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INGREDIENTS · TECHNIQUE · FOOD SAFETY |
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Puzzled by a recipe? Has an ingredient got you stumped? Hoping to master a technique? The experts at Bon Appétit answer the questions we're all too embarrassed to ask. |
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Are coriander and cilantro the same thing? What is the difference between "Grade A" and "Grade AA" eggs? What's the difference between jam, preserves, and jelly? Which potato varieties are best suited for mashing? What about baking, or roasting? What are the differences between porterhouse steak, London broil, and New York steak? |
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Whenever I make chocolate chip cookies, I end up with really flat — but great tasting — cookies. Can you help? What is the difference between finely chopped and minced? Why do some Bon Appétit recipes say "season to taste with salt and pepper," and others call for specific measurements? FOOD SAFETY If meat has been defrosted, can it be refrozen? Is there a real danger in leaving food prepared with mayonnaise out in a warm area?
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Yes. Coriander is the English name for the plant that is called cilantro in Latin America. To confuse matters, different parts of the plant are known by different names in different regions. The seeds, leaves, and root of the coriander plant may be eaten. In this country, the seeds are always called coriander, and a recipe may call for whole coriander seeds or ground coriander, both of which are available in the spice aisle. The leaves of the plant may be called either fresh coriander, cilantro, or Chinese parsley, depending on where you shop and what type of menu or recipe you're looking at. In states closer to Mexico and in most big cities throughout the country, the trend is to call the leaves by their Spanish name, cilantro. You might see them called Chinese parsley in Asian cookbooks and restaurants; elsewhere, you may still see the herb referred to as fresh coriander. The root is used in Asian cooking, and imparts a flavor that is similar to that of the leaves. It can be chopped and mixed with garlic to form a base for marinades and stocks. Return to questions— Katie O'Kennedy, Bon Appétit, April 1997 A Good Egg According to the American Egg Board, the three grades assigned to eggs — AA, A, and B — refer to their overall quality. The ideal egg will have an oval shape, few (if any) stains and no cracks, ridges or thin spots. Inside, it will have a thick white and its yolk will have a distinct outline, round shape and no defects. While AA eggs are considered the best, A eggs are to all intents and purposes equally good. The only difference between the two is that grade A eggs will have a slightly larger space between the white and the inside of the shell. Although grade B eggs are just as nutritious and taste the same as grade A or AA, you will rarely find them in the supermarket. They wouldn't sell as well because they don't look as appealing — they may have an irregular shape, or the shells may have spots or a bumpy texture. These eggs are usually sent by the egg-packing plant to bakeries or food-service operations. Return to questions
— Katie O'Kennedy, Bon Appétit, September 1997 In a Jam The texture of the finished product helps determine its name. Jam is made from finely chopped or pureed fruit, which is combined with sugar and boiled. The mixture is never strained. Preserves are made the same way as jam is, but with large pieces of fruit or sometimes even whole fruits; as a result, preserves are a lot chunkier than jam. Jelly is made by boiling puréed fruit with water or juice. The cooked mixture is then strained to separate the fruit pieces from the juice, which jells as it cools. Because of this technique, jelly is clear, smooth-textured and intensely colored. Return to questions— Katie O'Kennedy, Bon Appétit, January 1998 One Potato, Two Potato Potatoes are quite versatile, and a number of varieties work nicely in different preparations. For instance, there are several kinds that can be successfully mashed. If you're aiming for fluffy mashed potatoes, you'll want a flaky, high-starch potato like the russet. Creamier versions require a waxy, lower-starch variety like Yukon Gold, white round, or red round. The best potato for baking is, by far, the russet, which also may be labeled "baking potato" or "Idaho potato." Its high starch content and flaky consistency result in a nice, fluffy baked potato. Small, red- or white-skinned potatoes are the best for broiling; russets produce great hash browns and french fries; and just about all types are delicious when oven roasted. Return to questions
— Katie O'Kennedy, Bon Appétit, June 1997 High Steaks The porterhouse steak comes from the short loin section, close to the ribs in the middle of the back. It is a very large piece of meat that has three components: parts of the tenderloin (the most tender cut of beef, which, if served separately, is called filet mignon), the bone, and parts of another, triangular section of meat. If served separately, that triangular section is called New York steak. The New York steak may also be called the New York strip steak, Delmonico steak, or shell steak. London broil is actually a dish and a cut of meat. For the dish, large pieces of flank steak (from the lower hindquarters) or top round (from the inner portion of the hind leg) are cut into pieces, marinated, grilled, or broiled, and then sliced across the grain. In the market, you'll find many thick cuts of meat — including top round and sirloin tip — labeled "London broil." Return to questions— Katie O'Kennedy, Bon Appétit, April 1997 What's the Spread? We have two suggestions for you. First, chill the dough so that it is more solid when it enters the oven — it will take longer to spread while cooking. Also, use only cooled baking sheets. Baking sheets that have just come out of the oven will start softening the dough upon contact, resulting in thinner cookies. Return to questions— Katie O'Kennedy, Bon Appétit, March 1998 Mincing Words Finely chopped ingredients should be slightly larger than those that are minced. For example, finely chopped garlic is cut into pieces that measure about an 1/8 of an inch. Minced garlic, on the other hand, would be cut even finer. For the most part, we give these descriptions as guidelines. If you prefer small pieces of garlic in your salad dressing, then by all means finely chop rather than mince! Return to questions
— Katie O'Kennedy, Bon Appétit, December 1997 Season to Taste In recipes such as those for meat loaf, custard and strata, we call for exact amounts of salt and pepper as a safety precaution. If there are raw eggs, fish, meat, or poultry in a mixture, we cannot instruct readers to "season to taste..." because those ingredients may cause foodborne illness when they are uncooked. Therefore, we list specific measurements of salt and pepper. Return to questions
— Katie O'Kennedy, Bon Appétit, March 1998 To Refreeze or Not to Refreeze According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the agency that provides information about handling meat and poultry safely, meat can be refrozen, but only if it has been handled properly when it was originally frozen, when it was thawed, and/or when it was cooked. Although the USDA stipulates that all frozen meat be kept in freezers that register 0°F or below, most home freezers fluctuate between 0°F and 6°F with no ill effects. Proper thawing should take place in a refrigerator that is 40°F or below, or in a microwave. Thawing at room-temperature is strongly discouraged because the meat may be left out indefinately, possibly reaching a temperature that is conducive to the growth of bacteria that could cause illness. (The USDA does not recommend leaving meat out at room temperature for longer than two hours.) Refrigerator-defrosted meat that has been fully cooked and has spent no longer than two hours at room temperature may be put back into the freezer. It is important to note that the texture and flavor of meat that has been frozen, defrosted, cooked, and refrozen will probably suffer noticeably. When defrosting meat in a microwave, follow the manufacturer's instructions to determine time and temperature, but note that the meat must then be cooked immediately. During microwave defrosting, portions of the meat are sometimes partially cooked, and partially cooked meat can harbor illness-causing bacteria. At this point, the only way to ensure that the meat is absolutely safe is to cook it fully; it should not be refrigerated or refrozen until then. If you have any doubts about whether the meat has been handled properly, it's best to discard it. For more information about freezing meats safely, call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline at 800-535-4555. This service can also give guidelines for taking care of frozen and refrigerated foods in the case of a power outage. Return to questions
— Katie O'Kennedy, Bon Appétit, October 1997 Go Easy on the Mayo According to the Association for Dressings and Sauces, there's really not much to worry about. After examining 45 years of research, the association's experts have determined that mayo's bad rap is a result of experiences with old-fashioned, homemade mayonnaise, not the commercially produced variety. Commercial mayonnaise has a few important things going for it: Its production is highly regulated, with agencies enforcing strict health and safety standards; the eggs used to produce it are always heat-pasteurized to kill any bacteria; and commercial mayos contain acidic ingredients like vinegar and lemon juice, which can slow or even prevent subsequent bacterial growth. That said, don't go crazy. Just because mayonnaise is probably fine doesn't mean that other ingredients in the food are risk-free. Don't leave any food unrefrigerated (especially on hot summer days) for more than two hours total. For a picnic, use a cooler to transport food like potato salad, and when serving, consider placing the bowl in a larger one filled with ice as an extra precaution. Return to questions
— Katie O'Kennedy, Bon Appétit, August 1997 |
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