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What is a recipe?
A recipe is a set of
instruction used for preparing and producing a certain food, dish, or drink.
The purpose of a recipe is to have a precise record of the
ingredients used, the amounts needed, and the way they are combined.
(1) The
Recipe Name
tells you what you'll be making. Sometimes the author will include personal
information on the recipe.
(2) There are three components to
a recipe. The first is the List of Ingredients, and the second is the
Amount of the
ingredients.
(3)
The third is
the Preparation Instructions. A well-written recipe will
list all ingredients in the order they will be added in the Preparation
Instructions.
Most well-written recipes will spell out pan size, cooking temperature, and how much of each ingredient to use.
However, you will find some poorly-written recipes that use abbreviations.
(4)
Some recipe will include Variations for the recipe and
also how to Store your prepared dish.
Check out a sample of a well-written recipe
below:
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(1) Recipe Name:
Lemon Curd
A British teatime favorite. This
sweet, yet tart, velvety spread is heavenly on freshly baked scones,
muffins, and tea breads. Another favorite is serving lemon curd on
gingerbread or used as a filling for tarts and cakes. Lemon curd is so
easy-to-make as all it contains is
eggs, sugar, lemon juice,
lemon zest, and butter.
(2) List of Ingredients and
amount used:
3 to 4 tablespoons
lemon
zest (rind)*
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed
lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons)**
1 1/2 cups granulated
sugar
6 tablespoons salted butter, cut into pieces
3
eggs, lightly beaten
*
Cold lemons are much easier
to grate.
Always grate your lemons first, and then juice them.
**
Do not use the bottled
lemon juice - only use fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
Room temperature lemons produce
more juice.
When
choosing lemons, look for ones that are firm, plump, and heavy for their
size. Always use fresh lemons when making lemon curd.
(3) Preparation Instructions:
Remove the zest (rind) from the limes using a
zester or a peeler (be careful to avoid getting any of the white pith). Juice
the lemons after removing the zest.
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine lemon
zest, lemon juice, and sugar. Bring just to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5
minutes. Add butter and stir until it has melted. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
NOTE: Use a heavy-based, non-reactive saucepan. Stainless
steel, anodized aluminum, and enamel all work well. Aluminum or unlined
copper pans will react with the acid in the lemons, discoloring the curd and
giving it a metallic flavor.
Beat eggs
into cooled lemon mixture until well blended. Return to heat and cook over medium-low
heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture thickens and coats spoon.
NOTE: Do not let the lemon curd boil, as it can cause
the mixture to curdle. Remove from heat. The lemon curd will continue
to thicken as it cools.
(4) Variation and Storing the Dish:
Variation:
For a Lime Curd, substitute lime zest and lime juice for the lemon zest and
juice.
Storing Lemon Curd:
Cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd (this
prevents a skin from forming on the surface). Store in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks or store in the freezer for one year.
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Read your recipe carefully
before starting: Be sure you have all the ingredients called for and
that you understand the recipe clearly. This is the reason most recipe fail. If
the recipe says “room temperature,” there is usually a reason.
When preparing a recipe for
the first time, it is recommended that you follow the recipe exactly so you have
an initial template of how the writer intended it to look and taste. Then you
can experiment from there.
Why a recipe
does not work.
Yes, there are
some recipes that do not work. This is usually because of a misprint, an editing
error, and the recipe not being tested properly before printing.
No matter how
detailed the recipe is written, the recipe can not tell you everything you need
to know. Some judgment of your part is actually needed on certain variables,
such as:
Kitchens are not stocked with the same
equipment. Pots and pans can vary according to the material used to make them.
Check out
Choosing Cookware,
A
Well-Stocked Pantry
and
Baking Dish and Pan Sizes.
Ranges and oven have temperature differences.
Ingredients were not measured carefully. This
is especially important when baking. Check out
Cooking Equivalent Measurements
and
Basic Rules for Baking.
The
cooking didn’t understand the baking terms used. Check out
Common and Uncommon Cooking Terms.
Cooking times that have been given in the
recipe are meant to be used as a guideline only. If a cooking temperature is
given as a means of determining doneness, this is usually accurate. Check
out
Cooking Temperature Chart.
You substituted ingredients improperly.
Replacing ingredients may result vastly different taste. Could taste better
or worse.
Check out
Ingredient Substitution Chart. The cook probably substituted an
ingredient because they either:
(1) Don’t have or couldn’t find one of the ingredients.
(2) Wish to alter a recipe to lower the fat or calories.
(3) Don’t have a particular piece of equipment to cook the recipe as
instructed. Some ingredients and cooking steps can be substituted or eliminated
and some just cannot.
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What is Mise en Place?
Mise en Place ((MEEZ-ahn-plahs) - French culinary term that means “everything
in its place.” This culinary term refers to
purchasing, preparing, and pre-measuring all the ingredients
necessary for a dish before you start
cooking.
Mise en place makes the actual process of cooking more
efficient and helps prevent the cook from making mistakes or
discovering missing ingredients at a crucial moment.
This simply means that before you can even start preparing the
ingredients for cooking your recipe, you want to make sure you
have all the ingredients and equipment needed (the
gathering and preparation of all the tools and food you need to
complete the task at hand.)
This means pulling out your pots and pans, and every single
ingredient before you even think about turning the burners on.
This practice (Mise en Place) is especially beneficial when
preparing a new recipe that you haven’t tried before and also
when preparing more than one recipe.
When you
are preparing foods that you’ve made before, you
only have to prepare ingredients first that you know
you won’t have time to ready while cooking.
Besides for making your life easier by having all your
ingredients in one place, you can check that you have everything
you need before
you start cooking.
If
you practice this easy technique and “put everything in place”
before you get started cooking, your dishes will come out
better, and you will actually enjoy the act of cooking more than
ever.
Using this
technique
is probably the single biggest difference between
gourmet chefs and regular, once-in-a-while cooks.
Advantages of using this technique:
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Less stress when preparing recipe.
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Read the
entire recipe in advance of needing to prepare it. Determine
which ingredients and equipment you will need and have them
nearby. Any missing ingredients that are not in your pantry
can be purchased before it's too late for a quick trip to
the store or your neighbor next door.
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Once you
have your ingredients together, prepare them so they are
"cooking ready." This can mean different things depending
on what recipe your using.
Examples: Toasting nuts,
clean and chop any fruits and vegetables,
salads ready-to-dress,
letting
certain ingredients come to room temperature, pre-measuring
spices, preheating the oven or grill,
desserts ready-to-serve,
etc.
Handing or preparing ingredients BEFORE cooking rather than in the
midst of another preparation step when time delays may
affect food quality.
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Have
everything measured and ready to be used in separate bowls
or cups (or combined if the ingredients are being cooked at
the same time).
Purchase a
set of 4 or more small "mini" bowls. They come in different
sizes and may hold from about 1 to 3 ounces.
You can group ingredients or place
them in the order used to assure all recipe steps are
included.
If I make
preparing a meal for a large gathering or a dinner party, I
will prepared my ingredients sometimes a day in advance or
even more (depending on the ingredient and the dish I will
be making). I will always have
the ingredients prepared and ready to use at the last minute
before cooking. The various dishes are
finally cooked, plated, and served. This way, I don't have
to spend all my time in the kitchen, but can enjoy my
guests.
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It makes complicated recipes more fun to prepare when you're no
longer doing a juggling act, trying to complete several
tasks simultaneously.
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You will
not
overcook foods while trying to prepare the next ingredients
for another dish.
Don't forget food safety as you cook:
Prepare
your workspace by starting with a clean kitchen. There is
also time to clean the mixing area as you go along rather
than face a counter full of mixing equipment when you're
done.
Fill your sink with hot soapy water to put your dirty dishes in
as your cook. When
preparing food, keep surfaces and utensils clean. Surfaces are
not just counter-tops and cutting boards; don't forget to clean
your utensils, too.
Check out the
Golden Rules of Food
Safety.
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Wash you hands between each cooking task!
A simple trick that I use, is to fill my kitchen sink with hot, sudsy water. This serves two
(2) purposes for me.
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When preparing food, I can toss the dirty dishes into the hot water as I cook. This make for easier cleanup.
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As you cook, stick your hands in the water to clean.
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Check out all of Linda's
Cooking Hints & Tips Resource Index
to help you with your cooking and baking.
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