Latest Cooking Answers

Indian Curry: Frying spices vs marinating the meat in them

I'm on a bit of a quest to make a great lamb vindaloo, and through my research I've seen two pieces of advice (often given together) that I can't quite reconcil

Coconut milk substitutions?

I am looking for a substitution for coconut milk. I am highly allergic to coconut, but often see recipes I would like to try that call for it.

Is there a general rule as if should bake something at 375 or 350 degrees, or does it really matter?

When I create my own recipe, I am never sure if I should bake it at 350 or 375 degrees. I have several cookie recipes that says to bake at 350 and others say to

What to do when too much shortening is added to flour?

I was trying to make some homemade flour tortillas, but I made a mistake and I added ~9oz of shortening to 4.5 cups of flour. I'm unsure what to do with the f

Sauteing onions to the point of transparency - what is ideal?

Observing other people cooking, I hear comments about sauteing onions until they turn transparent (or translucent), or just before they start to turn. Usually

Shelf life and Validation of Coconut Milk?

I use coconut milk for a pasta dishes, then put the carton back in the fridge. I may use some of it for a coffee additive, the use plenty more for another past

How to open a can of olive oil?

I have a 900 ml can of Saloio olive oil. I lack any idea of how to open it. The top of the tin is more-or-less seamless (see photo), and lacks any sort of i

Creaming methd for cookies. Help?

I heard its a must method for cakes. But is it also a must for cookies? Cakes i understand since it needs to be light and fluffy. But cookies? Like sugar cookie

How do I make good chimichurri?

I've checked out several recipes and none of them really turn out right. They taste like well... parsley, balsamic vinegar, and garlic. No act

If I have large calamari tentacles, can I achieve the same taste and texture as with small ones?

I've tried cooking large calamari tentacles (about 2in at their thickest) with little success. The first time I tried the classic fast-grilling method, but, obv

Bread with no salt

I've been doing a lot of yeast bread baking as of late and I got to wondering what the salt in the bread was for. Upon doing some research it turns out (aside

non stick presto electric skillet

My skillet is dishwasher safe but it comes out with rust colored spots on the bottom. The non-stick surface is rough and if I use a paper towel to wipe it down

Steaming vegetables in microwave

I made a short research on steaming vegetables in microwave to compare it to steaming on stove top. An interesting discovery I made is that steaming in microwav

airy bread rolls done in bread machine

What are some techniques for making bread and/or kaiser style rolls that are very airy with large holes inside, kneaded in a bread machine then baked in an ove

Foam in beef stock [duplicate]

I'm making the beef stock and after the stock has been brought to the boil, the recipe calls for skimming the foam. What is in the foam? Why i

Can I still use meat left out in the trunk

I accidentally left meat in the trunk of my car, it's so cold outside it froze, can I still use it?

Is it best to just cook with the oil that has the highest smoking point?

I was recently at my locals farmers market and someone was handing out samples (cooked) of what they were selling. The guy cooking said to never use olive oil a

I only want to buy two knives, which two types to get?

I plan on cooking pretty simple foods and will need a knife for things like stir fry, the occasional meat dish, soups, casseroles, basically just standard fare.

Covering food while cooling

Is it a good or a bad idea to cover food that is cooling? For example I have bolognese cooling in a tupperware container but don't know whether I should cover i

Can I leave boneless chicken breast flat in freezer overnight?

I buy refrigerated chicken breasts and cut them into smaller pieces, lay flat on a cake pan and freeze overnight, then separate them and put into individual bag

What is the advantage of a roux over a raw flour slurry, in sauce?

My standard Bechamel sauce recipe used to be: Stir together flour and oil into a paste Fry for a short while Add a small amount of milk Heat and stir until inc

How to saute without oil on stainless steel pots/pans?

In an effort to reduce oils from my diet, I've been trying to saute without oil, but I'm not sure how to do it. In doing so, my pans now have a brown residue th

Do I need to freeze this puree and syrup?

Related questions: What causes a cake to sink in the center? and How can I get the maximum flavor from orange peels? I ended up simmering the zest of 6 oranges

Help - Thawed frozen Lasagne issues [duplicate]

My wife purchased 2 M&M Family Frozen Meat Lasagnes and left them in a thermal freezer bag in the rear of the Escape. I found them two day

Does active dry yeast really expire?

I was cleaning out my spice cabinet and deep in the back I found two packages (e.g., six envelopes) of active dry Red Star yeast that expired in March 2009, 15

Pasticcio vs Lasagna

What's the main difference between this two dishes, Pasticcio and Lasagna? I think pasticcio has ham and I think both have béchamel sauce. They both nee

70% chocolate from 53% and unsweetened

My mom has a cake recipe that calls for 70% chocolate. She called me and said she has 53% chocolate and unsweetened chocolate. Can she mix them to get 70% and i

What can be substituted for cocoa nibs?

I have read here that cocoa nibs can be used in place of chocolate chips, but what about the other way around? A recipe I want to try calls for cocoa nibs, but

To what temperature should you take candied citrus peels?

I have been examining scores of recipes for candied citrus peels and I am unable to find an answer to this question. Most recipes indicate pretty standard candy

How can I infuse olive oil safely?

I am infusing olive oil with truffles. How can I do it safely? Heating the oil destroys the truffle smell and pickling it is a sure way to do the same. Are ther