Amah's Tips

Not long ago my grandson, Carver, asked me for a recipe for my  Chicken Soup.

While trying to put a recipe on paper, I kept coming up with "Tips" for making it the best soup possible.  These tips are important no matter what you may be cooking. So, I decided to put them here, as well.  Some of them are just common sense.  I've found that people learn things from the people who have cooked for them.  My mother was not a cook.  My dad could cook a few things.  My sister, Pat, and I seemed to take after our maternal grandmother.  Jettie could cook, can, and preserve almost anything. And, she did.  The one thing I learned was that you can't leave food out for too long without getting very ill.  

You'll notice that some of these tips are written for soup preparation.  They work with any recipe.  I will also post the Chicken Soup recipe, but for now, here are a few "TIPS'

AMAH’S GENERAL COOKING TIPS

It’s important to always start with fresh ingredients if possible.  Also, to get the best flavor there are a few tips that I have discovered over the years that make all soups and other recipes very tasty.

Tip: Start with broth, don’t use just water. (For chicken soup – use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or chicken bone broth, or a combination) Always have plenty of broth on hand.  A recipe might call for 4 broths, you may need extra. (Be prepared.)

Tip: Use chickens that have been roasted or cooked.

Tip: Pre-cook vegetables. (This adds to the flavor)

Tip: There are steps for building a soup. (It is important to NOT put all ingredients together all at once.)

Tip: Don’t use salt while cooking. (Let people use salt if they wish.)

Tip: If you use any type of pepper, do so sparingly.  (Some people are allergic to pepper.)

Tip: The longer a soup marinates the better it is.

Tip: Season soup near the end of the cooking process. (This is important because it gives the flavor of the other ingredients time to come through.)

Tip: Always prepare ingredients, like the veggies, before building the soup. (After chopping – either freeze or brown in a skillet for the soup you’re making)

Tip: If you have left-overs from other meals, freeze them for later use. (leave meat on the bone as this adds to the flavor.)

Tip: Wash all vegetables well.  Scrub carrots then put them in cold water and put them in the refrigerator to keep them from turning brown. 

Tip:  I caramelize many onions at a time.  Then I freeze them in freezer bags in portions if about a cup each.  (When you need them, you can just take them out of the freezer and add to the vegetable skillet.)

Tip: When you take anything out of a skillet or pot, cool for a few minutes.  When you put them into the refrigerator, don’t seal them tightly at first.  Leave room for the heat to escape. When it cools down completely, seal the lid.  (Make sure you don’t leave any meat, chicken or fish out (on the counter) for long.  As soon as it cools down a bit from cooking, put it into the refrigerator ASAP.)

Tip: The general rule about leaving chicken, meat or fish out is to never leave things out more than 2 hours.  My rule is 1 hour.  There’s a reason for both rules.  The temperature is important.  When you refrigerate foods, they are kept under 40 degrees.  When you cook foods, they are usually over 140 degrees.  When foods are between 40 degrees and 140 degrees bacteria grows.  Bacteria can cause food poisoning. (This is a very important rule.)

Tip: It is NOT true that a watched pot never boils.  You should NEVER turn the heat up and walk away. Liquid boils over and things can burn if the heat is too high. If you must walk away, set a timer to alert you to come back to reduce heat or to stir your food.

Tip: Most recipes say season to taste.  Remember that you’re usually not just cooking for yourself.  Others may have different “tastes”.  Salt and pepper are seasonings used too much.  There are many reasons NOT to add them while you’re cooking.  Some people aren’t supposed to eat them for health reasons.  You can always add them to your own meal just before you eat.

Tip: Do not use pots, pans, or skillets with “Teflon” surfaces.  They don’t make them anymore, but some people still own them.  The “Teflon” wears off and you end up eating it.  (Not a good ingredient for soup or any other recipe.)

There are many more tips that you will learn over the years.  Some of them you will come up with on your own.  I’ve tried to pass along as many as I could think of.  Make sure that you’re having fun.  Cooking can be a hobby or it can be an art.  That’s up to you.

Tip: When you’re getting ready to start cooking, remember that having the right utensils is as important as having the right ingredients.  Stock your kitchen with pots, pans and skillets of different sizes.  Having the correct saucepan for the recipe makes it easier to create the perfect dish.

Tip: Having the correct knives is also important.  They should be sharp.  More people are cut with DULL knives.  You must respect your knives.  They can be dangerous.  Learning to use and control your knives is important and necessary.  (It’s also important to have the correct cutting boards.)  I prefer bamboo boards.  Plastic mats and wood boards can trap bacteria in the grooves left by the knives. 

Tip:  NEVER use the same board for different uses.  If you only have 1 good board, wash and dry it between uses.  Always use soap and HOT water.

These tips are important and should be remembered for all recipes. 

You can make things easier by preparing as many things ahead of time as you can.  When you’re on a schedule, this saves time.  You want to be able to enjoy the final recipe and your guests.

Until next time .....