Like a pro: Clever kitchen hacks
Sharpen your knife skills and save time slicing
What do watermelons, ginger and tomatoes have in common? You’re probably slicing them the hard way. With watermelon, simply cut it in half and then slice it in a grid. You’ll have nice even slices each with a bit of rind at the bottom to hold onto. For cherry tomatoes, steady them between two flat plastic lids and slice them horizontally with a serrated knife.
As for ginger, ditch the knife entirely. Peel it with the edge of a spoon instead.
Quick fixes for rooky mistakes
Mistakes happen, but they don’t have to ruin your meal. For example, let’s say you over-salted your casserole. Is it damaged beyond repair? Definitely not. Just add a piece of a raw potato or apple for 10 mins and it’ll soak up the saltiness. Over-salted soups can be rescued by sugar or vinegar.
What about when water or milk boils over and makes a mess of your hob? Say no more. Prevent it from happening by greasing the edge of the pot. It’s that simple.
Do you know the secret to easily peel hard boiled eggs? Just add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to your water before boiling. And when you take your eggs off the heat, let them sit for 10-12 mins before peeling. Removing the shell will never be easier.
Save money by reducing food waste
People all over the world throw away 1.3 billion tons of food each year. What a waste. Here are a few tips for keeping food fresh and avoiding waste.
To keep herbs usable just freeze them in olive oil – same goes for sauces and dips. Use ice cube trays for perfectly preserved single servings.
To keep sugar soft, just place a couple of marshmallows in the container. The moisture in the marshmallow will prevent the sugar from clumping.
Bought too many green grapes? Just freeze them and use them as ice-cubes in juice or wine; they won’t dilute the liquid.
