How to Make and Keep an Easy Kitchen
Posted: Thursday, September 28, 2006
by Arlene Wright-Correll
http://www.learn-america.com
Many years ago a dear friend of mine flew in for a business meeting and while he was here he took several meals with us. During one of them, he said, "Arlene, you keep an easy kitchen." Bob was alluding to the fact that I can put together fairly decent and tasty meals very quickly. Over the years I have thought about that statement often and decided that I truly do. With that in mind I would like to share some thoughts with you on how you can keep an "Easy Kitchen".
There are several types of mushrooms and the most common varieties of cultivated mushrooms include shiitake (intense mushroom taste), white (mild), Portobello (meaty), and cremini (similar to white, with a fuller flavor). Always look for firm, smooth, and dry caps. Avoid damp, pitted, or dried-out mushrooms. Refrigerate loose mushrooms (unrinsed) in a paper bag, and containers of mushrooms in their original package. Use within a few days of purchase. Do not soak mushrooms as they will absorb water rapidly and turn mushy when you cook them. You can clean mushrooms with a stiff brush without wetting them, or quickly rinse them under a thin stream of cool water. Dry thoroughly with paper towels.
We once took a course on raising Shiitake mushrooms. Shiitakes have tough inedible stems that should be removed. For white mushrooms (called button when small), cremini, and Portobello, trim the spongy tip; the rest is edible. We love the Portobello mushrooms as they can be grilled just like a steak and treated and eaten as such.
Another essential item to keep on hand is tomatoes and our pantry always has a variety of canned tomatoes in stock. However, when one can have fresh tomatoes on hand that is much better and here is how you would deal with them since homegrown or store-bought, sweet, fragrant tomatoes can inspire meal after delicious meal.
Because they're easy to grow, tomatoes are the most common backyard garden vegetable in the country. There are thousands of varieties, including beefsteak, plum, and small-size cherry, grape, and pear tomatoes. They are at their most flavorful in summer. One can even keep a garden container of cherry or grape tomatoes inside all year round if one has the room for them.
Often, the best-tasting tomatoes are grown locally and can usually be found in your local farmer's market or roadside stand. I look for ones that are fragrant, heavy for their size, and yield slightly to pressure. The skin should be smooth, brightly colored, and free of blemishes. I really don't like to poke and prod fruits and veggies, since one can really tell ripeness just by the smell.
Many recipes call for coring, seeding, or slicing tomatoes. I use a paring knife to core a tomato by inserting the tip next to stem, then making a shallow cut all around and removing the stem. When I seed a tomato, I cut it in half lengthwise and holding cut side down; gently squeeze to remove most of the seeds. Slicing a tomato is best done with a serrated or very sharp-bladed knife. Keep tomatoes at room temperature until ripe, and then use within a day or two. Don't refrigerate them, as it will affect their flavor. Matter of fact it will make your tomato grainy!
We use a lot of tomatoes because they are rich in vitamin C and also contain vitamins A and B, iron, potassium, and phosphorus. Cooked tomatoes are the main food source for lycopene, the phytochemical that gives them their red color and may offer protection against some types of cancer. Since I am a cancer survivor, I tend to use just about any fruit or vegetable that has those types of claim attributed to it whether it is founded or not.
A great kitchen essential is Garlic! We use fresh and always keep a jar of minced garlic on hand in the refrigerator once it is open. We are not the food network here. We like short cuts and not only keep an easy kitchen we keep a frugal one!
A common ingredient in a wide range of dishes from salad dressings to stir-fries, garlic is even easier to work with than you may think especially if you use the minced garlic. I am not crazy about the garlic powder or garlic salt, but an easy kitchen keeps a jar of minced garlic on hand.
When you buy fresh garlic here is what you look for: Each bulb, or head, of garlic contains a cluster of cloves that are connected at the root but separated by papery skins. Look for firm heads covered with dry, unblemished skins. Avoid bulbs with soft spots or green shoots protruding from the top, a sign of age.
I store unpeeled garlic up to three weeks when stored in an open container in a cool, dry place and I do not refrigerate. Long ago I discovered that Garlic when crushed, chopped, or minced gives dishes a sharper flavor than whole or sliced cloves. Cooking mellows all cuts.
Eggs are a great item to do magic with. Remember to keep some in your refrigerator and to keep them in the container you bought them in. Whenever we are in Europe we see eggs on the counters of the shops or homes we visit. However, you cannot do that here. Did you ever wonder why? Well in Europe they do not wash their eggs first so they will keep. In the good old USA, we wash them and they must be refrigerated after being washed!
It is said that the frittata most likely preceded the omelet. I find it easier to mix vegetables or leftover cooked meats into eggs, scrambled into a dinner meal. Similar to a savory custard pie, it just made sense to make use of the protein in eggs as a meat substitute to add depth and sustenance to vegetables. My research shows that the word omelet comes from the Roman epicure Apicius, who called his dish "overmele," which was made with eggs with honey and pepper. The French are noted for their omelettes and the Italians for their Frittatas and so can you! It is easy once you know the difference between the two and how to fix them.
The difference between an Omelet and a Frittata boils down to a matter of folding in a filling rather than mixing it in. Omelets traditionally have the egg mixture cooked and folded around a filling, while a frittata just mixes it all up, cooked in a mishmash combination all at once. Frittatas are often served at room temperature, making them perfect for brunches or larger groups and I often use these just for that reason. However they are good at any time and when I make one and have leftovers they reheat easily in the microwave
Should you decide to whip up an omelet keep in mind that omelets will need to be made individually. If you are serving more than two people, you'll either need to have several omelets in multiple pans going at once or let your guests know they will not all be eating at the same time. For larger groups, consider frittatas instead of omelets. I like the fact that they can be made ahead of time and my favorite ones are the "clean out the refrigerator" kind. I just throw anything in them. My personal favorite is a frittata made with chopped sautéed new potatoes, onions, sweet bell peppers, and bacon bits, topped with shredded sharp cheddar and chives and since I really do not care for eggs, I will always eat my portion with either hot sauce or salsa on it. Delicious!
As a general rule, plan on three eggs per omelet serving. If you're serving it as a dinner meal with side dishes, two eggs per omelet will usually suffice. Any more than three eggs per omelet make it unmanageable to cook. The eggs should be as fresh as possible and at room temperature. The yolks are generally separated from the whites, beaten, and then folded together for added volume. Some like to add milk to the eggs, but I like adding a tablespoon of cold water or plain, unflavored seltzer since that makes the omelet lighter and fluffier. I don't add any salt while cooking the since it tends to toughening the omelet. I add it at the table. However, I have no problem adding pepper while cooking.
Have your fillings, sauces, and side dishes all prepared in advance and ready to assemble the omelet to insure the food arrives at the table hot.
The pan should be hot enough to make the butter or oil sizzle when you add it. I really prefer olive oil for my omelettes.
Should you want to use butter then use unsalted, clarified butter as it is less likely to result in a sticky omelet. After adding the eggs to the hot pan, keep them moving by constantly pushing the cooked portions to the side so the runny part runs to the side. Loosen the omelet from the bottom of the pan with a spatula if necessary, so it slides easily. You can use one hand to move your pan and one hand for your spatula.
The eggs should be nearly cooked, but still wet, before filling and folding. They will continue to cook even when removed from the heat. If you are using cheese, sprinkle the shredded cheese over the surface before filling and folding. Spread filling down the center.
Now comes the fun part, the fold! Some like it folded in half, in which case it is simple enough to lift one side up and over the filling to match the opposite side. Others prefer the letter three-fold, which involves folding one third toward the center, then the opposite side toward the center, much like how a business letter is folded. Continue cooking a bit longer until the center is fully set. Some like it more firm, while others like it soft, so cooking time will vary. However, each omelet should take no more than two to three minutes from the time the eggs hit the pan. If you use the letter-fold, serve with flap sides down. If you like a pretty glossy finish, lightly brush the top of the omelet with melted butter, which will also give added flavor. When you plate it, add a sliced strawberry with the stem still on it, or a couple of grapes, or a sprig of parsley and see how different it looks when you serve it to your guests or even to yourself. Food should not only taste good it should look good!
Omelet fillings can range from vegetables to meats to seafood, and even fruit. You can get wild and crazy here. Whatever you use, make sure the filling is at least at room temperature, preferably warm, but not hot. Some like the crunch of fresh vegetables, but I prefer to either quick sauté or blanch them first, just long enough to take away the rawness and bite. Leftovers make good fillings. I always plan on 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling per each three-egg omelet. There are no set rules, so follow your own tastes. A sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley or chives nicely compliments the yellow of the omelet.
Choose a non-stick omelet pan with at least a 5-inch base and sides sloping outward to 7 inches. It should have a thick base that will distribute heat evenly. Some folks swear by a well-seasoned cast iron skillet for omelets. If this works for you, by all means go for it! It is important that the surface of the pan be smooth and unmarred, otherwise the omelet will stick. Years ago I purchased one pan dedicated strictly to eggs and I try to treat it with tender loving care, always careful not to nick or scratch it. However, once it is nicked or scratched, I will simply discard it and get a new one. One can buy fancy omelet pans available that fold in the center to help those who are flip-challenged.
Think ahead if you are making a frittata that will be finished in the oven. You'll need to begin with an oven-proof skillet and have the oven preheated. No wooden handles on the skillets here, please!
Keep onions and fresh peppers on hand to make a Frittata. When I have extra onions or peppers that I have not gotten to use, I chop them up, lay them on a cookie sheet, quickly freeze them and then put them into a plastic freezer bag and I can just shake out or grab a handful when I need them to throw into whatever kitchen magic I am doing.
I like to keep precooked chopped beef or Boca Beef Crumble in the freezer in small bags as these can be opened up quickly and tossed into whatever I am cooking in their frozen state. I do the same thing with crumbled or sliced sausage whether it be country sausage or Italian sausage.
When I cook pasta I have no problem cooking up a pound or two even when there are just 2 or 3 of us eating simply because I can put the remaining cooked pasta into a big plastic bag and toss it into the refrigerator where it will stay well easily for a week. Then during the week I can just put on a pot of water to boil, take out 1 or 2 servings of cooked pasta and toss it into the hot water that I have removed from the flame and let it sit for about 2 minutes while I heat up whatever sauce I have taken out of the freezer. I do the same thing with rice.
On a frugal note, whenever I am in an oriental restaurant and they bring out those big bowls of rice that one rarely eats, I ask to take them home in a container. I use them within the next couple of days to whip up some Spanish rice or fried rice or whatever. It makes for an economical meal.
When I am in a Mexican restaurant and cannot finish my meal I do the same thing. I take it home and then extend it with some rice the next day or two and usually make a completely different meal of it.
I find that even when my leftovers could easily be enough for two hearty meals and I find myself with 4 to feed, it is simply a matter of doing things in a different way. Dividing the 2 hearty meals into four is not even noticed if the meal is served in courses. I might open up a can of soup that I have embellished somehow and serve a first course of soup, then a second course of a nice fresh salad, followed by the main course of the 2 hearty leftover meals divided into 4 and served on nice plates. Adding a nice glass of wine or embellished ice tea along with your meal makes it special also. Serving up your meal with napkins and place mats gives it a lift also. When it comes to the desert, I may have 4 or this or 4 of that but when served on a pretty plate of a variety of say 2 or 3 assorted cookies, or 1 biscotti and a cookie, plus a few grapes, or a prettily sliced single strawberry, accompanied by a hot coffee or tea overlooks the fact that you are not serving giant size slices of desert and this whole type of thrown together fast meal becomes a pleasant little feast.
I hope that these tried and true tips will help you make your own "Easy Kitchen" and if you have any questions you can email me at askarlene@scrtc.com
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