Latest news with #cooking
CBC
7 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- CBC
Make this sweet, crunchy Nigerian street food salad all summer long
While there are endless varieties of fruit salad to make this summer, this vibrant pineapple- and papaya-packed one deserves your attention. It's a street food-inspired salad from Ozoz Sokoh's cookbook, Chop Chop: Cooking the Food of Nigeria. And like any fruit salad worthy of returning to again and again, it's super simple to throw together — and incredibly customizable. Thanks to the addition of cucumber, carrot and coconut, it also delivers an exquisite crunch. It's topped off with roasted peanuts for added texture and a little bit of salt that mingles so nicely with the rest of the ingredients. You'll find Sokoh's recipe for how to roast them at home below. But if you're short on time, pre-roasted, store-bought peanuts will work just fine. 'I'm a huge advocate of capturing the essence of a recipe and being flexible,' she said. That goes for serving ideas, too. If you're entertaining, Sokoh suggests deconstructing the recipe and setting up a fruit salad bar. 'It is a fun and delicious way to enjoy similar things, while everyone creates their own versions,' she said. You can also include fruit that's in season or that suits your family's palate; Sokoh often works in passion fruit seeds and kiwis, her son's favourite. So go ahead and play around with endless colourful combos this summer — and year-round. The following has been reprinted, with permission, from Chop Chop: Cooking the Food of Nigeria. Street Food Salad By Ozoz Sokoh This street food take on fruit salad, sold in transparent packs accompanied by toothpicks and cutlery, combines sweet, fresh produce with toppings of condensed milk and skinned roasted groundnuts (peanuts). Sweetness comes by way of the pineapple and papaya, freshness from cucumber, and crunch from strips of carrot and fresh coconut. For this salad, the fruit is cut into slightly larger pieces (about an inch/2.5 cm) that are often eaten one at a time, rather than mixed together. Feel free to make an American-style fruit salad of it by cutting the fruit smaller and combining. Ingredients 1 cup chopped (165 g) ripe pineapple ½ cup (75 g) chopped firm but ripe papaya ½ cup (75 g) chopped watermelon 1 medium (orange) carrot, cut 1 small cucumber, chopped ¼ cup (35 g) fresh coconut chunks or shavings ½ cup (120 ml) sweetened condensed milk, for serving ½ cup (75 g) Roasted groundnuts (see below), skinned, for garnish Preparation In a large serving bowl, combine the pineapple, papaya, watermelon, carrot, cucumber, and coconut. Stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours before you plan to serve it. Uncover and let the fruit salad rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Spoon the salad into individual bowls, drizzle condensed milk over the top of each portion, and sprinkle with the groundnuts. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days. Serves 4 Roasted Groundnuts NOTE: To remove the skins, rub the groundnuts until most of the skins come off. Transfer the groundnuts to a colander set on a tray and shake it so the broken skins fall through the holes. Continue rubbing as needed. Discard the skins and store the groundnuts. Ingredients 4 cups (about 1 L) boiling water 1 cup (5½ ounces/160 g) raw groundnuts (peanuts), rinsed and drained 2 teaspoons fine sea salt Preparation In a heatproof bowl, combine the boiling water, groundnuts, and salt. Stir, cover, and let sit at room temperature (or, once cool, in the fridge if the weather's hot) for 4 to 8 hours. The soaking liquid will thicken and color. Drain the groundnuts in a colander, rinse, and gently pat them dry— leave the skins on, as they protect the groundnuts while they cook. Spread the groundnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside to air-dry for 1 to 2 hours. Microwave roasting: Cook the groundnuts in batches. Be careful during this process as the dish will get hot. Place a single layer of groundnuts in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave at full power, uncovered, in 1-minute bursts, stirring and resting for up to 1 minute after each burst. The groundnuts will go from oily-wet to translucent and opaque. You might hear popping and crackling. The groundnuts are ready when some skins turn papery and slip off with ease and the nuts take on golden hues. If you split one in half, you should see patches of light brown. This should take 6 to 8 minutes total. Remove the dish from the microwave and set on a rack. You will hear more popping and crackling as the groundnuts continue to cook, then cool, shrink, and turn crunchy, about 30 minutes. Repeat with the remaining groundnuts. Oven roasting: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Roast the peanuts on a rimmed baking sheet, checking them and stirring every 5 minutes until they're lightly golden brown and fragrant, about 20 minutes. You might hear the occasional pop and crackle. They may not look dark, but they continue to cook as they cool. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let cool for about 30 minutes—there will be more popping and crackling as the peanuts cool and shrink. Store the groundnuts in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks at room temperature, 3 months in the refrigerator, and 6 months in the freezer.
Fox News
15 hours ago
- Business
- Fox News
Save up to 44% on Gordon Ramsay's favorite HexClad cookware during its Fourth of July bundle sale
HexClad is kicking off Fourth of July celebrations with an impressive sale on kitchen bundles. You can save up to 44% off their premium cookware and culinary essentials from Friday, June 27 to Sunday, July 6. This includes HexClad's comprehensive Grand Finale bundle, the pizza-focused American Pie bundle, or the Liberty Blade bundle, which features a spacious large cutting board paired with three fundamental knives. These are just a few of the bundles HexClad offers for its cookware, which deliver the searing power of stainless steel and the easy cleanup of nonstick pans. Check out additional sets, which include pots, pans, lids, knives, cutting boards and other kitchen accessories that are on sale during this limited-time event. Original price: $1,724 The HexClad Stars, Stripes & Sauté set has everything you need to whip up delicious meals, from backyard BBQs to everyday family dinners. This comprehensive set includes three versatile skillets with lids, three essential pots with lids, a 12-inch wok perfect for stir-frying, a convenient griddle, a handy mixing bowl set and a professional-grade chef's knife, ensuring you are fully equipped for any culinary adventure. Original price: $2,517 The Summber Sizzler bundle includes the versatile 12-piece set of pots and pans, and adds extra pieces to elevate every meal. You'll get a 12-inch wok perfect for stir-fries, a 12-inch griddle for weekend brunches and a generous seven-quart chicken fryer. To complete your kitchen arsenal, this comprehensive collection also features a seven-piece knife set, a sleek HexMill pepper grinder and HexClad's convenient set of mixing bowls. Original price: $5,194 HexClad's Grand Finale bundle builds more items into the all-inclusive Everything But The Kitchen Sink package. This massive set includes a full range of hybrid fry pans and pots with lids, along with HexClad's specialty items like woks, griddles and roasting pans. You'll also get an extensive selection of Japanese Damascus steel knives, including full kitchen and steak knife sets, plus various cutting boards. The package also features other cooking essentials like mixing bowls and HexMill salt and pepper grinders. The Grand Finale bundle includes a steamer basket, splatter screen, BBQ tool set, pizza steel and accessory kit and a double-burner griddle. Original price: 269 The HexClad American Pie bundle centers around the incredible pizza steel, which gets screaming hot to give you a crispy crust every time. To complete your pizza-making experience, the bundle also includes a three-piece pizza steel accessory set, which includes a 16-inch acacia wood pizza cutting and serving board, a 15-inch titanium-coated rocker pizza cutter and a 12-inch pizza server. Original price: $403.98 HexClad's Let Flavors Ring bundle includes a spacious, large cutting board for all your chopping needs, paired with HexClad's sleek pepper and salt grinders. The bundle also includes high-quality black peppercorns and salt to fill your grinders. Original price: $317 The HexClad Liberty Blade bundle features a spacious large cutting board along with three fundamental knives: an eight-inch chef's knife for versatile dicing and mincing, a five-inch utility knife perfect for more delicate tasks and a nimble 3.5-inch paring knife for precise peeling and trimming. Original price: $358 HexClad's Essentials bundle is great for smaller households or those new to the brand. The set includes a versatile 12-inch HexClad hybrid pan with lid for everyday frying and sautéing, along with a three-quart hybrid pot with lid ideal for sauces and grains. For more deals, visit Original price: $532 The HexClad fry pan set with lids is a versatile six-piece collection featuring the brand's signature Hybrid technology. This popular set includes 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch fry pans, each with a lid, to cover your everyday frying and sautéing needs.
The Guardian
15 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
Get a sharp knife, season properly and don't do too much at once: how to start cooking
Food is more than just nutrition: it can be joyful, social and exciting. But the act of preparing it can feel awfully daunting. Many beginner cooks suffer from a fear of failure, a lack of foundational knowledge and a poor understanding of how long it actually takes to prepare a dish, says Sam Nasserian, founder and CEO of Cozymeal, a culinary services company. But 'once people learn the basics and try a few recipes, they're surprised by how easy and fun cooking can be', he says. And there are lots of benefits to cooking at home. Namely: it tends to be healthier and cheaper than eating out or ordering in. So how does one start cooking? We asked experts. Not as much as you think. It's easy to get overwhelmed by all the elaborate cooking gadgets out there, but experts agree you really only need a few key tools and ingredients to prepare most dishes. Caroline Chambers, author of a book and Substack both called What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking, says you can go far with just 'a chef's knife, a cutting board, a good nonstick pan, a few rimmed baking sheets, and a few silicone spatulas'. Nasserian also suggests a medium-sized oven-safe skillet, a small lidded saucepan, measuring cups and spoons, a colander and some storage containers for leftovers. You don't have to go for the fanciest, most expensive gear either, says Sohla El-Waylly, author of the cookbook Start Here. When it comes to a knife, for example, 'you just need a sharp knife that you feel comfortable sharpening', she says. 'That might be the cheapest knife you pick up from Walmart.' Then, if you feel inspired later, you can level up. Quality can make a big difference when it comes to basic spices and pantry staples, though. El-Waylly recommends stocking up on good kosher salt, like Diamond Crystal – 'It's very fluffy, light and forgiving when you first start cooking,' she says – and fresh black pepper that you crack yourself, either with a knife or a pepper mill. 'I know it sounds boring, but it's the basics where you can really screw yourself up right off the bat,' El-Waylly says. Other useful ingredients she recommends keeping on hand are olive oil, a neutral oil (like canola oil or avocado oil) for high temperature cooking, a couple of vinegars, bags of rice and some beans. There is a popular idea that cooking is intuitive. It might be for some, but intuition usually only comes after lots of practice. 'Cooking is a learned skill, just like riding a bike or learning to read,' says Chambers. 'If your mother or some other authority figure in your life didn't teach you the fundamentals, how should you be expected to have acquired them?' The first thing Chambers recommends is enrolling in or watching a knife skills class (there are free ones online). 'Knife skills are the fundamental skill in cooking, and if you don't have a basic knowledge of them, you're always going to feel frustrated and slow in the kitchen,' she says. More from How to start: How to start meditating How to start weightlifting How to start budgeting How to start running Nasserian is keen on knife skills too, including learning a safe knife grip. Another important step is developing good cooking habits, like setting up ingredients before you turn on the stove – also known as 'mise en place'. Properly seasoning food is where a lot of beginners slip up, Nassierian says, especially by 'under-seasoning early and over-salting later'. 'You season throughout the cooking process, not just at the end,' says El-Waylly. 'Every time you add something to the pan, add some salt.' Tasting the food as you cook is essential. This doesn't only help with seasoning, but also with learning how flavors develop, says El-Waylly. 'When you're working with spices and you taste something early on, you might feel like the spices taste like themselves and don't come together,' she says. 'But when you taste as it's cooking, you'll notice flavors blending and harmonizing.' Sign up to Well Actually Practical advice, expert insights and answers to your questions about how to live a good life after newsletter promotion For those who are learning how to cook, 'super low effort, super high reward recipes are essential', says Chambers. She says her tiny tomato pasta and taco salad recipes are especially popular among novice cooks. Nasserian also recommends trying recipes that will teach you core cooking skills: a one-pot lentil soup can teach you how to time sauteing and simmering; sheet pan chicken with vegetables, chopping and roasting; a three-egg omelet, heat control; and a vegetable stir-fry, knife work and sauce rations. 'Rotate through them for a couple of weeks, and you'll have the confidence to tackle almost any recipe,' Nasserin says. When you first try anything, you will inevitably make mistakes. But there are easy cooking gaffes to avoid. Don't overcrowd pans, says Nasserian (this can prevent browning and make ingredients soggy rather than crispy). And if you want to sear meat, make sure the skillet is hot enough before you drop it in (as in, very, very hot). Most of all, experts suggest starting off small and not biting off more than you can chew. 'TikTok makes it look really fun to cook an eight-part dinner party,' says Chambers. 'And it is fun! If you know how to cook.' El-Waylly says it's important to be realistic about timing. 'A lot of recipes will have a cook time of 45 minutes,' she says. 'But if you're starting out, give yourself three hours.' And if you're fretting about having people over for a meal, don't worry – the pros do it too. 'I still get nervous every time I cook for somebody. I don't think that ever goes away, and that's fine,' says El-Waylly. 'It means you care.'
Washington Post
20 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Washington Post
Rachael Ray: SNAP is about more than food
Rachael Ray is a culinary TV personality, author and philanthropist. When I reflect on my life, I treasure what a gift it was to learn how to cook at a young age. Before I could even speak, I was in the kitchen on my mom's hip — watching, discovering, tasting. These early experiences led to what would eventually become my career. But more important, they led to a fundamental understanding that food doesn't only sustain life — it shapes it.
The Review Geek
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
The Bear – Season 4 Episode 5 'Replicants' Recap & Review
Replicants Episode 5 of The Bear Season 4 begins at an AI Anon meeting, with a woman's monologue where she describes the effects of her brother's addiction. Carmy is there as well. We then see Carmy take a walk through Frank Lloyd Wright's house and admire the place. As the clock hits 6 am, The Bear's staff wake up in their respective homes and we see them go about their morning. Tina makes a new dish while Sydney calls her father, whose calls she hasn't been able to take, to ask if he's seen one of her knives. He tells her he misses her and reveals that he's taken a sick day from work. Meanwhile, Albert Schnurr tells Ebra that his business is working so well because he keeps things small. He recommends that Ebra start a franchise of the sandwich shop. Carmy helps Tina with the produce and realises that they can barely afford enough ingredients for the day. Tina suggests a more consistent menu would make a huge difference. She also says she can feel Carmy chasing something and assures him that he has nothing to prove. Marcus has his realtor friend sell his mother's house. He turns up for work and finds that Carmy has done good on his promise to give him more firepower. For now, this is in the form of Chef Luca, who is in town and will work as a stage for The Bear. Luca and Sydney share a warm reunion as well. Sydney then meets Carmy and realises he is developing a set menu for the restaurant. Sydney doesn't seem to believe that he will stick to this. He apologises and says the changing menu was meant to challenge himself but it was selfish. Meanwhile, Jessica finds Richie in a sour mood because Frank (Tiff's fiancé) bought his daughter the expensive teddy bear that Richie refused to buy. Sydney also asks Carmy why she's received a message about an update to her agreement with The Bear. Carmy says he redrafted a few terms but before he can explain, they are interrupted by the arrival of Sugar and Sophie. When an unknown number keeps calling Sydney, she finally calls back and gets some hard news — her father had a heart attack and is in the hospital. Carmy finds her shocked and shaken and tells her to head to the hospital. The Episode Review The Bear Season 4 Episode 5 continues this season's loosely written, sprawling episodes. We get glimpses of what's going on with each character, with Marcus and Ebra facing big steps in their lives. Carmy gets a few reflective moments and decides to make a big change to the menu as well. Tina and Carmy's conversation offers a particularly heartfelt moment when she tells him that he doesn't need to prove anything to anyone. However, the menu change still feels like a big deal and a throwaway explanation from Carmy doesn't feel enough. A few other elements are also starting to feel dragged out now, like the agreement with Sydney and Carmy's tiff with Richie. The final scene changes things in a big way for Sydney, though and might just amp up the show's pace. Previous Episode Next Episode Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
