| Good Saturday morning, everyone. There's a lot going on in the world right now to not feel good about, so I'm doing my best to be grateful and helpful in whatever small ways I can. Thank you for inviting me into your inboxes every weekend and for whatever time you devote to reading something I — or my colleagues — publish here at Washington Post Food. My ultimate goal is to make your cooking easier, smarter, faster and, of course, tastier. I want you to feel empowered with knowledge. No question is too small or too basic. That's one reason I love hosting a live weekly cooking chat with Aaron Hutcherson. It's a no-judgment zone where we're happy to explain, or debunk, conventional wisdom. Here are two (lightly edited) examples I answered this week. Q: I've seen recipes calling for chopped, sliced, minced and smashed garlic. In the meantime, my garlic press pines away in a kitchen drawer. Can pressed garlic be substituted for any of these? A: Keep in mind that the more you break down garlic, the stronger it will be. Smashed will get you the mildest flavor, followed by sliced. Then things start to run together a bit once you get to minced, grated and chopped (although it matters somewhat if it's coarsely chopped or finely). Any time a recipe calls for minced or grated garlic, pressed should also be fine. But garlic is garlic is garlic, so in most instances, it's not hugely consequential, as long as you're aware of how the piece size affects the flavor, and it's not going to be a ton at that. The only other thing to keep in mind would be that the smaller the pieces, the quicker they'll burn, so adjust accordingly. Q: It seems like nearly every new recipe I stumble across calls for paprika. It's as ubiquitous as salt but used in quantities that don't add anything to the flavor profile of the dish. (Say, 1 teaspoon in a casserole intended for a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.) I'm expecting to see it come up as a new shiny ingredient to add to chocolate chip cookies soon! Is this just my imagination, or is it experiencing a resurgence? (I seem to recall it being a fairly common ingredient in the 1970s.) It just seems to be everywhere and I'm curious. A: I don't think it's really gone anywhere. I think people are definitely more into smoked paprika now, for sure, and it's one of my favorite spices. I do think a good paprika can make a difference, even in small quantities. A lot of the stuff on store shelves is kind of blah and if it's been sitting in your pantry for too long, it's not going to do much either. These are the kinds of things I revel in discussing and debating. In fact, I'd already written in depth about paprika since so many people really do believe it's a tasteless red dust. (They're often similarly skeptical about bay leaves.) And, I kid you not, we also recently had a nerdy discussion about the different ways to prep garlic, and which we prefer or should recommend to readers. Joe Yonan is a fan of pressing or grating, which is what he calls for in his Salt and Pepper Tofu, a clever recipe that shows you why you should consider frying soft tofu and not just the firm or extra-firm stuff we're used to. And speaking of frying, tomorrow's the Super Bowl, an unofficial holiday in honor of not only sports, but fried foods and other snacks. May I suggest Daniela Galarza's irresistible Shishito Popper Tacos, Aaron's shareable Italian Sliders and our baked Mumbo Sauce Chicken Wings? And it's not a party without a dip (or three). One last programming note: Aaron and I are taking a week off our chat next week because of a scheduling conflict, but we'll be back in action Feb. 19. In the meantime, you can submit questions to that upcoming chat, and as always, feel free to email me. I'm here to help. Until next time, be well, and eat well. | 
0 comments:
Post a Comment