Long time no post... Sorry for that guys.
In any case... I was reading this tip on a Japanese site and I thought I'd give it a try. It's a very simple way to improve the texture of shrimp prior to cooking it.
The secret?
Baking soda dissolved in water. If you have one of them nifty bags of frozen shrimp, take out a few, defrost them under cold running water, and then dissolve a couple tablespoons of baking soda into a bowl of water. Let the shrimp bathe in this liquid for about 20 minutes before you cook them. Once you're ready, just rinse them off, pat them dry and apply cooking method of choice to the now plumped up shrimp.
When I tried this technique, I just quickly pan seared the shrimp and turned them into a shrimp and avocado salad (recipe below). Honestly, despite the fact that the shrimp were previously frozen, then had a definite crunch that was palpable. It was wonderful. Especially in contrast with the creaminess of the avocado. Still, I would do this every time (given enough forethought that is) I cook shrimp from here on out. I don't know how anyone would go back to soggy shrimp cocktail (you know, the kinda flavors-been-boiled-out-and-clammy stuff?) when you can get the crunch right into the shrimp by just soaking them a tad before boiling/grilling/etc. them in baking soda. I mean, come on? Don't you have a box of baking soda in the back of your fridge?
Apparently, when scientists compared the soaked shrimp with shrimp of the same size that weren't soaked, they found that the soaked shrimp was not only more resistant, but that it had more moisture content. The alkalinity of the soaking solution basically slightly hardens the proteins in the shrimp, making it lose less moisture during the cooking process. Cool!
Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Orange and Lime
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as an appetizer
6 medium sized (20-25 c0unt) shrimp
2 TBLs baking soda
water
2 ripe Avocados
1/2 English Cucumber
1 navel Orange supremed and cut into small pieces
1 bunch Watercress
8 heirloom cherry/cocktail tomatoes
Seasonings:
2 TBLs soy sauce
2 TBLs Ponzu Shoyu*
1 ts Toasted Sesame Oil
drizzle of Chili Oil*
1/2 cup chopped Cilantro
2 limes, juiced
salt and pepper
red pepper (optional)
Peel and devein shrimp, them soak them for 20 minutes in water and baking soda mixture. Rinse and then dry well.
Cut shrimp into thee pieces each, removing the tails. Saute in hot pan until they turn pink, about 1 minute. Place the shrimp into the refrigerator to chill.
Combine chopped avocados, cubed cucumber, orange sections, cilantro, and chilled shrimp in a large bowl and mix with the seasonings reserving 1/4 for plating. Salt and pepper to taste, and add chili flakes if you want some heat. Chill until ready to serve.
To serve, plate in a ring mold or martini glass, top with tomatoes that have been sliced in halves or quarters depending on size, and salted, then toss the watercress in the reserved seasoning mixture and arrange on top.
* Ponzu is a citrus and soy sauce mixture, and is available premixed in most Asian markets, and in some larger markets that have an Asian section. If you can't get it, just mix citrus juice and soy sauce in a 2:1 ratio to approximate the effect.
*Chili Oil is also available in Asian markets. It's not used for cooking but rather as a table condiment. To make your own, just heat up some oil to smoking, and place ground red pepper in a heatproof bowl. When the oil is just about to start smoking, pour into the bowl. It should give off a nice sizzle. For a cup of oil, about 1/2 cup of red pepper would be a good starting point. Add a few drops of toasted sesame oil, and let sit covered overnight. You can use just the red oil for flavor, or if you want more heat, use both the oil and the sediment.
Showing posts with label quick tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quick tips. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Selecting Chicken and making broiler chickens taste much better
I thought I'd quickly explain how you should select chicken at the market, since I just talked about pork and trichinosis. Unlike other meat products, chicken is the animal that you're most likely to pick up a bug (E. Coli... Salmonella...) from. While I've been know to eat raw-ish (!) chicken at certain Japanese restaurants I trust, I wouldn't do that with a store-bought bird. Now that I've sufficiently scared you off...
There are three things to look for when selecting chicken parts. The fresher the chicken, the better the flavor, and the less the risk of getting sick.
a) how it looks through the plastic
b) how firm the meat feels
c) whether there are drippings in the tray
Simple enough. The chicken should look fresh and bright colored when you've look at it. It should be slightly shiny. The "slightly" is important here, since old chicken is very shiny. When felt, the meat should feel firm to the touch. If it feels mushy, it's a sign of meat that's aged. You really shouldn't buy chicken in a package that has drippings collecting in it. If you see that, it's been at least 2 days since the chicken was fabricated or more. Still, given the possibility that the product was repackaged (common practice), look and feel the meat if you can. If you don't feel that it's fresh, move on... there are plenty of other things that you can get.
The best policy here though, is to get to know a butcher or poultry purveyor that you trust. Even the butchers at most supermarkets will be happy to help you out if you ask them nicely.
If you've read this far, I'll share a trick to make the average supermarket broiler chicken taste and have a firmer chewier texture much more like a full-flavored free-range bird. The secret is salt and plain yogurt.
1) rub your chicken pieces well with Kosher salt.
2) place in the fridge on a plate sprinkle a bit of sake or white wine, then cover with another plate and weight it down. leave for 2-3 hours, and wipe off excess moisture with a paper towel.
3) place chicken in a covered container with enough plain yogurt to just cover the pieces. let marinate for at least 3 hours. In this state, the chicken can be held for 1-2 days (salt and yogurt increase the shelf-life of the chicken)
4) when ready to cook, simply rinse the chicken under cold water, and dry well and cook as usual.
There are three things to look for when selecting chicken parts. The fresher the chicken, the better the flavor, and the less the risk of getting sick.
a) how it looks through the plastic
b) how firm the meat feels
c) whether there are drippings in the tray
Simple enough. The chicken should look fresh and bright colored when you've look at it. It should be slightly shiny. The "slightly" is important here, since old chicken is very shiny. When felt, the meat should feel firm to the touch. If it feels mushy, it's a sign of meat that's aged. You really shouldn't buy chicken in a package that has drippings collecting in it. If you see that, it's been at least 2 days since the chicken was fabricated or more. Still, given the possibility that the product was repackaged (common practice), look and feel the meat if you can. If you don't feel that it's fresh, move on... there are plenty of other things that you can get.
The best policy here though, is to get to know a butcher or poultry purveyor that you trust. Even the butchers at most supermarkets will be happy to help you out if you ask them nicely.
If you've read this far, I'll share a trick to make the average supermarket broiler chicken taste and have a firmer chewier texture much more like a full-flavored free-range bird. The secret is salt and plain yogurt.
1) rub your chicken pieces well with Kosher salt.
2) place in the fridge on a plate sprinkle a bit of sake or white wine, then cover with another plate and weight it down. leave for 2-3 hours, and wipe off excess moisture with a paper towel.
3) place chicken in a covered container with enough plain yogurt to just cover the pieces. let marinate for at least 3 hours. In this state, the chicken can be held for 1-2 days (salt and yogurt increase the shelf-life of the chicken)
4) when ready to cook, simply rinse the chicken under cold water, and dry well and cook as usual.
Making Pork Juicy
Here's a quick Kitchen Cheat for you guys.
Don't you hate dry, chewy pork chops? There's are a couple of simple ways to get it to not dry out.
1) Brine the pork for several hours in a 3% salt brine. The basic brine here, is one teaspoon of salt to 200 ml (3/4 cup) of water. Most measuring cups have the metric equivalent, so just look at that. Place your pork chops (or roast or whatever) in enough brine to completely submerge it. I find that a zip bag works wonders for this purpose. Just do this in the morning before leaving the house and remove them from the bag when you get home and pat dry with paper towels.
In addition to getting moisture in the meat, it will also get the salt uniformly into the center of the meat as well. This means that the meat will be much more flavorful. Using this theory, you can add anything to the brine that you want to scent/flavor the chops. I like to use some brown sugar, bay leaves, and thyme. One thing to remember here. Don't put anything acidic in the brine, or you'll "cook" the meat, the results not being as good. If you want citrus in the brine, use the zest and not the juice.
FYI: This is a great technique for chicken too! Breasts greatly benefit from a brine.
2) If you forgot to brine in the morning, here's a quicker method of getting pork chops juicy.
Use Store-Bought Mayonnaise!
Simply take your pork chops and rub them well with mayo, and place in the fridge, covered, for one hour. When you're ready to cook the chops, simply wipe off the mayo. If you want to guarantee that the juices don't leech out of your chops, lightly dust them with flour before grilling/sauteeing/baking. Easy, right? This is especially good for very lean cuts like loin chops or tenderloin medallions. Don't worry, once the mayo is wiped off, you won't really taste it in the cooking.
One more note:
Remember, commercial pork is very lean, so don't overcook it. Contrary to popular belief, pork should be served at about medium (145°F) or slightly pink in the center. Don't worry, Trichinosis is very rare in the US where commercial pork products are concerned.
Happy Cooking!
Don't you hate dry, chewy pork chops? There's are a couple of simple ways to get it to not dry out.
1) Brine the pork for several hours in a 3% salt brine. The basic brine here, is one teaspoon of salt to 200 ml (3/4 cup) of water. Most measuring cups have the metric equivalent, so just look at that. Place your pork chops (or roast or whatever) in enough brine to completely submerge it. I find that a zip bag works wonders for this purpose. Just do this in the morning before leaving the house and remove them from the bag when you get home and pat dry with paper towels.
In addition to getting moisture in the meat, it will also get the salt uniformly into the center of the meat as well. This means that the meat will be much more flavorful. Using this theory, you can add anything to the brine that you want to scent/flavor the chops. I like to use some brown sugar, bay leaves, and thyme. One thing to remember here. Don't put anything acidic in the brine, or you'll "cook" the meat, the results not being as good. If you want citrus in the brine, use the zest and not the juice.
FYI: This is a great technique for chicken too! Breasts greatly benefit from a brine.
2) If you forgot to brine in the morning, here's a quicker method of getting pork chops juicy.
Use Store-Bought Mayonnaise!
Simply take your pork chops and rub them well with mayo, and place in the fridge, covered, for one hour. When you're ready to cook the chops, simply wipe off the mayo. If you want to guarantee that the juices don't leech out of your chops, lightly dust them with flour before grilling/sauteeing/baking. Easy, right? This is especially good for very lean cuts like loin chops or tenderloin medallions. Don't worry, once the mayo is wiped off, you won't really taste it in the cooking.
One more note:
Remember, commercial pork is very lean, so don't overcook it. Contrary to popular belief, pork should be served at about medium (145°F) or slightly pink in the center. Don't worry, Trichinosis is very rare in the US where commercial pork products are concerned.
Happy Cooking!
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