Whilst I'd say that anyone can cook if they put their mind to it, I understand why people don't. If you don't get to grips with a recipe, and it doesn't taste great after you've spent time and money on it, then it's just easier not to bother. That's when you turn to jars of cooking sauce, and ready meals. I'm guessing it's not that people don't enjoy cooking, it's more, what do you do if it goes wrong?
We we're going to tell you. Leave us a comment telling us what problems you have when you're cooking and next week, when Miss Cay is back from her weekend mini break, she'll answer as many questions as she can. My main bugbear? Sometimes when I cook, everything tastes all very... separate. Everything is there, but I can't quite bring it together. And honestly, if I've put too much salt in something, I have no idea how to fix it. Although the 'if in doubt, add more chilli' rule seems to work rather well in both situations. Is there a herb you don't know what to do with? A dish that you can't quite master? Ask us anything!
So, tell us what you main foodie problems are, and we'll do our best to fix them. A bit like Jim'll Fix It, but better dressed.
I find it really tough to get rice all fluffy and soft - but not too soft. Help :-(
ReplyDeleteLike Alex, I cannot cook rice for the life of me. I end up buying microwave stuff cos whenever I cook it normally it's ALWAYS sticky no matter how much I rinse before OR after.
ReplyDeleteAAAAAlso, poaching eggs. HELP! I tried Delia's way and nearly have the household salmonella.
aha! rice i can do. (no rinsing, you hear me?) put it in a pan with a little salt, add one and a half time as much water (or until it's about a centimeter higher than the rice, if you're doing it for two people (half an ordinary mugful of rice)). put on high heat until the water boils, stir it ONCE then put lid on and turn down to minumumest amount of heat possible to generate on a cooker and still call it switched on. leave it, lid on, for about 15-18 minutes (trial and error will teach you which), take off lid, serve. usually provides perfect rice.
ReplyDeletewhere i'm buggered is when it comes to roast potatoes. always pale imitations of proper roasties, and not very crunchy. i think it might be about the timing of when i put them in the oven. but it usually means i tell people that they're not MEANT to be like usual roast potatoes. they're misshapen wedges. yes.
ReplyDeleteI cook the same spag bol every time. It's nice but it's getting a bit dull. Can you suggest some ways tomake it a bit different?
ReplyDeleteAs previously mentioned in a different comment - my scones won't ever rise in a pretty way like pictures of scones. They taste ok, and not like nasty doorstops - but they are very, very flat and require two to make a scone with cream and jam! I've checked my oven temperature and made it hotter - but still no joy. I've tried about 3 different recipes including my grandma's foolproof one and the buggers still won't rise. Help?!
ReplyDeleteI love cooking, and am queen of mucking with recipes when I a) having got the right ingredients or b) can't be bothered to do it the right way. Usually turns out pretty well! One problem I've had recently is cooking with cream cheese - it's curdled a couple of times. What am I doing wrong?
ReplyDeleteOh, and on roast potatoes (which I am obsessed with) - make sure you par-boil the potatoes until they're just squishy on the outside, drain them, and bash them about a bit in the pan. Then put the roasting tin in a hot oven (around 220c) with oil/fat for a few minutes, tip the potatoes in when it's really hot, make sure they're well coated with fat, salt and pepper. Turn a couple of times while cooking, should take about 45 mins and be nice and crispy :)
Limertilly, you need (and I hate to say it) goose fat. Makes the best roasties ever, if you can put the moral argument aside ;-)
ReplyDeleteScones - you need to cut them thicker! I have the same problem, the recipe says to roll them out quite thin, but don't! Leave them quite thick!
ReplyDeleteThat's my tip anyway
Tatties - Make sure the potatoes are par boiled & fluffed up a bit (stir them with a fork to break up the edges a bit) and make sure the fat is super dooper hot when you chuck them in. Works with lard, goose fat & vegetable oil.
Top tattie tips from Katie MVD there. Not sure if it's my Irish genes, but I have no probs with potatoes.
ReplyDeleteI'm not the best cook in the world; I can just about do savoury dishes but for some reason (bearing in mind I have a HUGE sweet tooth) I'm a bit scared of making desserts.
So I'd like any tips on whipping up a sugary storm in the kitchen: easy peasy puddings (that look like they've been shop-bought from M&S) please.x
Oooo yummy desserts I second that!
ReplyDeleteI'd like some tips on good recipes to freeze. We're attempting to save a wee bit of money & would like to plan our meals so we can save time as well as a few pennies. Sick to death of chilli based meals (though it is a great freezer recipe!!)
Scones - my tip is to mix 3 tbsp buttermilk in with the milk (baking chemistry - to do with the acidity), only stir the dough with a knife and treat it so gently it almost won't hold together.
ReplyDeleteI HATE roasting chickens. They always seem to take much longer than the label says, and by the time the bird is finally done I've already eaten everything else in sight. Oh and I can't carve to save my life...
PS cardamom... love it, but curries aside, don't know what to do with it...
ReplyDeleteTake the seeds out of cardamom, and crush them up. Then use them to flavour anything that you would usually put vanilla or cinnamon in to. I love cardamom buns, or cardamom shortbread. You can also use the whole pods to flavour custards or make ice cream.
ReplyDeleteI also second Tweed Cat's point about using buttermilk in scones. Also use fresh bicarbonate of soda - a jar that's been in the cupboard years won't have the same rising power as a fresh one.
I'm another one who can't cook rice to save her life. My blokey does a fantastic risotto, but I have to stand around looking redundant while he does it.
ReplyDeleteI always struggle with my cupcakes - they either rise lopsidedly, or rise too quickly in the middle thus splitting the sponge... And makes them difficult to ice nicely! Although I'm inclined to blame my oven for these problems...!
ReplyDeleteI always end up with soggy roast parsnips :( Although my roast potatoes always turn out well. What I do is par-boil for 5 mins in salty water. Drain pots, then add a generous pouring of rapeseed/grapeseed oil to the pan, cover and shake vigorously to fluff up the potatoes. I then grease the base of the roasting tin (I don't bother pre-heating), pour in the potatoes and chuck in a VERY hot oven for about 45 mins-1hr till golden and crispy, turning occasionally as necessary.
For fluffy rice, I rinse the rice several times over in the pan (i.e. pour in water, swish round, tip out), repeating until the water goes clear. Bring to the boil and simmer until the rice is relatively al dente. Remove from the heat, drain out most of the water, leaving a tiny bit in the bottom. Cover with a lid, leave the pan on the side and let the steam finish the job.
I am sure I read somewhere that if you put too much salt in something you should either put in a peeled potato cut into chunks or celery that you have peeled... leave it for a little bit then scoop it out and the salt has been soaked up. Am yet to try this trick but I can sort of see how it would work!
ReplyDeleteMy main issue with cooking is that it generates mess, and Boyfriend does not uphold his end of the bargain by doing the washing up.
ReplyDeleteProbably this would be classed more as a Boyfriend issue than a cooking issue though... Still, maybe some ideas for meals that don't use too much cookware might alleviate the problem, at least some days!
I cannot, Cannot cook roast lamb. It either comes out still bloody, or really greasy and on one occasion, it sort of unwrapped as I started to carve it (I blame the butcher pulling a fast one on me). I want to make it so it's lovely and brown on the outside and a very slightly pink shade on the inside, and have it taste nice. Not greasy.
ReplyDelete