The Hangry Chef

If you're unsure as to what herbs go with what foods, there's an easy system that is frequently used for different types of herbs; You have WOODY herbs, these tend to have a heartier flavour and are resilient to high cooking temperatures- rosemary, thyme, sage, lavender and oregano. Typically these herbs have a stalk that is covered in bark and is inedible, for example rosemary which has small leaves that need to be picked before adding to a dish. Although don't be afraid to use the stalks from these plants as they still impart flavour to dishes, just as long as you remove them before serving the food. The other type of herbs are HERBACEOUS (or soft herbs as I like to call them). They generally have soft green stalks like parsley, coriander and dill, that are edible, and delicate leaves that are equally as good raw (if not better) then they are when cooked. So to decide whether a herb is better suited to a certain dish I usually go by; WOODY- Suited best to meat...

Bringing foods to room temperature.... When baking cakes or cupcakes, always leave the butter and eggs out to come to room temperature before mixing your batter. The same goes for cooking steaks, leave the meat out of the fridge for 30 minutes (covered) before cooking, this will result in even cooking as the outside wont overcook or dry out before the centre reaches the right temperature.

I've noticed a lot of blogs and cookbooks featuring pomegranate of late. I'm sure its not only to do with their deliciousness, but also to do with their gorgeous ruby-red colour which is perfect for injecting a bit of Christmas into any dish! I love how versatile pomegranate is, that it can be used with sweet or savoury meals and that flavour (which I think can only be described as a similar, lighter flavour as cranberry juice) that can complement anything. The only downside of the pomegranate is how to get the little juice-wrapped seeds out of the maze of pith and inedible membrane that holds the whole thing together. Well, never fear because I have the trick for you! You will need... 1 pomegranate 1 large bowl 1 knife and chopping board 1 rolling pin (yes. a rolling pin) Method... 1. Cut the pomegranate in half (I usually equate the pomegranate to expose more seeds) 2. Hold the pomegranate, cut side down, over the large bowl. You should do this over the sink, an...

Tips that I swear by... 1. Whenever making a large amount of something, whether it be zucchini slice , meatballs or fritters , always take a small spoonful out and fry it so you can taste if it needs extra seasoning before cooking the whole batch. 2. Season early. Whenever making sauces, braising or stewing, always season early on in the cooking process as this will help the flavour permeate through the dish. Having said that, salt leeches moisture out of everything, so always leave salting until just before the cooking process (exclude salt in marinades etc). 3. Less is more when it comes to salting foods, you only want enough salt to enhance the other flavours of the dish. You can always add more salt but it is quite tricky taking it back out again- although if you find a sauce or stew is a little bit too salty, try adding a peeled whole potato to the dish, this should absorb a little bit of the excess salt.

I thought I'd share this one today, something chefs do without thinking but people at home wouldn't normally do and it can save you time and money (as well as making things a bit more neat in your fridge and freezer) 1. Buy your meat in bulk. 2. Portion it out in serves that you would generally use (it's just me and Matt at home so we do portions of 2, with meat normally around the 200gr portion mark depending on what it is), into zip-lock bags or sandwich bags. 3. Use a permanent marker and write on either masking tape or on the bag- what it is, weight and date. That way when you dig through your freezer you know whats in there and how long it's been there, this works for almost anything- chicken, fish, sausages, bread, butter... Anything and everything.

When you make a  stock , refrigerate it overnight, then skim any excess fat off and strain it through a sieve again. Put it back on the stove, and bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook it until you have about 500ml of concentrated liquid left. Let it cool and pour it into ice cube trays and place in the freezer. Once frozen solid, remove and place into sandwich bags and label. Whenever you need stock for anything you can take out one cube and add it to 500ml of water to have instant homemade stock. Freezing in ice cube trays also works for leftover wine. If you don't finish off a bottle, pour the remainder into the trays, once frozen, place into freezer bags, and pull out a cube every time you need to cook with a bit of vino... http://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/how-to-deal-with-leftover-wine-for-anyone-who-wishes-they-were-a-drunkie-but-arent/

Time for another trick of the trade! Actually here's a couple that will help you out if you ever run into strife.... 1. Bug repellent: If you have trouble with Weevils (the tiny little bugs that breed in your flour container), place a bay leaf in the container as a natural deterrent. Or you can scatter a few bay leaves around your pantry. 2. Longer lasting herbs: Store any herbs upright in the fridge with their cut stems in water, like you would a bunch of flowers. Just cover well with a damp chux or cloth and glad wrap. 3. Need more juice: Roll your citrus fruits on the bench, pressing down firmly with the palm of your hand. If you want even more juice, warm them up slightly by microwaving them for 5 seconds. 4. Check if an eggs cooked: Spin an egg on its side, if it spins smoothly it's hard boiled, if if wobbles it's still raw. Hope these tips have been helpful... Until next time! Xx

After the first Tips and Tricks of the Trade rant I thought I'd keep this one a bit more simple... I've just had a peanut butter sandwich and I'm not so hangry so I can actually think straight and tell you some awesome sneaky tricks to keep your life in the kitchen a bit more efficient. So we already know we've gotta have our Mise En Place sorted out with all your equipment and ingredients ready to rock and roll... But now we need to know a little-known trick of how to use one of the most important ingredients in many recipes- DRIED SPICES. When spices are dried and put into a container for a while (several years in some cases!), the flavours sometimes can become a bit weak, but don't fret- they're just having a snooze. All you need to do to wake up that flavour is pop your spice in a clean, dry pan and heat it up a bit before using it. For example; if you're making a curry and have a whole heap of wonderful spices, put them all in the pan together an...

There's more to cooking then just throwing ingredients together, you need to be organised in the kitchen otherwise things are just going to fall apart. Cooking shouldn't be stressful unless you're serving an 18-course menu to 150 people all coming in at separate times, and really, even then if you're prepared it shouldn't feel like you're being raped by all those people simultaneously. I read this blog today and it gave me a really good laugh, not because of how funny she is but because I know where she's coming from. http://diaryofanapprentice.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/i-can-cook-better-than-you.html If you're a chef, married to a chef, have a chef in the family or have ever run into a chef on the street you'll know that we're an angry bunch and we hate it when people think they can waltz into a kitchen at home and do what we do. It's pretty unrealistic to think you're a Masterchef (and I really hate that term) when cooking is your h...