Basic Things Everyone Should Be Able To Cook pt. 2- Kitchen Clueless Basic Cooking Course

by Chef Ben Kelly | May 6, 2020 | Cooking Tips

Good morning everyone, or good whatever time of day you are reading this. Welcome back to Kitchen Clueless, my free basic cooking course. Today as the cooking course series continues we will be taking a look at some basic cooking techniques for cooking fish, pasta, and a few other things. Let’s get right to it.

This is…

Fish

For the vast majority of my life, I have lived less than a ten-minute walk from the Atlantic Ocean. That great blue expanse, teeming with more life than I can imagine. Despite the abundance and proximity of the ocean, it was more common to see pork chops or ground beef on the dinner table, than fish. When we did eat fish it was limited to salmon or haddock.

My family is not unique in our limited exposure to fish. Even in restaurants in Nova Scotia, it is much easier to sell salmon or haddock than any other type of fish. Halibut would be up there too. And with cod becoming more and more available that is also being sold more. But nothing sells better than salmon and haddock. The truth is, I know more people who grew up on the ocean who don’t like fish, than ones that do. How is that possible?

Why, when the ocean is right there, do we limit ourselves to such a narrow selection? And how is it possible that so many people don’t even like fish? I’m sure that there is a complex socio-economic explanation that can be traced back generations, but there is also a simple answer. Whenever I ask someone why they don’t like fish the answer is almost always the same. Their mother always overcooked it, and it turned them off of it forever. I’m serious. That is the answer I get time and time again.

As to why we limit ourselves mostly to salmon and haddock, I honestly don’t know. It could be familiarity. It’s all we know. It could be the price. I remember my mother buying the whole salmon for four or five dollars. It could be availability. Our grocery stores aren’t exactly stocked to the gills with varieties of fish. Who knows?

Whatever the reason, the only solution is knowledge. When you know how to better cook fish, you are more likely to eat it. When you know what you are looking for, you are more likely to buy. And, when you are confident in your ability to buy and cook familiar fish, you are more likely to branch out and try something new.

Buying Fish

Today, it is most common to buy fish in pieces. It could be whole fillets or individual portions and it could be fresh or frozen. No matter how you buy it, there are some things to keep in mind.

Where to buy fish?

First of all, I highly suggest that if you have access to a store or market that specializes in selling fish that you buy it there rather than at the supermarket. In all honesty, where I’m from it is really common to buy fish right from the fisherman from the back of their truck in a hardware store parking lot. It doesn’t get much fresher than that.

I have found that anytime I have had problems with the freshness or quality of fish it has come from the grocery store. Having said that, there is a convenience element to buying your fish where you buy all of your other groceries. I get it and I still do it too.

Buying pieces of fresh fish.

When buying pieces of fish there are three main things to look for. The smell, the colour, and the texture. Fresh fish doesn’t smell bad. It doesn’t really smell like much at all. Maybe mildly like the ocean. That’s it. If it smells, don’t buy it. The colour should be bright and crisp. Salmon, trout, and arctic char should be bright pink or red. Whitefish should be white, not grey. Finally, the fish should not be slimy except for arctic char that still has the skin on it. It is perfectly normal for the char skin to be slimy.

It is perfectly acceptable for you to step up to the fish counter, point to a piece of fish and ask for a closer look. They likely won’t let you hold it, but you should be able to get close enough to tell if it smells or to see if it looks odd in any way.

Also, when buying fresh fish it is always best to eat it that day or at the latest the next day. You don’t want it sitting around for longer than that. And always ask if it has been previously frozen or not. If it has been, it’s shelf life is limited and you really shouldn’t freeze it again.

I hope this goes without saying but when buying fish stay away from the discount bin. It isn’t worth the few dollars you are going to save.

Buying pieces of frozen fish.

Modern fishing trawlers are very advanced. It is not uncommon for fish these days to be processed, and flash-frozen right on board the trawler within hours of it being hauled in. So, buying frozen fish isn’t too much of a worry. With a few exceptions.

I always look for where the fish is from. I typically stay away from farmed fish from Asia like tilapia as their health standards and regulations are a lot different than ours. I also generally don’t buy fish that was frozen in-store. You know it when you see it. It is packaged on those blue Styrofoam boards. That is typically fish that was nearing the end of its life in the fresh display and so got frozen to be sold another day.

Buying Whole Fish

When buying whole fish the same principles apply as with pieces of fish. It shouldn’t smell, and it shouldn’t look slimy. You also want to look at the eyes of the fish. They should not be cloudy. The clearer they are, the fresher the fish.

I would also typically ask the fishmonger to scale the fish if it isn’t already done, as you don’t want to do that. You can even ask them to fillet it for you if you would like. I will say that in grocery stores the person working behind the fish counter likely knows less about fish than you do. Go to a fishmonger.

Wild Fish vs. Farmed Fish

There is a lot of talk about farmed fish these days and so I thought it was important to talk about it a little. Fish farming is a very old practice that dates back at least as far as ancient Rome. It was common for the wealthy to have tilapia ponds so they could always have fresh fish.

Today, fish farming is becoming increasingly more important. Our demand for fish continues to grow and we are fishing the oceans dry. Before too long, it is likely that farmed fish will be more common than wild-caught. It’s an inevitability. Having said that, there have been issues with farmed fish but the technology is improving and it is becoming more friendly to the environment and the fish. I would suggest doing a little research on the topic.

Cooking Fish

The key to cooking fish is to not overcook it. I know, I know, that is the most obvious statement in the world but it’s true. Fish is not chicken. It doesn’t need to have the crap cooked out of it to be safe. For the record, neither does chicken. When fish is cooked properly it should tender and moist. It should not leave your mouth feeling dry.

Let’s take a look at some common fish and how to cook them.

Cooking Haddock Fillets

Let’s say you want to bake some haddock. You lay it on a baking sheet and season it with a little lemon, salt and pepper, and fresh herbs. Sounds delicious. You turn the oven on to 400°F, how long does it take to cook that fish? 45 minutes? 30 minutes? No. Probably 10-12 minutes depending on the size of the fillets. Really big fillets may take 15-18 minutes.

Haddock, should easily flake when cooked, but not fall apart. It should be firm to the touch but not springy. It shouldn’t feel rubbery. When you do cut into it, the flakes should look shiny. Not translucent, that’s undercooked. Not dry, that’s overcooked.

Cooking Salmon Fillets

The exact same principles of cooking haddock apply to cooking salmon, whether it is portions or whole fillets. There are only really two differences. A salmon fillet, so half a salmon, will take longer to cook than haddock. Likely, 20-25 minutes. A portion of salmon will take about 10-12 minutes. Less if you sear it in a pan first. Just like with the haddock, salmon should flake easily but not fall apart. It should be firm but not springy. When you cut into it it should look shiny, not dull. It shouldn’t look dry. And it shouldn’t look translucent.

Basic principles for cooking fish

These basic principles for cooking fish are pretty much universal. There are of course exceptions, like with tuna. You want a tuna steak to be rare in the middle. Honestly, if your salmon or haddock is slightly undercooked, it isn’t going to hurt you. You’ve probably had salmon sushi before. The key is really, really just don’t overcook it.

Cooking times are based on the thickness of the fish, just like with anything else. But what I can say is that typically, the cooking time is much less than you think it is. It’s okay to check the fish and then keep cooking it if it isn’t ready yet. So, aim to undercook it a little and then pop it back in.

Cooking Fish In A Pan

The key to cooking fish in a pan is to start with a hot pan, don’t overcrowed it, use a bit of oil and butter, and again, don’t overcook it. Fish that you cook in a pan is generally going to be thin fillets which cook quickly. Typically, 3-5 minutes per side is more than enough. Obviously, the thicker the fish the longer it will need to cook.

Start with the presentation side down. That’s just the nicer side of the fish. Leave it alone for 3-4 minutes, flip it and leave it alone again. Only flip it the one time. Check it for doneness (again firm but not springy) and either take it out of the pan or keep cooking it.

For pan-frying fish that still has the skin on you want to get the pan nice and hot. Add some oil and butter and place the fish skin side up. Only cook it for 2 minutes or so. Flip and cook it the rest of the way. You want to cook it 60-70% of the way through the skin side down. This should give you a nice crisp skin as long as the pan stays hot.

White Wine Poached Cod with Parsleyed Potatoes

A quick and delicious cod dish that will knock the socks off any one you serve it to.

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Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: 30 minute meals, Bistro Recipes, Cod, Delicious, Fish Recipes

Servings: 4

Author: Chef Ben Kelly

Equipment

• 1 pot with lid
• 1 large frying pan

Ingredients

• 4 pieces Cod or other white fish
• 2 ea Shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
• 8-12 ea New Potatoes
• 1/2 ea An Heirloom tomato, diced or 12 cherry tomatoes
• 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme
• 5-6 leaves Basil, Sliced
• 1 lg handful Spinach, stems removed, and leaves roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup` Chopped Parsley
• 2-3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 cup White Wine
• 1/4 cup Butter
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Potatoes

• Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with very hot tap water.
• Season the water well with salt.
• Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Once the potatoes start to boil, remove the lid from the pot and cook them the rest of the way uncovered.
• One the potatoes are cooked (a fork easily passes through them) drain them well.
• Add 2 tbsp of parsley, 2 tbsp of butter, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Gently toss the potatoes to coat with the seasoning and serve.

Cod

• Heat the skillet over medium high.
• Add the olive oil along with the shallots, garlic and a bit of salt and pepper.
• Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the shallots are soft.
• Add the diced tomato along with 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the fish into the pan presentation (white side) down.
• Cook for 1-2 minutes then add the wine.
• Once the wine starts to boil flip the fish and cook for another 1-3 minutes.
• Smaller pieces of fish will be cooked quicker while larger pieces may take a little longer.
• Remove the fish from the pan to a warmed serving tray as the fish pieces are cooked.
• Once all the fish is out of the pan add in the spinach, basil, and 2 tbsp of butter.
• Turn off the heat and mix the butter in to sauce to thicken it.
• Finish the sauce with the remaining parsley and pour over the fish.

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Thai Red Curry Salmon

A delicious and quick salmon recipe.

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Total Time: 23 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: Salmon, Thai Curry, Thai Red Curry, Thai Salmon

Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sticky Rice Sushi Rice
• 2 Salmon Fillets
• 1 Sliced Garlic Clove
• 1/2 Bell Pepper, sliced
• 3 Green Onions, Whites and Green Separate
• 1 tsp Canola Oil
• 1 tsp Grated Ginger
• 1/4 cup Chopped Snow Peas
• 2 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
• 1 cup Coconut Milk
• 2 tbsp Chopped Cilantro
• 1/2 Lime, juiced
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Cook the rice according to the directions on the package.
• Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat.
• Add the oil into the pan and sear the salmon on both sides.
• Remove the salmon from the pan and add in the garlic and all the vegetables except the snow peas.
• Cook the vegetables for 2-3 minutes then add in the ginger, cook for a few seconds then add in the curry paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add in the snow peas and coconut milk, bring to a boil and add the salmon back in.
• Simmer the sauce, flipping the salmon once or twice, until the salmon is cooked.
• Finish the salmon with cilantro, green onions, and lime juice.
• Serve the salmon over the rice.

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Fish Fingers with Sweet Chilli Sauce

Delicious and quick homemade fish fingers with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce

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Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 30 minute meals, 30 Minutes or less, Fish and Chips, Fish fingers, Fish Recipes, Sweet Chilli Sauce

Author: Chef Ben Kelly

Ingredients

• 3 fillets Haddock
• 1 cup Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs
• 1 cup Gluten-Free Flour
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup White Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes (crushed red pepper) more or less depending on tolerance
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°f
• Combine the salt and pepper with the flour and stir.
• Pour the olive oil onto a baking sheet and spread evenly.
• Dip the fish in the flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs and place on the sheet pan with at least 1/2 an inch of space between each finger.
• Put the fish in the oven for 7-8 minutes, flip and then bake for an additional 7-8 minutes or until the fish is cooked.
• While the fish is in the oven combine the water, vinegar, sugar, and chilli and bring to a boil.
• Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes.

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Pasta

In North American, for whatever reason,q we have a tendency to overcomplicate pasta. We take what should be a straightforward and simple dish and add about 20 ingredients which are about 15 too many. If you look at any authentic Italian pasta recipe you will immediately notice how short the recipe is. They use a handful of high-quality ingredients and do very little to them. I implore you to approach pasta in this way as much as possible. Of course, you can still make your mother’s 20 ingredient tomato sauce, but understand that there is another way.

When we add too many ingredients into a sauce, or anything for that matter, we lose the nuance of flavours. Everything becomes muddled together and not very exciting to eat. If on the other hand, we do as the Italians do and limit what we put into the sauce the flavours can stand for themselves and create a beautiful symphony.

As this is a beginner cooking course we aren’t going to get into making pasta from scratch, though it isn’t nearly as complicated as you may think. However, we will look at matching shapes of dried pasta to types of sauce and why that’s important. But first, let’s look at some different kinds of sauces.

Pasta Sauces

When we think of pasta sauce we generally think of either red sauce or white sauce. So, tomato-based, or bechamel or cream-based. Though these are obviously very popular, they are not the only options. If you get stuck making only these two types of pasta sauce you are seriously missing out. Let’s take a look at those two first, then we will move on to some of the more interesting ones.

Tomato-Based Pasta Sauce

There are few things in the world of gastronomy that are as perfect as a classic tomato sauce. Tomatoes, onion, olive oil, salt & pepper, sugar, and basil combine to make something so simple, so unassuming, and so delicious that it boggles the mind. To this simple sauce meat such as browned ground beef, or seared chunks of pork can be added along with some wine and herbs and what was once a basic tomato sauce becomes something that is truly magical.

Making Tomato Sauce

Start by dicing an onion. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a medium pot and add the onion to it. You don’t want the heat to be too high, a medium temperature will be fine. The idea here is that you want to cook the onions until they are slightly caramelized. It’s going to take about ten minutes and you will have to stir them every few minutes or so.

While the onions are cooking open a can of whole tomatoes. If you can get San Marzano Tomatoes, which are imported from Italy, that would be best. Open the can, pour the tomatoes into a bowl and crush them with your hand. You don’t need to completely puree them but you don’t want any big chunks either.

Once the onions are slightly caramelized add the tomatoes and a bit of salt and pepper. Heat the tomatoes, give the sauce a taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and sugar as needed. You don’t want the sauce to be sweet. That’s not what the sugar is for. The sugar is there to take some of the acidity out of the tomatoes. The more you caramelize your onions, the less sugar you may need. Also, the tartness of the tomatoes depends on what time of year they were harvested. If it was sunny that day. How much water they had. So, don’t just blindly add sugar. Taste and then add only as needed.

After the sauce is seasoned, simmer it for ten minutes and then take it off the heat. Chop up one to two tablespoons of fresh basil and add it to the sauce. From here you can puree the sauce or just leave it as is.

This sauce is great to have with a stuffed pasta like ravioli, or tortellini. It’s great to use in the layers of a lasagna. It’s fantastic in seafood linguine with a bit of white wine and chilli. Or it’s great just on its own over spaghetti with parmesan. There is so much you can do with such a simple sauce that you need to master this one A.S.A.P.

Cream Based Pasta

Most commonly cream-based pasta is made with a bechamel which is a white sauce made with milk (sometimes cream) and thickened with a roux. Don’t let the fancy name fool you. It is not nearly as intimidating as it seems. It’s more than likely that you have made bechamel before and didn’t know it. Here is how to make it.

Bechamel

How to make classic bechamel sauce

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Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Bechamel, Sauce

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Chef Ben Kelly

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 an onion, diced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 5 cups Whole Milk
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper as needed

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
• Add the onions and saute until the onions are soft.
• Add the butter and melt.
• Add the flour, mix it with the melted butter and onions, and cook, stirring regularly for about three minutes.
• Add the milk and whisk to fully incorporate the roux.
• Heat the milk, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot regularly, so the roux doesn't stick.
• Simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes or until it thickens and no longer tastes like raw flour.
• Season with salt, pepper (white pepper if you prefer) and nutmeg.
• Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve.
• Put a layer of plastic wrap on the surface of the hot bechamel to prevent a film from forming on the surface.
• Use the bechamel right away, or keep it in the fridge for up to four days.

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A few notes about bechamel

First things first let’s talk about pepper. A lot of people like to use white pepper in their bechamel so they don’t get the black specks you get with black pepper. I happen to hate white pepper. I find it smells and tastes like a horse barn. I also don’t mind the black specks in my white sauce. I’ll leave it up to you whether you use white or black pepper.

It is very easy for the roux to stick to the bottom of the pan and burn as the bechamel is simmering. There are a few ways to help prevent this. Number one is to use a heavy bottom pot. Number two is to stir the sauce regularly making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot. If you do scrape the bottom of the pot and notice brown or black bits floating in your bechamel, strain it right away and put it in a new pot. Taste it before you continue cooking because it may already taste burnt. In that case, you have to start over.

The third and probably safest option is to make the roux separately and add it after the milk has already been heated. In this case, you would simply cook the butter and flour together in a separate pot. The milk would be added to the softened onions and heated. At this point, the roux would be whisked in. You will still have to be vigilant in making sure the roux doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot, but this way is safer if that is your concern.

Bechamel Based Pasta Sauce

We have now have a pretty good idea about how to make bechamel but on it’s own it doesn’t make much of a pasta sauce. So, how do we turn a basic bechamel into a full blown pasta sauce? The easiet way to do this is to have the bechamel ready to go and set aside. Start a new pan and sauté some onions and garlic. Deglaze the pan with white wine, let it reduce down to just about nothing then add in some of the bechamel. Add some parmesan to the sauce to finish it and you are good to go. This can be served with chicken or seafood.

Alternative to the sauce I just described a few spoon fulls of pesto can be added to a bechamel to make a creamy pesto sauce which is also delicious on chicken or seafood.

Cream

Anoter way to make a creamy pasta is to just use heavy (whipping) cream. I’ll be the first to tell you that this makes a delicious sauce. However, using too much cream can lead to a very heavy and rich sauce that will leave you feeling gross. Not to mention it is very fattening. If you do prefer to use cream (it is definatly easier than making a bechamel) use only a little bit. For example, in the sacue with the white wine I described above rather then fully reducing the white wine, only reduce it by about half then add in only a few tablespoons of the cream. Or for the cream pesto sauce, use a 1/4 – 1/2 cup of cream and a tablespoon or two of pesto.

Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

What more is there to say? It's creamy, it's chicken, and it's pesto. Delicious!

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Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: 30 minute meals, Chicken Pasta, Quick Meals

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Chef Ben Kelly

Ingredients

• 2 Chicken Breasts, Sliced
• 1/2 Small Onion, Sliced
• 1 tsp Chopped Garlic
• 1/2 cup Sliced Roasted Red Peppers
• 2 cups loosley packed Spinach
• 1/4 cup Pesto
• 3/4 cup Cream
• 1-2 tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan
• 4 portions Cooked Pasta

Instructions

• Heat large skillet over medium high heat.
• Add the olive oil and sliced chicken into the pan.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook until cooked through it will take about 6 minutes.
• Add in the onions and garlic, cook for 2 minutes, then add in the roasted red peppers and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Next up, add in the pesto, cook for about a minute then add in the cream and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Add in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes before adding in the cooked pasta.
• Add in the parmesan, toss the pasta to coat, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

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Olive Oil Based Pasta

Olive oil-based pasta sauces include sauces like pesto and Aglio e olio or garlic and oil pasta. Let’s take a look at pesto first.

Pesto

Pesto is one of those sauces that people often buy at the grocery store because they don’t know how easy it is to make. The ingredients are fresh basil, parmesan, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and salt. That’s it. Take all of these ingredients, but them in a blender and you have pesto. Honestly, that’s it.

If you want to store the pesto for a week or two in the fridge, blanch the basil by dropping it in boiling water for thirty seconds and then into ice water to cool it. Dry the basil off as best you can with paper towels before adding it to the other ingredients. This blanching will help the basil retain its green colour and will prevent your pesto from going black as it sits.

If you have one big bunch of basil, use two cloves of garlic, a quarter to a half cup of good olive oil, two to three tablespoons of parmesan cheese, one to two tablespoons of pine nuts, and a good pinch of salt. Puree this, add more oil if needed and it’s good to go. I know that the pinenuts freak people out because they are really, really expensive. Luckily, you can buy them from the bulk section. So, only get the amount you need. If all you need is two tablespoons only buy that much.

Pesto is great by itself with pasta, added to either tomato or cream sauce, or used in a million other ways that have nothing to do with pasta at all. Definitely get used to making your own pesto. It will be worth the effort.

Aglio e olio

Pronounced Ag-li-ol-ee-o this sauce is made of three main ingredients. Olive oil, garlic, and chilli flakes. Parmesan, salt and pepper, fresh parsley and lemon juice are often added as well. If you have ever seen the movie Chef (you definitely should if you haven’t already) this is the pasta Jon Favreau makes for Scarlett Johansson.

To make this sauce heat a generous amount of olive oil (about 1/4 cup) over medium heat, slice two cloves of garlic as thin as you can and add that to the oil. Cook until the garlic softens. You may need to turn the heat down if the garlic starts to colour. After four or five minutes add half a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes. Toss cooked spaghetti into the sauce and season with salt and pepper as needed. Alternatively, finish with parmesan, parsley, and lemon juice.

This is one of those unassuming sauces. You get very big flavours out of very few ingredients. Classic Italian.

Carbonara

One sauce that I want to mention and that confuses a lot of people is Carbonara. A lot of people think that this is a cream-based sauce but that is wrong. This sauce is made of eggs, cheese, and maybe a little pasta water. The other ingredients are generally a type of bacon, along with salt, pepper, and parsley. That’s it. No cream ever.

To make it put two eggs in a bowl and add two to three tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper. Whisk this egg and cheese mixture together. Add hot crispy bacon and hot linguine. Stir until the pasta is completely coated and the sauce thickens. Finish with fresh chopped parsley and a bit more parmesan.

It may seem like you are going to be eating raw egg but the heat from the bacon and the pasta cooks the egg. As the heat cooks the egg it melts the parmesan creating the classic creamy carbonara sauce.

This is a dish that only takes as long to cook as it takes to make some bacon and some pasta. It is one of those dishes that confuses people with its simplicity. People try to overcomplicate it and make it much more difficult than it is. It is perfect just the way it is. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself.

The right pasta for the job

Believe it or not, pasta shapes are not arbitrary. Different shapes have different jobs. Typically speaking the thinner the pasta the lighter the sauce. Long thick noodles like fettuccini are great for thick creamy sauces because there is so much surface area on the pasta for the sauce to stick to. On the other hand, meat sauce goes really well with spaghetti because it is a thinner pasta that when twirled on a fork picks up lots of little bits of meat. Hollow pasta like penne is great for creamy kind of chunky sauces that will fill the voids in the pasta. This way when you bite into the pasta it is filled with sauce.

Obviously use whatever type of pasta you’d like for whatever type of sauce you’d like. This should just give a few basic ideas if you are trying to figure out what sauce to match with what pasta and why.

Conclusion

I really wanted to wrap this up today but again this post has become way bigger than I had intended. So next week we will cover things made with ground beef like meatloaf, burgers, and chilli and that will be the end of it. After that, there will be one more post in this basic cooking course series to kind of wrap the whole thing up. See you next week and please remember to share this with anyone who you think would enjoy it.

Basic Things Everyone Should be able To Cook pt. 1- Kitchen Clueless Basic Cooking Course

by Chef Ben Kelly | Apr 15, 2020 | Cooking Tips

As adult humans, there are certain things that we need to be able to do to take care of ourselves. We need to know how to do laundry. We need to know how to pay bills. And, we need to know how to cook a few basic meals. Because this isn’t a laundry or bill paying blog, we aren’t going to talk about either of those. Today, we are going to look at a few meals that everyone should know how to make.

None of the meals or recipes that I am going to share with you today are overly complex, this is a basic cooking course after all. But of course that doesn’t mean they aren’t delicious.

Enough chit chat, let’s get to it. This is…

Starches –

Before we get too far into this I wanted to just touch on rice and potatoes first. A key component to a balanaced meal is having some kind of carb be it bread, rice, pasta, or potatoes. We are going to talk about pasta a little later on so let’s take a look at potatoes and then rice.

Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

When done well there are very few things in the world better than good mashed potatoes. By good, I mean smooth, creamy, buttery, and well seasoned. Potatoes like that can be the star of any plate no matter what the main attraction is supposed to be. But how do we make potatoes like that? What’s the secret? Obviously, I’m going to tell you.

The right potato for the job

Believe it or not, there are right and wrong potatoes to use for mashed potatoes. For my money, I prefer a russet or white potato for mashed potatoes. I’ll get into the reasons for this in a second. Before I do though, I want to say that Yukon gold potatoes and a few other waxy varieties can and do make delicious mashed potatoes. Especially since these varieties of potato tend to have a superior flavour. However, it is a more difficult process and requires a little more finesse. This is due to the fact that when these types of potatoes are cooked they tend to get gummy. This is especially true when they start to lose their heat. Because of this, they have to be processed very quickly after cooking. They usually also require a higher portion of cream and butter to get the desired consistency. I save these for special occasions.

Russets

To me, there are many benefits to using a russet potato to make mashed potatoes. First and foremost, their size is convenient. Russet Potatoes are a fairly large variety which makes them easy to hold while peeling, and you get more potato per potato. They are also cheap and readily available.

The russet potato is dry and mealy. This means it doesn’t generally hold a lot of water and it mashes very easily. However, like most potatoes, if over boiled russets can absorb and hold large amounts of water that will make mashed potatoes watery.

When cooking russet potatoes for mashed potatoes, peel and dice them into evenly sized cubes. Rinse the potatoes under cold water until the water runs clear. This will wash off excess starch. Next, put the potatoes in a pot of cold water. Add enough salt to make the water taste like the ocean. I suggest about 1 big teaspoon per litre of water. Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook only until the potatoes are tender, then drain.

Let them dry

One of the most keys to really great mashed potatoes is to make sure the potatoes are dry before mashing them. This is done in two main ways. First of all, as I already mentioned, don’t overcook the potatoes. There really isn’t any coming back from this. The potatoes will become waterlogged and then there really isn’t much you can do about it.

The second way, or rather the second step to drying the potatoes is to let them steam dry in the colander. After the potatoes are cooked, drain them as you would in a colander. Then, just leave them alone for about five minutes. You will see all this steam coming up from the potatoes and you may think that this means you are losing heat, but really that steam means that moisture is evaporating from the potatoes and drying the out. You will even notice a colour change. The potatoes will go from a mild yellow colour to dry white colour. That’s what you want.

Cream and Butter

While the potatoes are steam drying in the colander take the opportunity to heat up the cream and butter. I say cream, but you can use milk if you prefer. However, the cream will provide a richer flavour and a better texture to the potatoes. Heating up the dairy before adding it to the potatoes will help keep the potatoes hot. Cold mashed potatoes aren’t nearly as good as hot ones.

Since the potatoes are in the colander, you can use the pot the potatoes were cooked in to heat up the cream and butter.

How much cream and butter should you use? For four to five russet I use between 1/4 -1/2 cup of cream and 2 tbsp of butter.

Seasoning

Potatoes on their own are pretty bland, they need salt and pepper. Add a little seasoning to the cream and butter then add more to taste once the potatoes are mixed in.

How much salt and pepper should you use? For four to five russets I generally use about 1 – 1 1/2 tsp of Kosher Salt and about 1/4 – 1/2 tsp of pepper. Really though, it comes down to taste. Add a little, taste and add more as needed.

MASHER V. MIXER V. FOOD MILL

There are three main tools that people use to mash potatoes. They are a regular old potato masher, a mixer like a kitchen-aid, or a food mill. I’m much more partial to the food mill than the other two options.

I prefer using a food mill to make mashed potatoes because it yields the smoothest potatoes you will ever have. Using a hand masher it is next to impossible to get all the lumps out of the potatoes. As for a mixer, I find I rarely get all the lumps out and there is the risk of over-mixing the potatoes. This can cause the potatoes to get gummy and pasty.

So, the potatoes have been cooked and drained. The cream and butter have been heated, and seasoning has been added. Set the food mill over the pot and mill the potatoes right in. Then mix to combine the potatoes with the cream and butter. What you have will be absolutely delicious, smooth, buttery, creamy potatoes.

Smashed Potatoes

What are smashed potatoes?

Smashed potatoes are potatoes, usually small ones, that have been boiled until tender and then smashed with the back of a spoon or a masher. They are different from mashed potatoes in two main ways; the skin is left on them, and they are chunkier. The goal isn’t to have one smooth consistent texture.

This style of potato can be made in a variety of ways and there are actually two on this list. This first one is made by mixing buttermilk, butter, and salt and pepper into the smashed potatoes. Imagine that you are using the same proportions you would for regular mashed.

The buttermilk will give the potatoes a really nice fresh flavour. That flavour combined with the texture makes these potatoes a really unique potato dish and one that is terrific for summer.

Lemon Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes tossed with lemon, olive oil, thyme, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper then roasted until crispy. Damn!

Just about any kind of potato can be used to make this dish. I like to use either russet or Yukon gold potatoes but, anything will work.

The first step is to combine the just form 1 lemon, 2-3 tbsp olive oil, 3-4 sprigs of thyme, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, 1 tsp smoked paprika, a big pinch of both salt and pepper. Mix this all up and give it a taste. Take some potatoes, cut them into wedges and toss with the lemon, olive oil mixture and spread onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake in a 375°F oven for 35-40 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and crispy. They will have to be flipped at least once about halfway through cooking.

These potatoes go great with just about anything.

Rice

I can’t count the number of times people have told me about all the problems they have cooking rice. It’s too wet. They burnt it. The rice is crunchy. Listen, I know to some people this may seem crazy (myself included) but the struggle is real for these people. And so today I thought I would take the opportunity to talk in-depth about cooking rice and how to get it perfect every time.

The right rice for the job

There are over 40,000 varieties of cultivated rice out there so choosing the right one for your needs can be difficult. Really though, there are only 3-4 varieties you need to think about in everyday cooking. They are basmati rice, brown rice (usually whole grain basmati), sticky rice such as sushi rice, jasmine rice, and arborio or carnaroli rice which are both used to make risotto.

Though both basmati and jasmine make good all purposes rice, I prefer basmati as it is generally a bit cheaper, more readily available and I find cooks a bit better. If I am making sushi, fried rice, or other foods from Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, or Vietnam I typically use sticky rice. This will often be labelled as sushi rice. If I am making risotto it is either arborio (which I find easier to find) or carnaroli which I prefer of the two. Brown rice I use if I feel I need a bit of a healthy boost but this is rare for me though it is great in burrito bowls and the like.

Typically, I will have at least 2-3 of the above varieties of rice on hand at any given time. Notice how I didn’t list minute rice in there. To be blunt, I think minute rice is garbage. All of the flavour has been taken away in the name of convenience. White rice takes usually around 17-25 minutes to make from start to finish. While it’s cooking the rest of dinner can be prepared. I honestly see no reason for minute rice.

Rinsing

It is generally suggested that you rinse rice until the water runs clear for two main reasons. First of all to remove any dirt or grime. Second of all to rinse away any excess starch. It is usually a good idea to rinse rice however if you do, it is very important that you drain off as much water as possible. Any excess water left from rinsing may lead to the rice being soggy or mushy when cooked.

If you feel as though you are not getting enough water out of your rice cut back the amount of water you are adding when cooking by a tablespoon or two. This should compensate for the over-saturation.

Follow the instructions

This may seem way too obvious but follow the cooking instructions on the package the rice came in. Different brands of rice, even if it is the same type of rice, may suggest different ratios of liquid to rice, and different cooking times. That is why it is always important to read the instructions.

I should point out that sometimes these instructions are just wrong. Sometimes you follow them perfectly and the rice just doesn’t turn out. So, follow the instructions the first time you make the rice. If it turns out, great! If it doesn’t, adjust.

Things to look out for

If the rice is very wet and mushy, cut back on the amount of water you added to the rice. If the rice is very wet but hard, cook the rice for longer. On occasion the rice may be hard and very dry, in this case, you need to increase the amount of liquid you added to the rice.

Generally, for rice, the cooking process is as follows. Combine the liquid, rice, salt, and a little fat in a pot. Bring it to a boil on high heat. Once it starts to boil turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and simmer. Once the allotted time has passed remove the pot from the heat and leave it alone, without lifting the lid for about half the amount of time as the initial cooking time. So, if you cook the rice with the lid on for 17 minutes, let it sit for at least 8 or 9 minutes. Then, fluff with a fork and serve.

Cooking time vary depending on the type of rice and how it is processed so make sure to read the instructions on the package.

Roasted Chicken

A well-cooked roast chicken is one of the rare pleasures in life. Crispy, buttery, golden skin, with tender, flavourful meat hidden below the surface. What could be better than that? But roasting a chicken isn’t something that people are just able to do. Its simplicity is extremely complex and takes practice and time to learn.

In some ways it feels like roasting a chicken is a dying skill. Most of us are much more likely to pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store than to roast one ourselves. Of course, and I’m sure it goes without saying, there is no comparison when it comes to taste and quality. A home roasted chicken is a hundred times better. But, it does take time and effort to prepare.

The key to a good roast chicken is getting all of the skin nice and crispy without overcooking the rest of the bird. There are a few simple things that you can do to make this process easier.

Dry the skin

Removing moisture from the skin of the chicken is the single most important step in getting really crispy and brown. This doesn’t just count for chicken. If you want a really nice sear on a pork chop or steak, make sure the surface is dry first. This can be done in one of two ways.

Dry the skin with a paper towel. This is not my personal favourite as I find it doesn’t do a fantastic job. However, in a pinch, if you are pressed for time, this is the go-to technique. Get a few paper towels and dry the chicken inside and out. It’s pretty straight forward.

The reason you want to dry the chicken inside is that any extra moisture inside the chicken will add moisture to the oven which will prevent the skin from crisping. The goal is to remove as much moisture from the surface of the chicken as possible.

Or, you can air-dry the chicken. Air-drying the chicken is exactly what it sounds like. This is letting the chicken dry naturally over a period of time. To do this, the chicken is placed on a rack, set over a pan or baking sheet and placed in the fridge for a day or two uncovered. I know that this seems foreign to a lot of people, putting a chicken in the fridge uncovered, but it works and it is the technique.

The reason you want the chicken on a rack is because liquid will pool at the point of contact if it is sitting on a flat surface. This will lead to their being one big wet spot on the chicken that won’t brown and it looks pretty gross. The pan under the rack is there to collect any drippings.

Leaving the chicken uncovered, as I said may seem like a really weird and uncomfortable thing to do but it is what allows the skin to dry. If the chicken is wrapped, moisture will get trapped and the skin will stay damp. This process usually takes about two days and you may have to flip the chicken after the first day. It’s done when the skin is dry and tightly clinging to the meat.

Be aware that leaving raw chicken uncovered in the fridge is perfectly safe as long as other foods aren’t coming into contact with it and it isn’t dripping on foods. Again, keep the chicken on a rack with a pan under it to prevent juices from running on to other foods. Also, keep the chicken on the bottom rack of your fridge and make sure other food items are stored well away from it.

Cooking the chicken

Now that the skin of the chicken is dry, it is almost ready to cook. There are only two things that need to be done first. The first step is to grease up the bird. I generally use a good quality olive oil for this or, clarified butter. I find regular butter has too much water in it which causes the skin to soften. So, rub the whole chicken inside and out with olive oil. The only thing left to do is to season the chicken very well, inside and out with salt. That’s it.

Once the chicken is oiled and seasoned, put it in a roasting pan with a rack and fire it into an oven heated to 400°F.

Now comes the fun part. The best way to ensure that the chicken gets evenly crispy on all sides is to rotate it every 20 minutes or so. Start with the chicken breast up. After the first 20 minutes rotate it onto its left side. Then after another 20 minutes rotate it to breasts down, and so on. Continue doing this until the chicken is cooked through. And yes, it is worth the effort.

How long the chicken takes to cook depends on the size of the chicken and the quality of your oven. Generally, 15-20 minutes per pound is suggested. The only way to know for sure if the chicken is done is with a thermometer stuck into the deepest part of the thigh. The temperature should be 168°F – 170°F.

Basting/Resting

If you notice that there are some spots of the chicken that just aren’t crisping up you may want to baste or brush those spots with a little more oil. You shouldn’t need to worry about basting the whole chicken.

With the chicken cooked through and the skin nice and crispy all that is left is to let the chicken rest. In a lot of ways, this is the hardest part. The chicken will look so good, like a cartoon roast chicken form bugs bunny or the Simpsons, but leave it alone! Don’t touch the chicken for at least 10 minutes. 15-20 is better.

Let the chicken rest, uncovered on the rack it was cooked on. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the bird keeping it juicy and moist. Resting will also give air time to circulate around the skin causing it to crisp up even more.

While the chicken is resting you can make gravy or sides.

Pork Chops

If you don’t love pork chops you have probably never had them cooked to perfection… Or you just don’t eat pork which is completely possible but not at all what we are talking about today.

Let’s assume for argument’s sake that you don’t like pork chops because whenever you eat them, they’re overcooked and dry. This is a very common problem, especially with the thin grocery store pork chops that we’re all used to.

So, what can be done? How can we prevent pork chops from becoming dry pieces of particle board that absorb all the moisture out of our mouths? How can we add flavour before we even cook them? How can we make something that seems so mundane, the star of any meal?

Part of the problem with pork chops is the part of the pig that they come from. It is a very lean part of the animal. The less fat, the less flavour and the more likely to dry out while cooking. There is one bonus, however, because these muscles don’t get a tonne of work compared to leg muscles, they are very tender.

The fear of pork

The big fear that people have with pork is that if they undercook it they will get trichinosis. With modern farming and butchering techniques, this isn’t actually much of a worry. There has only been one case of trichinosis in Canada since 1980. This happened in 2013 and it was from a homegrown hog, not a commercially produced one.

Having said that, I’m not suggesting that you start eating rare pork. What I am saying is that pork doesn’t have to be overcooked. It just has to be cooked to a final temperature of 165°F or 74°c. By final, I mean the temperature that it comes to after resting. So, cooking a pork chop to 160°f and letting it rest will bring it up the other 5° without overcooking it.

As a bit of a side note, you are much more likely to get trichinosis from undercooked game meat like venison then you are from pork. The most common occurrences in Canada come from bear and walrus meat.

A bone to pick

Another problem with pork chops is that they are often sold with either a rib bone or a piece of the spine attached. I prefer bone-in pork chops but, the meat nearest the bone takes longer to cook than the rest of the chop. So, by the time that meat is cooked, the rest is over cooked. This is a problem. Especially, when people are afraid of under cooked pork.

There are some ways to cook the pork chop completely through, including around the bone, and keep the meat tender. But these processes can be complicated like confit or require special equipment like a sous vide cooker.

So, what we have to think about is either eating the pork with the meat around the bone a little underdone. Or, finding a way to keep the meat tender while still cooking it through around the bone.

Brine and Marinate

Brines

The difference between a marinade and a brine can be kind of hard to pinpoint. The key is that they serve different purposes. We will get into that in a second but I think an easy way to think of it is that a brine is salty, a marinade is acidic.

A brine is a solution of water and salt. Usually, sugar and other flavourings are added as well. I actually talked about this a bit and gave a recipe in this post when I was talking about ribs. The traditional purpose of a brine was to preserve meat over a long period of time. We don’t often use a brine for this anymore because we have fridges and freezers.

Today, there are two main reasons to use a brine. The first is to impart flavour through herbs and aromatics. The second purpose is two-fold: Brining has a tenderizing effect because the salt breaks down certain muscle filaments. The salt also causes the proteins to absorb and hold more moisture. What that means is that brining pork chops makes them more flavourful, more tender, and juicier. Brined pork chops are more forgiving than un-brined ones. They can stand to be a little overcooked and still be juicy and tender. This means that the meat around the bone can be cooked without sacrificing the rest of the chop.

Because marinades are by their nature acidic they break down muscle fibers making meat more tender. The problem with marinades is that they are slow to penetrate the meat. This can cause an overly acidic exterior with an untouched interior.

Due to the nature of marinades they are generally suggested for smaller pieces of meat or even meat cut into thin strips.

Marinades can absolutely be used for pork chops. There is no question about it. For my money a brine is much more forgiving and the better option.

Marinades

Because marinades are by their nature acidic they break down muscle fibres making meat more tender. The problem with marinades is that they are slow to penetrate the meat. This can cause an overly acidic exterior with an untouched interior.

Due to the nature of marinades, they have generally suggested for smaller pieces of meat or even meat cut into thin strips. Marinades can absolutely be used for pork chops. There is no question about it. For my money a brine is much more forgiving and the better option.

Cooking Pork Chops

When cooking pork chops (BBQ excluded) I prefer a two stage cooking process. All that means is that I start them in a pan and finish them in the oven or in liquid like a sauce.

Starting them in a pan or skillet allows me to brown the surface of the pork chops. This adds depth to the flavour of the pork. This also cuts down on my cooking time.

Imagine I have two identical pork chops. I put one directly in the oven. The other, I sear on all sides in a pan and then put it in the oven. Which one will cook quicker?

The seared one will cook quicker, even when taking the time to sear into account. The seared pork chop still takes less time to cook compared to the one that went directly in the oven.

DIRECT HEAT VS. INDIRECT HEAT

The reasoning behind this little experiment is pretty straight forward. Cooking in pan on a burner is a direct heat transfer cooking method. Meaning, the heat is coming from the element which is in contact with the metal pan which is in contact with the pork chop. This contact allows for a fairly smooth and consistant transfer of heat from the burner, through the pan, to the pork chop.

An oven is an indirect heat source. The heat coming off of the elements have to travel through the air present in the oven. Air is a terrible conductor of heat. By the time the heat reaches the pork chop it has lost a lot of it’s energy and heating ability.

SO THEN, WHY NOT COOK THE PORK CHOP FULLY IN THE PAN?

Although direct heat is an efficient way to transfer heat energy, it isn’t great at evenly distributing that heat throughout the item being cooked. So, you can cook a pork chop completely in a pan. It is however, fairly difficult to get a nice even cook on the chop.

The other problem with completely cooking in a pan is heat management.

Imagine I have a pork chop that is 1 inch thick that I’m cooking in a pan. There is going to be a very large temperature variance from the part of the pork chop that is in contact with the pan, and the part that is contact with the air. Every time I flip the pork chop there is going to be this heating and cooling cycle.

An oven, though not really efficient, holds a fairly stable temperature. This means that there will be less of a temperature variance from the top to the bottom of the pork chop. This makes for a more even cook. This is why I prefer a two stage cooking process for pork chops.

PUT A LID ON IT

There is the option to put a lid on your pan and create a little oven inside. This still raises the issue of the direct vs. indirect heat transfer. The only real way to avoid this is liquid. If I were to add some wine, stock, cream of mushroom soup (as we are all probably familiar with) or sauce to the pan this could balance out the heat. There is a danger in using liquid in this way.

If you are using liquid to finish your pork chop it is important that you don’t boil the meat. Boiling will toughen the pork chop and quickly over cook it.

Ideally, when finishing your pork chop with a liquid this would be the process you would follow:

• Sear the pork chops on all sides.
• Remove them from the pan.
• Drain off any excess fat.
• Add your liquid.
• Bring it to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the pork chops back in.
• Put a lid on the pot and simmer for five to ten minutes.

This liquid process has the added benefit of a more even distribution of heat. This will cook the meat closest to the bone along with everything else.

GRILLING

Grilling is an entirely different ball game. And one that I unfortunately don’t really have time to get into today. In the spring I will do a whole grilling post to answer any questions that you may have.

SAUCING

There is one more benefit of the two stage cooking method. I can develop that nice sear on the surface, and then add sauce to the pork chops when they go in the oven.

The sauce doesn’t have to be BBQ sauce. It could be some white wine, stock, brandy and cream, any number of things. This allows me to develop that deeper flavour that a sear provides while still enjoying my favourite sauce.

Steak

What’s better than a perfectly cooked steak? Whether it’s a rib-eye, tenderloin, t-bone, strip loin, or sirloin there is simply nothing better. I know that there are people out there, meat-eaters, that doesn’t really like steak. Often the reason they give is that they don’t like it when blood comes out of the steak on to their plate and stains their potatoes. They find steak tough. Or they don’t like the flavour. Today, I’m going to show you that all of these issues that many people have with steak are easily fixed by choosing the right steak and with proper cooking techniques.

If I had to choose a favourite cut of steak it would unquestionably be rib eye. Why? Well, because I love the fat content of a rib eye. I find the meat is tender and flavourful. It just suits me. But what about you? Do you have a favourite cut of steak? Do you know the difference between steak cuts?

CHOOSING THE RIGHT STEAK FOR YOU

Imagine that in your whole life you have never had a steak before. You walk into the butcher shop, you see all the options, all the potential. How do you know what to choose? How do you know what steak is going to be right for you? Now, even if you have been eating steak your whole life there is a really good chance that you eat what you’re familiar with and what you grew up with.

If you grew up in the sixties and seventies, or if you were an adult in that period there is a really good chance that you think that a t-bone steak is the pinnacle of flavour and decadence. If you grew up in the eighties you may think porterhouse is everything. In the nineties, it was all tenderloin and strip loin. Now, it’s strip loin and ribeye. Times change. Tastes change. However, there is a steak for every taste and time.

Choosing the right steak for you takes some thought. You have to know what you like and what you don’t like. If you don’t know that, you need to experiment with a bunch of different steaks to find out and what a fun experiment it will be.

When I choose a steak I am looking for fat content, tenderness, and flavour. That is why I prefer a rib-eye steak to other cuts. The rib eye is the fattiest cut, and because of that, I find it has the most flavour. Because I love rib eyes doesn’t necessarily mean that you will. To find out what might be right for you, let’s take a look at each of the five most common cuts of steak individually.

RIB EYE

The rib eye is cut from the rib section of the cow. It is a lightly used muscle which is why it is so tender. It is also the most marbled of all the steaks which give it a high-fat content, and more flavour than other steaks. If you like fatty, juicy, flavourful meat then the rib eye is right for you. If you prefer something a bit leaner you are looking in the wrong place. These are best cooked medium-rare to medium.

NEW YORK STRIP LOIN

The Strip Loin is the most common steak for people who don’t really know much about steak. It isn’t a particularly flavorful or tender cut of meat. The strip loin is cut from the short loin of the cow which sits right behind the rib section nearer the back end. In comparison to the ribeye, it has little marbling or fat content. It does have a layer of gristle and fat on the top of the steak which may or may not be cut off prior to cooking.

SIRLOIN STEAK

The sirloin is essentially the same thing as the strip loin. The only difference is that it comes from a little further back on the cow. A sirloin is part of the t-bone steak. Depending on where you are in the world sirloin may just refer to strip loin or strip loin may refer to sirloin. There really isn’t much difference.

TENDERLOIN 

As you can probably guess from its name, the tenderloin is very tender. It is the most tender of all the steaks but it has next to no fat content and personally I find it has very little flavour. In other parts of the world, the tenderloin is called filet, fillet, or eye filet. The tenderloin is a part of the cow that never really does much work, hence why it is so tender. It is a great steak for those that don’t really like to chew. A good tenderloin should basically melt in your mouth.

Tenderloin would never be my first choice for a steak as it is typically one of the most expensive cuts and again I don’t find it that flavourful. Having said that, if it’s put in front of me I will happily eat it, or any steak really.

T-BONE STEAK

T-bone steak is one of those cuts that have a reputation as being the gold standard of steak. As the name suggests it has “t” shaped bone. This bone separates two cuts of meat which make up the t-bone steak. Those cuts are tenderloin and sirloin or strip loin. A tenderloin and a sirloin do not cook in the same amount of time. And so you may order a t-bone and get half of it perfectly cooked but the other half is going to either be over or undercooked.

In theory a t-bone steak is a great idea. You kind of get the best of both worlds. However, in practice it never really works out. If you’re wondering a porterhouse is a t-bone that is cut from further back on the cow. It has a greater portion of tenderloin where the t-bone has more strip loin or sirloin.

CONCLUSION

If you are just dipping your toe into the wonderful world of steak I suggest starting with a strip loin. It has a decent flavour and is fairly tender and isn’t very expensive. If you like really tender things with not a tonne of flavour and you have money to burn then the tenderloin is for you.

If you have been eating strip loins and tenderloins your whole life but have always shied away from the rib eye it might be time you try it. And if you are the type of person who likes to live on the edge, and doesn’t mind a little extra fat because you know it means a lot of extra flavours, then a rib eye is right for you.

COOKING STEAKS AT HOME

It is all well and good to know what type of steak you want but if you have no idea how to cook it once you get it home what’s the point? There are three main ways that people can cook steak at home. All three techniques can yield a delicious steak if you know what you’re doing. So, let’s take a look.

BARBECUE

Probably the cooking method that most people jump to first when talking about steak is the barbecue. There is a good reason for this. Steaks cooked over an open flame can be amazing as long as the person cooking knows what they are doing. There are a lot of “Grill Kings” out there who burn the outside of their steaks to a crisp and leave the inside raw or way overcooked.

The secret to really good barbecued steak is simple; heat management.

Often times people will crank the barbecue and try to cook a steak over that high heat. This can work if your careful and your paying attention. However, there is a big risk of burning the steak and ruining dinner.  For thinner cuts of meat that cook quickly, this isn’t much of a concern and really you want that high heat for those.

For anything thicker than your little finger you want a more moderate, consistent heat. This will give you a uniform temperature throughout the steak without burning the crap out the outside of the steak.

For really large cuts you may want to start them on very high heat to get a really nice sear on the outside and then turn the heat way down close the lid and finish cooking them that way.

BROILER 

The broiler in most people’s ovens is rarely used. Some people don’t know how to use it. But, if done right it you can cook the best home cooked steaks you’ve ever had.

The broil setting on your oven turns the top oven element on high. This creates a very high direct heat. This works very well for cooking smaller cuts of meat or for searing the outside of bigger cuts at the beginning or at the end of cooking. The downside to using the broiler is that it is going to heat your house up and the fat splattering from the steak is going to make a mess in your oven. It is totally worth it though. This method can cook steak very quickly and so it is important to keep an eye on the steak the whole time it’s cooking.

STOVE TOP

For my money, there is really only one way to cook a steak on the stovetop and that is in a cast-iron pan. You have to get the pan very hot before you put the steak in. I don’t usually even add oil to the pan as enough fat comes out of the steak. This method is great for cuts of any size but bigger cuts may need to be finished in the oven.

The big upside to cooking steak in a cast iron pan is that you get a beautiful even sear. You also have more control over the cook because you are hands-on the steak the whole time, and you can baste it with butter and herbs. This is my preferred method of cooking steak at home. The downside to this technique is that if you don’t have a good hood vent your house is going to be filled with smoke. Also, your stovetop is going to be covered in grease spatter.

CONCLUSION

No matter how you are cooking your steak or what cut of steak you are cooking there are a few tips that you should know that will give you the best steak possible.

DRYING

First of all, when you get home with your steak, unwrap it and put it in your fridge overnight ideally on a rack so both sides of the steak can breathe. This will dry the surface of the steak allowing you to get the best sear you can and concentrating the flavour of the meat itself.

WARMING

Before you cook your steak let it come to room temperature. That’s right, let the steak sit out on your counter for thirty to sixty minutes prior to cooking it. It takes less energy to heat something that is room temperature than it does to heat something that is fridge temperature. This will allow for a more even and quicker cook. As your steak will be cooking in less time, it will have less residual heat and will have less carryover.

Carry over cooking is when the residual heat in an item continues to cook it once it has been removed from the heat source. The greater the mass of an item and the longer it has been cooking the greater the amount of residual heat and thus more carry overcooking.

RESTING

After the steak is cooked it is very important to let it rest. The reason why involves that residual heat we were just talking about.

When you take a steak off of a heat source it takes time for that heat to dissipate. As that heat is dissipating the molecules within the steak start slowing down. As the molecules within the steak slow down and cool the fat and muscle proteins that have been liquefied by the heat starts to cool and solidify. This allows for an even distribution of fat and moisture throughout the steak.

If you were to cut into a steak as soon as it comes off the heat all of these juices would come pouring out. The rarer the steak the more bloody those juices will be. If you take that same steak, no matter how rare, and let it rest for five to ten minutes depending on its size, those juices will remain in the steak when it’s cut. As I’m sure you can imagine, a steak can’t be juicy if all of its juice is on the plate. Resting allows for a juicy tender steak.

SEASONING STEAK

Steak isn’t cheap, and can actually be very expensive depending on what you are buying. Because it is so expensive I stay from overpowering sauces and flavourings. I actually want to taste the steak.

When it comes to seasoning a steak I keep it pretty simple. I generally stick to salt and pepper occasionally adding garlic and onion powder and maybe old bay seasoning. That’s about as far as I go. If I am roasting a larger steak or a whole strip loin, prime rib, or tenderloin I may do a garlic and herb rub. The thing is all these flavours compliment the flavour of the steak rather than overpowering it.

I also may baste my steak with butter, garlic and herbs while it’s cooking. Again, this compliments the flavour of the steak. Basting gets the flavour into all the nooks and crannies of the steak making it even more delicious.

When it comes to sauces I keep it pretty simple. Flavoured butter is always a great option. You just mix herbs and flavourings into butter, put it on the steak and let it melt. Delicious! I also like chimichurri which is an herb sauce from South America that works incredibly well with steak. I am also partial to pan sauces, demi-glace, and horseradish.

I always avoid barbecue sauces and things like HP Sauce on steaks. I find these completely cover up the flavour of the steak making it a waste. If someone is serving me a steak with an overpowering sauce my first assumption is that they are serving me a low-quality steak. The sauce is there to cover up the low quality. Always be wary of strong sauces.

When it comes to steak, simple is always best. Pay the money for a good steak and you won’t need any sauce at all.

TEMPERATURE

One final thing we haven’t touched on yet is temperature. How do you like your steak cooked? Well, it depends on the steak. I find that with a rib-eye medium is perfect. Anything less and the fat doesn’t really get a chance to cook properly. When it comes to strip loins rare to medium-rare is preferable. And for tenderloin medium rare is the perfect temperature.

On tv and in restaurants you will see chefs and cooks checking the doneness of steaks simply by touching them. We can do this because of practice. When you cook a thousand steaks you get a pretty good idea of how they feel and how they act. You can tell the difference between when a strip loin is medium and when a tenderloin is medium. They feel very different. And so I recommend using a thermometer rather than guessing at the temperature.

For rare steaks, the temperature is 130°. Medium rare is 135°F-140°F. Medium is 140°-150°. Medium well is 150°-160°. And well done is 160°-170°.

Conclusion

This post has become much bigger than I had initially intended it to be, so I am going to break it into two parts. Next week we will look at cooking fish, pasta, things with ground beef and more.

Thanks for reading!!

BASIC COOKING COURSE WEEK 5: Basic Cooking Techniques

by Chef Ben Kelly | Mar 11, 2020 | Cooking Tips

I’m willing to bet that if you were to pick up a guitar and started strumming without ever having played one before it wouldn’t sound very good. However, if you took a little time, learned a bit of technique, and practiced, you could eventually make a sound that wasn’t altogether terrible. The more time and effort you put into it, the better it would sound. The only difference between learning to play guitar and learning to cook is perception.

We all cook. Some of us cook by re-heating a can of baked beans, while others make full meals daily. Because of this, the perception is that cooking is easy. Cooking should be something that we can all do right away. If we can’t do it well right away we are terrible at it and shouldn’t bother trying to get better. But, most people would never think that about learning to play guitar, right? We recognize that learning an instrument takes time, and effort, and practice. So does cooking.

If you asked me for advice on how to learn to play the guitar I would tell you to learn some basic techniques and use them as much as possible. That is the same advice I give to people who want to learn to cook. Today is all about those basic techniques. These are the foundation of cooking and learning to use them and understand them, will do nothing but make you a better cook.

Sauté

In French satué means to jump, and that is the best way to describe this cooking technique. Food is added to a hot frying pan with a small amount of fat and cooked quickly while being tossed or stirred. The food is almost constantly kept in motion to prevent burning due to the high cooking temperature. This technique is most commonly used for vegetables though meat and fish can be sautéd as well.

Typically, a frying pan is used to sauté. It is important that only enough food to cover the surface of the pan in a single layer is added. Any more than that and steam won’t be able to escape which will cause water to pool and the pan to cool down.

Sautéing is often called pan-frying, though these are two different techniques. Sautéing uses much less oil than pan-frying and is more closely related to stir-fry. The difference being one uses a frying pan or sauté pan, the other uses a wok.

Broil

To broil is to cook something quickly over a very hot direct heat source. Most ovens have a broil setting that activates the top element in the oven which reaches temperatures in excess of 500°F. Broiling is most often done to melt cheese or quickly brown foods. It can also be used to cook steaks or pork chops.

When broiling it is important to let the broiler heat up fully. Then place food under the broiler and watch carefully as the cooking process will happen very quickly. It is important to make sure the cooking vessel you are using is able to withstand the high temperature of the broiler. Don’t put pots, or frying pans under the broiler for an extend amount of time. Also, avoid using parchment for items placed under the broiler as it will catch on fire.

To broil a steak first turn on and preheat the broiler. Pat the steak dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. Place the steak on a heatproof pan and place the oven 6-10 inches from the top element of your oven. The closer the food is to the element the quicker it will cook. Let the steak sit for 3-4 minutes depending on size, then flip it and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the steak from the oven, check the doneness using a thermometer or another preferred method, let the steak rest for five minutes, and enjoy.

Another good use for broiling is to caramelize sauces. Sometimes I will use the broiler to brown, and even slightly char BBQ sauce on pork chops or chicken to make to taste like it is actually barbecued.

It is important to note that unless you have a good hood vent your smoke alarm is probably going to go off if you cook a steak this way.

Roast

Roasting traditionally refers to cooking in front of a flame over a long period of time. Today it is more commonly used to refer to baking meat on high heat between 375°F – 450°f. Modern ovens will have a “roast” setting which turns on the top element of the oven rather than the bottom element. This creates a nice crust or “roasted” appearance on the surface of the meat.

Roasting is a technique most commonly used for large cuts of meat such as hams, legs of lamb, or big pieces of beef. It is also common to roast vegetables. Roasted vegetables take on a mildly sweet flavour that highlights their natural flavours.

The easiest and the best way (in my opinion) to roast vegetables is to cut them into even-sized pieces, toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs (thyme, rosemary, and/or oregano work very well), spread them on a sheet pan and put them in the oven on 400°f for 35 minutes or so.

To roast meat first dry the surface using a paper towel, season it generously with salt and pepper, add a touch of oil then roast in a 375°F oven until cooked through. Flip halfway through cooking.

Bake

To bake or baking means to cook something with dry, indirect heat as in an oven. An example of cooking over direct heat would be cooking over a flame. Typically baking is done with a moderate heat between 300°F – 375°F. Foods that would typically be baked include cakes, cookies, and bread.

Pan-fry

Pan-fry can mean to either cook in a shallow pan on the stovetop in a small amount of oil over moderate heat. It is often used as an interchangeable term for sautéeing however pan-fried items are often coated in bread crumbs or flour prior to cooking. Pan-frying differs from shallow-frying in that much less oil is used to pan-fry generally only 1-2 tbsp. However, more oil is typically used to pan fry than to sauté.

Although items that are to be pan-fried are often breaded, they don’t have to be. For example, you can pan-fry a steak but you probably wouldn’t bread it.

To pan-fry, simply heat a pan or skillet over moderately high heat. Add a bit of oil, then the food that is being cooked. Let the food sit for a few minutes, flip and let sit again. Ideally, the food should only be cooked once through the cooking process. Pan-fried foods are typically cooked the whole way through in the pan on the stovetop.

Deep Fry

To deep fry is to cook foods completely submerged in hot oil. The temperature range for deep frying oil generally falls between 325°F and 375°f. Canola oil, lard, duck fat, and peanut oil are the fats most commonly used for deep frying due to their high smoke point.

When deep-frying it is important that the oil is up to temperature prior to the food being added. Food added to oil that has not reached a proper cooking temperature may absorb large amounts of oil and be overly greasy.

Deep-frying can be done in a deep fryer, a pan, work or skillet. However, deep-frying in anything but an actual deep fryer does come with risks. There is potential for spills, bubbling over, splatter and even fire. Care must be taken at all times when deep-frying.

Foods that are added into hot oil should always be dried as best as possible first. Adding water to hot oil will cause splatter, and possibly boiling over.

Sear

Searing used to be called sealing because it was believed that the process sealed in moisture and flavour. This is false. Searing is done in a pan over very high heat with little fat. The purpose is to brown the surface of the meat, poultry, or fish very quickly. This browning adds a dept to the flavour that would otherwise not be there. This technique can be used on its own but is more commonly combined with braising.

When searing it is important to dry the surface of the foods. Wet foods will not sear. Heat the pan until it is very hot. Water splashed on the surface of the pan should sizzle and evaporate within 1-2 seconds. Make sure there is no oil in the pan if you are going to splash water into it. Season the food, add it into the pan and leave it alone for a few minutes. Flip it only after the underside has reached the desired degree of browning. Repeat the process on the other side.

If you are searing a piece of meat or seafood and it is stuck to the surface of the pan leave it alone. Generally, the food will release from the pan on it’s one when it has browned enough. This has likely happened because the pan wasn’t hot enough when the food went in. There wasn’t enough oil used. Or, you are trying to flip the food too early.

Boil

Boiling is the point at which a liquid is heated so that it is vigorously bubbling. Boiling is used mostly to cook pasta, potatoes, and some vegetables. It can also be used for the processes of reduction and steaming.

Boiling is a technique best used to cook pasta, potatoes, and some vegetables. Boiling meat will toughen the protein strands and make it unenjoyable to eat. So, I don’t recommend doing that. This technique can also be used to reduce and thicken a sauce quickly.

Typically, for most purposes (other than boiling potatoes, or pasta) it is best to bring something to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer it. Simmering is a gentle boil. This way meats don’t toughen, and will in fact start to breakdown and tenderize. Also vegetables, and more delicate pieces of food won’t be torn apart as they would with the vigorous action of boiling.

Steam

Steam is water in its gaseous form. Water has a boiling point of 212°F and at any temperature above that and the water becomes steam. Because steam is hotter than water is can be used to cook foods quicker and more efficiently than boiling or simmering water. Because foods that are steamed are not submerged in water then retain more of their nutritional value.

Food that is to be steamed is placed in a sealed basket above boiling water. The steam collects in the sealed basket and cooks the food. I like to think of steaming as water smoking. Where smoking is cooking food with vapour from superheated wood, steaming is cooking food with vapour from superheated water.

Most commonly fish and vegetables are steamed, but other foods can be steamed as well.

There is also a second technique for steaming which is common for cooking mussels. Wine (or water) is brought to a boil, possibly with other flavourings. The food (mussels in this case) is added into the pan, which is then covered. The key here is that very little liquid is used. Just enough to cover the surface of the pan. The steam generated by the boiling liquid is trapped by the lid. As the steam cools on the undersurface of the lid it turns back into a liquid from a gas, then rains back down on the food and on to the surface of the boiling liquid below to once again be boiled and circulated.

Braise

Braising is a moist-heat cooking method most commonly used for cooking meat. Braising is typically done at low temperatures over long periods of time. It is usually combined with a secondary cooking method such as searing or grilling.

The food item being braised is usually first seared in a hot pan to colour its outside and add flavour. Liquid such as wine, stock, or water is then added along with other flavourings. A lid is placed on the pot which is then placed in an oven preheated to a temperature between 275°F – 325°F.

Braising is a cooking method best suited to larger and tougher cuts of meat. Stewing is braising that is usually done on the stovetop rather than in an oven.

Conclusion

The techniques outlined in this post are most certainly not the only ones out there. However, they should give you a good starting point as you move forward. I’m willing to guess that if you’ve ever cooked anything, you have used some if not most of these techniques even if you didn’t know it at the time.

Come back next week as we continue the Free Basic Cooking Course with Basic soups. See you then!

BASIC COOKING COURSE WEEK 4: UNDERSTANDING INGREDIENTS PT. 4

by Chef Ben Kelly | Mar 10, 2020 | Cooking Tips

This week in the fourth and final part of Understanding Ingredients, we are going to look at beef, pork, chicken, and fish. We’ll look at the most common cuts, and types, how to use them, and how to buy them. But first, why is this important?

Knowing what cuts of meat to use for what recipe or cooking technique will make cooking easier, and yield better results. For example, cooking a tougher cut of beef like a steak may make you think you can’t cook steak, when in fact, you just are not using the right cut. On the flip side of that, using an expensive cut like tenderloin for stew is just a waste.

Let’s get to it.

This is…

Beef

Beef comes in many shapes and sizes. It can be quite daunting standing at the butcher counter or the meat aisle at the grocery store. You don’t want to buy the wrong cut for what you’re doing, but maybe you don’t really know what the right cut is. Here, we are going to break beef down into the most common cuts you will find at the grocery store, and we will look at what you can do with them.

Ground Beef

First and foremost, we have ground beef. You’ve seen it. You’ve used it. You’re familiar with it. The only real note about ground beef is to watch which one you’re buying. Generally, you are going to see extra lean, lean, medium, and just regular ground beef. This refers to the percentage of fat that is ground with the meat. Regular ground beef contains no more than 30% fat. Medium ground beef has no more than 23% fat. Lean has no more than 17% and extra lean ground beef has less than 10% fat.

Though it seems logical that for most purposes you may want extra lean ground beef this isn’t always the case. In fact, for a lot of purposes, extra-lean ground beef will not do. When formed into a burger, meatloaf, or meatball, extra-lean ground beef can take on a dry, mealy texture which is unpleasant. This is due exclusively to the lack of fat present in the meat. Fat in ground meat adds flavour, and texture to the finished product. However, too much fat can make foods feel greasy and unpleasant in their own right. That’s why I prefer medium ground beef as a good all-purpose choice.

For some uses such as sauce making, you may prefer to use the extra lean ground. Although the resulting sauce will have less overall fat, it will also have less overall flavour, and the same texture as a sauce made with ground turkey or chicken. If low fat is your goal, then yes use extra lean. If you are just trying to cut fat back a little, use lean. And, if you don’t want to sacrifice taste for less fat, use medium.

The other main thing to think about when it comes to choosing the right ground beef is the price. The leaner the meat the more expensive it will be. Meat costs more than fat. So, the more fat in the grind, the less it will cost. Again, this is why I prefer medium ground beef. It is cheaper than lean or extra lean, and if you really want to you can pour off some of the fat after it’s cooked.

Braising

In the next section of my Free Basic Cooking Course, we will be covering basic cooking techniques. As part of that, we will look in-depth at braising so I’m not going to get into too much here. What I will say is braising is a technique best used for tough pieces of meat. Generally, the more a muscle gets used the tougher it will be, but also the more flavourful. Ideal pieces of meat for braising come from the most used parts of an animal’s body. These cuts of meat are also typically cheaper. Because of this, there is a serious benefit to learning the technique of braising.

Now, let’s take a look at some cuts of beef you will likely encounter in the grocery store that are ideal for braising.

Beef Oxtail

Oxtail is what it sounds like. It is the tail of a cow, ox, bison, or any kind of cattle. It used to be dirt cheap, but then about 10 years ago high-end restaurants all over the place started to use it and the price went through the roof. The prices are still very high for a cut of meat that used to be a throwaway. As I’m sure you can imagine a cow uses it’s tail a lot. This means that oxtail is likely very tough. Which of course it is.

Oxtail is most commonly used for soup, in Jamaican food, or even to make ravioli.

Osso Bucco

Osso Buco means “bone with a hole” in Italian. The reason why this is called that is that it is cut across the bone leaving a little hole with bonemarrow in it. When the osso buco is cooked, that marrow mostly melts away leaving a hole. The term Osso Buco also refers to an Italian dish made with this specific cut of beef. This cut comes from the shank or shin of the cow. Again, as you can imagine, it is a well-used piece of meat.

Osso Buco is very cheap at the grocery store though, you often have to pick through what is on display because some of the cuts will have little to no meat on them.

Other uses for this cut include soup and stock.

Stewing Beef

Stewing beef is most often sold already cut up. At the grocery store stewing beef is generally leftover roasts that haven’t sold and that are close to going off. If you buy it this way, use it within 24 hours. Generally, the beef used for stew is known as chuck which is also most commonly used for ground beef. Chuck comes from the front shoulder of the cow which is a very used muscle. If you can’t find chuck beef you can cut up a top sirloin or rump roast.

Short Ribs

Beef short ribs are exactly what they sound like; beef ribs that have been cut short. Most commonly, beef short ribs are cut about 6 inches long and have a piece of meat of varying thicknesses. There is a second style of short rib that is most often used in Korean cooking. Korean short ribs are thin cut across the bone and may consist of 2-3 pieces of bone. This style of short rib is generally marinated then quickly grilled while the thicker single style ribs are braised.

Steaks

Other than ground beef I think it is fair to say that the most popular way to eat beef is in the form of steaks. As we all know, there are multiple cuts of steak out there. Let’s take a look at which one is which.

Strip loin

Striploin, also known as a New York Strip, or strip steak is cut from the short loin which comes from the top back third of the cow. The short loin is a muscle that is lightly exercised making it nice and tender. Generally, the strip loin is sold “cap on” meaning there is a cap of fat up to 1 inch thick on top of the steak.

Stirp loins are good steaks however there is typically very little marbling. Marbling means fat distribution throughout the meat. This lack of marbling leads to less flavour than some other steaks. Strip loins are best grilled, pan-fried, or broiled.

Ribeye (Rib steak)

The ribeye, also known as a Delmonico steak is cut from the centre rib section of the cow. Some people find it to be a fatty cut, however, to myself and people like me, that fat makes ribeye one of the best cuts of steak.

Beef Tenderloin

Beef Tenderloin, or Fillet, is the most a very tender cut of steak. As you can probably guess by now, it is a muscle that pretty much never gets used. That’s why it is so tender. However, what the beef tenderloin has in tenderness, it lacks in flavour. The tenderloin is also a fairly small muscle. This small size and its tenderness is what makes tenderloin so expensive.

Chicken

When buying chicken your options are actually fairly limited. You can buy whole chickens, chicken legs (thigh, and drum), thighs (bone-in, skin-on, or boneless, skinless), breast (bone-in, skin-on, or boneless, skinless, or what’s known as an airline breast which is skin-on, one wing bone still attached and cleaned), and wings. If you live in Europe you may also have the option of buying a young or old chicken. The old chickens are egg layers that have gone past the laying prime. We don’t have these in North America.

It is important to note that the more something is processed, the more it is going to cost. This is as true for chicken as it is for anything else. So, a boneless, skinless chicken breast is going to be considerably more expensive than a chicken breast which still has the bones and the skin. If you are roasting your chicken breast I recommend buying it bone-in, and skin-on. Once the breast is cooked the meat can easily be pulled away from the bones, and the skin will easily pull away from the meat. This will cost you 10-15% less than buying boneless, skinless breast, and it is likely going to taste better because both the skin and the bones help to add flavour and keep the chicken breast moist.

In terms of use, whole chickens are terrific when roasted or grilled. Whole legs can be braised, roasted, or grilled. Thighs can be roasted, diced and stewed (made into a curry), or grilled. Chicken breasts can be roasted, grilled, or cut into strips and stir-fried. There are obviously other ways to cook chicken and chicken pieces, but these are the most common, and the best suited to the part.

Fish

Surprisingly, despite the fact that I live right on the Atlantic Ocean, the types of fish that we are able to regularly get are fairly limited. Generally, at the grocery store, we are going to see haddock, salmon, char, cod, and halibut. On occasion, we may see red snapper, trout, or mackerel. Of course, there are always mussels, clams, lobster, and scallops.

When it comes to fish there are two types, round fish, and flatfish. Examples of round fish include salmon, haddock, trout, etc. Flatfish include halibut and sole and many more you are unlikely to see. The main difference between round fish and flatfish is obviously their shape. However, there is one other important difference; a flatfish yields four fillets while a round fish yields only two. This only really matters if you are buying whole fish and cleaning them yourself though.

Flat Fish

Halibut

Halibut is the most common flatfish you are going to encounter at your local grocery store. It is a delicious fish with a white firm meaty flesh and tough skin that isn’t eaten. Halibut can be grilled, poached, pan-fried, or roasted. It has a clean, mild flavour and is very lean when compared to fattier fish like salmon.

Round Fish

Salmon

Salmon is the most commonly eaten fish in North America. It has flesh which ranges in colour from pink to bright orange. Due to overfishing, most if not all Atlantic Salmon is farmed while most pacific salmon are still wild-caught. The main difference between wild and farmed salmon is in flavour and environmental impact. Farmed fish have a bad reputation of wreaking havoc on local ecosystems and indigenous salmon populations. However, through regulation, higher industry standards, and new technologies, this issues are improving over time. It is very likely that in the near future the vast majority of fish sold and consumed will be farmed.

Salmon can be grilled, roasted, broiled, poached, smoked (hot or cold) or pan-fried. Both the flesh and skin (when descaled) can be eaten. Trout and Arctic char are members of the salmon family and can be prepared in most of the same ways.

Haddock

Haddock is another very common fish. It is most commonly sold as fully cleaned fillets. Haddock has flakey white flesh with a mild flavour and it can be pan-fried, roasted, smoked or deep-fried.

Pork

Pork is a delicious and economical choice when walking through the aisle of the grocery store trying to decide what to eat. It is generally considerably cheaper than both beef and chicken and has more flavour. Most commonly pork is sold as chops, hams, roasts, sausage, or bacon. Let’s take a look.

Pork Chops

Pork chops are cut from the loin of the pig and may or may not have a piece of rib or backbone attached. The loin is one long, lean continuous muscle. Because of how lean the loin is, pork chops have a tendency to dry out when overcooked. However, the perfectly cooked pork chop is a thing of true beauty.

Pork chops come in a variety of sizes which range from very thin (fast-fry) to very thick (double cut). A very thick double-cut pork chop can be as thick as 2-3 inches. As I’ve said, pork chops come either bone-in or bone-out. Bone-in pork chops tend to be more flavorful, and juicy. However, there is a slight trade-off because, in order to get the meat right next to the bone fully cooked, the rest of the chop is typically overcooked. Boneless pork chops, on the other hand, tend to be slightly dry anyway.

Pork chops may be grilled, roasted, or pan-fried.

Porkbelly

You may or may not run into pork belly at your local grocery store. But, if you do, you’re in luck! Pork belly is exactly what it sounds like, the belly meat of the pig. For whatever reason, people are often turned off by the term pork belly. However, these same people will crush a few strips of bacon at breakfast every day. Bacon is smoked pork belly.

In western cooking, other than using it for bacon, we don’t have a great tradition of using pork belly. That is our loss. For my money, pork belly is the best part of the pig. It does have a fair amount of fat, but that’s why I like it. Typically, pork belly is cooked by braising or slow roasting. Often it will then be cooked a second time with a high heat method such as grilling, deep-frying, and pan-frying.

Shoulder

Pork shoulder comes from the upper part of the front shoulder of the pig. This is the meat that is more commonly used to make sausage because it has the perfect ratio of meat to fat. Another common use for pork shoulder is to make pulled pork. You may also see shoulder steaks which are pieces of the shoulder cut into long thin pieces. These are best marinated and roasted or grilled. I also like to take these shoulder steaks, slice them thin and use that meat in stir-fries or fried rice.

Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is a very common cut. It is a short piece of meat, typically about 10-12 inches long, and very lean. Like the loin it is prone to overcooking because it is so lean.

Pork tenderloin is often stuffed, grilled, or roasted.

Conclusion

Finally, we have come to the end of our section of my Free Basic Cooking course all about basic ingredients. It’s has taken considerably longer than I had expected and I didn’t get to cover all the ingredients I wanted too. However, I think there is a lot of terrific content within these four posts, and I hope that you think so too.

Please join me back here tomorrow as we take a look at some basic cooking techniques.

Basic Cooking Course Week 4: Understanding Ingredients pt. 3

by Chef Ben Kelly | Feb 28, 2020 | Cooking Tips

Today we are going to look at part three of understanding ingredients as part of my free basic cooking course. If you haven’t read the first two posts in this series you can do so here and here. In this post, we are going to look at garlic, carrots, celery, and peppers. We’ll look at different varieties, how to buy them, how to store them, and how to use them. Let’s get to it.

This is my…

Garlic

When most people think of garlic the first cuisine that comes to mind is usually Italian. As ubiquitous as garlic is in Italian food, cuisines all around the world use it just as much if not more. It adds flavour to stir-fries, tacos, curries, pasta, and millions of other dishes. Despite its global use, garlic is actually indigenous to Central Asia and Iran.

There are a few different types of garlic you may encounter in the grocery store though the only one likely to be labelled differently than just “garlic” will be elephant garlic. Which as the name suggests is much larger than other garlic varieties. In fact, elephant garlic isn’t actually garlic at all but rather a type of leek.

When purchasing garlic look for bulbs with tightly packed and firm cloves. There should be no stems growing from the garlic though these are safe to eat. In some regions, the greens are left to grow and sold as garlic scapes. Once you get it home, garlic should be stored in a warm, dry place.

Prepared Garlic Products

There are a lot of prepared garlic products out there. Most of these come in the form of chopped garlic in oil sold in jars. Storing garlic in oil can be dangerous because it carries the potential for botulism which is an anaerobic bacteria meaning it doesn’t need air to survive. Oil creates an airtight seal around the garlic, creating the perfect environment for botulism to grow. To prevent this, prepared garlic products have to be pasteurized before being sold. This changes the flavour and the nutritional content of the garlic. As convenient as it is, I always recommend not buying these prepared garlic products.

Carrots

When we think of carrots we often think of an orange root vegetable. Though some carrots are orange there are also purple, red, yellow, white, and black carrots as well. The colour of the carrot doesn’t really have an effect on the flavour.

Like other foods, there are a lot of different varieties of carrots. Baby carrots are not one of them as they are just regular carrots that have been shaved and shaped. Despite the diversity of carrots we generally only have access to one, or maybe two types at the grocery store. We will find the regular, all-purpose carrots usually sold in a 3-5 lb bag. These are long and skinny and have a fairly sweet flavour. Then there are heirloom carrots that are generally sold in a bunch of 6 or 7 with the greens still attached. These heirloom carrots generally come in a variety of colours and their flavour is less sweet than all-purpose carrots.

Despite the fact that we almost always peel carrots the whole plant is edible. This includes the leaves, and peel. The peel is also where a lot of the carrot’s nutrients are stored. I often prefer to scrub the carrot clean under cold running water and leaving the peel intact. This way the carrot’s most nutrient-dense area isn’t going in the compost. Leaving the peel on the carrot also gives it a more “carroty” flavour.

Carrots stored in the crisper drawer of the fridge can last for up to a few months.

Celery

Celery comes in a few different forms. At the grocery store, we find celery, which is the stalks of the plant. We will also find celery seed and possibly celery root. What’s interesting is that all three of these celery products come from different celery plants.

When we buy regular celery at the store it is a variety called pascal celery. That doesn’t really matter because you aren’t likely to find another variety of regular celery. Celery seed, on the other hand, comes from wild celery. The stalks of wild celery are woody and have a very strong flavour. Though edible, wild celery is not very common. Celery root, also known as celeriac is another variety of celery grown for its bulbus root. It tastes a lot like celery but has a texture more similar to potatoes.

Celery is best stored in the fridge with the bottom of the stocks cut off and stood up in a bit of water. The water should be changed every 2-3 days. Celery root should be stored in the crisper drawer for up to a few weeks.

Although celery can and is often eaten raw, it’s real benefit comes from adding flavour to soups, and stews. It is one of the three ingredients in French mirepoix (onions, celery, and carrots) which makes up the base of a lot of French cooking. Celery root should be peeled prior to cooking. It can be mashed with potatoes, roasted, or shaved and eaten on salads. It is also very good in soups and stews.

Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are members of the capsicum and are the only member of that family not to produce capsaicin. Capsaicin is what makes chili peppers hot. Bell peppers come in a variety of colours of which red, green, orange and yellow are the most common. Purple, brown, and white bell peppers may also be seen.

At the grocery store, we are most commonly going to see red, green, and yellow bell peppers. Although there are some varieties of bell pepper that stay yellow all the time this is typically not the case with the ones we find in the grocery store. The bell peppers we buy are actually just the same pepper at different stages of ripeness. Green is the youngest and cheapest. Yellow is in the middle, and red is the most mature. The level of ripeness has a drastic effect on the flavour of the pepper. Green peppers are mildly sweet and slightly bitter, while red peppers are very sweet with no bitterness at all. Purple, white and brown bell peppers are a separate variety.

When buying bell peppers look for smooth, shiny skin, and firm flesh. Avoid peppers with soft spots, or loose skin. Store bell peppers in the crisper of your fridge unwashed. Moisture on the skin will cause them to rot quicker. Wash them just before use.

Bell peppers can be eaten raw, roasted, stuffed, grilled, or cooked into soups, or stir-fries. When adding them to soups or pasta sauces, put them in around the last third of the cooking time. Adding bell peppers to long cooking dishes may cause bitterness.

Chili (chilli) Peppers

Chili peppers or chilli peppers are close cousins to the bell pepper. The big difference, of course, is that chili peppers are spicy. The spice comes from capsaicin which is concentrated in the seeds and internal ribs or gills of the pepper. Chili peppers come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colours, flavours, and heat levels.

The heat of chili peppers is measured by Scoville units which is based on the concentration of capsaicinoids. In the Scoville scale, 0-700 units is not spicy at all while anything about 80,000 units is considered very, very spicy. Just to give you an idea of the levels, a bell pepper falls around 0-100. A jalapeno can range from 1000-10,000. A habanero and scotch bonnet range from 100,000-350,000. The hottest known peppers are way up between 800,000-3,200,000.

Although we often think of chili peppers as just being hot, each one really does have it’s own unique flavour. A jalapeno tastes different from a banana pepper or finger chili. A habanero tastes different than a scotch bonnet.

When buying chili peppers the same principles apply as when buying bell peppers. Look for smooth shiny skin and avoid peppers with soft spots.

When cooking with chili peppers, remove the seeds and ribs or gills (the white parts on the inside of the pepper) for less heat. Also, heat levels are not standardized meaning one jalapeno may be considerably hotter than another jalapeno. I find the best way to check heat levels is to cut the stem off the pepper and smell it (don’t touch your nose with it) an exceptionally spicy pepper will slightly sting your nostrils where a milder on won’t.

Conclusion

It is my sincere hope that I have this section of the course tied off on Wednesday so we the week after we can move on. However, I think and hope that the information in this post and the once proceeding it are useful to you.

Anyway, I will see back here on Monday for another 30 minutes or less, and then on Wednesday to hopefully put this to bed. Have a great Friday and a great weekend.

Basic Cooking Course Week 4: Understanding Ingredients pt. 2

by Chef Ben Kelly | Feb 26, 2020 | Cooking Tips

While writing last week’s post about understanding ingredients I quickly came to the realization that this topic is way too big to cover in a single post. I decided I’d break this part of my free basic cooking course into two parts. What I’ve now realized is that this topic is too big for even two posts, and maybe even three. So, today we are going to look at part 2 of understanding ingredients but, this will not be the final part. Because I don’t want to drag this out too long, I am going to dedicate Friday’s post to this and possibly next Wednesday’s as well. I will know that for sure on Friday.

Today we are going to look at potatoes and onions. So, let’s get to it.

Potatoes

I have written multiple posts about potatoes and all the ways I love them to be prepared. In fact, I wrote one of these posts just last week. When I talk about potatoes people are often surprised about the fact that I mention that there is a right potato for each job. Just like there is a right potato, there are many wrong potatoes for a job too.

There are three main categories of potatoes. They are waxy varieties, mealy (a.k.a. starchy, floury) varieties and all-purpose varieties that fall somewhere between waxy and mealy. Let’s take a look at all three categories and what the best use for each is.

Before I get into this I should point out that there are over 4000 varieties of potatoes. I’m not going to name them all. I’m going to focus on the potatoes that you are likely to see in the grocery store every day.

Waxy Potatoes

Waxy potatoes are varieties that have high moisture content and low starch content. They generally have smooth skin and shiny flesh. Waxy potato varieties include fingerlings, new potatoes, red bliss as well as a host of others you’ve probably never heard of and are unlikely to encounter.

Waxy potatoes tend to have a more potato-centric flavour than mealy potatoes. However, their true benefit comes from the fact that they hold their shape when cooked. This makes them the perfect potato for soups, chowders, potato salads, or layered potato dishes like scalloped potatoes or potato gratin. They are also great roasted having a bit more bite than a mealy potato.

Mealy Potatoes

Mealy or starchy potatoes, as opposed to waxy varieties, are lighter and more fluffy due to their high starch content and low moisture. This makes them great for mashed potatoes, french fries, and baked potatoes. Mealy varieties include russets, purple potatoes, some red-skinned potatoes, and Idaho potatoes if you’re in the states.

Mealy potatoes tend to have a more neutral flavour that takes well to the addition of other flavours like cream and butter in mashed potatoes or ketchup on fries.

All-Purpose Potatoes

All-purpose potatoes fall in between waxy and mealy varieties. The most common potato in this category is the Yukon Gold. It will pretty much work in any application, and it has a great flavour. There are other potatoes that fall in this category but it is likely that you won’t really run into them.

I should say that even though russet potatoes are a little more on the mealy side I do tend to think of them and use them as an all-purpose. I’ve never had an issue with them.

A quick note on potato varieties

It should be known that to my knowledge there are no scientific rules for what classifies as a waxy, mealy, or all-purpose potato variety. Because of this unscientific approach to the classification, you may find that other sources have some varieties that I have listed as waxy or mealy, in the all-purpose category. The truth is, the classification is really just a rough guide to help you get the best results rather than being a hard and fast rule.

Onions

Onion is the key ingredient in most key ingredients. What does that mean? I have talked before, multiple times about how most major world cuisines have a flavour base. In French cooking, it is mirepoix which is a combination of two parts onions, one part celery, and one part carrot. Spanish, Portuguese and Italian cooking have Sofrito which is some combination of onions, tomato, and bell peppers. In Cajun and Creole cooking, there is the “holy trinity” which is onion, bell peppers, and celery. Even in Indian cooking, there are onions, ginger, garlic and chilli which is the base of a lot of dishes. The common denominator in all of these is onion and there is a good reason for that. Onions are awesome!

At this point, it should come as no surprise to you for me to say that there are a lot of varieties of onions out there in the big wide world. Just like with the potatoes, we are only going to look at onions you are likely to come into contact with on a regular basis. Let’s take a look.

Yellow Onions

The name “yellow onions” refers to the colour of the skin not the flesh of the onion. Yellow onions are probably the most common onion and the one you are going to use most often. If a recipe says “onions” it is probably talking about yellow onions, though most onion varieties would be fine.

Yellow onions have a flavour that can range from sharp and pungent to slightly sweet. When cooked they develop a mild sweetness.

Spanish onions are a slightly larger and less strong yellow onion better suited to being eaten raw than regular yellow onions.

White Onions

White onions look very similar to yellow onions though their skin is lighter and more papery. Their flavour is milder and slightly sweeter than yellow onions. One issue with white onions is that they have a much shorter shelflife than yellow onions.

Vidalia onions are a larger white onion with a legal name designation. Vidalia onions must be grown in the area of Vidalia Georgia. They have a very mild and sweet flavour and a different appearance from other onions in that they are flatter at the root and stem. They are great for eating raw in salads or on hotdogs or hamburgers.

Red Onions

Red onions have a flavour that like yellow onions can vary from sweet and mild, to spicy and strong. However, they are generally sweeter than raw yellow onions. They are often used in raw in salads, roasted, grilled or used in kabobs.

Pearl Onions

Are a small white or red variety of onion more closely related to a leek than a regular onion. They are most often used for pickling and may sometimes be called button onions, baby onions, or creamers. Rather than being a true baby onion (a young onion) they are actually kept small by being planted very close together.

Pearl onions are not used that often nowadays, however, they do make a great addition to soups, stews, and braises.

Shallots

Shallots like pearl onions are more closely related to leeks and garlic than they are to regular onions. Despite this, their flavour is not that different from regular yellow onions, except in that they are milder and slightly sweeter.

Shallots can be used in the same way regular yellow onions when a milder flavour is desired. They are terrific minced and used to flavour quick pan sauces. They are also great sliced thin and fried to garnish steaks.

Leeks

Leeks are a large green vegetable in the onion family. They look similar to green onions but are much, much larger. Their flavour is like a very mild onion, with a slightly sweet undertone. Typically, only the white and light green parts of the leek are eaten. The dark green parts are very tough but can be used to flavour stock.

Leeks can be used in a variety of ways from being roasted whole to being sliced or diced and sautéed. They make a great addition to soups or stews. In this application, they are generally used along with other onions rather than as an alternative. They also go very well with seafood.

Scallions or Green Onions

Green onions, also known as spring onions, scallions, or occasionally salad onions are a member of the onion family that has an underdeveloped bulb. They have a mild flavour and are used in a variety of cuisines in a variety of ways.

Green onions can be used either cooked or raw. They can be thinly sliced, diced, or even roasted whole. They are terrific on tacos, in curry, stir-fries, and a whole host of other dishes.

One common way that I like to use green onions is to separate the greens from the whites (dark greens, from light greens). I then dice the light green parts and add them to stir-fries along with yellow onions and garlic. Then, I thinly slice the green parts and use those to garnish the stir-fry after it has been cooked. The white bits get very sweet when cooked and add a lot to a dish.

Conclusion

We’ve all used onions, and we’ve all used potatoes, I know this. But I think that because these are such common ingredients we sometimes overlook the nuance that exists between varieties. We miss the opportunity to enhance our cooking by using a variety that may be better suited to what we are doing. Maybe we haven’t been doing our food justice by using the same potato or onion over and over. Maybe it’s time to take a second look at the potatoes and onions we pass by simply because we think they are all the same.

On Friday we will take a look at another batch of ingredients in part three of this series. If you are new to the blog you should check out the other posts in my free basic cooking course. You can start with the first one here.

Have a great Wednesday and Thursday, everyone. Thank you as always for reading and sharing and I will see you on Friday!

Basic Cooking Course Week 4: UnderStanding Ingredients pt. 1

by Chef Ben Kelly | Feb 19, 2020 | Cooking Tips

Hello everyone and welcome to Week 4 of My Basic Cooking Course. In this lesson, we will be taking a look at some basic ingredients and pantry staples. We are going to take a deep look into a bunch of ingredients that you probably already have on hand and some that maybe you should. We’re going to look at different varieties of common ingredients and best uses. This lesson is broken into two parts. In part one we are going to go deep on beans and rice.

Let’s get to it.

Beans

There are at least 40,000 varieties of beans in the world, obviously, we are not going to talk about all of them. Instead, let’s look at them as a whole then we will take a look at a few common varieties.

Beans are generally purchased either dried or canned. Canned beans are already cooked and can be added to a recipe with little to no preparation. They generally just needed to be drained and rinsed. Dried beans, on the other hand, must be rehydrated prior to cooking.

The easiest way to rehydrate beans is to cover them with cold water and but them in the fridge overnight. The beans are then cooked until tender. There is also a quick soak method. To quick-soak the beans cover them with water, bring them to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Cover the pot, remove from the heat and let sit for 1 1/2 hours. Then cook as desired.

Are dried beans or canned beans better?

You may be wondering why anyone would buy dry beans and have to go through the trouble of soaking them when canned beans exist and are ready to use. The fact is that canned beans are often very soft and quickly lose their integrity when cooked. Dried beans on the other hand typically hold their shape and bite a bit better when cooked. Some people also claim that canned beans have a different flavour. I think as long as you buy good quality canned beans this will never be an issue.

So, is one better than the other? I think in general, dried beans are better. Having said that, I keep both on hand. Often times I don’t plan out my meals so having canned beans that I can use instantly is useful. However, if I am planning ahead, I prefer dried beans.

Common Type Of Beans

Black Beans –

Black Beans or Black turtle beans have a dense meaty texture and are commonly used in Mexican, Cajun, and Indian cuisines. They go very well with heavy flavoured dishes like curries. Black Beans hold their texture very well when cooked. Can be used either dried or canned.

Cannellini Beans –

Cannellini Beans are most popular in Italian cuisine. They are commonly served with fish or seafood and in soups. When cooked cannellini beans have a soft texture almost like a cooked potato. However, these large white kidney beans do overcook easily and can become mushy. I find these are best to use from dried rather than canned.

Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas) –

Garbanzo Beans are more commonly known as chickpeas. Most people know chickpeas because they are used to make hummus and falafel. However, they also are fantastic in soups, curries, and braises. They can also be ground into flour and used for a variety of purposes. Chickpeas can be used either canned or dried. Canned chickpeas are better for making hummus dried, soaked, and cooked chickpeas are better for making falafel. For all other purposes either dried or canned will do.

Red Kidney Beans –

Kidney Beans come in a variety of sizes and colours. We’ve already talked about white kidney beans or cannellini beans. Now, we are going to talk about red kidney beans. Red kidney beans are most commonly used to make chili and hold up well to long cooking times. Like white kidney beans, the red variety gets soft and fluffy inside when cooked. Canned kidney beans can be overcooked and too soft however they will still work in most dishes. Use either canned or dried.

Navy Beans –

Navy Beans are a type of small white bean that is most commonly used for baked beans, and soups. They hold up very well to long cooking times. Canned navy beans tend to be very soft so I prefer to use dried for most purposes.

Pinto Beans –

Pinto beans are very common in Northwestern Mexican and the Southern United States. They are commonly used to make refried beans, as well as soups, stews, and braises. Pinto beans have a very soft texture when cooked which makes them perfect for mashing. They are also a very flavourful bean. Use either canned or dried.

Rice

Rice is the seed of a certain type of grass that has been cultivated for thousands and thousands of years. It is used by cultures all around the world and eaten daily by billions of people. After sugar and corn rice is the third most commonly produced agricultural product on the planet.

Rice is sold dried either parboiled or not. Parboiled rice is rice that has been partially cooked and then dried again. This rice takes less time to rehydrate and cook than standard rice.

There are over 40 000 varieties of cultivated rice and at least an additional 50 000 that are not generally cultivated. Despite this, there are only a few varieties that you will come across.

Though there are many, many different varieties of rice and we will get into some of the specific ones in a minute, there are a few categories that most fall into. They are long-grain, medium-grain, and short-grain.

Long-Grain Rice

Long grain rice varieties generally have a lower starch content than the other two categories. Because of this the rice grains generally don’t clump like some other rice. You most commonly find long grain rice in Indian and Mexican cuisines.

Rice in this category includes basmati, jasmine, and basic white rice. When cooked these rice varieties generally how a soft fluffy texture.

Medium-Grain Rice

Medium-Grain Rice is more short and stout than long-grained rice. Due to a higher starch content medium-grain, rice varieties have a tendency to stick together more. This higher starch content also gives these rice varieties a more firm texture than long-grain varieties.

Medium-grain rice varieties included arborio, carnaroli rice, and bomba rice. The first two in this list are most commonly used to make risotto. The third variety is used to make Spanish Paella.

Short-Grain Rice

Short-grain rice varieties have the smallest grains and the highest starch content. These types of rice are generally very sticky and gelatinous. The most common type of short-grain rice is simply known as sushi rice or sticky rice and is of course used to make sushi.

More on rice

This method of breaking down rice based on grain size is surprisingly unscientific. Depending on the source of your information medium and short-grain may be interchangeable. So, don’t rely too much on the exact category of rice falls into. Just remember that if you want rice that is light and fluffy, look for a long-grained variety. For rice with a higher starch content get a shorter variety.

Conclusion

Okay, I know we have only really looked at beans and rice today but I am going to end the lesson here. Next week, we will pick back up with basic ingredients. The ingredients we will cover next week won’t require such an in-depth look as both rice and beans so we will be able to cover more ground.

I hope that you have enjoyed this lesson. If you have yet gone over weeks 1 through 3 you can do so here, here, and here. See you next week, and remember to share this lesson with anyone who you think could benefit from it.