Contents
Before I posted my fish cooking tips, Gordon Ramsay fought back by sharing with readers of The Times some of the secrets of professional chefs that every home cook can apply. I present here my translation of this note, since most of the advice, although elementary, is really very sensible and deserves your attention.
How to cook meat
The secret to properly cooking meat is to give it a proper “rest.” It is very sad to watch how all the juices flow out of the cut piece of meat onto the plate only because he did not have enough rest after frying. For thinner pieces like steaks, this is especially true.
If the meat you are cooking comes directly from the refrigerator, it will burn on the outside before it warms up on the inside. If you are cooking a rare beef fillet steak, sauté it for 2,5 minutes on each side, and then let it rest for another 3 minutes. Before serving, dip it in the juice that has dripped onto a plate and finish off the cooking in the oven. Keep in mind that at home I like to cook less popular, cheaper cuts, which can actually be more flavorful and tasty.
They usually require slow cooking, such as boiling or stewing, to soften them. By adding a little sweetness in the form of fresh or dried fruit, you can balance the flavor of the meat.
How to cook fish
Given how popular sushi is now, I am amazed at how wary people feel about cooked fish if it is not completely dried. Believe me, if the inside of the fish is completely white, the outside will be dry. No, it’s better to cook the fish so that the inside is slightly transparent, like the inside of an oyster shell.
If you are frying fish, heat a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and place the seasoned fish fillets in the skillet. Do not worry about it sticking when the crust is properly caramelized, the fillet itself will lag behind the pan – and if you try to tear it off the pan, it will simply fall apart (but I don’t quite agree with this, however, this is a topic for a separate conversation – approx.AO).
When the fillet is 80 percent done, gently turn it over, add a little butter to the pan and pour it over the fish. If you add oil too early, your skillet will turn black and the fish will taste burnt.
Finally, let the fish rest for a few minutes, during which time it will continue to cook due to the residual heat. Like vegetables, you can let it sit for about five minutes and then heat it in an oven preheated to 200 degrees. An easier option is to gently boil the fish in the broth. In restaurants, we often wrap fish and herbs in foil to seal the flavors and prevent the fish from falling apart – just remember to remove the foil before serving.
How to calculate the time
People often read these stupid menu planners like “start cooking potatoes 20 minutes before starting, carrots at ten, peas at five,” and so on – and they think they’ll get very smart and organized now. Then comes the hour of the day, the time of the gala dinner – and complete chaos. They try to butcher the chicken, make mashed potatoes, discard vegetables in a colander, thicken the sauce, all at the same time.
I would not dare to do this, even with a team of 15 chefs at my disposal. No, what you need is to master the art of planning – and by that I mean as complete preparation as possible, so that two-thirds of the work was already done, and before the start of the gala lunch or dinner, you only had to put all the ingredients together.
This means – to cook the meat in advance, then just reheat it, boil the vegetables in advance and freshen it in cold water, then heat it in a pan with the addition of oil, fry the mushrooms in olive oil, then reheat them in butter, and so on. turn the last stage of cooking into a conveyor belt, which is much easier than controlling everything from the very beginning and cooking here and now. And even if it seems too difficult for you, involve your guests in the work.
How to season food
The first thing you’ll notice when watching a professional chef work is how much salt he uses. This is because salt and pepper are the foundation of any kitchen, and the art of properly seasoning food is one of the most important skills you can learn.
Doing it confidently and clearly means much more than it seems – enhancing and enhancing the flavor of your dish. Too many people season their food when it’s on their plate. And here a couple of problems lie in wait. Firstly, in this case, you use much more salt – and this does not hurt to keep track of each of us. And secondly, the taste will turn out to be too rough.
Your taste buds will be overwhelmed. It is best to add spices early in the cooking process for the harsh taste will recede into the background by the end, so season early and taste constantly as you cook to feel how the flavor changes. Finally, don’t limit yourself to salt and pepper. We always season fish and seafood at the very end with a drop of lemon or lime juice, moreover, in order to improve the taste of soup or creamy sauce, we use whole bunches of fresh herbs, add cloves, vanilla or cinnamon to fish broth. Be brave. Take risks.
How to make custard
The ability to make custard is one of the factors that distinguishes a skilled home cook. This skill is worth honing, as custard is the basis of many dishes, from ice cream to pastry cream. You can decide for yourself whether to do it in a water bath or without it, but in any case, keep a small fire and stir the cream constantly.
Also, follow these three simple rules and you simply won’t be able to do something wrong: First, always use fresh vanilla pods: the difference between vanilla seeds and vanilla extract is like day and night (I wonder what Mr. Ramsay would say, if I found out how much fresh vanilla we have? .. – approx. A.O.). Second, when you bring the milk and cream mixture to a boil, remove it from the heat as soon as it starts bubbling.
Even an extra 30 seconds will completely change the consistency and prevent the cream from thickening. Finally, do not mix the sugar and yolks until you are ready to add the milk, otherwise the sugar will dissolve and lose the strength needed to thicken the cream during heating. As I said – basic advice, not the most urgent, but in places efficient. Which ones do you think you will be able to use in your kitchen in the near future?