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121 Cooking Secrets to Impress Friends and Family
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Chapter II: Sauces and Seasonings
23. Make perfect gravy for turkey. Looking for the perfect gravy to have with your
holiday turkey? A great tip from the pros is to use tea! Boil a large pot of water and
when you put the turkey in the oven add two orange pekoe tea bags. Let the tea
steep on top of the stove until the turkey is done then add it to the juices in the pan.
Thicken with a mixture of flour and water or cornstarch.
24. Keep chicken broth handy. Not only is chicken broth an easy way to add flavor to
sauces, it can also be used to add moisture to dry stuffing. And the unsalted variety
can be used to tame over-salty gravy without diluting the flavor.
25. A flavorful alternative to sour cream. Out of sour cream, or looking for something
different? Consider a quick crème fraiche, which can be made from one cup of
buttermilk and three cups of heavy cream. Mix them together and let them sit on
your counter for about three days. Then store it in the refrigerator for as long as two
weeks.
26. Reduce the power of garlic and onions. Sometimes you don’t want a strong garlic or
onion taste. Get a milder flavor by sautéing them in butter or olive oil for a few
minutes prior to adding them to other foods. This will release their natural
sweetness and give a wonderful flavor.
27. An easy way to peel ginger root. To easily peel ginger root, place it in the freezer for
an hour before use and then remove the skin with a sharp knife. Or, try using the
edge of a spoon when peeling room temperature ginger root.
28. Use caramelized onions to add flavor. Caramelized onions are a delicious way to add
flavor to mashed potatoes, vegetables, soups and sauces. Luckily they can be made
ahead and kept in the refrigerator so they are
available when you need them. Do this by chopping
onions fine and adding them to melted butter or
margarine. Cook at a very low heat until the onions
are brown. Be sure there is always lots of butter or
the onions will become crispy. Once caramelized,
transfer them to a plastic container while the butter
is still liquid and store them in the refrigerator. Once
solidified it’s easy to take a spoonful whenever you
need it!
29. Fix lumpy sauces. Is your sauce too lumpy?
Remove it from the heat immediately and toss it in your food processor to smooth
out the lumps and blend the flavors. Add some hot water if necessary to assist with
the removal of the lumps. Then reheat as needed and serve!