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General Cooking Tips From GOURMET

Source of Recipe

Gourmet Magazine


List of Ingredients

Measure Liquids in glass or clear plastic liquid measuring cups and dry ingredients in nesting dry measuring cups (usually made of metal or plastic) that can be leveled off with a knife.

Measure flour by spooning (not scooping) it into a dry measuring cup and levelling off with a knife without tapping or shaking cup.

Do not sift flour unless specified in recipe. If sifted flour is called for, sift flour before measuring. (Many brands say "presifted on the label;disregard this.)

When we,(Gourmet) call for a shallow baking panin our recipes, we mean an old-fashioned jelly-roll or a four-sided cookie pan.

Measure skillets and baking pans across the top, not across the bottom.

To prepare a water bath for baking (often used when making cheesecakes) put your filled pan in a larger pan and add enough boiling hot water to reach halfway up the side of the smaller pan.

Use light-colored metal pans for baking unless otherwise specified. If using dark metal pans, including non-stick, your baked goods will likely brown more and the cooking times may be shorter.

Wash and dry all produce before using.

Before prepping fresh herbs or greens, remove the leaves or fronds from the stems-the exception is cilantro, which has tender stems.

When salting water for cooking, use 1 tablespoon of salt for every 4 quarts of water.

Black pepper in recipes is always freshly ground.

Wear protective gloves when handling chilies.

Grate cheese just before using.

To zest citrus fruits, remove the colored part of the rind only (avoid the bitter white pith.) For strips, use a vegetable peeler. For grated zest, we prefer using a rasplike Microplane zester, which results in fluffier zest, so pack to measure.

Toast spices in a dry heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant and a shade or two darker.

Toast nuts in a shallow baking pan in a 350 degree F oven until golden, 5 to 10 minutes.

Toast seeds either way...as mentionmed above.

To peel a tomato or peach, first cut an X in the end opposite the stem and immerse in boiling water (10 seconds for a tomato and 15 seconds for a peach). Transfer it to ice water and then peel.




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