Latest news with #cooking
Times
an hour ago
- Health
- Times
Three quick spaghetti recipes
When you're looking to make supper in a hurry, there's nothing quite like a good plate of spaghetti. The sauce needn't be anything more complicated than a drizzle of olive oil with some fresh parsley, finely sliced garlic and a little chilli. Plus, of course, heaps of grated parmesan. To get more creative, you can make a decent pasta sauce out of pretty much anything: toss in a tin of tuna and add some olive oil, black olives and chunks of fresh, juicy tomato; or black olives, olive oil and salty capers. For something richer, melt a hunk of gorgonzola (or whatever other cheese you like) with a generous splash of cream over a gentle heat and drizzle it over the pasta so it's swimming in thick, creamy cheesy sauce. The trick to good spaghetti — as with any pasta — is to cook it in very salty water and until al dente: typically that means cooking for less time than it says on the packet, so taste as you go. When you drain the spaghetti, save half a cup or so of the salted cooking water to mix in with the pasta and the sauce: the starch in the water will thicken the sauce to help give it that delectably creamy texture. Spaghetti with leeks, broad beans and courgettes I love all the greens here — the mix of sautéed almost-sweet leeks, the buttery beans and the delicate courgettes. You could swap the veggies: add some frozen petits pois (just toss them in with the broad beans) or thinly sliced fennel, which you can fry in the pan with the leeks and courgettes. For even more flavour, think about tossing in some fresh mint, basil, parsley or finely chopped dill. Serves 4 Ingredients • 130g frozen broad beans • 400g spaghetti • 4 tbsp olive oil • 2 leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced (roughly 220g) • 150g courgettes, diced Method 1. Bring a large pan of well- salted water to the boil. When the water begins to gallop, add the broad beans and simmer for 2-3 min until they float to the surface. Then use a slotted spoon to lift them out of the water and set aside. 2. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook al dente as per the packet instructions. 3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan. Add the leeks and courgettes, then sauté over a high heat for 2-3 min, until the leeks almost look translucent and the courgettes are nicely coloured. 4. Add the blanched broad beans to the pan together with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook for 1-2 min to bring all the flavours together. 5. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving a little of the cooking water, and toss the spaghetti into the pan together with the vegetables and water. Give everything a good stir to combine the ingredients, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and serve immediately. Spaghetti with fennel, anchovies and black olives SKYE MCALPINE This has a mix of subtle, sweet flavours from the fennel and mint, with punchy, moreish saltiness from the melted anchovies and pungent olives. You could add some torn fresh basil leaves or a little parsley for a more minerally flavour. Serves 4 Ingredients • 400g spaghetti • 2 medium fennel bulbs (roughly 500g) • 4 tbsp olive oil • 10-12 anchovy fillets • 100g black olives, pitted and roughly torn • A small bunch of fresh mint Method 1. Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil. When it begins to gallop, add the spaghetti and cook al dente, as per the packet instructions. 2. Trim the fennel bulbs, reserving the fronds for garnish, and slice thinly. 3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan, add the anchovies and fry over a medium-high heat for 1-2 min, until the little fillets have broken down and largely melted into the oil. 4. Add the fennel and fry gently over a medium heat for 4-5 min, until softened and almost translucent. 5. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving a ladleful of the cooking water. Toss the pasta together with the cooking water and the torn black olives into the pan with the fennel. Give it all a good stir to combine the ingredients. 6. Top with a few torn fresh mint leaves and the raw fennel fronds, then serve immediately. Spaghetti alla poverella SKYE MCALPINE You can and should make this sauce in advance so the flavours have time to intermingle and intensify. Once you have your sauce, toss it through the pasta and serve either warm or at room temperature. And if you have any sauce left over, spoon it onto toasted crusty bread for the most delicious bruschetta. Serves 4 Ingredients • 600g baby tomatoes, quartered • 150g flame-roasted peppers from a jar, sliced into thin strips • 1 large celery stick (roughly 80g), thinly sliced • 1 tbsp capers, rinsed • A small bunch of fresh basil, coarsely chopped • 4 tbsp olive oil • 400g spaghetti Method 1. Combine the tomatoes, peppers, celery, capers and basil in a bowl. Add the olive oil and a generous grinding of black pepper, then rest (not in the fridge) overnight or for a couple of hours. 2. Bring a large pan of well- salted water to the boil. When the water begins to gallop, add the spaghetti and cook al dente as per the packet instructions. Drain the pasta in a colander, toss with the sauce, season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE You've been BBQing all wrong! Experts reveal the biggest grilling mistakes you might be making - and how to fix them in time for summer
With June upon us, the sun is finally shining throughout the UK and people are lighting up the BBQ for grilled feast in the garden. But many will end up with soggy sausages and overcooked burgers after dusting off their barbies. Speaking to Femail, barbecue experts have revealed the best way to keep things from going wrong - and the most common mistakes that get made. Marcus Bawdon of the UK BBQ School, told Femail, the biggest error Brits make when manning the grill is cooking food at the wrong temperature. Marcus, who has been teaching people how to barbecue better for more than 10 years, explained that most people cook food at either too high a temperature - leading to burnt meat - or too low, which can leave it undercooked. Only using direct heat to cook can also result in a bad BBQ, he added. Instead, Marcus recommended using a BBQ lid that 'allows you to cook slowly indirectly', as well as investing in a digital thermometer for meat. 'Probe types are a necessity for ensuring food is cooked properly.' We should also be paying more attention to the type of charcoal we use, as cheap coals and disposable BBQs won't last as long and can leave a chemical taste in your food Meanwhile, BBQ expert Hilary Anderson of BBQlads said that not cleaning your grill before using it is a common mistake that can ruin how your food looks and tastes. 'You should always clean your grill thoroughly before using it - preferably as soon as it's cooled down from the previous use,' he said. 'Leftover bits of charred food will affect the flavour of your food and can leave it caked with unattractive residue - and all that blackened gunk is very unhealthy. 'There are numerous grill-cleaning implements and systems available, or you can simply scrape large pieces of food with a spatula or knife, then clean the grill with a kitchen scrub pad. 'Alternatively, wad aluminium foil into a rough ball and use that to scrub.' Both Marcus and Hilary, who will be cooking and sharing their BBQ expertise at Smoke and Fire Festival this year, also agreed that not enough people pay attention to their fuel when cooking outdoors. 'Using poor quality charcoal catches a lot of people out,' Marcus shared. 'Think of charcoal as an ingredient and use the best quality, not instant lighting or disposable BBQs. 'You only need a couple of handfuls of good quality charcoal on most BBQs and this will last hours of cooking time.' Some people may be tempted to use charcoal lighting fluid to get their charcoals going, but Hilary said this can impart a 'chemical flavour' to your food. 'The most efficient way to light coals or hardwood charcoal is in a charcoal chimney,' he added. 'Fill the top with coals or wood, stuff crumpled newspaper in the bottom, and light the newspaper; the flames will rise up into the briquettes or wood and ignite them. When everything has started to glow, the fuel is ready to be used.' If you're using a gas grill, make sure you check the propane levels to ensure you have a good supply of fuel before you start to cook. 'Nothing's more annoying (or embarrassing) than having to bring those burgers or chicken breasts into the kitchen to finish on the stove when everyone has been anticipating that outdoorsy taste,' he finished. Once you're ready to actually start cooking, you might think it's fine to load up the grill with burgers, hot dogs, steaks, corn on the cob, peppers, and anything else you fancy - however, it's a mistake to overcrowd the grill, according to Leyli Homayoonfar and Rebecca Goad, the founders of Bab Haus. Leyli and Rebecca, who will be cooking up a storm at the foodie's favourite BBQ festival Meatopia this year, warn against trying to cook everything at once. 'Different foods take different amounts of time to cook, and you risk overcooking or undercooking things this way. 'Cook meats separately from vegetables, allowing space between items to help regulate airflow,' they advised. 'We'd recommend grilling meat first so it can be set aside to rest and wrapped to keep warm. Crank up the barbecue for the veggies.' Speaking of airflow, Leyli and Rebecca also emphasised the importance of managing the air vent on your BBQ set to adjust the heat of the fire. 'Not choking the fire (reducing oxygen supply or letting it burn too hot, too fast) results in food not being cooked properly,' they revealed. 'Understanding airflow helps regulate temperature. For example, if the air vent is open fully, you're allowing the maximum amount of oxygen to the fire. 'This will increase the temperature and the speed at which the coals burn. It's good to start a barbecue like this, and then close [the air vent] to maintain a steady heat.' When choosing what to cook, Leyli and Rebecca recommended experimenting with cheaper cuts of meat and vegetables to help build your confidence as you improve your grilling. 'Don't start with expensive cuts of meat or fish,' they continued, recalling some of their own early BBQ mistakes. '[Using cheaper cuts will] help with understanding the fire and coals, and how to control the temperature.' Hilary added that while a huge number of foods can be cooked on a grill, not everything works well with this method. 'Avoid flaky fish, tough meat cuts like short ribs or veal shanks (they're better in a stew pot or slow cooker), watery or leafy vegetables (cucumber, spinach), and fibrous vegetables (okra, celery).' What if you've gone all out and got some really expensive cut of wagyu beef steaks, though? You might think they'd be perfect for a BBQ - but Hilary is vetoing that idea. 'They have very high fat content, and the fat will leak out, catch on fire, and incinerate the meat,' he explained. Instead, cook wagyu beef in a pan and save the fat that renders out of the meat. 'It's great for sauteing potatoes and other vegetables,' Hilary added. Expert reveals the common mistakes everyone makes grilling - including not cooking vegetables first and forgetting to marinate the meat Pitt master Mursal Saiq and owner of Cue Point in Londn's Brick Lane said... DON'T FORGET TO MARINATE 'Marinating is a big part of BBQ – but you can take it too far, with over-seasoning, brining and rubbing. 'There is nothing wrong with creating a dry rub and putting it onto the meat, fish or veggies, straight onto the BBQ. 'We believe you do need to marinate white meat, but beef can just be cooked with a bit of herby salt and comes out just as moist and flavoursome. 'Lamb on the other hand, because it's more gamey, really benefits from a good marinade. PREPERATION IS KEY 'Get your trays, tongs and tea towels all ready to the side of the BBQ so you're ready to serve up. Preferably with a cold glass of something nearby. KEEP YOUR FIRE UNDER CONTROL 'Burn marks do not mean that the food is cooked! 'A lot of people assume that you can only cook on white charcoal, but you can cook slowly using less charcoal making sure not to overload your barbecue, slow cook on black coals rather than searing hot white coals, ensuring that meat in particular is cooked from within and throughout. DON'T LEAVE YOUR MEAT ON THE GRILL WHEN IT'S GONE OFF 'Picture the scene: you've got a BBQ in the garden or park, the fire's gone out a bit, so you fan the coals with a bit of cardboard and before you know it the ashes have gone all over the food, into the drinks and all over your clothes. Don't be lazy! 'Take the time to remove the food from the barbie, ask everyone to move out of the way and get fanning in a safe way. ALWAYS WEAR AN APRON 'BBQ-ing can be a mucky business: they're never totally clean when you start, so get it hot then invest in a really good BBQ cleaning brush and give it a rub down. 'If you're really organised, you can clean it after your BBQ too! BUY A THERMOMETER 'BBQ really is a scientific process and people don't realise that! 'Meat acts in different ways, and in different conditions. Just because you've always cooked thing a certain way doesn't mean it's going to come out the same way each time. 'Darker meats that we smoke, such as brisket, should come out at around the 88°-92° degree level. 'This works for any meat that you want to melt in the mouth. 'Steaks would be around the 55° degree mark level, so that they come out juicy and gorgeous. COOK YOUR VEGETABLES BEFORE THE MEAT 'Sounds simple – but another people always forget. 'Always cook your vegetables before the meat, so the veggies can eat it without a load of meat juice being all over it! 'And don't be afraid to par boil veggies, so they don't come out stringy or hard. This works particularly well with corn on the cob, beetroot and asparagus. Veggies can often do well wrapped in tin foil. DISPOSE OF YOUR BBQ IN A METAL BUCJET 'You need to think about where you place your BBQ. 'Don't put it right by your rose bush as the heat and ash will ruin it. 'Buy yourself a metal ice bucket, stick some water in there and then put the charcoal in it so you can dispose of it safely.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
People are only just realising what the metal part on the handles of scissors is for
A man has been left 'mind blown' after discovering what the middle metal part of scissors are used for. Taking to Reddit, on a thread called 'Does Anyone Know?' the anonymous user shared a picture of a pair of scissors and asked: 'Does anyone know what this part of the scissors is for?' Hundreds of people then replied saying they are known as 'kitchen shears' and have multiple purposes. Tasks that the shears can help with include using scissors to crack nuts and open bottle tops. Taking to the comment section, one user replied, writing: 'I always thought they [were for] nutcrackers.' Another person said: 'I also thought this but now I'm going to try everything everyone suggests it is. I'm invested.' However, another chimed in and said they use the section to split open lobster and crab claws. 'They are great for cracking lobster claws,' they said. A different user added that the section can also be used like teeth to open bottles and jars by latching the section onto the top of the lid and twisting it. They wrote: 'For taking off tight bottle caps, just put it around the cap and squeeze - the teeth will bite into grip while the scissors give you more leverage to turn.' Elsewhere, a cook responded to the forum and said kitchen shears can be used to remove bones from slices of meat. They commented: 'I'm a chef and they are meant for taking the bones out of the meat. People say they're nutcrackers, but you grab the meat you put the bone in between those metal things, twist and pull the bone out.' A fifth person added their thoughts: 'It's sometimes called the "bone-notch" or the "serration-grip". 'They're generally multi-purpose, and most have been covered in the other comments, but to summarise, they can be used for cracking nuts, gripping or breaking meat bones, opening bottles, and removing raised wine corks.' However, others claim its use is for cutting fresh herbs, making them easier to incorporate into dishes. 'Everyone is saying bottle opener or nutcracker when I assumed it was for stripping herbs,' another said, adding, 'The more you know.' Elsewhere, a different user said the section shouldn't just be used to open cork wine bottles but also for screw tops, once again proving its versatility. 'Opening screw top bottles that are too tight to open by hand,' another Redditor added. It comes after fast food lovers have been shocked to discover that the vinegar served at chippies is not, in fact, vinegar. The majority of chip shops don't use real vinegar, and instead use a cheaper alternative. This cheaper version of the condiment, called a 'non-brewed condiment', is made from acetic acid, water and colouring. While it may have the delicious flavour of its authentic counterpart, legally it cannot be called vinegar as it isn't brewed from alcohol. Not only is non-brewed condiment cheaper to make than real vinegar, it is also much quicker to make - and it has a longer shelf life. And those who totally cut out alcohol from their diet can enjoy the alternative made from acetic acid, water and colouring - for example, those following a halal diet. In addition it is usually gluten-free, unlike malt vinegar, which coeliacs and those with an intolerance have to avoid. Chippies are able to buy a concentrated form of the condiment, which can then be diluted with water, before it is liberally splashed on delicious, hot piles of fried potatoes. When LadBible shared an Instagram post revealing this vinegar news, people took to the comments section to share their thoughts. Many were unconcerned about the provenance of the condiment, with one writing: 'Sorry but chippy "vinegar" is the best, even if my whole life has been a lie.'
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Meghan Markle Shares Her Hack for Cutting Pineapple in Deleted Scene From 'With Love, Meghan'
On Friday, May 30, Meghan Markle posted a brief clip from a deleted scene of her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan In the clip, she's joined by wellness therapist Randi Karin as they cut fruit together The Duchess of Sussex offers offers an easy trick for how to cut pineapple into the perfect biteMeghan Markle is sharing a deleted scene from her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. On Friday, May 30, the Duchess of Sussex posted an Instagram video demonstrating a kitchen hack she learned and wanted to share with her audience. 'You know a trick a lot of people do with pineapple, instead of just cutting it?," she asked, before demonstrating how to cut along the diagonal lines of a pineapple. "To make the perfect little bite, you follow the wedge." 'When nature has given you all the cues on how to have a perfect taste of something,' she said as she popped a piece of her freshly cut pineapple into her mouth. 'How fun is that. I love it,' With Love, Meghan guest Randi Karin said. The wellness therapist then tried it out herself and said, 'Alright, is this going to work?' Karin's use of Meghan's trick worked perfectly, and she was able to pop out a piece just like the Duchess of Sussex. Meghan captioned the post by explaining how the clip was from a deleted scene. 'There was so much goodness on Season 1 of 'With Love, Meghan' on @netflix that didn't make it in, there just wasn't enough time!," Meghan wrote. "This scene with sweet Randi Karin (@soulrefugespa) is especially fun as you think about summer entertaining tips and tricks.' 'Great weekend to rewatch or catch up on the show as we gear up for Season 2 this summer and all the fun to come with @aseverofficial," she continued. With Love, Meghan was the Duchess of Sussex's first solo hosting project for Netflix and topped the streamer's viewership charts following its March 4 premiere. Three days after its premiere, PEOPLE exclusively revealed that it will return for a second season on Netflix this fall. The second season has already been filmed and sees Michael Steed return as director for the show Meghan tells PEOPLE is a "love letter" to her favorite things. "The series is about doing what you can do," Meghan told PEOPLE, "and doing it with love." Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Meghan revealed that chef José Andrés will be a guest on the second season of her series, at the TIME100 Summit in New York City on Wednesday, April 23. A few weeks later, PEOPLE confirmed that Chrissy Teigen will also join the Duchess of Sussex in a future episode. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
THE CANNY COOK: Runner beans with parmesan pangrattato
Have you noticed how breadcrumbs have had a glow-up? They've come a long way from the brown, sandy crumbs I knew as a kid. A few years ago we discovered Japanese panko breadcrumbs, spiky shards that are brilliant for coating meat and fish. Now we can't get enough of pangrattato, which I see more and more on restaurant menus. Pangrattato, which means 'grated bread' in Italian, is usually the stale ends that have been whizzed or broken up into crumbs then fried in olive oil and garlic. Other seasonings, like chopped herbs, chilli flakes or lemon zest, can be added. Even in its simplest incarnation, pangrattato is golden, salty and crunchy: a superb textural condiment to garnish vegetables, fish and meat. In rural Italian cuisine, it is sometimes called 'poor man's parmesan', sprinkled over pasta, risotto and soup as an affordable alternative to cheese – a good example of the tradition for avoiding food waste. (It's also handy if you're cooking for vegans.) In addition, it's a great way to accessorise green veg. In this week's recipe, I've added parmesan and lemon zest to the crumbs for an extra hit of umami flavour and scattered them over runner beans, an underrated vegetable that's in season now. METHOD For the pangrattato, remove and discard any crusts from the stale bread, then pulse to coarse breadcrumbs in a food processor. Heat 1½ tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Finely grate or crush 1 garlic clove and fry for a minute until fragrant. Tip in the breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt and fry, stirring regularly, until golden (3-5 minutes). Meanwhile, trim the beans and slice thinly on the diagonal. Tip the pangrattato into a bowl and toss in the zest of ½ lemon and the grated parmesan. Wipe out the pan, add 1 tbsp oil and turn the heat to medium-high. Fry the beans with a large pinch of salt for 7-8 minutes until tender. Squeeze in a little lemon juice, then take off the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Scatter with the pangrattato (you may not need it all) and serve. Any leftover pangrattato can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. *This cost assumes you already have some basic store-cupboard ingredients. prices taken from aldi and correct at time of going to press.
