An Alternative Way to Cook Rice!

Rice always seemed the easiest side dish to make, but sometimes things can go wrong when cooking it. So I was not surprised when my friend Ilene asked me how I cook rice.

Question for Mom

I’m new to cooking and would like to know if I can substitute sour cream when a recipe calls for heavy whipping cream? –Ella H.

I almost always have sour cream in the fridge, but seldom do I have heavy whipping cream.  So if I want to make a recipe that calls for whipping cream and I don’t feel like going to the store to get some, I will use sour cream.  But I’ve learned to be cautious. 

If I add sour cream to a soup or a sauce and then bring the mixture to a boil, the sour cream will separate—not an attractive sight--so don’t do that.  And don’t substitute sour cream if you are making a creamy dessert.  Otherwise, go for it.  Experimenting is a good way to learn to cook.

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Question for Mom

While I was self-isolating at home, I cleaned out my larder and found several boxes of unsweetened chocolate.  In both the use-by date is obscured, so I can’t tell how old it is.  Is it safe to use this chocolate to bake brownies?  --Susan W.

Yes, proceed with baking.  Chocolate does not spoil, although eventually it may develop ‘bloom’ if not tightly wrapped and kept at room temperature.  ‘Bloom,’ which gives the surface of the chocolate a whitish or grayish cast, is actually cocoa butter migrating to the surface when the storage temperature rises.  It will disappear when the chocolate is melted. 

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Real Mayonnaise Made with Avocado Oil: What Is It and How Do I Use It?

Mayonnaise with Avocado Oil (left)     Best Foods Mayonnaise (right)    

For most of my life I kept a 30-ounce jar of Hellmann’s or Best Foods Mayonnaise in the fridge, alongside the ketchup, mustard and BBQ sauce.  I never thought twice about it.  Mayonnaise was mandatory because as a teenager I ate a tuna salad sandwich every day.

A few months ago I happened upon Primal Kitchen’s 24-ounce jar of Real Mayonnaise Made with Avocado Oil

Question for Mom

Roasted Rockfish

One reason that I don’t cook fish very often is that I never know when it’s done.  Can you give me some advice? –William T.

Unlike meat, which becomes firm when it is fully cooked, fish will flake when it’s ready to eat. Flaking means that when you insert a fork into it, a fully cooked piece of fish will separate into thin sections called flakes.  If it does not separate into flakes, it needs more cooking.  Test it again after another 1-2 minutes.  You don’t want to overcook fish because it will become dry and unappetizing. 

Garam Masala: What Is It and How Do I Use It?

Garam Masala is a spice mixture often used to add flavor and heat to Indian and Pakistani dishes.  There is no official list of spices in Garam Masala, but you are likely to find some combination of cardamom, chili, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, curry leaves, fennel, nutmeg, black pepper and salt.

Basic Roast Chicken - Easiest Meal Ever!

Basic recipes have existed for centuries because 1) they are simple, and 2) they taste good.  Once you master their preparation, you’re free to improvise…or not.  I usually don’t because I know what I’m getting, and I don’t have to think twice about how to make it.

Question for Mom

I bought some frozen uncooked shrimp, and when I defrosted them, there was this greenish black line along the back of each shrimp.  What is it and should I get rid of it? –Alex B.

This line is the shrimp’s digestive tract.  Yes, you want to get rid of it.  Scrape it out, either before or after cooking, using a small knife or the tip of a potato peeler.  The bigger the shrimp, the easier this line is to remove.  Do the cutting/scraping under running water, and the gritty substance will wash away.

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Back to Basics: Salmon

A popular restaurant menu item, fresh salmon is very easy to cook at home.  You can grill it, roast it, poach it or pan-fry it.  You can serve it whole or as fillets, steaks or kebabs.  You can make it into a soup or an appetizer spread the British call Potted Salmon.

Back to Basics: Black Beans

If you find you are cooking more because you are sheltering at home, it’s time to add black beans to your shopping list.  You can buy these beans already cooked in a can, but they are also available uncooked in 1-pound packages.  Sometimes they are sold loose in bins.

How much would you pay for the convenience of cooked beans?

Question for Mom

I am almost out of granulated sugar but want to bake cookies or a cake.  Can I substitute brown sugar or powdered sugar? –Jody K.

Yes, you can substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar. 

Back to Basics: Making Whole Wheat Bread

In this stressful time when movie theaters have closed, the NBA season has been suspended and restaurants are only offering take-out in an attempt to thwart the coronavirus, food shopping can be a nightmare.  If you’re worried about having a steady supply of bread, now is the time to learn how to make it.

Why Make More Work for Myself in the Kitchen?

Turkeyburgers with BBQ Sauce

I decided the other morning that I would serve turkeyburgers for Sunday dinner.  It’s one of the few meals that everyone but the family vegetarian likes. 

I prefer making small burgers because ground turkey is easier to cook thoroughly that way.  No rare turkeyburgers at my table

Harissa: What Is It and How Do I Use It?

I first heard this word in Paris while eating at a Tunisian restaurant.  Because harissa looks like ketchup, I tried it and discovered it has a fiery taste.  That’s not surprising because one of its key ingredients is chili peppers.  Unless you love extremely hot food, you might want to use just a few drops—at least when you first taste it.

In many North African countries, harissa is as common as olive oil is in Italian restaurants.  In the U.S., harissa (sometimes called harissa paste) is widely available on the Internet but not necessarily found at supermarkets.  Tubes of harissa paste can cost as little as $5.

That little tube could last for a year or, if you are a spicy food fanatic, it could be squeezed out in a week.  I shook a few drops of harissa onto leftover mashed potatoes the other evening, and it added an interesting dab of flavor. 

Lemon Squeezer: What Is It and How Do I Use It?

When I was growing up, my family used a glass lemon squeezer to make fresh lemon juice.  I don’t know where this gadget came from.  It was just hanging out in a kitchen drawer with a lot of other strange objects. 

The family’s lemon squeezer stayed home when I went off to college. 

Question for Mom

I bought some frozen cooked shrimp, and when I defrosted them, there was this dark line along the back of some of the shrimp.  What is it and should I get rid of it? –Alex B.

This line, which can be black or dark green, is the shrimp’s digestive tract.  Yes, you want to get rid of it.  Scrape it out, either before or after cooking, using a small knife or the tip of a potato peeler.  The bigger the shrimp, the easier this black line is to remove.  Do the cutting/scraping under running water, and the gritty substance will wash away.

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Mom Cooking Tip 174

What’s the difference between a can of whole tomatoes, a can of diced tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce and a can of tomato paste?  The amount of water they contain.  If you’re in the middle of cooking something and suddenly realize that you don’t have a can of diced tomatoes, you can substitute one of these other three cans.  And vice versa.  Just add enough water so that the mixture is not too dry.  The look of the dish may be a little different, but the taste will be about the same.

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Mom Cooking Tip 173

This Mom Cooking Tip comes from a life-long friend who spent many years working in a New York test kitchen.  She told me that whenever she buys a cooked rotisserie chicken, she roasts it for 1- 1½ additional hours at 375 degrees before serving it.  She thinks it tastes better that way.

I tried out this tip last night, and everyone at the table liked the end result.  The chicken was firmer and not as salty as usual.  I had planned on serving the leftovers tonight, but there was hardly anything left.

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I Like Fried Chicken, But…

I like fried chicken, but I will never make it because of the amount of oil involved.  Years ago while working in a Little League snack bar, I learned how to handle a deep fat fryer. That’s when I decided I would not cook this way at home.  For one thing, I’m too clumsy to be around boiling oil.  For another, I don’t want to deal with all that oil in my kitchen.  It’s too potentially messy.  And if the words “fire extinguisher” are mentioned in the cooking instructions, that is a turn off.

Mom Cooking Tip 172

Marinades can provide a lot of flavor, but marinating meat for too long can turn it mushy.  I find 15 minutes is a good length of time to marinate salmon or other fish fillets.  For chicken 1-2 hours works well.  For pork, beef and lamb, I opt for 4 hours.

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