Green Options

This may sound egotistical but I know a LOT more than you do about cooking a turkey.

Allow me to explain…

Back in 1999, when I was teaching at the California Culinary Academy, I was involved in both the cooking and the tasting of the San Francisco Chronicle Food section’s Turkey Challenge. Over a two week period, we cooked 28 turkeys to find the best method of producing a plump, juicy and flavorful bird.

We brined some turkeys and left some uncovered overnight in the refrigerator. We roasted some, barbecued others, deep fried one and even smoked another. We cooked some breast up and some breast down. Some we basted and some not, some were covered in the oven and some not. Some were stuffed and some not. We cooked turkeys at an oven temperature varying between 325º to 450ºF. Are you getting the picture?

Here is the continuing countdown of My Top 10 Techniques Every Cook Should Know about Continental Cuisine. Lets first review #10- #6:

Number 10, Spatchcock
Number 9, Sautéing
Number 8, Dicing
Number 7, Blanching Vegetables
Number 6, Cooking Pasta

Amanda Gold, a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, recently came out with 10 techniques every cook should know:

Breading
Browning/searing
Dicing an onion
Folding
Making pan sauce
Rolling out pie crust
Making a roux
Segmenting citrus
Tempering
Making a vinaigrette

She said, “Mastering these will ease everyday kitchen chores and help you tackle more advanced recipes.” It is a good article, including video techniques and accompanying recipes. The bad - when was the last time you made a roux at home or the last time you tempered cream or milk - like for a crème brûlée? Do you make it often enough for it to be called “everyday kitchen chores”?