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Learn When to Use Each of Your Kitchen Knives
Although they are suited for different tasks, knives all have one thing in common: They should feel like an extension of your hand. Try a couple of knives to see if you like the handle, weight and length. Comfort is the key, as the saying goes, "The best knife is the one you’ll use.” Once you've found your blade pick, swear by keeping it sharp. It makes preparation safer because it requires less effort from you. Don't use too much force when cutting because the blade will slip and hurt you. Let the blade do the work - that's why you want this knife in the first place. Serrated Utility Knife Every home cook uses a utility knife. The blade is generally 5 to 6 inches, which is shorter than the average bread knife, but a serrated utility knife is still a great choice for small loaves. The sharp teeth can slice through baguettes and bagels - as well as tender fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, peaches, and squash without crushing them. A serrated utility knife is also the go-to tool for slicing salami and thick-skinned citrus such as oranges and grapefruit. Bakers love using it for cutting tender cakes and quick breads, such as banana bread, and for leveling cake layers. Paring Knife This little guy is a great helper in the kitchen. It is the right choice for peeling, paring and handling fine knife work. Grab it while peeling baked potatoes or preparing artichokes. Use it to shell strawberries, trim Brussels sprouts or chop citrus. It's also handy for deveining shrimp or chopping smaller foods like garlic and ginger. Since paring and paring are often done by hand, you want to make sure the handle feels comfortable and the blade is the right size for you to feel nimble. A 3 to 3.5 inch blade is fine for most tasks. It should also have a balanced weight to use on the cutting board. Santoku Knife The Japanese-style Santoku knife has flat blades, making them ideal for handling meat, fish and vegetables. The flat shape is similar to a cleaver and is designed for efficient chopping. The blade of the Santoku knife also has a nice angle for a clean slice. It's an excellent choice for chopping herbs, and the wide blade makes it easy to scoop ingredients off the cutting board. The santoku is known for its blade dimples, which reduce drag when chopping and also prevent food from sticking to the blade. The Santoku knife is generally smaller than a chef's knife and has an even weight distribution, so it can appeal to users with smaller hands. A mini santoku knife of 4 to 5 inches has the advantage of working in paring knife territory while still offering more chopping capabilities, compared to the 6 to 8 inches of a full-size santoku knife. When you need a thin slice of starchy food like potatoes, reach for a santoku knife. It's also a good choice for preparing onions, as it's great for dicing and transferring vegetables to pans. Try it when slicing beef for a stir-fry or avocado for toast. Bread Knife Chewy bread, fluffy sandwich bread, crusty sourdough, homemade focaccia: they all benefit from a bread knife. The long blade and serrated edge allow you to slice bread without crumbling or tearing. Look for a blade that is about 8 to 10 inches so you can cut large loaves. Keep in mind to find an affordable one since bread knives are so hard to sharpen, you'll end up needing a new one in the kitchen. But when they're with you, you'll be using them for cakes and tomatoes and even for roasts if you don't have a slicing knife. A bread knife can also come in handy for tackling veggies like behemoth butternuts. They peel away the tough outer skin with ease, and often provide the blade length needed to cut through large squash. Chef’s Knife The chef’s knife, of course, is great for chopping, dicing and slicing. But the clever construction of the classic chef's knife is where function really shines. The graceful curve allows you to shake in herbs for fine mince. The wide blade can be used to crush garlic for chopping or smash olives for pitting. The fine point helps to thinly slice the shallots before dicing, and also helps cut between the joints of the meat. The long blade - an 8-inch knife is pretty standard, but some go up to 10 inches - means you can prepare large chunks of lettuce, cabbage or cauliflower. The chef's knife can also be used to peel watermelon and chop chicken. It's a versatile workhorse that every cook will use again and again. If you would like to know more about kitchen tools or have any questions regarding this topic, please leave your comment in below area or email us directly at Support@Sensarte.com.
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How to Clean Your Nonstick Cookware
Although not as strong as cast iron, copper, or carbon steel pans, nonstick cookware can last for years with proper care and maintenance. While it's never a bad idea to refer to the manufacturer's care instructions for your particular pan, here are a few additional guidelines to keep in mind. What to Do Just be sure to let your pan cool completely before cleaning. Immersing a hot pan in cold water, or even pouring cold water on hot nonstick cookware, can warp the pan and create an uneven, unstable surface that results in uneven heating. Clean your nonstick pans thoroughly after use. Simply rinsing or wiping away visible residue will not remove oily surfaces. Lingering residue can oxidize, create an odor the next time you cook, or worse, burn on your pan and be nearly impossible to remove, damaging the pan's appearance and nonstick performance. After cleaning, be sure to wipe the pan dry with a soft cloth before storing it. What Not to Do No matter how much you want to, never use steel wool or other harsh, abrasive cleaning materials or detergents to clean nonstick pans. Instead, use mild dishwashing liquid and a soft sponge, cleaning cloth, or gentle brush. If your pan is particularly difficult to clean, soak it in warm, soapy water for a few hours or even overnight and then try again to remove stubborn residue. If you're still having trouble cleaning your pan, use a paste of kosher salt and water as a mild abrasive. Be careful with the dishwasher. If your cookware doesn't claim to be dishwasher safe, avoid the dishwasher entirely. While many nonstick pans are technically dishwasher safe, we still highly recommend hand washing in warm soapy water, as it's easy to do - the smooth nonstick surface cleans up easily - and it will prolong the service life of your pan. Dishwashers spray extremely hot water to sanitize the surface, which gradually wears down the surface of the pan and may even warp the surface of a lightweight pan. Other Cleaning Tips How to Clean Nonstick Cookware for The First Time Before using nonstick cookware for the first time, be sure to clean it: rinse with dish soap and hot water, then dry thoroughly with a cloth or paper towel. You can do this in a step called "pre-seasoning" - using a disposable paper towel to lightly grease a pot or pan. How to Clean Your Nonstick Pan Allow your nonstick pan to come to room temperature after each use. Rinse the pan with warm water and use a sponge, soft brush, or damp cloth to remove any residue, then apply a few drops of dishwashing liquid to remove any remaining grease. Rinse with warm water and dry with a towel. What to Do If Your Nonstick Coating is Coming Off We don't want to be bearers of bad news, but if your nonstick pan is severely scratched, peeling, or no longer nonstick, it's time to replace it. If the coating flakes off, a small amount of the coating flakes may end up in your food, and the pan itself will no longer be as good at what it was supposed to do.
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Knowledge of Cooking with Herbs, Spices and Seasoning
Herbs and spices can add flavor and variety to your food. Use a little at first, then add more when you're sure you like the flavor. To substitute dried herbs for fresh herbs, use ¼ tsp powdered or 1 tsp crushed powder in place of 1 tbsp fresh chopped herbs. Some herbs and spices are quite expensive. You may just want to buy some less expensive herbs and spices that you will be using. Herbs and spices will lose their flavor and may go bad or malfunction if stored in the cupboard for more than a year. If you use herbs and spices slowly, buy small containers, or store them in the fridge. Allspice: A mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Use in fruit desserts, pumpkin pie, apple cider, cakes, biscuits, chicken, beef and fish dishes. Basil: Use in tomato and egg dishes, stews, soups and salads. Bay Leaves: Use in tomato dishes, fish and meat dishes. Celery Seed: Use in juices, soups, salads, vegetables, stews, poultry, rolls, and biscuits. Chili Powder: Use in chili, bean and rice dishes. Chives: Use in potato dishes, soups, dips and sauces. Cilantro: Use in Latin American, Indian, and Chinese dishes, salsa, stir fries, bean or rice salad, hot cooked rice, grilled chicken or fish, or a plate of ripe tomatoes. Use fresh if possible. Cinnamon: Use in french toast, fruit and fruit salads, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and squash, puddings and apple desserts, ham or pork chops. Cloves: Use whole cloves on ham or pork roast; use grated cloves to flavor pear or apple desserts, beets, beans, tomatoes, squash, and sweet potatoes. Coriander Seed: Use in Middle Eastern dishes, spice cakes and cookies, soups, roast pork and salad dressing. Cumin: Use in Mexican, Middle Eastern and Indian dishes; beef and lamb, dry bean dishes, marinades, chili and tomato sauces; also use as ingredient in curry powder. Dillweed: Use in tuna or salmon salad, potato salad, pickles, dips and sauces. Garlic: Use in Mexican, Italian and Oriental dishes and in salad dressings; can be also used fresh or dried, minced or powder. Ginger (Fresh): Use in Oriental dishes, marinades for chicken or fish, fruit salad, dressings. Ginger (Ground): Use in gingerbread, spice cake, pumpkin pie, poultry or meat, soups, stews, stuffing, squash, sweet potatoes. Ground Peppers (Black, Cayenne & White Pepper): Use in meats, casseroles, vegetables and soups. Italian Seasoning: A mixture of marjoram, oregano, basil and rosemary; use in Italian dishes such as spaghetti. Marjoram: Use in egg and cheese dishes, meats, fish, poultry and vegetables. Mint: Use in fruit salads and fruit soups, melon, berries, cold fruit drinks, cooked carrots or peas, frozen yogurt soup, lamb, tabbouleh. Mustard: Sauces for meat and fish, in marinades, salad dressings, chutneys, pickles and relishes. Nutmeg: Use in cooked fruits, pies and desserts, baked goods, spinach, sweet potatoes, eggnog and French toast. Onion: Use in any dish calling for an onion flavor; can be used fresh or dried (chopped or powdered). Oregano: Use in Italian food, peppers, omelet, beef stew, meatloaf, pork and vegetables like broccoli or tomatoes. Parsley: Use in meat, soup or vegetable dishes. Paprika: Use in stew, chicken, fish, potatoes, rice and hard boiled eggs. Rosemary: Use in egg dishes, meats, fish, soups and stews, and vegetables. Thyme: Use in fish, poultry or meats, in soups or stews, vegetable salads.
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