Kitchen Basics - Flurries of Flour

Choosing Summer Berries at the Store

07/02/2016 by RSGallegos

So this is my second blog in my summer ’16 dessert series (the first was the homemade horchata popsicles). I don’t know about you, but most of my summer desserts contain, or are piled high with, or dumped over, fresh summer berries! I wait all winter, and most of spring, for those bright, juicy, tender, and sweet summer berries to start appearing at the store. Maybe it’s mental, but there is something so… summery about biting into a strawberry you know is fresh and in-season. It’s corny, but the thought that it tastes like sunshine has occurred to me (I know, I know. I’m a writer. I can wax too poetical, sometimes…)

Anyway, first things first: how to choose berries at the store. Summer desserts just aren’t the same with sub-par, tasteless berries. I covered the basics, along with what to look for when shopping for other summer fruits in last year’s summer produce blog, but I’m sharing a few more tips that I use for finding the juiciest, sweetest, and freshest berries in the grocery stores.

Bright, juicy, sweet summer berries are easy to spot when you know how!

Yes, I realize they look frozen. That’s because they are. I froze them last week after buying them at the store. This week when I went to buy them, the berries just didn’t look very good.

A note: These aren’t full-proof—they work most of the time. But, more often than not, they work when berries are in season.

Look for Deep Color

While not an indicator of taste and freshness 100% of the time (I’ve been very disappointed on that account…), deep color can usually tell you whether a bunch of berries are ripe, juicy, and tasty. Look for deeply crimson raspberries, deeply red and shiny strawberries, shiny, almost black raspberries, and deeply blue blueberries.

The colors will deepen as the fruit gets older, but your eye will probably notice a difference between old berries and fresh, ripe berries. You’ll probably also notice some wrinkling, soft spots, or dullness.

Smell the Berries

Have you ever been walking through the produce section of your grocery store and stopped because a sweet, summer smell made you stop in your tracks as you passed the strawberries? Fresh, ripe berries smell like they’re supposed to—you can smell the sweet perfume of ripe summer strawberries and the earthier, slightly sharp aroma of raspberries. Underripe, out-of-season berries usually don’t smell like much.

Take a Close Look at the Carton

This takes a combination of your senses and the tips above. Before you put it in your cart, look at the carton: what do they smell like? Can you see any mold, dark spots, or soft spots? Do the berries look bright and fresh or wrinkly and old? What is the color like?

Your senses will do a good job at telling you what’s good and what’s not a majority of the time.

Ask for Delivery Date

Stores receive deliveries of certain items on certain days of the week, so ask if they know when their deliveries come in and specifically when the berries come in. There’s a better chance of getting fresh berries if you go in that day!

Know Seasons

Just like all veggies and fruit, berries all have their seasons, and in-season berries are often the most flavorful and juicy. Knowing which berries are in season when will help you know what to look for at the store. You can find more about seasons for specific berries on the blog about summer produce!

So those are the guides I use to find the best berries during the summer. Admittedly, it doesn’t work all the time, as I said above—there are always a few trips to the store that end with a disappointing carton of berries that *looked* perfect, but turn out to be duds. But! More often than not, I’ll end up with those amazing, sweet, juicy, brightly flavorful berries that I start eating in the car on the way home (which is why I usually buy two cartons…).

What’s your favorite type of berry? Tell me in the comments below!

‘Till next time!

How To: Make a Double Boiler

05/20/2016 by RSGallegos

So I’ve used double boilers several times on this blog (like the chocolate ganache blog).Though a double boiler is a specialty item that can be super expensive, there are times when you really do need one to get a certain dish to turn out well. Thankfully, you don’t need to buy something will take up space—all you need you probably have in your kitchen already!

On another note, I’ve had to retype the word “boiler” every time it’s appeared so far because I keep spelling it “boilder”.

Anyway…

When to Use a Double Boiler

First, what is a double boiler? A double boiler is, basically, a pot on top of another pot. So what’s the point? A double boiler allows you to cook food gently over indirect heat. It works like this:

Place about an inch of water in the bottom pot and turn the heat on medium-low/low so the water begins to simmer
Place the second pot on top of the first pot, making sure it doesn’t touch the water
Cook the food in the top pot

The heat source doesn’t touch the bottom of the top pot, which is called indirect heating. It’s the simmering water and steam in the bottom pot that creates just enough heat to gently cook the food in the top pot.

So, going back, what’s the point? Certain foods need to be gently heated, otherwise it may burn, curdle, or cook too quickly. This is true for melting chocolate for tempering and delicate egg-based dishes like sabayon. There are even some people who use a double boiler to make fluffy, creamy scrambled eggs.

Making a Double Boiler at Home

Making a double boiler at home is pretty simple. You’ll need a pot for the bottom, something with higher sides like this:

And either another bowl or another pot that is similar to the shape of the bottom pot, like this:

To be fair, the top won’t be as steady as an already-made boiler you will buy at the store. However, I usually don’t have a problem with it. If the top pot/bowl does move a bit, just have to be careful about holding the top bowl with a heat-safe something (like an oven mitt). Also, watch out for steam that may come out of the sides.

Tips for Using a Double Boiler

A few tips for using a home-made double boiler, learned from experience:

Make sure the top and bottom pots are as close to the same size as possible so the top pot fits snugly without falling too close to the water
Use only about an inch to two inches of water and, if you’ve been cooking for a while, check to make sure the water hasn’t evaporated completely
As I said above, watch out for movement and steam when you’re using a bowl. When you stir, the bowl will move, so I usually use an oven mitt to protect my hand from the hot bowl and my wrist from steam.
Make sure your water is simmering, not boiling. You want low heat to ensure the water stays as a simmer and doesn’t get too hot. Start at low to medium-low heat.

So, next time you see a recipe that calls for a double boiler, don’t skip it! Just make your own at home!

Some delicious recipes are coming your way soon, too—I’m excited for summer and all the fresh produce!

‘Till next time!

5 Ideas for Old Bananas (Besides Banana Bread)

04/01/2016 by RSGallegos

I have a couple of old, black bananas sitting in my fruit basket right now. I also hate throwing food away if I don’t have to. And, finally, as much as I love it, I can’t always make banana bread. So, over the years, I’ve come up with a few ways to use old bananas (that aren’t banana bread) when I just don’t want to eat them anymore.

1. Freeze Them

Freezing ripe bananas is one of the best ways to use them. I take them out of their peel, slice them up, and put them in a bag. Once frozen, they last for 4 to 6 months. They’re especially good in smoothies, but you can also defrost them and use them for baking, for chocolate-dipped banana bites, or for any of the ideas below:

2. Make “Ice Cream”

There are dozens and dozens of recipes out there for banana “ice cream”, and most of them are super easy. It’s a gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free sweet treat that is pretty good at relieving any cravings I have without adding a heaping of guilt.

3. Make Oatmeal

Not only is this a natural way to sweeten oatmeal, it tastes really good. Mash the ripe banana into the bottom of a pot until it’s completely mashed, then cook the oatmeal like you would normally (although you may need slightly less liquid), stirring to make sure everything is incorporated. It’s banana oatmeal!

If you want, you can add peanut butter, chocolate chips, crushed macadamia nuts, walnuts (think banana bread oatmeal…)… it’s up to your imagination!

4. Make a Smoothie

I do not like to eat old, mushy bananas. They actually have to be on the green side for me to really like them. But old, mushy bananas are perfect for my smoothies/green drinks because they add sweetness in addition to healthy vitamins and minerals like potassium. Plus, it makes the smoothie cold without adding too much ice!

5. Pancakes

Similar to the oatmeal above, you can add bananas to your pancakes by mushing them like you would for banana bread, then continue on with the recipe as usual. The only adjustment you will need to make will be for liquids.

Okay, so banana bread still made it into this blog, and I’m not denying a healthy love for it. But, if I’m being honest, I don’t have time to make banana bread that often and use old bananas for one of the above.

What’s your favorite way to use old bananas? Let me know in the comments below!

‘Till next time!

Kitchen Primer: Common Types of Salt

02/26/2016 by RSGallegos

Salt is important when you’re cooking as I mentioned in last week’s blog of tips for cooking with salt. But there are so many different types of salt, it can be confusing to figure out which one to use. But have no fear! There aren’t too many rules to using salt and one you understand the basics, it’s fun!

Types of Salt

Salt is not just an important part of cooking, is essential in creating certain types of reactions when baking, and it’s even an important part of our diet (too little salt can actually harm your health). Using the right salt at the right time can also change the taste and even texture of your dish. So here’s a small guide to the common types of salt you’ll find in my kitchen:

Kosher Salt

Kosher salt is a wonderful all-around salt. As the name suggests, this salt is used in koshering meat, which is to sprinkle the salt on meat to draw the blood out. If you do keep kosher, be sure to check the packaging for the correct labeling because not all kosher salt is actually kosher.

When to use it: Kosher salt dissolves easily, so it’s a great salt to use in every-day cooking and baking. I usually use the small-grained kosher salt, however. Large grained salt be problematic, especially if you’re baking and the larger crystals don’t dissolve completely You’ll end up with chunks of salt in your baked goods, and that’s usually not so great (I’ve learned from experience…).

Sea Salt/Flaked Sea Salt

Sea salt is made by the simple process of seawater evaporation. Because it’s a more natural process than, say, table salt, it tends to hang on to more beneficial minerals that are stripped from table salt during processing. It’s also supposed to be more flavorful.

When to use it: Use it as you would kosher or table salt.

Fleur de Sel

Fleur de sel, or “flower of salt”, is salt harvested through a special process of funneling salty water into a pond and letting it evaporate. This leaves a fine layer of salt which is then collected (usually by hand) using special rakes. Much of fleur de sel is harvested in Guérande in Brittany, France and has been since the year 868, although there are several other places in France and Spain where it is harvested as well. Fleur de sel comes in large crystals and has a delicate taste.

When to use it: Fleur de sel is usually used as a finishing salt, especially because it can be super expensive. Finishing salts are sprinkled on a dish just before serving to add an extra, delicate flavor to dishes like fish or vegetables or sprinkled on top of chocolates, chocolate sauce, or caramel.

Gray Salt/Sel Gris

Gray salt, also known as Sel Gris or Celtic sea salt, is harvested much the same way as fleur de sel. When you take it out of the bag or jar, you can actually feel a bit of the moisture the salt holds on to. It’s also full of minerals.

When to use it: Gray salt has a heavier flavor than fleur de sel, and the crystals are larger. It’s best to use it as a finishing salt for heavier and fattier meats than fleur de sel as well as roasted root vegetables like beets and rutabaga.

Himalayan Salt

Himalayan salt is harvested from a specific mine in Pakistan. It is believed to be a very pure salt, full of minerals, which is why you see it so often in health food recipes and used in spa treatments. You can find it in grinders or shakers, but you can also fine entire hand-cut slabs of Himalayan sea salt.

When to use it: Himalayan salt can be used both as a recipe salt and as a finishing salt. The slabs are used to cook and serve delicate foods like seafood, vegetables, and cheeses to help enhance flavors by gently infusing the flavor of the salt.

Smoked Salt

Smoked salt is created by smoking salt over a wood fire. The smoking imparts deep flavor.

When to use it: It’s perfect for sprinkling over roasted meats and potatoes.

This is just a small collection of salt types. You can also find pickling salts, rock salt, Hawaiian salts (red and black), and seasoned salt. But these are the salts I have in my kitchen/pantry and I use the most often. But, of course, you absolutely don’t need to have all of these salts in your kitchen.

The thing about salt is that it’s really fun to play with. The results are subtle, but different types of salt can really add to a dish. You can even take a few salts and taste them—it’s not as terrible as it may sound. If you take a small bit, it can be eye-opening to taste the different flavors and strengths.

So there you go—a small primer on the most common types of salt you’ll usually find in a kitchen. If you have any questions, of course, please leave them in the comments below!

‘Till next time!

All About: Tips for Salting Food

02/15/2016 by RSGallegos

I don’t know about you but I sometimes struggle with adding salt when I’m cooking—I will freely admit it. My husband and I don’t add a lot of salt to food and that can make what I cook seem a little tasteless to someone who is used to more. Even if you’re following a recipe, it can be tricky to get the salt right because one person’s idea of perfect season can be too much, or too little, for another. But, my readers, the point of this blog is to help you learn how to play around in the kitchen and cook the way you want to. So don’t let this fact be a barrier to cooking—it’s just one more way you can experiment and find what works best for you.

The Tips

Again, keep in mind that these are tips and guidelines to help you get the right amount of salt as you cook.

Taste as You Go (Within Reason) and Taste at the End

The best way to judge whether a dish is over- or underseasoned is to taste the food as you go. Ingredients are salty, some dishes intensify in flavor as they cook, and the saltiness can even diminish if it chills for a while. You shouldn’t taste raw food, of course, but when you can, taste whatever you’re cooking.

And then check the taste at the end, before you serve. This is the best time to make sure it tastes good and then adjust if you need to.

Remember It’s Easy to Add Salt, No So Easy to Take it Away

While it’s important to salt enough so that the food isn’t bland, it’s also important to have a light hand, especially in the beginning. You can always add salt at the end if you need to, but it’s much more difficult to take salt away.

I usually add either the salt called for in the recipe, or, if I’m winging it, I add less than I think I should. I know I can always add salt if I need to.

Sprinkle Salt from Above

It’s the trick you’ll see professional chefs use. When you’re salting big slabs of meat or fish or anything, really, sprinkle the salt 10 to 12 inches above the food. You’ll get better salt coverage and spread.

Remember the Salty Foods

If you’re adding bacon to a dish, chances are you’ll need less salt than a dish without bacon. Boxed or canned chicken brother also has sodium, which is why many recipes calls for reduced sodium chicken broth.

Keeping additional salt in mind when you’re cooking, especially when you’re not using a recipe, is important for achieving a perfectly seasoned dish.

Flavors Intensify as they Cook

As soups cook, they lose moisture through evaporation, reducing the liquid, and the flavors become more intense. And if a dish was already salty, it will only become saltier.

And a last thought: if you have guests and they still add salt or believe the dish is a little too salty, don’t worry, especially if it was perfect for you. Everyone is different so just go with what you like. (That’s why you put salt and pepper on the table anyway).

Next Friday I’ll be talking about the most common kinds of cooking salt as well as how and when to use them (like, what exactly is a “finishing salt”?.

‘Till next time!

4 Essential Kitchen Tools for the Holidays

12/04/2015 by RSGallegos

The holidays are known for big feasts, from Thanksgiving to Hanukkah to Christmas, New Years, and even holiday dinner parties. These five kitchen tools are the tools I find most essential when I’m cooking a big dinner for a lot of people!

From tools that time to tools that ensure the food doesn’t stick to tools that monitor temperature and even just a good set of tongs, these guys help me stay organized and on top of all everything! That way, I can spend less time frustrated in the kitchen and more time mingling with friends and family! (You can also check out last year’s post about my favorite tools in the kitchen.)

My 5 Essentials

I do use these tools year-round, but they definitely make the holidays easier! Also, you many notice that not everything I talk about is pictured. Some things don’t seem to have made our move and I haven’t found them yet…

Kitchen Thermometers

Kitchen thermometers I have include:

Oven thermometer
Candy thermometer
Probe cooking thermometer

The oven thermometer and the probe cooking thermometer are essentials in my book. So many holiday treats are finicky when it comes to the temperature of your oven, and an oven thermometer can help you keep the temperature regulated. A probe thermometer is fantastic too—you can stick it into a turkey or ham, close the oven door, and monitor the internal temperature. Some will even beep when they reache the correct temperature so you don’t overcook anything. It saves me so much time when I don’t have to stop what I’m doing and open the oven to check the temperature every ten minutes.

I also use candy thermometers quite often for making candy, boiling milk, etc.—all things that seem to happen more often during the holidays when you’re baking holiday sweets. You can also use it as a frying thermometer to check the oil temperature.

Kitchen Tongs

There’s nothing like having a good set of tongs in the kitchen, and I like having at least two. That way, you can be using tongs for everything you need and don’t to stop to wash it, then wash it again.

I have two pairs of tongs right now and that usually serves me just fine. One is a regular pair of tongs, the other a pair of tongs with rubber on the outside so it won’t scratch delicate cooking surfaces.

Kitchen Timer

Yes, ovens and microwaves have timers, but you may be timing multiple things at once. Or, like my mom’s, your oven may inexplicably turn off when the timer goes off. You may need to use the microwave. I also don’t feel extremely comfortable keeping my phone in the kitchen, especially when I’m cooking multiple dishes. Thus, a kitchen timer is my solution.

I have two: one looks like the dial of a locker lock (it even make that wonderful clicking sound!) and the other is a cute replica of a macaron!

Silpat

I mentioned it in my previous blog, but I absolutely adore Silpat. You just lay it onto the sheetpan and have an instant non-stick surface on which to bake.

Don’t get me wrong—I love parchment paper and use it quite often. But having to pause to measure, cut, spray, flour, and then deal with paper that will not. stay. down(!) can cause more frustration than I need at the moment. Thus, Silpat! (You do have to clean it afterwards, but in my book, worth it! Especially because my husband usually does the dishes…)

So what are your favorite kitchen tools, especially during the holiday rush? Let me know in the comments below!

‘Till next time!

Roast Chicken with Meyer Lemon

11/13/2015 by RSGallegos

This site is all about the basics, and roast chicken is definitely a delicious and basic recipe. Roasting makes chicken juicy, succulent, and flavorful with crispy, savory skin. It was a staple in our house growing up. Now I love making it when the weather is cold and the oven heats up the kitchen and we can sit down to a delicious hearty meal that doesn’t require much prep on my part. And Meyer lemon adds a sweet tang to the skin, meat, and the creamy vegetables bathed in savory juices.

I use a technique I learned from Gwyneth Paltrow’s first cookbook, My Father’s Daughter. It’s a bit like rotisserie chicken which makes the meat even juicer. And of course, continuing with my love of Meyer lemons this citrus season, this is full of bright flavor! And let me tell you, the delicious aromas of roasting chicken, herbs, and veggies spreading around the house is amazing.

What to Look for in a Chicken

There are different types of cooking chickens, which I will absolutely cover down the road. The best to use for roasting is a “roaster”, although using a “fryer” or “broiler” can work also. The type of chicken will be written on the packaging. And as for kosher versus non-kosher, koshering adds salt to the chicken, so just keep that in mind when using salt in the recipe.

Roast Chicken

Preparing a chicken for roasting is decently simple. There’s no need to wash the chicken, but you may need to reach into the cavity to get the bag of innards. Not all chickens have them, but it’s good to check before the plastic bag gets baked into the chicken.

Place it in a roasting pan or baking dish (as you can see I did because I can’t afford a nice roasting pan yet…). Rub the chicken skin with butter, salt, pepper, paprika, and a squeeze of lemon juice under the skin (just wiggle your fingers under the skin—it will pull away from the meat). Then stuff the whole herbs and the lemon halves in the cavity. You may notice that I don’t actually have any thyme in these photos—the thyme went bad (insert bad jokes here). So I used about a teaspoon of dried thyme and mixed it in with the butter.

Once you’ve spread the butter inside and out, put the chicken on its side and set the time for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, switch it to the other side. The easiest way to switch the chicken is to get the tongs into the cavity and use a fork or another set of tongs at the neck. Place the chicken on its back for 10 minutes, then put the breast down for 10 minutes.

Just to be safe, you should get the internal temperature of the chicken breast to 165°, although I usually take it out at 160° so that it get up to 165° while it’s resting for 15 minutes and won’t be too dry. As you can see in the first photo of this blog, I’m still trying to figure out how to work with my new oven because the skin didn’t get quite as brown as it usually does.

As for the veggies, you can peel the veggies or not. I usually don’t because 1) it saves time and 2) I actually like the skin of carrots and sweet potatoes (they’re good for you, too!).One last note: use unsalted butter, especially if you’re using a koshered chicken. This lets you control the amount of salt in/on the chicken.

Roast Chicken with Meyer Lemon

Save Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

Inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow's technique for roasting chicken, this recipe for roast chicken with Meyer lemon is perfectly juicy with crispy skin and bright flavors!

Author: Samantha Gallegos

Recipe type: Dinner

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 3-5 pound roasting chicken
1 sweet potato
6 small, waxy potatoes
2 carrots cut into large pieces
1 ½ Tbsp. of unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tsp. of olive oil
2 tsp. of pepper
2 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. paprika
2 Meyer lemons, cut in half
Juice of ½ a Meyer lemon
4 springs of thyme and rosemary
1 small bulb of garlic with the top cut off

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°.
Chop the vegetables into large chunks. Toss with olive oil, and 1 tsp. of salt and pepper, and the juice of half a Meyer lemon.
Unwrap the chicken and take out the gizzard bag. Place the chicken in roasting pan over the chopped vegetables.
Mix the butter with the salt, pepper, and paprika and spread it over the chicken inside and out and under the skin.
Stick the lemon halves, half bulb of garlic, and the herbs inside the chicken’s cavity.
Place the roasting pan into the oven.
Roast the chicken on each side for 25 minutes, then the back for 10 minutes and the breast for 10 minutes until the internal temperature is 160° or the skin is dark enough for you.
Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes, then carve and serve!

Roasting chicken is the perfect way to warm up your kitchen and your dinner on a cold night, and the Meyer lemons brighten up the entire dish!

‘Till next time!

Friday Bits: How to Roast Squash

10/16/2015 by RSGallegos

It’s definitely fall: besides changing trees and pumpkin spice lattes popping up everywhere, there are tumbling towers of squash in every grocery store. From sweet little delicatata to humongous spaghetti squash and even bright shiny pumpkins, you have your pick of kind and taste.

Roasting is one of my favorite ways to prepare squash. It brings out the rich flavor and sweetness of the flesh. Plus, there is so much you can do with roasted squash!…

Oh So Perfect Basic Granola Recipe

10/12/2015 by RSGallegos

I love cereal of some sort in the morning. Lately, my husband and I have been eating oatmeal in the morning and one of our favorite things to add to the oatmeal is granola. We just sprinkle it on top to get an extra boost of flavor, sweetness, and crunch. And the best part is, it’s homemade granola!

Despite the long name of the blog, this recipe is simple and results in a sweet, crunchy, an oh-so-satisfying morning (or afternoon, or evening) treat! It’s so perfect by itself as a quick snack or with milk, mixed with yogurt, or even sprinkled over ice cream!

This recipe is the very basic building blocks of granola. From here, you can add almost anything you want to change up the flavor! You can choose how sweet your granola is, how toasted it gets, etc. More on that below.

…

Pasta Primer Part 4: Fast and Simple Tomato Sauce

10/05/2015 by RSGallegos

Can you believe it’s October already? I can’t. I’m not sure where September went. Heck, I’m not sure where the entire year went. I do love October though—it may just be my favorite month. In New Mexico, besides chile, we have the Balloon Fiesta, as well as my birthday and our wedding anniversary, all within the same twoish weeks. Plus, all the trees start changing color, the chamisa are blooming, and the weather is finally cooler! And cooler weather means comfort food, like big bowls piled high with pasta and a hearty sauce.

Last Monday we covered how to make homemade pasta. Today, I’m giving you a short recipe you can use along with your freshly-made pasta. It only takes about 45 minutes to prepare, from start to finish. You can learn more about pasta and how to cook pasta in series part one and part two….