Cooking Tips

I wasn't sure whether to post this here or the dug out. I know there are a lot of cooks and food lovers on Hibs.net so wondered if there were any tips we could share? I'm sure we all do something we think is unique with what we cook but tips can be really useful. It could be to add flavour, reduce waste, to save money on a weekly/monthly shop, veg alternative to a meat dish, anything really. Admins if you feel this is a dug out thread please move.
Simple one to start. Have purchased several loaves of bread recently. As I now live alone I have some left over each time. I have now got in my freezer a breadcrumb mix of several flavours I use for chicken or pork schnitzel.
I made a massive chilli and rice and have now bought several peppers that I have stuffed with the leftovers and frozen. Determined to minimize waste.
Any other money saving or tasty tips?

Good thread :aok:, I'd thought about starting one of these for a while.

If you chop the very far ends of a garlic clove then put it in a small container and shake it really hard, the skin comes off itself, which saves you getting garlicky fingertips. Alternatively, if you have a good garlic crusher, you can just crush it while it's in the skins.

Leftover red wine that's not going to be drunk and is at the risk of going off - pour into an ice cube tray, freeze and add to recipes as required.

When baking fish, put a bay leave underneath, for added flavour.

Makeyour own sourdough bread. All you need is flour, water and salt. It’s better for you than the shop bought stuff. 35p a loaf.

Both great! I often fry very gently a bay leaf to infuse the flavour into the oil. I am just learning about the heat for oils burning or the right temperature for cooking. I have infused olive oil with chillies, garlic rosemary and thyme but often the plants become foostie even affter being dried out thoroughly.

If you like olives, instead of buying the expensive, fancy smaller packs, buy large cheap jars at Aldi’s or Lidl’s. Empty the jar and re-jar them with different ingredients such as chopped garlic, chopped chillis, vinegar, mixed herbs and flavour infused olive oil etc.

When making homemade fish and chips, crunch up a bag of salt n vinegar crisps into crumbs and add them to your batter before dipping the fish into it. Extra crispy extra tasty.

If you keep brown sugar (essentially one for bakers, this) if you put an orange or orange peel in the container then it will stop the sugar sticking or clumping.

Making chilli - grate a square of dark chocolate, darkest as possible, using the finest side of a box grater, into it, towards the end. Adds a whole new level to the flavour.

Boring plain Uncle Bens rice, dry fry some onion garlic peppers & add a spoonful of chilli jam/jelly, add rice, lovely stuff

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Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

Good thread :aok:, I'd thought about starting one of these for a while.

If you chop the very far ends of a garlic clove then put it in a small container and shake it really hard, the skin comes off itself, which saves you getting garlicky fingertips. Alternatively, if you have a good garlic crusher, you can just crush it while it's in the skins.

Leftover red wine that's not going to be drunk and is at the risk of going off - pour into an ice cube tray, freeze and add to recipes as required.

When baking fish, put a bay leave underneath, for added flavour.

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I've not come across this anywhere, can you get it in Lidl or Waitrose?

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Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

Leftover red wine that's not going to be drunk and is at the risk of going off - pour into an ice cube tray, freeze and add to recipes as required.

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:faf:

You're hilarious, J.

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Originally Posted by Golden Fleece

I've not come across this anywhere, can you get it in Lidl or Waitrose?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hibbyradge

:faf:

You're hilarious, J.

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Phew.

Thought it was just me.

If you ever read a recipe with aubergines and it's got stuff about salting and rinsing them to draw out the bitterness - don't bother. The bitterness was bred out of modern aubergine varieties ages ago apparently. I've tried bothering and not bothering and can confirm it makes no difference.

Use the time you save to finish off that red wine. :wink:

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Originally Posted by JeMeSouviens

If you ever read a recipe with aubergines and it's got stuff about salting and rinsing them to draw out the bitterness - don't bother. The bitterness was bred out of modern aubergine varieties ages ago apparently. I've tried bothering and not bothering and can confirm it makes no difference.

Use the time you save to finish off that red wine. :wink:

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I never knew that. Nice one.

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Originally Posted by Golden Fleece

I've not come across this anywhere, can you get it in Lidl or Waitrose?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hibbyradge

:faf:

You're hilarious, J.

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:greengrin

Once cheese has become a bit hard especially parmesan I often put it in with rissoto rice then scoop it out before serving (or someone gets a mouth full of scalding past it's best cheese) I didn't even like rissoto until a couple of years ago now I have it at least once a week. I could always add the wine ice cubes as well 😎

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

Good thread :aok:, I'd thought about starting one of these for a while.

If you chop the very far ends of a garlic clove then put it in a small container and shake it really hard, the skin comes off itself, which saves you getting garlicky fingertips. Alternatively, if you have a good garlic crusher, you can just crush it while it's in the skins.

Leftover red wine that's not going to be drunk and is at the risk of going off - pour into an ice cube tray, freeze and add to recipes as required.

When baking fish, put a bay leave underneath, for added flavour.

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I just bash garlic cloves with a heavy knife and the skin practically falls off itself.

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Originally Posted by Peevemor

I just bash garlic cloves with a heavy knife and the skin practically falls off itself.

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:agree:

Also worth acknowledging there's a world of difference between the garlic you can get from a good market or good greengrocer say, and the small and insipid heads you get in a netted bag of three from the supermarket here.

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Originally Posted by wpj

Once cheese has become a bit hard especially parmesan I often put it in with rissoto rice then scoop it out before serving (or someone gets a mouth full of scalding past it's best cheese) I didn't even like rissoto until a couple of years ago now I have it at least once a week. I could always add the wine ice cubes as well 😎

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Only done it a couple of times but you can freeze the inedible rinds of cheese like parmesan and then add it to stocks, sauces and soups, pulling it out before the end, a bit like a bay leaf. It adds a bit of flavour. The freezing is important though, as if not, it tends to become claggy and break up a bit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peevemor

I just bash garlic cloves with a heavy knife and the skin practically falls off itself.

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Me, too. Hit it hard enough and the fibres split as well making it easier to chop.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

Only done it a couple of times but you can freeze the inedible rinds of cheese like parmesan and then add it to stocks, sauces and soups, pulling it out before the end, a bit like a bay leaf. It adds a bit of flavour. The freezing is important though, as if not, it tends to become claggy and break up a bit.

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I use them as dog treats. Our lab is mad for parmesan. :greengrin

More a tip on frugality rather than cooking, but for any recipes requiring bacon I use the packs of "cooking bacon" from Tesco. Basically it's the ends of bacon that can't be sliced/processed for your morning roll as they're too wee for the slicers.
500 grammes of bacon for 56 pence!!! I use it in risottos and soups (such as lentil, pea & ham) and it tastes twice as good at more then half the price!
Currently making a batch of pea & ham soup for tonight's dinner (can't be arsed eating too much when it's this warm), 1 pack of cooking bacon, 1 large white onion, large bag of frozen peas, stock, herbs & seasoning. Probably 10 or more hefty portions (will keep in freezer) for less than £3!

Not really a cooking tip but a washing up tip. If you have bits of food burnt/stuck to a pan that won’t budge with normal cleaning or soaking, fill it up with water and put a bit of bicarbonate soda in it and bring to the boil. The gubbings will lift right off.

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Originally Posted by wpj

I wasn't sure whether to post this here or the dug out. I know there are a lot of cooks and food lovers on Hibs.net so wondered if there were any tips we could share? I'm sure we all do something we think is unique with what we cook but tips can be really useful. It could be to add flavour, reduce waste, to save money on a weekly/monthly shop, veg alternative to a meat dish, anything really. Admins if you feel this is a dug out thread please move.
Simple one to start. Have purchased several loaves of bread recently. As I now live alone I have some left over each time. I have now got in my freezer a breadcrumb mix of several flavours I use for chicken or pork schnitzel.
I made a massive chilli and rice and have now bought several peppers that I have stuffed with the leftovers and frozen. Determined to minimize waste.
Any other money saving or tasty tips?

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Great thread idea but can we have the actual recipes or, where necessary, instructions for eg the breadcrumb mixes?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

Good thread :aok:, I'd thought about starting one of these for a while.

If you chop the very far ends of a garlic clove then put it in a small container and shake it really hard, the skin comes off itself, which saves you getting garlicky fingertips. Alternatively, if you have a good garlic crusher, you can just crush it while it's in the skins.

Leftover red wine that's not going to be drunk and is at the risk of going off - pour into an ice cube tray, freeze and add to recipes as required.

When baking fish, put a bay leave underneath, for added flavour.

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If you're using tinned tomatoes in a recipe always swill out the tin(s) with a wee dose (maybe 60ml) of red cooking wine and add it all to the pot.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

If you keep brown sugar (essentially one for bakers, this) if you put an orange or orange peel in the container then it will stop the sugar sticking or clumping.

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Oh I like that, that's a good one.

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Originally Posted by One Day Soon

If you're using tinned tomatoes in a recipe always swill out the tin(s) with a wee dose (maybe 60ml) of red cooking wine and add it all to the pot.

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Regarding tinned toms,I always buy the tins of whole plum tomatoes as there's a good chance you'll actually get some flesh. Tins of chopped toms seem to have more water than flesh,,,, at least the value tins do.

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Originally Posted by speedy_gonzales

Regarding tinned toms,I always buy the tins of whole plum tomatoes as there's a good chance you'll actually get some flesh. Tins of chopped toms seem to have more water than flesh,,,, at least the value tins do.

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Yeah, I always do that too. Far better than tins of chopped tomatoes.

If you are cooking on a budget then lentils, grains etc are a great way to bulk out meals for minimal cost.

I chuck some red lentils into a sausage casserole, pearl barley is great in chicken stews, puy lentils with cheaper cuts of chicken braised together etc.

You can pick up packets for between about 75p and £2 and they last for ages, they have a low GI so fill you up, they are good for you and they add a bit extra texture as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by One Day Soon

Great thread idea but can we have the actual recipes or, where necessary, instructions for eg the breadcrumb mixes?

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When I go to the supermarket of the bakery I buy a loaf of unsliced bread, my local shops offer different flavored breads such as olive, tomato, cheese and onion and of course a regular loaf. I never manage to eat a whole one so I use any leftover to make breadcrumbs, leave it out in a paper bag until it's hard (:greengrin) then crumble it and if I need it finer blend it into breadcrumbs. Also good for any leftover rolls etc. it freezes well and can be taken out and defrosted quickly. Grill it slowly for more crunch with your lunch. (catchy)
For croutons cut into cubes instead of crumbs.