Going to the best restaurant in town is great for special occasions but it’s not exactly cost-effective than home cooked meals.
Sometimes, it can take months just to get a reservation at some of the best eateries, and I don’t know about you but that sounds like a high price to pay for a plate of food.
But, what if you could enjoy the same level of culinary excellence at home? That’s what we sought to find out when we discovered the following tips and tricks from some of the best chefs in the world.
Read on to find out how you can elevate your home cooked meals to Michelin-star quality.
1. Nail that pasta
To avoid undercooking or overcooking pasta, fill a large pan with water to make sure the pasta cooks evenly. Season and pour some olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
Be sure to use the best cookware when cooking pasta (or any dish for that matter) in order to get the most out of the flavor and texture combinations.
2. Produce tricks
Working with small vegetables can cut food prep time in half because they’re so small you don’t have to chop them into several pieces. You can get away with slicing most of them in half before you move on to the next dish.
If you have unripe fruit that you want to quickly use for a recipe. Take a banana, put it in a paper bag and add your unripe fruit. Put the bag in a dark place, and the banana will speed up the other fruit’s ripening process.
One way to stop potatoes, apples, and avocados from going brown when cut is to squeeze some lemon onto them. The acidity stops the flesh from oxidizing.
3. Puree genius
There’s nothing chefs love more than to puree vegetables. The secret to getting a perfect puree consistency is to start by baking the vegetables on high heat for an hour until they’re soft and tender. The skin will peel off effortlessly revealing a silky smooth and sweet potato/ beetroot or squash.
Then, simply throw the vegetables into the blender, season and add heavy cream to get a silky smooth texture. Now, strain the blended vegetables on a mesh strainer to get them extra smooth. This creates the perfect puree which can be used as a base when plating.
4. Fry away
Frying food is another popular technique that professional chefs use to add texture and different dimensions to their dishes. For instance, thinly sliced and fried potatoes provide a crispy texture that goes well with a smooth puree, and this combination will look great on any plate.
5. Knife skills
A sharp knife is essential if you want fine and aesthetically pleasing cuts. It’ll come in handy when you want perfectly sliced chives and herbs to use as a garnish for your home cooked meals.
According to Chef Gordon Ramsay, the secret to cutting an onion is to leave the root intact to avoid the waterworks. Then, slice going forward and let the knife do the work. For best results, point the onion towards the root but without actually cutting the root.
The best way to keep your knives sharp is to sharpen them before and after use. This keeps them quick and efficient with every slice.
Well, there you have it! Now you’ve got all the components you need to prepare beautiful meals that taste as good as they look.
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