Top 5 Ways To Remove Burnt Taste From Foods

Be Quick

We’ve all done it. We’re making our favourite stove-top dish and the phone rings, the doorbell rings or a herd of gazelle runs through the backyard and distracts us for just a minute, but it’s too late. You forgot about what you were cooking long enough to cause problems. It’s started to burn. While it’s frustrating, don’t take time to beat yourself up yet, if you move quickly, you may be able to still save the day!

Start by getting the pot off the heat right away to avoid making the problem worse as you figure out what to do next. Once you have a moment to think go through the list of options below and decide on your best course of action.

Top Five

#1 – The Switcheroo – Many things can be salvaged by scooping out the contents of one pot, and placing them into a clean one. It is critical that when you do this you DO NOT SCRAPE the burnt pot. You will likely lose a bit off the bottom for your final product but that’s OK. Once you have a new clean pot filled with your food, you can taste it and add or alter things as necessary. I have used this technique many times with great success, often without any negative impact to the dish I am cooking.

#2 – Ingredient  Experiment – If changing your pot has left you with a light burnt taste or smell this can often be remedied by playing with the ingredients a bit. Some things that I have used successfully include adding your favourite sweetener or any of a variety of vinegars including: red/white wine, cider or balsamic. In addition adding extra spices can mask the flavours considerably.  The key here is to pick ingredients that fits with the dish you are preparing but have a particular and neutralizing effect on the offending taste or smell. Doing this when coupled with #1 on our list of best ways to remove burnt taste from foods can have impressive results.

#3 – The Almighty Spud – In addition to being a favourite of many in its own right, the potato can actually be used as a tool in the case of some burnt recipes. It goes without saying that if your dish already has potatoes in it, this may be the kiss of death for salvaging your recipe. Potatoes may have absorbed much of the burnt flavour and smell and unless you can remove them and add fresh potatoes it might be too late. That said if you have some time and patience, add a couple of raw peeled potatoes cut in half to your pot and simmer for another 30-45 minutes on low heat, then remove. The potatoes will absorb much if not all of the problem. After taking this step you can always tweak the recipe with ingredients as outlined in #2 above.

#4 – Just A Trim – In cases where you are cooking solo items or dishes that do not have much liquid associated with them there is an oft overlooked but obvious way of dealing with the problem. Many things can just be trimmed of their scarred exterior. If you plan on giving this method a try, I highly recommend you grab a sharp chef knife and a good set of tongs. Hold the food with the tongs and trim off and burnt parts. Do this for each item that needs attention. Once this is done, consider a few moments in a pan or toaster oven to bring back a nice coloured look to the food. Personally, I like a tiny bit of oil in a clean pan to get a nice texture on the outside of the item or a toaster oven to lightly brown it. Obviously, you want to make sure you pay extra close attention to it while it is browning so you don’t end up with a big mess all over again.

#5 – Change Your Tune – I once had to run an errand while cooking and left relatively inexperienced cook in charge of watching and stirring a batch of simmering homemade chilli while I was gone. At some point the bottom of the chilli began to burn and the instinct of my friend was to give it a really good stir to stop the burning. It was a perfect time for #1 on our list of best ways to remove burnt taste from foods. When I returned the damage was done and we didn’t have time to remedy the situation before dinner so we made other arrangements. Another friend of mine took it home and stated that she just thought of it as “smoky” flavoured chilli and ate that chilli all week. While it is not a good idea to eat the actual items that are burnt, once they are removed perhaps the remaining smells and light flavours can just be overcome with a slight change in perspective. “Smoky Chili,” who knew?

**Bonus Item – I am throwing this item onto the list as a bonus because while I haven’t tried it myself, some people swear by it though, and that is peanut butter. Wisdom From Grandma swears that peanut butter will save the day when dealing with soups and stews and who am I to argue. When push comes to shove someday, I am definitely keeping this in my back pocket, just in case.

Do you have your own technique that is not mentioned here? Share it with us! Tried one from the list above? Tell us how it went!

Happy cooking.

Vegan Recipe or Recipe Veganized?

This is a question I find myself asking quite frequently. When I first became vegan it was decision that I sometimes laboured over. After being at this point many times over the past few years I have been able to boil it down (excuse the cooking pun) to two basic principles.

Tried and True

When I am on a timeline or I am cooking for groups of people outside of my posse of lab rats, I invariably choose a tested and loved recipe from my stockpile. We all have our “go to” cookbooks and websites and I am no exception. I lean on these as well as my own trusty Mealscool binder to make sure there are no last minute surprises. The last thing I need is to find out the person who created the recipe I am using has completely different taste than I do when I am about to serve it to others. I suggest you save the experimentation for a time when you have both the time and the desire to play in the kitchen.

Experimentation

This, my favourite type of cooking gives me the opportunity to use my own creativity in the process. The level of experimentation that I jump into depends on who I am cooking for. Often when cooking for close friends and family I will start with a base recipe that has worked well in the past, strip in down and build it back up again. When it’s just me and my music, it is truly no holds barred and this is when I come up with some of my favourite recipes. In reality it is pretty hard to screw something up so badly that it can’t be salvaged. When this happens it is usually an issue of chemistry or fire. We all know how powerful the taste of burnt food can be and the odd reaction or lack thereof when baking can have serious consequences. In most cases though, even these serious events can be overcome. Look for future posts where I will discuss how to save these kitchen disasters.

So yes, lean on your trusted resources or old standby’s when you must but don’t forget to plan for cooking fun as well. The best learning always happens when we make mistakes and that what Mealscool is for anyway!

Beans, Beans and More Beans

Canned vs. Dry

A few common questions that I get with vegetarian or vegan cooking are around canned vs. dry beans. Some like to save a few bucks soaking and cooking your own beans, other like the convenience of buying their own canned cooked beans.

Contrary to some of the information you might find, there is no exact formula for converting dry beans to canned or vice-verse in recipes. This is because every bean is slightly different, and soaking time will impact your outcome slightly. When soaking beans, I usually just soak all of the dried beans I have of that variety. After cooking, I will plan other recipes with any leftovers or freeze what’s remaining for another time.

Here are a few things that are worth noting when you are cooking with beans.

• 1 cup of dry beans soaked and cooked will yield approximately 2.5 to 3 cups of cooked beans
• 1 lb of dry beans will yield between 6 and 7 cups of cooked beans
• Cooked beans freeze very well, so if you have leftovers that you don’t have plans for, throw them into the freezer.
• Always drain and rinse canned beans to remove excess sodium and sediment.

As a general rule, my preference is to use dry beans for many reasons, frequently though convenience wins out and I use canned beans in a pinch. There is a great article at here Squawkfox which gets into detail about the many reasons for choosing dry beans when possible.

Beans are cost effective, high protein, available in endless variety and of course delicious. Add some beans to your menu this week!

Didn’t Know You Were Eating Vegan?

What Are You Eating?

If you are already vegan you have many stories of reactions you have received when telling people you do not eat any animal products. The reactions I have witnessed have included, fear, disgust, curiosity, flabbergast, and often genuine confusion. I have come to expect these reactions as a part of making the decision to eat a vegan diet. Occasionally, when time permits, I will ask the inquisitor what they have eaten for the past week, and often they are surprised to find out that many of their choices have already been vegan or very close.

Surprisingly Vegan Menu

In an effort to shed some light on this topic, I thought it would be helpful to share some examples of “already vegan” meals. Family and friends can easily get overwhelmed at the thought of accommodating the food choices of a vegan. In reality, it is extremely simple. Often you can just pick one of your favourite recipes that are already vegan. Let’s take a few minutes to look at some common items that you are probably already eating that are vegan. Below is a possible menu for Monday – Friday that someone who has never even heard of veganism may find they have actually eaten. This not the menu I would choose by any means, but to make a point, I have added in some items that people eat everyday unaware that the product is vegan.

Why don’t you try this game with your friends and family?

Here is a great list of things that are accidentally vegan!

Click Image Below To Enlarge

10 Tips For Kitchen Beginners

… a good reminder for the rest of us.

        These 10 kitchen tips are crucial for beginners and a great reminder for the rest of us.  Keeping these concepts close when cooking any recipe will ensure that you produce delicious items that you will be proud to serve to friends and family. Before you know it, the phrase “can I get the recipe for this” will be the norm!

1.     PLAN AHEAD

This is crucial for newbies in the kitchen. The last thing you want to be doing is rushing around at the last minute. You will be stressed, you won’t have any fun, and you will make mistakes. Do yourself a favour and give yourself weeks’ notice before you plan to make something you haven’t made before and two weeks when entertaining. This will give you the time you need to really plan things out, get what you need and get cooking with plenty of time to spare.

2.     READ, READ, READ

If I had a solar panel for every time I heard someone tell a story of a massive recipe blunder caused by failure to read, I could power a small country. One of the seemingly obvious things to do when planning ahead in Tip #1 is to read the ENTIRE recipe. I can recall times early in my own cooking history when I began my recipe in earnest hours before a meal only to find out halfway through that the dish needed to marinate, rest, rise, cool or freeze before moving to the next step. Egad! Read your recipe from beginning to end and make sure you have all the tools, ingredients and time needed to have success!

3.     SIMPLIFY

Keep your level of skill in mind when you are choosing a recipe or menu to avoid a great deal of un-needed stress. While “Baked Alaska” or “Crème Brule” might sound like exactly what you want in theory, when it comes time to working through some of the more challenging elements in these recipes you might be pulling your hair out. There are many millions of recipes available to choose from on the internet alone. Many have been reviewed and have extremely detailed instructions. Choose something that sounds delicious but that uses the KISS theory. Keep It Simple Student!

4.     CHOOSE WISELY

As discussed in Tip #3 there is no end to the number of recipes available for your kitchen adventures. The last thing you want to do is choose recipes that are not tried and tested. Get recipes from friends and family, as a host or hostess at your next event or use sites that you trust like Mealscool, or that have review and rating systems like ALLRECIPES or EPICURIOUS. These sites will give you an indication how many people enjoyed the results of the recipe as well as any challenges they had or changes they made that might make sense to you. Choose a recipe that you trust and you chances are much greater that the end product won’t disappoint.

5.     MISE EN PLACE

I first heard this term used by my French Chef and teacher while taking restaurant management classes in college. The Oxford Dictionary defines mise en place as the preparation of dishes and ingredients before the beginning of service.  It is a French phrase literally ‘putting in place’.  Here at Mealscool we like to think of it as “Get Your KIT Together” a less profane but equally memorable version of the much known expression. Basically we are talking about getting everything you need out and ready to go. This includes all of the ingredients, tools and dishes you will need to complete the dish. This helps to reduce stress while you are cooking, keep important timed elements on schedule and acts as a “final check” that you have everything you need before you get started. It usually helps you to read through the recipe this one last time as well and avoid surprises.

6.     MEASURE TWICE DUMP ONCE

We have all heard the expression measure twice, cut once with reference to woodworking but the same concept can be applied in the kitchen. When you are doing your “mise en place” and measuring out the components of the recipe, read the measurement, measure it out, read the measurement once more, and then add it to the dish. The extra check has saved many of us from adding 2 tablespoons of salt instead of 2 teaspoons to our favourite recipe a mistake that could be disastrous!

7.     USE PROPER TOOLS

Buying your measuring spoons at the dollar store may seem like a good idea at the time, but this is a choice that can often have a less than stellar outcome. Buy your kitchen tools from a reputable kitchen store or ensure that if you are picking them up at a neighbourhood yard sale you verify their accuracy. The same holds true for all tools and kitchen appliances. The adage you get what you pay for holds more truly in some places than others and the kitchen is one where it matters. The last thing you want is to be in the middle of blending a pureed soup, with your guests walking through the front door and your $5.00 blender decides to retire. Well-made tools make all the difference.

8.     TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS

You may be new to the kitchen but you aren’t a fool. If a 6 serving recipe of soup calls for a cup of crushed garlic, your “spidy senses” may start to tingle. This is good. If something doesn’t add up or make sense there is a possibility of an error or a typo. You have options. One choice is to start with a small amount of some ingredients and taste before adding more. When the chemistry of what you are cooking is crucial as is often the case when baking, you would do well to look at other similar recipes to confirm your suspicions or do what many of us have done when come upon a situation like this – call MOM!

9.     MAKE AHEAD

One of the best things rookies can do when cooking is pick dishes that can be made ahead of time. Many soups, dips, marinades, sauces and the like are even better when given a day for the flavours to mingle. This is a great way to ensure that you have confidence when entertaining. Having the ability to complete and taste your final product is a relief. If things don’t work out and you want to try something else or get take out instead, you can make these decisions without the embarrassment of your company’s involvement. The ability to visit and socialize with your guests when they arrive instead of being in a panic in the kitchen is much more enjoyable as well!

10.    TASTE BEFORE SERVING

Our final tip is another one that may seem obvious to many of us but inexperienced cooks (and occasionally the experienced ones too!) can make this mistake in the rush to get it all done. Make sure you taste what you are serving to others before you serve them, ideally before it’s on their plate! Simple adjustments to seasonings and herbs can often take a dish from deadly to delightful in seconds. If there has been some sort of gross oversight you definitely want to know it before you are sitting around the table. Following the tips above will help to ensure that you don’t make big mistakes, but if you do, you will have time to remedy them before serving.

New Mealscool Recipe Alert

Mushroom Quinoa Loaf

I first made this dish for an Easter dinner with friends and family and it’s been a staple of mine ever since. Serves up great with gravy or even in your favourite Panini bread as a sandwich. Check it out!

The Doors Are Open

Well we don’t really have doors here at Mealscool but if we did they’d be open. We are open for business!

New Recipes Posted

Yummy Lunch Ideas

Two great new soup recipes were posted today! These recipes both make a perfect lunch or appetizer. If you would like personalized one on one training on how to make these or any other recipe contact Mealscool today!

Opening Soon

It’s All Coming Together!

Mealscool opens for business tomorrow Monday September 26th, 20011 with great excitement!

I am so pumped about the days ahead where I can bring many of my greatest passions together in one project. Mealscool seems like a natural progression of things allowing me to share my love of cooking, and my desire to create simple and delicious vegan meals that everyone loves. Even writing on this site and taking the odd photo or two should come up, all the things that I love. Mealscool opens for business tomorrow Monday September 26th, 20011 with great excitement!

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