Pump Up the Flavor! (Part 2)

So now you have flavorful food all ready to cook.  But there are lots of ways to add even more flavor during the cooking process.  Let's take a look at some of them.

• Probably if I could break one habit in the kitchen, it would be to be more patient when preheating a pan.  When searing meat or sauteing, it's so important to have a very hot pan.  Don't grow impatient and add the food before the pan's up to temp.  Oh, it'll cook, but you won't get that great crust on meats or the flavorful browning on veggies.  Same with frying.  It's just as important to make sure your oil is up to temperature--maybe even more so.  Underheated oil leads to soggy and greasy food.
• Browning equals flavor.  For quicker browning, add a little bit of sugar to meats or veggies.  You'll get a better browning without overcooking.
• That brown stuff that sticks to the bottom of the pan is called "fond" (French for "base" or "foundation").  And it's all flavor.  Deglaze the hot pan with wine, broth or even water and scrape with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown bits.  This will be the base of flavor in a soup or sauce.
• Next to the nuts in our freezer is a zip-top bag with rinds from Parmesan cheese that we've used.  Why do we keep them?  Same reason Italians have been saving them for ages--to throw a rind in a soup or stew for great flavor (it helps to thicken, too).  You can take it right out of the freezer and put it into the simmering pot. 
• While we're talking about flavoring soups and stews...Take a head of garlic and rub the papery outer layer off, then cut about a half-inch off the top of the head.  Toss the whole thing in your pot for great flavor.  When the soup's done, you can either throw the garlic out or squeeze the now-soft cloves into a small bowl, mash them up and add to the soup--more flavor (and thickening).
•  If you have a recipe that calls for removing meat from a pan and resting, you'll notice that some juices come out of the meat as it sits.  Flavor!  Always put those juices back in the pan if making a sauce.

• If using nuts, it's worth it flavor-wise to take the few extra minutes to toast them.  Toasting brings out the flavorful oils and creates a deeper flavor.  This is easily done by putting the nuts in a dry pan and stirring or tossing until they are lightly brown and aromatic.  For larger amounts, it's easier to put them on a sheet pan and toast them in the oven.  However you do it, be sure to watch them carefully.  They go from toasted to burned very quickly.
• Just as with nuts, toasting brings out the complexity and deepness of spices.  Either cook the spices for a couple minutes in some butter or oil before adding to the recipe.  Or add to aromatics (garlic, onion, etc) while they are sauteing.  You can even toast spices in a dry pan, like you do with nuts, if you wish.  (If you grind your own spices, this isn't as critical because freshly grinding the spices brings out those oils.)

Next up, bringing the flavor when you season your food.

Pump Up the Flavor!

What's the most important thing about a meal?  Some might say the ingredients need to be fresh and local.  Others may say you first see a meal with your eyes, so the appearance of the plating is key.  Others still might say that nutrition is first and foremost.

In my mind--even though all these things are very important--the bottom line is flavor.  A beautiful plate of fresh, nutritious, local ingredients doesn't mean anything unless it tastes good, right?

So I thought I'd write a few posts with some tips about how to help the flavor of your foods be the best that they can be.  As usual, thanks go to my old standby, Cook's Illustrated magazine for some of these tips. 

I hope it helps!

Today, I'll be writing about things that you can do to improve the flavor of your food before you start cooking. 

• Try not to chop or mince onions and garlic until closer to the time that you're going to use them.  The odor and flavor of both these aromatics intensify as time goes on.  If you're going to use raw onions (in a salad, for example), soaking them in cold water helps to tame the strong flavor.  Cook's suggests soaking in a solution of 1 tablespoon baking soda for every cup of water.  Be sure to rise before using.
• Speaking of garlic, always remove any green sprouts from a garlic clove before chopping or mincing.  It doesn't mean you can't use the rest of the clove, but the bitterness of the green part can really ruin a dish.
• Many recipes call for the removal of the seeds and that jelly-like stuff in the middle of a tomato.  Sometimes it's for good reason--usually to cut down on moisture in the dish.  But most of the flavor can be found in the guts of the tomato, so if can, use the whole thing.
• When marinating meat, poke the meat all over with a fork.  This allows the marinade to penetrate deeper into the meat--and gives flavor to the whole thing. 
• Marinating in a zip-top bag is a great way to marinate.  Squeezing out the air not only allows you to get the marinade more in contact with the food, but also gets the food flavored up in less time.  If a bag doesn't quite work for the food you're making, marinate in a baking dish covered with plastic wrap.  Either way, flipping the bag or turning the food halfway through the marinating time will help make sure the everything has been in contact with the flavor.
• You've probably heard that fat equals flavor.  That's especially true with meats.  When making stew, it's OK to trim hard fat and other tissue from stew beef.  There's plenty of fat in the meat to keep it flavorful and moist.  Pork is a different story.  Since pork doesn't have the marbling that beef does, keep a thin layer of fat on the pork.  It will melt during cooking, adding flavor and moisture.
• Other fats--such as butter, oils and nuts--add flavor as well.  But these also go bad fairly quickly.  Be sure to store them so that they stay as fresh as possible.  Store sticks of butter in a zip-top bag in the BACK of the fridge (the coldest part).  They'll stay fresh for about 2 1/2 weeks that way.  Any longer than that, keep in the freezer.  Vegetable oils should be stored a dark part of your pantry.  Nut and seed oils (like sesame, walnut, etc) should be refrigerated.  You can store nuts in the pantry if they'll be used in a month or so.  I store all my nuts in the freezer in zip-top bags.  They stay fresh longer and can be used pretty much right out of the freezer. 

Next, we'll talk about how to add flavor during the cooking process.