Cook like a Chef At Home
Charlotte Lyons with Tricks of the Trade
2010-02-10
By Charlotte Lyons

After working all day, it’s tempting to just toss something from the freezer into the oven for dinner. As a true foodie, I enjoy good food with some pizzazz, not cardboard-tasting processed meals. Who says that you can’t prepare a delicious meal like you would get in a top-chef restaurant in your own kitchen?  I realize that recipes don’t have to be complicated to produce delicious results, and you don’t have to go to culinary school to cook like a gourmet chef. Cooking is an art. And like any art form, it will improve with practice and experimentation. Even the simplest meal can be better when you know some of the trade secrets.

You can cook like a chef at home; just try to think like a chef. Just use some of these ideas and incorporate them into your cooking strategy. Here are five tips to help you get a restaurant quality meal on the table without too much fuss and just in time for dinner.

1. Use fresh high-quality ingredients: Shop like a chef by hitting local farmers markets to buy fresh vegetable and herbs in season. Fresh vegetables and herbs make a big difference in the taste and texture of your dish. Learn how to select the freshest produce for your recipe. Always smell produce to make sure it’s fragrant or  has a hint of aroma before buying. Look at the texture and the color of fruits or produce and make sure there are no dark spots or mold on them. Check to see if the vegetable or fruit is too soft, an indication that it has gone bad or is too ripe.

2. Get to know and make friend with your butcher: Always look for quality cuts of whatever type of meat you are buying. Know your meat grades. You should select the grade that has the least amount of fat; choice grade is fattier than select and leaner than prime. Prime grade includes well-marbled cuts that high-end restaurants serve that contain more fat but have more flavor. Lamb is usually sold as choice grade in grocery stores. Look for lamb that’s been butchered at five to seven months or younger. It has a more delicate flavor and texture than older lamb or mutton, which have a rich gamy flavor. Look for quality young lamb that has a fine texture that is firm and lean. It is pink in color with external fat and should be firm, white and not too thick. Select pork that’s pinkish—white to pink in color—it should be firm to the touch. Well-marbled pork produces tender results. Your butcher can be helpful when selecting the finest cuts of meats, and he can give you the heads up when certain meats are on sale.

3. Invest in quality equipment: Most chefs travel with their knives. A good sharp knife is like gold in the kitchen. Go head and invest in a good set of knives. You can buy one knife to start your set and purchase the remaining set later. You may want to start with a good paring knife, French or chef knife and boning knife. Remember to keep your knives sharp. Buy dependable and versatile cookware. Choose pots and pans that are heavy and conduct heat evenly, such as stainless steel with an aluminum bottom to ensure even browning.

4. Brush up on your cooking technique or skills: Take a few cooking classes. You should also practice making sauces that add elegance to your meal.  With the right texture and thickness, a great sauce can make any meal a gourmet fair. You can serve the same meat several nights a week and it will taste original if you add a different sauce. Experiment with different marinades, rubs and coating. Learn not to overcook foods, especially vegetables.

5.  Keep current with restaurant trends: Every year certain food dishes become popular, for example Caribbean, Indian, Asian, Mexican, Southwestern or Low Country (Gullah).  Ask your waiter how an impressive dish is made. You can try mimicking it at home, even if they only give you minimal details. Add some unusual or different ingredient in your recipes, such as lemongrass, truffle oil, lemon-pressed olive oil or smoked sea salt. Check the freshness of your spices and discard stale spices. If you crush the spice or rub it between your fingers and there is no aroma, it is ready for discarding. Dried and powdered spices shouldn’t be kept more than six months. Whole spices last longer. Make sure to store your spices in a cool dry place.

6. Don’t be Afraid of Heat
If you’ve bought one of those fancy professional grade stoves just because it matches your refrigerator, you’re missing out on one of the best tricks chefs have at their disposal – super high heat. It takes some getting used to, you almost have to learn how to cook again. But once you begin to understand how high heat can seal in juices, ensure crisp edges, get you great al dente pasta or save you time on that all day sauce, an whole new world of flavor can open up.