Successfully Cooking VEGETABLES
Vegetables are commonly divided into two groups, warm-season, and cool-season. Cool-season vegetables are those that prefer temperatures between 60-65°F. These plants are usually intolerant of extended periods where the average temperature is more than 70-75°F. Too much exposure to warmer temperatures will cause these plants to go to seed prematurely. This will make them bitter and virtually inedible. Cool season vegetables are broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, parsnips, celery, lettuce, carrots, brussel sprouts, radishes, turnips, beets, and cabbage.
10 Tips for Choosing Vegetables
- Always look for fresh vegetables. Never compromise on this. The fresher vegetables are, the better they will be on vitamins.
- Never cut vegetables too long before they are to be cooked. Cut them while cooking. This will stop the vitamins from leaving the vegetables and also stop bacteria from clogging on vegetables.
- Never cook vegetables longer than that is necessary as it dries all the vitamins from the vegetables.
- Do not use baking soda with vegetables. It ruins the nutritional value of the vegetables.
- Never throw away water from cooked vegetables as it wastes the vitamins of the vegetables. While cooking vegetables, see to it that you use only that much water as much is needed as this will save water as well as the vitamins and minerals.
- When removing the skin from vegetables, never remove the skin too deep. The vegetable has more vitamins stored near the skin.
Chopping Vegetables
We've all looked on with envy at the chefs on television as they chop vegetables with such speed and never lose a finger. Here is how its done:
Holding The Knife
- Hold the knife in your most comfortable hand.
- Move your hand all the way up the handle so that your thumb is on one side of the blade and your middle finger on the other side.
- Curl your middle finger slightly, grasp the blade firmly between your thumb and middle finger. This may feel a bit strange at first, but once you get used to it, you'll find that holding the blade this way gives you much more control than simply wrapping all your fingers around the handle.
- Use your other hand to hold the food in place, always curl the tips of your fingers under.
- Place the flat side of the blade alongside the first knuckles of your other hand, and as you slice or chop, slide your other hand along to guide the blade and keep it vertical. To avoid cutting yourself, never uncurl the fingers of your other hand, and never raise the blade higher than the first knuckle.
- Try not to wiggle the blade while cutting. Use a firm downward and slightly forward motion
And here's a video to show you how its done!
Cooking Techniques for Vegetables
Stir-Frying Tips
- Cut vegetables in same-size pieces so they will all take the same time to cook
- Add vegetables that take the longest to cook first. Theb, add other vegetables such as peppers and onions. Add garlic last.
Microwave Tips
- Cover vegetables to retain moisture and help them cook more quickly, but do not seal tightly.
- Stir vegetables, especially when reheating, to cook them evenly.
Steaming Tips
Steaming is one of the best ways to cook vegetables. This is not the same as boiling, which too often leaves vegetables soggy and tasteless. Also, when vegetables are boiled, valuable vitamins and minerals leach into the water, which is poured down the drain. Steaming results in crisp, flavorful vegetables full of nutrients.
- Steamers are large pots fitted with perforated baskets and tight-fitting lids. You can fashion your own by putting an inexpensive, collapsible steaming basket in nearly any size pan. Lacking either, use a metal strainer or small colander set in a pot.
- Put a few inches of water or broth in the pot, let it come to a boil, and then add the vegetables. The water should not touch the bottom of the steaming basket.
Roasting and Braising Tips
Root vegetables in particular benefit from roasting and braising. The slow cooking allows natural sugars in the vegetables to caramelize and heighten their flavor.
- Roast cabbage, aspargus, squash, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, fennel, peppers, leeks and onions (to name a few).
- They can be roasted early in the day and served at room temperature or refrigerated and added to sandwiches and salads.
- Before roasting, rub the vegetables with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Depending on the vegetable, roast them in a 300 to 400 degree oven until just tender when pierced with a knife. This can take about 10 minutes (asparagus) or more than an hour (winter squash).
- Braising is a method of slow cooking food in a small amount of liquid, usually water or broth. Vegetables cooked in a stew are braised. Sometimes these are soggy and bland. Try braising in flavorful broth spiked with herbs and wine or beer. Take care not to overcook.