Entries Tagged as 'how to'

How to Use Dry Beans in Recipes

April 30th, 2009 13 Comments

 

Dear Home-Ec 101,

Everyone acts like dried beans are the end all. How do I get the beans in the bag to work like the beans in the can? I’ve soaked them overnight and they still aren’t like what I get out of a can. Am I legume challenged?

Signed,

Baffled Bostonian

Heather says:

Dried beans can be a challenge, you have to interpret each recipe and decide if it was originally written for dry or canned beans. If there is a very short cooktime involved it is safe to assume the author of the recipe is picturing canned beans. In this case your beans should already be cooked and rinsed. 

After the beans have soaked, either overnight or a quick soak, drain the water and rinse the beans. When cooking beans you want them to have flavor, but not so much that it will overpower the spices of the recipe in which they will be used.

To cook one pound of beans (2 cups of dry beans, measured before they are soaked) place the beans in a heavy pot, this helps prevent scorching. To the pot add two slices of uncooked bacon*, two whole garlic cloves, and 8 – 10 cups of water. Vegetarians can use butter of vegetable oil, but some fat is needed for best results.

Bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. When the beans first start to boil a foam will develop, it’s just a water soluble protein, don’t worry about skimming the pot, the beans will reabsorb it during the cooking process. You want to keep the beans at a gentle simmer until done. Don’t hover, just give them a brief stir when you happen to walk by every now and then. 

 Two important tips:

Do not use hard water to cook beans.

The minerals in the water will significantly increase the cook time. In this case it’s best to use bottled water.

Add 1 tsp salt per cup of dried beans.

There are two schools of thought, some say that adding the salt early in the cooking process makes the beans tougher, while those on the other side swear they are more flavorful and not tough. Oddly, the two camps agree that the ratio is 1 tsp per cup.

Here’s a quick guide for estimating simmering time by type of bean:

Black Beans, Garbanzo Beans,
Great Northerns, Navy or Small Whites,
Pink Beans, Pinto Beans,
Red Beans, Red Kidney Beans		 1 to 1.5 hours
Lima Beans, Large 45 – 60 minutes
Butter Beans or Baby Lima Beans 1 Hour

Peas and lentils usually do not require soaking.

Black-Eyed Peas 1 to 1.5 Hours
Lentils, Split Green Peas 30 – 45 minutes

If the cook time of a recipe meets or exceeds the time listed in the table, it is safe to assume the author had soaked, not cooked beans in mind.
Good luck!

Send your domestic questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

 

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Countdown to Turkey Day 2008: November 6

November 6th, 2008 7 Comments

Heather says:

If you have never roasted a turkey or chicken before, Thanksgiving is not the day for your trial run, just ask Ivy about their near Thanksgiving Massacre of ‘01. Your homework for this week is to roast a chicken as practice for the big day.

Do not fear the turkey, it is just a giant chicken. For your convenience I am including directions previously posted for both after the jump. If you do not have an internal thermometer they can be found at Target for $20 – $30. Think of it this way, it’s about the same as an insurance co-pay without all the pain and suffering. (Actually I wish that was my co-pay, but that’s another story).  I like the probe / timer combos.  The probe is inserted and a thin wire connects to a unit outside the oven. Most have an alarm to signal when the desired temperature is reached (5° lower than the recommended temperature, as it continues to rise once removed from the oven.)

On to the practice chicken!

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Boning Chicken Thighs

October 2nd, 2008 4 Comments

Dear Home Ec 101,
I’ve heard that you can substitute chicken thighs in some recipes that call for boneless skinless chicken breasts, but I am not sure what to do. How do you remove the bones?
Signed,
Boneheaded in Bonneville
Heather says:
It would be embarrassing for me to admit how long I sat here trying to think of a title that wouldn’t bring the perverts out of the woodwork. I’ve given up and decided to just say, I don’t think we’re offering what you have in mind, carry on, but thanks for the page view.
I am placing a page break for the benefit of some of our more sensitive viewers who probably don’t want to stare at raw chicken. Heck, I don’t want to stare at raw chicken. The tutorial follows the break.

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Steamed Broccoli

September 4th, 2008 5 Comments

Dear Home Ec 101,

A while ago you posted a recipe for fettucini alfredo and suggested adding steamed broccoli.  So, maybe it makes me look an idiot and maybe it doesn’t, but is there a proper way to steam broccoli?

Signed,

Stymied by Steam

Heather says:

While you don’t need any fancy tools to steam vegetables, I do recommend having a vegetable steamer. They are fairly small, versatile, and have a timer that can take some of the stress out of coordinating cook times. I use an oh-so-fancy Black and Decker Flavor Scenter Steamer Deluxe.  It’s a long name for a small appliance that boils water and costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $30.  I have used mine fairly often for four years, so I consider it a worthy investment.  To steam broccoli in a steamer simply follow the handy dandy directions in the booklet, or if you lost that: put water in the bottom, put the basket over the water, load your vegetables, put the lid on securely, and set the timer. Since you can see the vegetables cooking, it’s easy to turn it off as soon as the florets turn the bright green that says, “Hey, I’m done!”

Since we’re flexible here at Home Ec 101, here’s how you steam broccoli in the microwave.  Put the florets, those are the cut pieces that look like little trees, in a microwave safe dish.  Add about an inch of water, cover tightly, and microwave on high for five minutes or until bright green.  Of course cook times vary because not all microwaves are created equal, but for two cups of broccoli you should be in the right neighborhood.

What, you don’t have a microwave, either? You’re killing me.  Don’t worry, this is also a piece of cake on the stove. Add about an inch of water to a sauce pan, add your broccoli, place the pan over medium heat, and cover tightly. Bring the water to a boil and allow to cook until, wait for it, the broccoli turns bright green.  You are surprised, aren’t you?

OK, so your basic steamed broccoli isn’t always exciting.  If you want to add some punch that keeps people from reaching for the salt shaker, heat a saute pan or frying pan over medium heat.  Add a tablespoon of butter or olive oil and add any herbs or seasoning that are included or are complementary to your main dish.  For example, if you are having dilled salmon consider adding a splash of lemon juice and some dill weed.  If your main dish has Asian spices stir in soy or terriyaki sauce with garlic or onion.  Then, simply toss your broccoli in the heated butter or olive oil until well coated. All the little buds provide excellent nooks and crannies that soak up flavor. For those scared of a little fat, it is important to remember that Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble and the presence of fat actually improves their absorption rate. Broccoli is loaded with both vitamins A & K.

So enjoy!

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