Shortcuts in meal preparation to make your work easier
CHOOSING YOUR UTENSILS
ANY workman can do a better job when he has the correct tools. This holds true for the cook in the kitchen as well. When buying your equipment you will want to consider several things besides the price only. Aluminum is probably the best for all-around utensil use. It requires a bit more care to keep it shiny and clean, but that is more than compensated for by giving even heat distribution no matter what kind of range you have. Aluminium ware is usually less expensive than some of the other kinds. It can be obtained in sheet or cast aluminium. There are still some who may have doubts about the safety of using aluminum. It is possible that very minute quantities of aluminium may be absorbed into the food. The same thing happens with iron or copper pots. But these minerals also occur naturally in many foods. Authorities agree that these small quantities have no harmful effect. Stainless steel is somewhat more expensive, but is easier to keep clean and shiny and will not wear out as soon as aluminum. Be sure stainless steel pots have copper, aluminum, or laminated-steel bottoms to spread the heat and keep the pots from getting dark heat spots.
Glass is good for baking in the oven, but is not practical for cooking on top of the stove.
Enamelware is not as common for cooking purposes as it once was. It must be handled carefully to prevent cracking, chipping or discoloring.
Cast iron is sturdy for skillets, but it must be kept seasoned or it will rust. To season, spread melted shortening or salad oil (without salt) on the inside of the utensil and on its cover. Warm in oven for several hours, at low heat, swabbing sides and cover occasionally with more fat. Wipe off excess fat or oil with absorbent paper. The utensil is now ready to use. To maintain the seasoning, wash with soap only, not with detergents.
Teflon is a coating that is applied to the inside of some aluminum or steel pots and pans. It helps to prevent the food from sticking to the pot, especially when it becomes overheated. This makes the utensil easier to wash. Take care not to scratch the Teflon coating with a sharp instrument such as a knife or fork. Use a wooden or plastic spatula to clean out food remnants before washing.
Here are some hints on how to care for your pot and pans:
1. Keep food boiling gently so it will not boil over and leave burned food that will be hard to remove later. Gentle boiling cooks just as fast as hard boiling, and reduces chances of the pan's boiling dry and scorching.
2. Do not leave griddles and skillets over the heat while you wait to put food in them. 3. Lower the heat under all utensils after cooking has started.
4. If you cannot wash the pans right after using them, at least rinse them. It will make washing easier later. If they need soaking, fill them with warm, sudsy water.
5. Wash utensils in hot sudsy water; rinse; dry. Use a fine abrasive powder to remove all stains. To remove baked or burned-on food particles, or to scour aluminum and cast iron, use scourers such as steel wool or plastic scouring pads.
What the Well-Equipped Kitchen Will Have
2 measuring cups
2 sets measuring spoons
Egg beater
Flour sifter
Grater
2 wooden mixing spoons
Scissors
Can opener
Bottle opener
2 small paring knives
Bread knife
Chopping knife
Spatula Rubber scraper
Slotted metal spoon
Large two pronged fork
Soup ladle
Pancake turner
Wire whip
Wire strainer or sieve
2 wooden chopping boards
Melon scraper
Ice scraper
Ice pick
Coconut grater
2 muffin pans
2 layer cake pans
Pie pan
Utility tray
Loaf pan
Set of 3 mixing bowls
Oblong cake pan
Large frying pan (10")
For liquid ingredients, a cup whose full mark is below the rim is convenient, to save spilling. Also, a 2-cup and a 1-quart measure are useful.
Small frying pan (5")
Double boiler 2-qt. saucepan
Large kettle
Medium-sized kettle
Colander 1 dozen dish towels
4 pot holders
3 dishcloths or sponges
Steel wool
You should have two 1-cup measuring cups for dry ingredients. These should measure one cup when level full at the rim. Better yet, have one 1-cup cup and then a set of four cups of graduated sizes: a 1/4-cup, 3-cup, 1/3-cup, and 1-cup. This will make accurate measuring easy.
For measuring spoons, a set or two of graduated sizes on a ring you will find handy. Thick aluminum will last longer than plastic. The set should include t, I, and 1-teaspoon, and 1-tablespoon.
COOKING VEGETABLES
To conserve the minerals and vitamins, vegetables should be put to cook in water already boiling. Use only enough water to cook the vegetables without allowing them to scorch, and continue cooking only until the vegetable is done.
The more of the color of the vegetables that can be preserved, the more attractive and appealing they will be to the appetite, especially when teaching young children to enjoy vegetables. Try to keep the white of onions, cauliflower and cabbage; the green of "greens;" the yellow of carrots; the red of beets.
The white vegetables should be cooked only until they are tender. Cabbage can be cooked in twenty minutes, or fifteen if it is young. Pressure cooking will reduce the time still more. Hard water, that is, with much minerals, will discolor vegetables more than soft water.
During the first few minutes of cooking, vegetables give off a volatile acid. This acid will darken greens to a dirty brown if the pan is kept covered. By leaving the pan uncovered the acid is allowed to escape and the green color will not be so greatly changed.
The yellow color of carrots, squash and kamote is not easily destroyed. But still we need to think of preserving their food value. Baking is best for kamotes and squash; carrots can be steamed.
The red color of beets and red cabbage is easily lost. Beets should be cooked whole. They can be pared or cut later. Adding a little lemon juice to red cabbage will help retain the color. Use about one tablespoon of juice to the cup of water you cook the cabbage in.
Do not throw away the water in which vegetables are cooked. It is rich in vitamins and minerals. It can be used in soup, or served with the vegetable, or drink as you would fruit juice.
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