Cooking

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Carrie - A gravy made with flour or a cornstarch slurry can both separate when reheated, but you can easily bring ti back together. Bring to a simmer over low heat and whisk vigorously to recombine. If you won't be the one reheating it, I would add some reheating instructions onto the container. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Michael - there are definitely some differing opinions on this subject. Meathead Goldwyn of amazingribs.com, who is a friend of Milk Street, recommends oiling the food, not the grate. Serious Eats and Steven Raichlen recommend oiling the grates. I’m going to pass this along to our Food Editor, Matt Card, as it’s something we should maybe revisit for our next batch of grilling recipes. Either way, make sure that you use a high-heat oil - grapeseed, safflower, canola, peanut, or avocado oil (refined) have some of the highest smoke points. Thanks for your question! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Jennifer - I'm hoping others on the board have some suggestions for you, but these are some that I like. Definitely read Matt Goulding’s Pasta, Pane, Vino. It’s more of a travelogue than a cookbook but it colorfully explores food culture all over Italy and the stories he tells about the people he meets along the way are told in such a way that you feel like you have visited Italy, even if you haven’t. Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking is basically the Italian Food bible. It’s my go-to resource whenever I want the authentic basics. La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy is a massive book but really explores every region of Italy and introduces you to the most famous dishes of each region and at least as many that you’ve probably never heard of. Forewarning: no photos. There are tons of others, but I'll let others weight in as well! Happy reading! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Linda and Estelle - You are definitely not alone. We get many questions from readers who have an aversion to cilantro. Here are some suggestions: If you're making something that is cooked you could add ground coriander when you add garlic, onion, or spices. Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant so their profiles will be similar however, when dried and ground, the flavor isn't as potent. Substitute fresh parsley with a splash of lemon or lime juice. Cilantro has a grassy flavor with citrus notes so the grassiness of parsley combined with the citrus juice can replicate it. There is some research that suggests crushing cilantro makes it milder because it breaks down an enzyme that lowers the amount of aldehyde in the leaves. Try using it this way in a dish that you know and love - guacamole, salsa, tacos, for example, to see if you still find it offensive. Hopefully one of these options will work for you!  Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Kevin - Yes, the serrano chilies in this particular recipe are fresh, not dried. But, you could use jalapeños if you can't find Serranos. Thanks for the question! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi John - At Milk Street, we are strongly in favor of salting steak before cooking. Food scientist Harold McGee, who wrote the book, On Food and Cooking, recommends this because the small amount of salt used to season meat has a hydrating effect - salt helps the cells hold onto water. There is further debate about how far in advance to season steaks. At Milk Street we almost always season right before cooking. If you've got the time and want to season and rest the meat for more than 40 minutes, you will get a drier surface and slightly more concentrated flavor. But, the flavor here can be pretty subjective. Some people prefer the cleaner flavor of a steak with more surface seasoning (seasoned right before cooking) while others prefer the "aged" flavor of a steak seasoned more than 40 minutes in advance. My opinion? Save yourself the time and season right before cooking. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Susan - Our our Friend of Milk Street, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, strongly recommends against marinating or brining chicken when cooking it sous vide. Here's what he says about brining: "Brining—the process of soaking meat in a saltwater solution in order to help it retain moisture better in the future—is entirely unnecessary for sous vide cooking. Your chicken will come out plenty moist and juicy, while also having a more concentrated chicken flavor, as using a brine dilutes the flavor of the chicken with water." And about adding flavorful ingredients to the bag: "You definitely can. I like to add aromatics based on the flavors of the finished dish, whether that's a few tarragon sprigs and some wheels of lemon for something like a classic Western chicken salad, or slices of ginger, garlic, and scallions for an Asian cold salad. The key is to avoid excess liquid—otherwise, you end up flavoring the liquid with chicken instead of the other way around—and to bear in mind that most spices and garlic will intensify in flavor when added to a sous vide bag." So it's not really about food safety, it's more about flavor and texture of the chicken. If you'd like more information about sous vide and chicken, he has a great, well-researched piece on Serious Eats you can check out. I hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi John - I think there are some sources that say a 1-inch piece of ginger would be equal to 1 tablespoon of grated ginger, but that's definitely not a standard. For things like ginger and garlic I find an approximation is fine. If you end up with a little bit more or less of these aromatics I don't think it makes a huge difference in a dish. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Dipa - Dried beans expand to about 2.5 times their original volume when soaked and 3.5 times their original volume when cooked. Lentils will expand to about 2.5 times their original volume when cooked. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Heidi and anyone else interested in substitutions for garlic and onions - For more information on asafoetida, you can read this discussion which expands a bit on what it is and where to find it. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.