Successful cooking involves paying great attention to detail because leaving out one essential ingredient or skipping an important step while preparing meals can mean the difference between a Michelin star type meal and a burnt, congealed mess on your plate.
Fortunately, the internet, cookbooks, and even reality TV today provide us with enough information to prepare great, professionally turned out meals from the comfort of our homes and with the minimum of ingredients.With the abundance of tips, recipes, tricks and other cooking information available, bad cooking should become a thing of the past.
Whether you are just starting out or are a seasoned cook looking to improve your method, the resources to turn you into a great cook are at your fingertips. Below are a few ways to prepare some popular dishes that will ensure you cook a meal that is both healthy and tasty.
1. Escargot with butter and herbs
Once an exotic treat popular in France and Spain, escargot has become a favored delicacy in many kitchens around the world. Proper preparation will yield the results you desire. You should ensure that you locate the freshest ingredients you can find if you want to get the best results possible.
You can also purchase raw canned escargot at your local grocery store, shopping mall or online stores. Drenched in butter and tossed with garlic and herbs, escargot makes a delicious, high protein and low-fat meal and is best served as an appetizer accompanied by bread crusts.
You can also purchase raw canned escargot at your local grocery store, shopping mall or online stores. Drenched in butter and tossed with garlic and herbs, escargot makes a delicious, high protein and low-fat meal and is best served as an appetizer accompanied by bread crusts.
Recipe
Ingredients
· 2 sticks unsalted butter
· 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
· 1 shallot, minced
· 1/4 cup parsley chopped
· 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
· 2 anchovy fillets
· tsp cayenne pepper
· Salt and Pepper to taste
· 24 extra large snail shells
· 24 extra large canned
Instructions
Mix garlic, lemon juice, anchovies, salt, black pepper and cayenne and mix thoroughly in a large bowl. Add butter, parsley and shallots, ensuring that they are completely combined. Cover with saran wraps and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to merge. Preheat oven to 400 F.
Rinse your canned snails and prepare snail shells in readiness for baking. Spoon tsp. of the herb and butter mixture into each shell. Place a snail in each shell, and top with another tsp of the butter mixture. Arrange the shells with the buttered side up on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Serve immediately with bread crusts and a green salad if preferred.
Serves 4
2. Crispy Grilled Potatoes
Grilling potatoes is a great way to ensure you can enjoy your favorite savory meal or snack without having to ingest copious amounts of the unhealthy artery clogging oil that are found in French fries and potato chips. The keys to perfect grilled potatoes include ensuring that the oil is very hot before grilling and using the firmest potatoes possible. Tossing the potatoes in herbs and spices of your choice before grilling will also ensure that you enjoy a tasty treat without compromising on health.
Ingredients
2 pounds large yellow-fleshed potatoes 1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs of your choice e.g. rosemary, oregano, parsley etc. 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1/3 cup cold pressed extra virgin oil Lemon wedges for serving.
Instructions
1. Preheat your grill to medium.
2. Cut potatoes into inch wedges and boil in a large pot with salted water for 10 minutes.
3. Drain potatoes and toss in a large bowl together with the herbs, garlic, oil and salt and pepper.
4. Place on a grilling pan and put on the grill to roast for 10-12 minutes.
5. Remove from grill and serve, drizzling with lemon juice to taste.
Serves 4
3. Perfectly Drizzled Chocolate
Chocolate makes a great and decadent topping for fruit, dairy treats, cakes, smoothies and many other food items. It is easy to make, requiring only the use of a basic squeeze bottle, chocolate chips, and your trusty microwave oven.
The best way to drizzle chocolate involves placing the chocolate chips in the squeeze bottle and microwaving for about 45 seconds or until the chocolate has achieved the consistency you desire. To drizzle, squeeze the bottle and move it back and forth over a plate until the drizzle begins to look just right. Pipe or drizzle the chocolate onto your favorite treats such as strawberries, truffles, cake, cookies, and others.
Preparing your favorite meals need not be a long and complicated process. By taking time to learn a few simple tricks, you should be able to prepare healthy and delicious meals, with the minimum of ingredients and without spending too much time in the kitchen.
Jennifer Brown
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