Justine Schofield on how to nail simple kitchen tasksÂ

Justine Schofield on how to nail simple kitchen tasks 

An Australian chef has helped solve those pesky problems that you have in the kitchen.

Justine Schofield, the host of 'Everyday Gourmet' and a Masterchef alumni, cracked the lid on tricks to make cooking easier, like how to not cry when chopping onion.

'Well, there are a few tricks, like putting goggles on. But if you don't want to do that, there are a few other things, like washing your hands straight after chopping the onion. That seems to stop the tears,' she told Huffington Post.

'Well, there are a few tricks, like putting goggles on. But if you don't want to do that, there are a few other things, like washing your hands straight after chopping the onion' (stock image)

Ms Schofield also suggested putting the onions in a bowl of water after you've peeled them, which takes away some of the pungent qualities.

If you are only using one onion though she said you shouldn't worry and just chop it as fast as you can.  

Getting the perfect egg can also be a difficult task, with the balance between making it deliciously gooey and horribly hard boiled not easy.

'If you want it hard boiled, put in a pot of cold water, bring to boil, and once it's boiling, cook for 8-10 minutes. Then chill in iced water,' she advised.

Getting the perfect egg can also be a difficult task, with the balance between getting it perfectly gooey or hard boiled not easy

She warned that if you put really fresh eggs straight into boiling water they could crack, so suggested starting from cold water and slowly heating it up.

For an egg with a gooey centre but a solid outside she recommended the 'five minute egg', where you wait for the water to boil before putting in an egg for five minutes. 

She revealed that she occasionally puts a bit of salt in the water, which will help stop it cracking.

And Ms Schofield has a tip for the perfect chicken breast too.

'Make a ratio of salt to water, put raw chicken in it, and let it brine for a few hours. What happens is, not only does the chicken tenderise, but it but keeps it super m oist when you start to cook it,' she explained.

To get extremely moist chicken pat it dry after you take it out of the water before putting it in the oven to cook.

Poach the chicken breast by bringing a pot of water or stock to boil, then popping the chicken in before turning the heat off and letting it cook as the water cools.

Cooking in the kitchen can be a stressful experience, especially when you can't perfect something that you think should be so simple (stock image)

A staple of a roast dinner is the roast potato but it can be tricky to get the crispiness we crave just right.

Ms Schofield said the best thing to do is parboil starchy potatoes then peel them, cut them, put them in cold water and boil for five minutes. 

'Moisture is the enemy when it comes to crispy potato. So once you have strained them, let them sit there and steam for a bit.'

After the steam has stopped and the potatoes have dried she puts them on a tray with oil and cooks them for 50 minutes while constantly turning.  

'Another thing you can do is heat up some oil on a tray before you put the potatoes on. Give a bit of a seal and gives it a bit of a crust,' she said.

A staple of a roast dinner is the roast potato but it can be tricky to get the crispiness we crave just right

British food blogger, Martin King, has also previously shared his tips on how to make the most of your ingredients. 

The staple of many big weekend breakfasts are sausages but he said that many are ruining their taste when cooking them if they're not frying them. 

He believes that the sausages should be cooked for half an hour with a knob of butter in a pan. 

The sausages should be left over the heat for 30 minutes and turned occasionally to ensure that they are cooked evenly.

To get extremely moist chicken she said to pat it dry after you take it out of the water before putting it in the oven to cook

'The higher the heat, the less the fat renders, the faster the skins burn, and the less likely you are to have a cooked centre before the outer edges start to get tough,' he wrote. 

The low heat gently melts the pork fat to leave it crisp and golden on the outside and the sausage is left evenly cooked through.

قالب وردپرس

Tweet

Subscribe to receive free email updates: