Laflin - Life Skills: Stuff You Should Really Know By Now

KITCHEN

Master these recipes and food storage basics and youll do nicely. There are also nifty tips on choosing wine and opening beer and champagne bottles, as well as advice on how to deal with a kitchen fire.

HOW TO
BOIL AN EGG

You will need a small saucepan, an egg, a large spoon and a timer.

Fill the pan with sufficient water to cover the egg. Place the pan on the hob and bring the water to a rolling boil. Gently lower the egg into the water with the spoon and reduce the heat to a gentle boil. Cooking times are based on medium-sized eggs stored at room temperature (for large eggs add 30 seconds extra):

When done, lift the egg out of the water. For softer-boiled eggs, tap the top to crack the shell and prevent further cooking and serve. For hard-boiled eggs, drain the water from the pan and run the egg under cold water to cool it and prevent grey yolks.

HOW TO SEPARATE EGGS

Have two bowls, a saucer and a small cup ready. Carefully crack an egg onto the saucer. Place the cup over the yolk to contain it, then drain the egg white into one bowl. Tip the yolk into the remaining bowl. Repeat this process until all the eggs required are separated. Dont skip the cup and saucer process one broken yolk in the whites will ruin the whole batch.

HOW TO
STORE FRESH FOOD

Follow the storage recommendations on packaged foods. The best before date is intended as a guide for when the produce will taste best. The use-by date on items such as fish, raw meat, cooked products and ready meals deserves close attention as its these foods which could cause stomach upsets or full-blown food poisoning if the use-by date is not respected. Think of the best before as a quality guide and use-by as a health safety check. Make sure that you also finish these products within the stated time from opening for instance, once opened use within three days.

Shops sometimes display goods in chiller units because they are best served cold and to give them the appeal of fresh food. If in doubt, keep it in the fridge at home.

HOW TO
FREEZE FOOD

Generally, food should be frozen on the day of purchase (although if its stored in the fridge you can extend this time to nearer the use-by date). Most ready meals and packaged raw meat and fish come with instructions as to whether they are suitable for freezing. Follow the label recommendations for how long you should store food in the freezer. If you exceed this date, there will be a deterioration in quality and texture.

If youre buying food from a butcher or deli counter, ask the sales assistant if it is safe to freeze it. Sometimes raw products have been previously frozen, meaning theres an opportunity for unhealthy bacteria to grow if they are re-frozen.

Its OK to freeze meat and fish again once they have been cooked in a dish. As a rule, cooked leftover dishes, soups and stews freeze well. Ensure theyre cold before freezing.

Use freezer bags with sealing clips or zip-lock tops and a permanent marker to label each bag. Clip tightly or fill to the top dont leave an air gap. Use rigid food containers for soups and liquids.

Foods that dont freeze well:

HOW TO
MAKE A SALAD DRESSING

You will need good quality olive oil, white wine vinegar or lemon juice, salt, Dijon mustard, runny honey and a clean, empty jam jar with a lid. This dressing will go well with any kind of leaf or raw vegetable salad; your friends will beg you for the recipe.

As a base, use three parts olive oil to one part white wine vinegar or lemon juice and put these into the jar. The oil coats the salad ingredients and the acid in the vinegar or lemon cuts through the oiliness and adds zing.

Add a pinch of salt, half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and half a teaspoon of runny honey. If you dont have honey, dissolve half a teaspoon of sugar in a tiny amount of boiling water.