresh bread, and buzz it in the food processor. Then, depending on the dish, I may brown the breadcrumbs in a non-stick skillet on the stove.
Steamed Broccoli (fresh)| Place your steamer basket in a saucepan and fill the pan with water up to the bottom of the basket. Cover, and bring the water to a rolling boil, then add the broccoli. Cover and steam for 6 minutes. Remove immediately.
Stir-Fry Sauce| Add the following to a mason jar with a lid – 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup water, 1 t sesame oil, 3 T white wine vinegar, 2 (or more) cloves minced or grated garlic, 1 knob of grated ginger, 2 T sugar, 1 T cornstarch. Shake until combined.
Crispy Tofu| Cut the tofu into ½-inch cubes and pat it dry with a paper towel. Add the tofu cubes to a bowl, and spray it with olive oil. Toss with 2 T of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast, and ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder. Add the coated tofu back to the air fryer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until brown and crispy.
Frozen veg| I typically buy organic frozen veg in big bags from BJs – corn, peas, and broccoli mostly. And of course we freeze much of the veg that we grow – yellow squash, zucchini, pattypan squash, tomatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers, Romano beans, etc. In most cases, I don’t even bother to thaw the veg before adding to whatever we’re cooking, unless I need to let it thaw partially so that I can chop it into the appropriate size/shape for the dish.
Velveting Beef| Slice the beef into bite-sized strips| Coat the beef with 1/4 t baking soda and a bit of water, and let rest for 15 minutes to denature the proteins| Rinse the beef, pat it dry, then coat it with 1 T of tamari and 1 t cornstarch| Gently mix well until the cornstarch is no longer visible, then fold in 1 t of sesame oil| Set aside in the fridge for at least 10-15 minutes. Velveting is a key step in stir frying beef, pork, or chicken, rendering it silky and tender. It’s also useful for tenderizing meat intended for stews or curries. I don’t bother with the baking soda for chicken.
Wasabi Mayonnaise| mix together 1 1/2 t wasabi powder and 1 t water; stir in 3 T mayo and 1/4 t sugar, and continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Let rest for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld.
Whipped Cream| Chill the whisk and bowl of your stand mixer for 30 minutes| Whip 1 pint of whipping cream, 2 T of sugar, and 1/4 t vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form. (NOTE: This makes a lot; it’s nice to have left-over whipped cream for your coffee the next morning.)
White Balsamic Vinaigrette| Whisk 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar with 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 t of Dijon, and a smidgeon of salt and pepper.
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