Category Archives: CHEF’S HELPER

Post Pandemic Alert Boil The Tofu

Post Pandemic Alert Boil The Tofu Firstly, STOP FREEZING THE TOFU – This is for distributors, stores, food service establishments and home use. Secondly, BOIL THE TOFU. My first instruction regarding the boil is that you shouldn’t have to boil the tofu.  But store staff evidently thinks animal-free means it can stay out at roomContinueContinue reading “Post Pandemic Alert Boil The Tofu”

Defining Al Dente

Tip for Sous-Chef: Dried pasta swells as it’s cooked in boiled water. The thicker the pasta, the longer you need to cook it. The thinner the pasta, the shorter you need to cook it. al Dente literally means ‘to the tooth’, perfect is what they mean plus firmer than softer but where you can still sink theContinueContinue reading “Defining Al Dente”

Cutting A Sandwich Without Squishing The Insides Out

Cutting A Sandwich Without Squishing The Insides Out It may not always work, especially if it’s a mile high sandwich, in which case you don’t cut the sandwich. Otherwise… Mayo based salads squish out the most when cutting a sandwich. Second up is the grilled cheese and deli meat or roasted peppers. Third is piledContinueContinue reading “Cutting A Sandwich Without Squishing The Insides Out”

What Is Slurry?

slurry noun – a semiliquid mixture, typically of fine particles of manure, cement, or coal suspended in water.”clay slurry” Just so you know, that’s not what we’re doing here – mixing cement or manure!! What is slurry in cooking? A slurry- is a combination of starch (usually cornstarch, flour, potato starch or arrowroot) and cold water which is mixedContinueContinue reading “What Is Slurry?”

Peeling Whole Garlic Bulb

Peeling Whole Garlic Bulb 1- Cut off the tip end of the bulb and discard. If you can separate all the cloves at that point, do it. 2- If not, cut off the bottom a little into the base of the cloves. The bottom is tough, so be careful. 3- Separate the cloves and peelContinueContinue reading “Peeling Whole Garlic Bulb”

Shredding Margarine Sticks

Shredding Margarine Sticks When baking with flours, and using a whole stick or even a half stick margarine, it’s a whole lot easier to chill the stick, then shred it over large holes of a hand-held grater, when mixing it into dry ingredients. It saves time plus allows for a more even distribution of theContinueContinue reading “Shredding Margarine Sticks”

Pickled Orange Rind Sticks

Pickled Orange Rind The last time I made orange rind strips I did so for drying purposes. When dried I packed them up, stored them at room temperature and saved them for future use. They were good and, in a liquid, reconstituted to a nice chew. Steve brought a few big oranges home last weekContinueContinue reading “Pickled Orange Rind Sticks”

KITCHEN BUTLER DIY

Apartment living is tough enough, but when you use your living space as your work space plus you’re a home chef, making room for even the necessities becomes a challenge. I solved my lack of space for pots and skillets by buying a wooden stool and large nails with large heads. Then I pounded themContinueContinue reading “KITCHEN BUTLER DIY”

RE: Preparation Times For Recipes

It takes a lot longer to develop a recipe than it does to replicate a recipe. For that reason the prep times are not given. To estimate the time for each procedure after the fact would not be accurate enough for my tastes. The number of ingredients aren’t necessarily an indicator of preparation time.  

TASTE THE BLOOD

SMOKED PAPRIKA is the key ingredient added to animal-free recipes tasting of blood. Other additives that enhance the smoked paprika thus the blood taste are garlic powder, dry mustard, turmeric and sea salt. ~ Sharon Lee Davies-Tight AFC BLOOD RED ITALIAN SAUSAGE BURGER©

Simmering With Lids

When putting a lid on any sauce that’s going to simmer for a while, occasionally take a peek beneath the lid to make sure it isn’t boiling rapidly. Sauces tend to do that when you’re not looking. If the burner is on the lowest setting and it’s still boiling rapidly, which happens sometimes, especially withContinueContinue reading “Simmering With Lids”

Softening Up Non-Dairy Ice-Cream

My freezer temperature has only one setting that has no bearing on anything else. If the refrigerator is plugged in, no matter the setting for the refrigerator part, the freezer acts the same way – like a blast of cold arctic air. We never have to worry about waiting for ice. It’s not just thatContinueContinue reading “Softening Up Non-Dairy Ice-Cream”

Discoloration Prevention

This is an easy one. Tired of seeing your apple cubes and banana slices turn brown right before your eyes, before you’ve hardly finished cutting them? Here’s a solution that works. Combine the juice of 1-2 oranges (fresh) in bowl with a strong sprinkling of turmeric. Stir to dissolve. Then as you cut the fruit,ContinueContinue reading “Discoloration Prevention”

Specialty Salts

Now that I’ve experienced them I’m always going to have them in my pantry, that is, as long as I can afford these high priced salts. The two I’m talking about here are pink Himalayan salt and Celtic salt. I don’t really have a favorite, but I definitely use more of the pink, probably becauseContinueContinue reading “Specialty Salts”

Salmonella and Milk In The Wine

Did you know that many wine companies use egg whites and/or potassium caseinate (an animal milk protein) to purify their wines? They discovered years ago that unwanted particles in the wine would stick to these substances when added to the wine, making the removal of them easier, leaving a pure and clarified product. You probablyContinueContinue reading “Salmonella and Milk In The Wine”

The X-MAS TREE effect in plate presentation

When a chef is critiquing a plate of food one of the things they look for is color – all the major food colors. You get so accustomed to that x-mas tree of colors on your plate, that if one is missing you go into x-mas tree withdrawal. Oh my God, I lost the  cookingContinueContinue reading “The X-MAS TREE effect in plate presentation”

FENNEL SEED – the perfect plant meat spice

It’s not the same as star anise. It’s close, or should I say star anise is close to fennel seed – a cousin, seems like the same DNA, but is it really? I mean, do I really want to be putting licorice into my savory sauces? That’s what star anise is, basically, the taste ofContinueContinue reading “FENNEL SEED – the perfect plant meat spice”

WASH BEFORE YOU ZEST

If you don’t wash your oranges and lemons before zesting them, and by wash I mean a thorough rub under running water, then you’re feeding your customers poisons through pesticides. Nobody wants neurotoxins served up on their savory and sweet dishes.  

GARLIC: POWDER vs GRANULATED

Garlic powder textures like cornstarch. Granulated garlic textures like salt, but doesn’t melt or dissolve. The finer the granulation, the better. Shop around. Most markets now carry only the granulated, yet label it as garlic powder. Ninety-nine percent of the time I use granulated labeled as powder. I know it’s confusing, but that’s what manufacturersContinueContinue reading “GARLIC: POWDER vs GRANULATED”

MINOR’S MUSHROOM BASE

I buy Minor’s Mushroom Base at Gordon’s Food Store. It can also be purchased online at amazon.com and elsewhere. It’s a great product that enhances the mushroom flavor of whatever dish you use it in. It’s salty, because it’s highly concentrated, so you don’t need much. It’s also gluten-free.  

GRILLING VEG CHEESE SANDWICHES

Before grilling veg cheeses in a sandwich, always bring cheese to room temperature before assembling and grilling. The cheese will melt quicker. http://chefdavies-tight.com/2016/01/04/potato-bread-quesadilla/  

USING FRESH TURMERIC

FRESH TURMERIC Lots of people are using fresh turmeric these days. Just as with fresh ginger vs powdered ginger, the benefits of fresh turmeric vs powdered are essentially the same. But if you worry that the powdered isn’t organic and/or you just want the taste of fresh, then buy fresh. The first time I hadContinueContinue reading “USING FRESH TURMERIC”

NEW RICE POLICY

Since reading about high arsenic levels in rice, particularly brown rice, I now rinse all bagged rice till water runs clear before cooking it. Place dried rice in wire mesh strainer. Run faucet water over rice, while holding the strainer over a saucepan, emptying pan as needed, till the water runs clear into the pan.ContinueContinue reading “NEW RICE POLICY”

TASTING

TASTING. Taste and/or smell each ingredient before you add it to a dish, then taste and smell the dish to which you’ve added it, so that you become familiar with the way in which the flavor, texture, color and aroma achievements progress. Cooking is not only an art, but a science as well. Knowing how oneContinueContinue reading “TASTING”

SIMMERING

SIMMERING generally means to cook just at or below the boiling point. When it makes a significant difference, you will be instructed as to the precise level required for any given recipe. For instance, we can simmer at a slow boil, just barely at the boiling point or just below the boiling point. If we needContinueContinue reading “SIMMERING”

SCALLIONS

SCALLIONS. Just because you have scallion in the refrigerator doesn’t mean you should garnish every dish with it. However, if you really like scallion with everything, then try varying the cut: some tiny, thin rings, some sliced the long way into 2 inch long matchstick width or smaller. Try frying up thick round disks of theContinueContinue reading “SCALLIONS”

SALT

SALT. There’s a difference between Morton’s (or similar) table salt and sea salt. To achieve the same salt taste, it takes a little more sea salt. You be the judge, since there are also differences among sea salts. Re: Kosher salt–the rock kind. All the chefs on the food network use it. I’ve tried it, and don’tContinueContinue reading “SALT”

PLATE PRESENTATION

PLATE PRESENTATION. How does your plate look after you’ve arranged your food on it? Garnishing illuminates a dish, but be sure that you want what’s on your plate illuminated. Food piled or thrown on like slop gives an undesirable appearance; and appearances do count. No matter what you’re serving, arrange it on the plate in aContinueContinue reading “PLATE PRESENTATION”

PASTA

PASTA. Cooking pasta need not require oil added to the water. It’s more important that you use lots of water, and the pasta is stirred continuously from the time of insertion until past the initial melting stage (when the starch softens and individual pastas tend to stick together). Beyond this and in the presence of aContinueContinue reading “PASTA”

ORDER IN WHICH EACH DISH IS SERVED

ORDER IN WHICH EACH DISH IS SERVED. In some meals the order in which each dish is served is critical to the enjoyment of each dish. In other meals the order makes no difference whatsoever.  In this collection, I have noted when it does make a difference. For instance, some salads work best within theContinueContinue reading “ORDER IN WHICH EACH DISH IS SERVED”

ONIONS

ONIONS. When onions are called for in a recipe, if it doesn’t specify the type, then use any type you like. However, when it does specify, then those recommended have been found to work the best in that recipe. Sweet vs hot: When sweet onions are called for in a recipe, it refers to large Spanish yellowContinueContinue reading “ONIONS”

OLIVE OILS

OLIVE OILS range in flavor from very mild to clearly distinct, with mild dishes generally requiring a mild oil, and spicy dishes a more flavorful one. But experiment with different varieties and combinations to discover your own preferences. In Italy, olive oils are graded according to their pressing and acidity level. The first pressing, if doneContinueContinue reading “OLIVE OILS”

NON-DAIRY LIQUID CREAMER

NON-DAIRY LIQUID CREAMER. I use non-dairy liquid creamer freely in my kitchen. It is a superb product, tasting much like real cream. Depending upon where you live in the country, brand names will vary. Locate in the dairy section of the market. Much to my dismay, this product is no longer available in Cleveland, Ohio. ThereContinueContinue reading “NON-DAIRY LIQUID CREAMER”

ALTERING RECIPES

ALTERING RECIPES. There are two common temptations to alter a recipe. First: If we have a little bit extra of an ingredient we’ll add it to the dish rather than discard or store it. Please don’t add a little extra of anything no matter what the reason. Freeze it, store it, dump it. Do anything butContinueContinue reading “ALTERING RECIPES”

LIQUID SMOKE

LIQUID SMOKE. Liquid smoke is one of an animal-free chef’s greatest friends. Use to add a rich smoky dimension to dips, spreads, salad dressings, soups, sauces, main dishes, even some desserts. Always keep on hand. Buy in small bottle in grocery store, or as I do now, a larger bottle from GFS (Gordon’s Food Store).

GUESTS

GUESTS. Since eating is one of the most important functions in life (eating is what keeps us alive), we approach it with a desire to make each experience – whether for 1 or 21 – the happiest and most healthful experience ever. Therefore everyone is treated as a guest – including family.  

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER. Sugar-coated dried ginger slices, also called candied ginger, are called for in some recipes. Purchase anywhere they sell dried fruits in containers usually packaged by the supermarket chains. It also makes a great snack food – good way to get the benefits of ginger in a tasty treat.  

COOKING SURFACE

COOKING SURFACE: When doubling or tripling a recipe, expect all the ingredients to take longer to cook. In large recipes the amount of ingredient surface exposed to direct heat is less than with smaller recipes where a greater percentage of  ingredient surface is exposed to the heat, thereby cooking the ingredients faster. Any time you haveContinueContinue reading “COOKING SURFACE”

GAS vs ELECTRIC STOVE

GAS vs ELECTRIC STOVE. Some of the recipes in this collection were developed on a gas stove, others on an electric stove. Low, medium or high can be precisely controlled on a gas stove, whereas on an electric stove it cannot, since it takes time for the element to either cool down or heat up. ThisContinueContinue reading “GAS vs ELECTRIC STOVE”

GARNISHING

GARNISHING is like lighting the candles on a cake. Such a simple gesture illuminates so brightly. You need not take special instruction to garnish effectively. Simple, colorful shapes make beautiful garnishes and can be made from nearly all fruits and vegetables: strips of pimento, green pepper, carrot, tomato or scallion placed over a dish; thinlyContinueContinue reading “GARNISHING”

GARLIC

GARLIC. Fresh garlic is most often the garlic of choice in these recipes. However, when convenience or cost is a factor, or when a smooth texture is desired we use powdered. You’ll note that sometimes fresh and powdered garlic are called for in one recipe. This is done for greater garlic flavor. We put the powderedContinueContinue reading “GARLIC”

FENNEL SEED

FENNEL SEED. Although occasionally in some locations, you’ll be able to locate ground fennel seed, in most instances you’ll have to grind it yourself. Do this with a mortar and pestle. Or, place seeds in a plastic bag and pound with a hammer till pulverized. Remove from bag and roll with a rolling-pin, repeatedly, using hardContinueContinue reading “FENNEL SEED”

CLEANING VEGETABLE GRATER

CLEANING VEGETABLE GRATER. To remove particles which have stuck in the holes of your grater, hold the grater under running water while you brush it with a toothbrush. Even when particles have dried on overnight, the toothbrush removes them with ease. Keep a clean toothbrush in your utility drawer.  

ROOM TEMPERATURE- what it means

BRINGING/WARMING TO ROOM TEMPERATURE. When reference is made to bringing a food to room temperature we are speaking of taking a cooled item and setting it on the counter till it reaches room temperature. When reference is made to warming to room temperature we mean removing a cooked item from the stove and warming it (whichContinueContinue reading “ROOM TEMPERATURE- what it means”

BREADS

BREADS. Read ingredient labels before purchasing all types of bread. Many breads contain animal products, usually in the form of non-fat milk solids, whey (sodium caseinate)butter, milk fat, eggs, or other animal fat. Hot dog and hamburger buns are the most difficult to find without one or more of these ingredients. However, they do exist, soContinueContinue reading “BREADS”

BRAND NAMES

BRAND NAMES. In a some of the recipes you’ll notice that I tell you what brand of a certain product I used. This is not done to promote one brand over another for personal gain. It is done to alert you to the quality and type of product, so that you can either use the sameContinueContinue reading “BRAND NAMES”

LID-TO-SKILLET DRY-FRY METHOD

LID-TO-SKILLET DRY-FRY METHOD Restaurants do it all the time. They place a food item on the flat-top and cover it completely with a lid that sits on the flat-top. Most often they use it to melt cheese on something quickly. It works. I melt the veggie cheese on my veggie burgers using this quick methodContinueContinue reading “LID-TO-SKILLET DRY-FRY METHOD”

DRIED BEANS: TIP FOR COOKING DRIED BEANS FROM SCRATCH

DRIED BEANS: TIP FOR COOKING DRIED BEANS FROM SCRATCH For years I didn’t make beans, except for split peas, chick peas and lentils, from scratch. The reason was that it took so long to cook them even when they were presoaked, and they never came out as nicely as the canned beans. It just wasn’tContinueContinue reading “DRIED BEANS: TIP FOR COOKING DRIED BEANS FROM SCRATCH”

TOFU CLOTH INSTRUCTIONS

For many recipes you’ll want to squeeze the liquid out of the block of tofu before using it in those recipes. For years I used paper towels. One day when out of paper towels, I cut a round out of a sheer white curtain that was quite a bit larger than the block of tofu.ContinueContinue reading “TOFU CLOTH INSTRUCTIONS”

MEASURING INGREDIENTS

MEASURING ACCURATELY The measured amount of each ingredient you put into a dish is directly related to the outcome of the dish. The reason we have measured recipes is because someone a long time ago discovered that so much of this and so much of that made a pleasing combination. They then wrote it downContinueContinue reading “MEASURING INGREDIENTS”